The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conversation Service (NRCS) in the Pacific Islands Area (PIA) and the O‘ahu Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) are seeking producers and private landowners to apply for funding through a Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project, “O‘ahu North Shore Working Wetlands”. The project, focused on the North Shore of O‘ahu seeks to remove invasive species, establish riparian areas, reduce sediment, reduce nutrient loss, improve wildlife habitat and demonstrate indigenous agriculture and biocultural restoration techniques to manage and restore working wetlands.

RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. By leveraging collective resources and collaborating on common goals, RCPP demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in delivering results for agriculture and conservation.

NRCS in the Pacific Islands Area and its partners work with local farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to implement conservation systems, easements and watershed plans that help enhance and sustain the use of water, soil and wildlife habitat, in targeted project areas. Producers and landowners can participate in the “O‘ahu North Shore Working Wetlands” RCPP project by reaching out to the NRCS O‘ahu Service Center.

“The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is public-private partnerships working at their best,” said J.B. Martin, Director for the Pacific Islands Area for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “This project harnesses the power of partnerships to help bring about natural resource solutions to the North Shore of O‘ahu while supporting our efforts to enhance our working wetland areas.”

The “O‘ahu North Shore Working Wetlands” RCPP project is led by the O‘ahu Resource Conservation and Development Council. “This is a pivotal opportunity for NRCS and Oʻahu RC&D to learn from and support the stewardship of Native Hawaiian agriculture practices in working wetlands through respectful collaboration,” said Dave Elliott, Executive Director of Oʻahu Resource Conservation and Development Council. “The vision, energy, and hard work our local partners bring to this effort is a good reminder of the Hawaiian teaching to turn our hands to the soil and focus on the work that lies ahead. Huli ka lima i lalo.”

A project map is included below. Producers and landowners located within the project area looking to implement conservation systems that help address the goals of this project opportunity should contact the NRCS O‘ahu Field Office.

Applications for funding through this project will be accepted through May 31, 2023.  Applications are accepted at anytime but are batched annually for program development purposes. Signup announcements for subsequent years will be announced beginning the next fiscal year.

For more information about RCPP, visit the RCPP website.

Original source can be found here.