The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have partnered to provide $739,000 to private landowners for improvement to wildlife habitat and water quality on forest and pasture lands in Missouri. The funding is part of the new NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The deadline to sign up for this funding is June 6, 2015.

Funding is available to private landowners interested in improving the quality of soil, water, and wildlife habitat on working grazing lands through two separate RCPP projects: the Grassland Bird and Grazing Land Enhancement Initiative and the Restoring Glade and Woodland Communities for Threatened Species. The goal of the grazing land enhancement program is to make conservation practices available to producers that help meet both livestock production objectives and provide wildlife habitat on the same operation. Lands located within the following counties are eligible: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Barton, Bates, Benton, Caldwell, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Daviess, DeKalb, Douglas, Franklin, Gasconade, Gentry, Greene, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Howell, Jasper, Johnson, Lawrence, Livingston, Mercer, Montgomery, Nodaway, Ozark, Pettis, St. Clair, Sullivan, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Worth, and Wright.

Funding is also available to reimburse landowners to restore or manage glades and woodlands in Carter, Iron, Madison, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Shannon, and Wayne counties. And another opportunity exists to enhance wildlife habitat and water quality in Perry County cropland.

For more information contact MDC Private Land Programs Supervisor Lisa Potter by sending an e-mail here. To sign up contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Columbia, Missouri by phoning (573) 876-0901.

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