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HABITAT PROGRAM DEADLINE
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has been notified by the USDA
Natural Resources Conservation Service in Tennessee that Jan. 16 is the
signup cutoff date for first evaluation funding consideration in the
Environmental Quality Incentives Program. Applicants interested in
improving wildlife habitat on agricultural land and non-industrial
private forestlands are encouraged to submit an application at their
local NRCS office by that date.
“Winter is a great time to evaluate habitat components for wildlife as
deficiencies in protective cover and food tend to be at their lowest
point of the year and are most apparent then,” said Mark Gudlin, TWRA
Assistant Chief of Wildlife, Habitat Management. “This also gives
landowners and producers time to plan changes into their annual
cropping, pasture management and other field and forest management
strategies before spring arrives.”
Eligible producers with a conservation plan for their operation receive
priority for financial assistance. Only projects that are “ready to
implement” will be ranked for funding. Pending the availability of
funds, additional evaluation periods may occur and cutoff dates will be
posted on the Tennessee NRCS website on the EQIP page.
Even if an application is not submitted by Jan.16, interested producers
and landowners are encouraged to submit applications at any time of the
year. NRCS staff is available to help producers create conservation
plans, and TWRA wildlife habitat biologists will work with applicants
that have a wildlife interest.
They will develop, free-of-charge, a custom habitat management plan for
their property and can often guide them to assistance offered through
one or more federal or state conservation programs or conservation
organizations.
The funds from EQIP help farmers improve the natural resources and soil
health on private working lands in Tennessee. Conservation practices
help the environment while also making the land more productive by
addressing issues like water quantity, water and air quality, wildlife
habitat, and soil health.
For location of NRCS offices, contact information for TWRA biologists,
and additional information on wildlife habitat and conservation
programs, see www.TWRAprivatelands.org , or contact the TWRA Wildlife &
Forestry Division at (615) 781-6610. For EQIP program information,
contact John Rissler, NRCS, at (615) 277-2576.
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