Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program: a Tool For Rebuilding Louisiana Prairies

Jim Bergan, The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana November 18, 2011

Title of My Slide

Slide text to go here.

To preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.

These prairies are all vast, treeless expanses, covered with a luxuriant growth of grass. Generally they are quite level, but occasionally huge swells will cross them from side to side like mighty billows of a deep sea. The view from one of these swells is very enchanting. Altogether I look upon the prairie region as naturally the loveliest part of Louisiana." Col. Samuel Lockett, 1870

Attwaters Prairie Chicken: Extirpated from Louisiana by 1919

Whooping Cranes last nested in LA in 1939, extirpated in 1950. New flock reintroduced February 2011

The Red Wolf historically was found in the coastal prairie extent of Louisiana. By 1980, they were declared extirpated

Southwestern Louisiana.. .the land where nature smiles.

The Cajun Prairie: A cultural and biological crossroads

Biodiversity Continuum
Regional > 1,000,000 acres
Regional Scale Species Matrix Communities or Coarse Scale Species Large Patch Communities or Intermediate Scale Species Small Patch Communities or Local-Scale Species

Geographic Scale

Coarse 20,000 - 1,000,000 acres

Intermediate 1000 - 50,000 acres

Local < 2000 acres

Traditional Focus

COASTAL PRAIRIE RESTORATION SCALE CONSIDERATIONS

ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES...

...AT APPROPRIATE ECOLOGICAL SCALE

WHAT IS CREP?
The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary land retirement program that helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land, decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and surface water. CREP addresses high-priority conservation issues of both local and national significance, such as impacts to water supplies, loss of critical habitat for threatened and endangered wildlife species, soil erosion, and reduced habitat for fish populations such as salmon. CREP is a community-based, results-oriented effort centered around local participation and leadership.

Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Zone

Restoration of diverse native grassland in SW

Louisiana First CREP nationwide to focus on prairie restoration Restoration goal: 15,050 acres 11,000 acres native grasses 2,500 acres diverse grassland 1,550 acres shallow water wetland NC payments concentrated on biodiversity practices T $1,375,000 for low-diversity plantings within 3 years. $655,000 for high-diversity plantings within 3 years. $867,000 for mid-contract cost share within 15 years.

Landowner Incentives annual rental payment $77 per acre (150% of avg) 50-100% cost share for restoration practices 30-40% practice incentive sign up payment technical support to guide restoration additional income from haying/grazing/ hunting/carbon/biofuels

Landowner Responsibilities Implement restoration plan as developed No alteration of acreage under contract except to advance restoration Maintain/enhance habitat for 15 years

LOUISIANA COASTAL PRAIRIE PROJECT DESCRIPTION Partners: NRCS, FSA, LA DoAg, DU 15,500-acre, $26,700,000 (Cash) prairie restoration project in SW LA. roposed cash contributions as follows: P SDA(FSA): $21,395,844 U A Department of Agriculture: $1,924,875 L SWC: $2,629,281 O NC: $750,000 T U: $22,000 (in-kind); other in-kind $3,970,875 D 15-year conservation contracts. NC payments concentrated on biodiversity practices T $1,375,000 for low-diversity plantings within 3 years. $655,000 for high-diversity plantings within 3 years. $867,000 for mid-contract cost share within 15 years.

PROJECT ESTABLISHMENT COSTS

Practice

Acres

Estab. Cost/acre

CP 25 CP 2 CP 9

2,500 11,000 1,550

$524 $250 $735

Total Federal Cost Total Partner Cost (includes annual (includes BMPMP rental, mid contract Payments and State mgt, practice Habitat Incentive establishment, PIP, Payments) and SIP payments

$21,395,375

$2,674,555

Considerations
All restoration on private lands. Without additional incentives, landowners could return land to cultivation after 15 years although history of CRP, until recently, has been complete re-enrollment. TNC-LA will have to dedicate staff to ensure priority tracts enrolled, post-CREP programs in place and plant materials program developed. $750,000 is a significant amount of private funding to obligate and raise. Without TNCs contribution, acreage enrolled in program would be reduced by approximately 50% and no acreage in high biodiversity plantings would take place.

Dr. Malcolm Vidrine and Larry Allain

World Rice Prices 2005-2010