Funding Opportunity For Florida Wetlands Projects

Partnership proposals are now being accepted in Florida for Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) funds. Under WREP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationists will enter into agreements with eligible partners, including agreements with States (including a political subdivision or agency of a State), nongovernmental organizations, and Indian tribes. NRCS will work with the partners to enroll eligible landowners under a permanent easement, a 30-year easement, a 30-year contract on acreage owned by Indian tribes, or a restoration cost-share agreement. Additionally, partnership proposals will be accepted that will provide for the long-term management of existing Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easements.

NRCS is allocating up to $25 million in financial assistance nationally for new WREP agreements and the associated technical assistance for FY 2011. WREP funds may only be used for projects that meet Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) requirements and transactions processed through normal contracting procedures. State Conservationists will ensure that wetland restoration and enhancement actions will be designed to maximize wildlife habitat benefits and wetland values and functions.

WREP leverages resources of eligible partners to provide financial and technical assistance to landowners to protect, restore, enhance, and manage high priority wetlands and optimize wildlife habitat. WREP requires partners to contribute to the cost of the project.

Higher priority will be given to proposals that:

1. Provide evidence that wetland restoration and enhancement activities will be completed within 2 years of easement closing

2. Have a high potential to achieve wetland restoration

3. Have a high potential to significantly improve wildlife habitat

4. Provide innovation in wetland protection, restoration, management, and enhancement methods and outcome-based performance measures and methods

5. Provide for outreach to, and participation of, Indian tribes, beginning farmers or ranchers, socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, and limited resource farmers or ranchers within the area covered by the agreement

6. Facilitate the submission of landowner applications

7. Significantly leverage non-Federal financial and technical resources and coordinate with other local, State, tribal, or Federal efforts

8. If the proposal is for management of existing WRP easements, provide an estimate of costs for management activities and what the proposed activities will include, as well as which target habitat or species will benefit from the proposed activity

9. Demonstrate the partner’s history of working cooperatively with landowners on conservation easements

10. Provide for monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the restoration or management activities

11. Demonstrate the partner’s ability to have landowners sign-up this fiscal year

Eligible partners may submit proposals to the Florida NRCS state office. Proposals will not be accepted by fax, email, or through the grants.gov Web site. All proposals hand-delivered by courier will be accepted between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, no later than December 10, 2010.

For information about other NRCS conservation programs, visit http://www.fl.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/flwrp.html.