Locals Learn How To Share In $50 Million Of Gulf Restoration Funds

February 4, 2012

A meeting was held Friday in Walnut Hill for landowners and producers in the area to learn about how they can share in $50 million in funding from a Gulf Coast restoration effort.

The $50 million will be spent over three years in conservation assistance to farmers and ranchers in priority areas along seven major rivers in five states that drain into the Gulf.

In Escambia counties in both Florida and Alabama, funds will be focused on the Canoe Creek watershed and the Sandy Hollow-Pine Barren Creek watershed in the Escambia River basin. Also, in North Escambia, funds will provide conservation assistance in the Little Pine Barren Creek Watershed in the Escambia River Basin. (Click map to enlarge.)

“This locally-led effort to improve the health of the Gulf Coast region will benefit Florida citizens by producing cleaner water, more abundant wildlife, and healthier fisheries,” said Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Carlos Suarez.

Financial assistance is available to help producers apply sustainable agricultural and wildlife habitat management systems that will focus on reducing soil erosion, improving water quality, and improving wildlife habitat on cropland, pastureland, and forestland.

Practices may include:

  • Installing grade control structures to stabilize eroding gullies
  • Implementing precision agriculture to reduce chemical application overlap  and protect sensitive environmental areas
  • Increasing adoption of residue and tillage management, cover crops, and conservation crop rotations to reduce sheet and rill erosion and improve soil organic matter, which will result in cleaner runoff and improved water quality
  • Planting grass and trees to stabilize eroding areas
  • Installing cross-fences and watering facilities to facilitate grazing distribution
  • Controlling cattle access to streams to improve water quality and stream bank stability
  • Planting and managing native plant species to improve wildlife habitat and to assist with restoration of a multitude of declining species
  • Promoting energy conservation by eliminating the need for annual mechanical removal of sediment from split ditches
  • Implementing grazing management
  • Installing heavy-use area protection pads

The $50 million Gulf Coast restoration initiative was announced by the Obama administration.

For information on how to apply for the funding, contact the NRCS Molino Service Center at (850) 587-5345 or the Brewton NRCS Service Center at (251) 867-3185. Application cutoff date for GoMI 2012 funds is March 1, 2012.

Pictured: This map shows the areas eligible for a portion of $50 million in Gulf Coast restoration funding, click to enlarge.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News