Wetlands : programs and partnerships

10 Pages·1996·0.75 MB·English

Historic, Archive Document
Do not assume content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.

Reserve
United States NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 January 1996
aGH76
Department of
m
Agriculture . UI47 etlands
1996
Natural
Resources
Conservation
Service Programs and Partnership
Wetlands are vital to the health of verted wetlands to cropland after
our Nation’s environment. They December 23, 1985. With some ex¬
Did you know...
store floodwater, trap nutrients and ceptions, farmers who produced
\~^L' sediment, help recharge ground annually tilled crops—such as
...that the Natural Resources
water, provide habitat and food for corn, soybeans, and wheat—on
Conservation Service (NRCS) is the
wildlife, and add beauty to the newly converted wetlands jeopar¬
lead agency for identifying wetlands
on agricultural lands? And that landscape. Wetlands filter pollut¬ dized their eligibility for certain
farmers can now rely on a single ants out of runoff to help make U.S. Department of Agriculture
wetlands determination by NRCS to water cleaner. Wetlands help pre¬ (USDA) farm programs. The trigger
satisfy the requirements of both vent floods, control erosion, and for Swampbuster violations was
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act protect shorelines from being dam¬ the planting of an annual crop on a
and the Swampbuster provision of aged by waves. Quality timber is converted wetland.
the Food Security Act?
produced in wetlands. Livestock
graze on wetlands. Wetlands offer 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conser¬
...that voluntary, incentive-based
places for educational activities vation, and Trade Act (FACTA)—
Federal programs are available to
and scientific research. FACTA changed the trigger for
help landowners protect and restore
Swampbuster violations to when
wetlands?
America’s wetlands are alive with wetlands are actually drained,
...that Swampbuster generally nearly 5,000 species of plant life. dredged, filled, leveled, or other¬
allows farmers to continue using the One-third of all species of birds, wise altered to make possible the
normal farming practices they have 190 species of amphibians, and all production of an agricultural com¬
always used—so long as additional of America’s wild ducks and geese modity. The law allows producers
wetlands are not converted or
need wetlands to live. Threatened to convert frequently cropped wet¬
wetland drainage increased?
and endangered species such as the lands, but only if they mitigate the
whooping crane, bald eagle, red loss by restoring a converted wet¬
...that you can call 1-800-832-
wolf, fatmucket mussel, and land with equivalent wetland
7828—the U.S. Environmental
swamp rose depend on wetlands. functions. FACTA also established
Protection Agency’s (EPA)
contractor-operated Wetlands (For more information on wet¬ the Wetlands Reserve Program,
Information Hotline—for information lands, ask for the NRCS/RCA Issue which allows farmers to voluntarily
about wetlands? Brief 4 “Wetlands Values and sell easements to the Government
Trends,” November 1995.) for wetlands restoration purposes.
...that State wetland partnerships
have been formed in Arkansas, Wetlands protection The President’s plan—In addition
Oregon, Maryland, Massachusetts,
In 1972 Congress passed the first to the statutory requirements, on
and Ohio?
Clean Water Act, which established August 24, 1993, the Clinton Admin¬
the Federal Government’s role in istration released a plan providing
...that every May is American
protecting wetlands. This was fol¬ for “a fair, flexible, and effective
Wetlands Month, the result of a
public-private partnership to raise lowed by President Carter’s approach” to protecting wetlands,
the public's awareness of wetland Executive Order 11990, which re¬ and reforming how the Federal
values and to protect and restore stricted Government involvement Government regulates wetlands.
wetlands? in activities that could lead to the Key points include:
destruction of wetlands. Since, the • NRCS is the lead Federal agency
...that the President's wetlands plan 1985 Food Security Act (FSA) and responsible for ident ifying
calls for reducing the burden of
the 1990 Food, Agriculture, Conser¬ wetlands on agricultural lands
Federal wetlands regulations;
vation, and Trade Act (FACTA) under both the Clean Water Act
minimizing Federal overlap; and
have increased wetland protection and FSA.
encouraging greater participation by
State, Tribal, and local governments efforts. • The U.S. Army Coips of Engi¬
in protecting wetlands? neers established deadlines for
1985 Food Security Act (FSA)— decisions on wetlands permits
The Swampbuster provision of this under the Clean Water Act and is
law applied to farmers who con¬ establishing an administrative
NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1996
appeals process so that landown¬ asked whether they thought that ters of the United States are ex¬
ers can seek speedy recourse regulations protecting agricultural empted from Section 404. General
without having to go to court. wetlands had gone “not far permits are issued to the public at
• The Coips and EPA agreed to enough” or “too far” or were large to authorize specific activities
final regulations ensuring that “about right.” More than 4 of 10 re¬ that have minimal environmental
approximately 53 million acres spondents thought the laws impacts, such as bank stabilization
of prior-converted cropland will protecting agricultural wetlands activities, construction of farm
not be subject to wetland had not gone far enough, and a buildings, or wetland restoration ac¬
regulation. somewhat smaller percentage tivities. Some general permits
• NRCS, the Coips, EPA, and the thought the laws were about right. require notification of the local
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Corps office, and most impose spe¬
(FWS) will use the same proce¬ Regulation—The two most impor¬ cific conditions.
dures to identify wetlands; they tant Federal regulatory wetlands
issued new guidelines for programs that directly affect farm¬ Voluntary programs—USDA
establishing mitigat ion banks to ers are the Section 404 permitting works with other government agen¬
offset wetland losses. (A mitiga¬ program and Swampbuster. cies and pr ivate groups to help
tion bank is a wetland area that Swampbuster discourages the con¬ restore and use wetlands in ways
has been restored, created, or version of wetlands for agricultural that balance environmental respon¬
enhanced, and that has been set production by denying USDA farm sibility and profitability. Several
aside to compensate for future program benefits to individuals Federal programs that benefit wet¬
conversions of wetlands.) who choose to convert wetlands. lands are available. Voluntary,
Section 404 of t he Clean Water Act incentive-based programs offer
Memorandum of Agreement requires individuals to obtain a per¬ technical and/or financial assis¬
Concerning Delineation of Wet¬ mit from the Corps before tance to help landowners make the
lands (MOA) —To carry out the discharging dredged or fill material most of valuable wetland resources.
President’s reforms, in January into waters of the United States, in¬
1994 EPA and the Departments of cluding most wetlands. How much Is enough?
Agriculture, Army, and the Interior The Wildlife Management Institute
signed a joint agreement to use ex¬ Most routine, ongoing farming ac¬ recently established realistic goals
isting authorities to ensure that tivities do not require individual for stabilizing and restoring wildlife
wetlands programs work better Section 404 permits. Many normal populations, and estimated land¬
among the Federal agencies. It en¬ farming, silvicultural, and ranching scape changes necessary to meet
sures that NRCS, FWS, EPA, and activities that involve discharges of those goals. A group of professional
the Corps provide greater certainty dredged or fill materials into wa¬ wildlife managers developed a
and uniformity in decisions to cus¬
tomers requesting wetland deline¬
Ratings of laws protecting agricultural wetlands
ations for Swampbuster and/or Sec¬
Source: 'National Survey of Attitudes Towards Agricultural Natural Resource
tion 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Conservation," The Gallup Organization 1995. Nationally representative
The basic purpose of the MOA was
sample of 1,250 people. The survey question was: "What about laws and
to have EPA and the Coips accept
regulations protecting agricultural wetlands? Do you think the laws have
NRCS wetlands determinations on gone too far, not far enough, or are about right?"
agricultural lands as the final Gov¬
ernment decision for Clean Water
Act purposes.
The MOA strongly emphasizes in¬
teragency coordination at the field
level. Agency personnel conducting
wetland delineations must be prop¬
erly trained and must use standard,
agreed-upon methods called map¬
ping conventions.
Is current wetlands protection
adequate?—In a 1995 survey con¬
ducted by the Gallup organization
to ascertain attitudes toward agri¬
cultural natural resource
conservation, respondents were
NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1998
Federal voluntary wetlands programs
Program Agency Description
Wetlands Reserve Program USDA, Natural Resources Offers landowners easement payments and restora¬
Conservation Service tion cost share to restore and protect converted,
farmed, or otherwise degraded wetlands.
Conservation Reserve USDA, Farm Service Offers long-term rental payments and cost-share
Program Agency assistance to establish permanent vegetative cover
on cropland that is highly erodible or contributing to a
serious water quality problem. Environmentally sensi¬
tive acres are targeted for assistance.
Stewardship Incentive USDA, Forest Service Helps landowners protect and enhance their forest
Program/Forest lands and associated wetlands. Provides landowners
Stewardship Program with cost-share and technical assistance for riparian
and wetland protection and improvement.
Partners for Wildlife USDI, Fish and Wildlife A stewardship program for the restoration and protec¬
Service tion of wetlands and other wildlife habitat on privately
owned lands.
North American Waterfowl USDI, Fish and Wildlife An international strategy for reversing the decline of
Management Plan Service migratory waterfowl populations through wetlands
protection, restoration, and enhancement. Habitat
can be purchased, leased, or protected with conser¬
vation easements. Landowners are offered economic
incentives for farming practices that benefit waterfowl.
North American Wetlands USDI, Fish and Wildlife An international wetlands conservation program to
Conservation Act Service encourage partnerships among public agencies and
other interests to protect, enhance, restore, and man¬
age an appropriate distribution and diversity of
wetland ecosystems and other habitats for migratory
birds and other wildlife and fish in North America; to
maintain current or improved distributions of migra¬
tory bird populations; and to sustain an abundance of
waterfowl and other migratory birds consistent with
the goals of the North American Waterfowl Manage¬
ment Plan. Grant funds are available on a one-to-one
matching basis with non-Federal U.S. sources.
Intermodal Surface USDOT, Federal Highway ISTEA is committed to the design and building of
Transportation Efficiency Administration transportation facilities that fit harmoniously into com¬
Act (ISTEA) munities and the natural environment. Wetland miti¬
gation banking and other measures to offset impacts
to wetland resources are eligible for ISTEA funding.
These measures may occur in advance of construc¬
tion and may include direct contributions to statewide
regional wetland conservation and mitigation planning
efforts.
Legacy Resource Department of Defense A program to promote, manage, research, conserve,
Management Program and restore biological, geophysical, and historical re¬
sources on public lands, facilities, or property held by
DOD. It involves other Federal and State agencies,
private organizations, and volunteers. Demonstration
projects and program development are accomplished
at the installation level.
report based on available science mating current conditions. One ex¬ Nationwide, the report calls for 5.9
and best professional judgment. ception: All grassland restoration million acres of restored wetlands
The habitat enhancements and res¬ objectives include grassland acres and 1.05 million acres of enhanced
torations projected to be necessary currently enrolled in the Conserva¬ wetlands beyond baseline condi¬
are relative to a baseline approxi¬ tion Reserve Program. tions. A variety of programmatic
NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1996
■ ■ ■ ———i~nzr_—— — ' ~ tz: - _ ~ - I
options could achieve the goals restored and more than 1,000 filtering nitrate and other
identified by the experts. Many ex¬ additional acres of wetlands are pollutants from water r unning
isting USDA programs could be being protected. Nearly 2,500 out of tile drainage systems.
modified to provide more wildlife additional acres of upland were They have opened a commercial
benefits at no additional expense placed in the program to provide hunting preserve on their
and without disrupting the integrity wildlife habitat and wetlands property, demonstrating to other
of the programs. protection. The program is farmers that wetlands protection
administered by the North can offer both financial and
Partnerships Dakota Department of Agricul¬ ecological rewards.
Wetlands conservation is one of the ture with assistance from the
most important and sensitive envi¬ State Game and Fish Depart¬ The Lake Lafayette Wetland
ronmental issues in our country ment, State Water Commission, Restoration Pr oject in northern
today. USDA supports partnerships NRCS, and FWS. The agencies Mississippi is a good example of
with other government agencies, help develop Water Bank numerous partners working
tribes, and private organizations to Program guidelines and help together. Lake Lafayette, a 2,000-
help landowners restore and con¬ review, rank, and monitor acre forested wetland complex
serve wetlands. Here are some program contracts. adjacent to Steele Bayou, has
examples of part nerships at work: been partially drained, and most
A farm family in east-central of the historic floodwaters have
• In southeastern Missouri, six Illinois restored 10 wetlands been diverted by major flood-
farmers worked with NRCS and totaling about 20 acres on their control projects. Linder the
the Butler County Soil and Water property, and they plan to sponsorship of the Issaquena
Conservation District (SWCD) to conduct several more restora¬ Soil and Water Conservation
create a 38-acre wetland in tion projects. They are partici¬ District, six landowners, NRCS,
exchange for converting several pating in a project through the the Mississippi Partners for
small, degraded wetlands in their University of Illinois to study the Waterfowl Program, Mississippi
fields to cropland. Under Swamp- effectiveness of wetlands in River Levee Board, and FWS’
buster, farmers who receive
USDA benefits cannot destroy
Wildflowers provide color in a new farmer-created wetland—the
wetlands unless they create new
result of six Missouri farmers working with NRCS and the Butler
ones with similar values. The
County Soil and Water Conservation District. NRCS staffers Steve
farmers were offered the option
McMillin, left, district conservationist, Poplar Bluff, and Ron Darden,
of moving their small wetlands
area conservationist, Cape Girardeau, tour the 38-acre site. Also
t o the 38-acre site, which was
involved in the wetland project were the Missouri Department of
purchased by the Butler County
SWCD. The larger wetland Conservation, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, EPA,
replaces several small, degraded FWS, and the Corps.
monoculture wetlands and
includes open water, emergent
marsh, and well-developed
stands of bottomland hard¬
woods. Farmers win because
they can level and fill their entire
fields and irrigate more effi¬
ciently. Society wins because
wetland values are protected and
enhanced while improving the
efficiency of producing the
Nation’s food supply.
• In North Dakota, a coalition of
State and Federal agencies has
been cooperating in the develop¬
ment and implementation of the
North Dakota State Water Bank
Program. To date, about 175
acres of wetlands have been

NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1996
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NRCS/RCA Issue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1996
Partners for Wildlife Program State and local alliances. Exist¬ What’s next?
are working together to build 5 ing wetland projects with Ducks Wetlands are vital and dynamic-
miles of levees and install 21 Unlimited, Wildlife Habitat ecosystems. Preserving, enhanc¬
water-control structures to allow Council, government agencies, ing, and restoring wetlands are
the area to flood up to 3 feet and private landowners demon¬ important parts of USDA’s com¬
deep during the winter, approxi¬ strate how and why valuable mitment to ecosystem-based
mating historical flood flows. wetland habitats should be assistance. By expanding part¬
restored and protected. nerships and continuously
The National Wetlands Conser¬ evaluating existing programs,
vation Alliance is a partnership The Alliance brings together the quality and quantity of our
of industry, organizations, governmental agencies and non¬ Nation’s wetlands will not be
agencies, and concerned citizens governmental organizations to ignored. NRCS will continue to
helping landowners fulfill their funnel assistance directly to work with landowners, conser¬
critical role as our Nation’s landowners. More than 2.5 vation districts, State natural
wetlands stewards. The Alliance million landowners are reached resource agencies, FWS, Coips,
helps coordinate and provides a annually through publications, and EPA to help restore, en¬
focal point for efforts to advance hance, and manage valuable
workshops, and demonstration
voluntary wetlands restoration wetlands. Everybody can pro¬
projects of participating partners
and conservation by private tect valuable wetlands on their
in the Alliance.
landowners. It strongly encour¬ property, learn about the wet¬
ages and supports establishing lands in their community, and take
part in local restoration activities.
The United States Department of Agriculture, through the Natural This issue brief is one in a series being prepared by the
Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Ser¬ Natural Resources Conservation Service. It was prepared
vice), is preparing an environmental scan of the status, conditions, by Mary Cressel and Janice Sutton, Wetlands Team, Natu¬
and trends of natural resources on America’s non-Federal land, as ral Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC. For
required by the Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act of more information or if you have comments or suggestions,
1977 (RCA), Public Law 95-192. The appraisal will help guide the please contact James Maetzold, USDA, Natural Re¬
updating of the National Conservation Program, which directs sources Conservation Service, Natural Resources Inven¬
USDA's natural resource conservation policies and programs. Ten tory Division, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013;
other USDA agencies and 10 non-USDA agencies are full partners phone [phone]; or FAX [phone].
in this effort.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination should contact the USDA Office of Communications at [phone].
in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, To file a complaint, write the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of
disability, political beliefs and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250, or call [phone] or (202)
apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 720-1127 (TDD). USDA is an equal employment opportunity employer.
for communication of program information (braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)
RCA/lssue Brief 8 Wetlands Programs and Partnerships January 1996
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service Bulk Rate
Natural Resources Inventory Division Postage and Fees Paid
P.O. Box 2890 USDA-NRCS
Washington, DC 20013 Permit No. G-267
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