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Longleaf Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting Biloxi, Mississippi. Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
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Longleaf Regional Conservation Partnership Program Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting Biloxi, Mississippi
Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) • Establishes a new partnership program which consolidates four previous programs into one to support projects that improve soil quality, water quality and quantity, and/or wildlife habitat on a regional scale. • 8 critical conservation areas (CCA) to be identified • Avoid regulatory challenges (CWA, CAA, ESA) • Regional, watershed, resource scale • Longleaf potential CCA • How can we best leverage new opportunities in farm bill to provide more $$ on the ground for longleaf? What are the key needs/gaps?
Longleaf RCPP Key Needs –Private Lands • Increase acreage of prescribed burning and other improvements on private lands. • Increase capacity and coordination of private landowner technical assistance and outreach. • Support Local Implementation Team capacity to understand needs and enhance conservation delivery. • Improve verification and monitoring on private lands to ensure working toward better outcomes. • Increase involvement of large landowners in restoration and maintenance of longleaf.
Longleaf RCPP Opportunity/Potential Mechanism • NRCS Interests • Leverage • Ability to convene multiple partners and implement well coordinated strategy • NFWF Opportunity • $5 – 7 million new funds for longleaf • Needs to be levered up significantly with add’l new funds • Contribute to long-term work with large-scale impact • Longleaf Stewardship Fund?
Longleaf RCPP Next Steps • RFP- end of May/mid June, due in Sept.? • Establish working group – what can we accomplish? • Develop proposal, get feedback