NRCS California Invests $1.3M in Working Lands for Wildlife Initiatives

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California is taking applications for the 2024 Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) and Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (SWFL) initiative through the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) partnership, a collaborative approach to conserve habitat on working lands. 

“We are proud to invest more than $1M this year to assist farmers and ranchers protect these important species on working lands,” said NRCS California State Conservationist Carlos Suarez. “Agriculture knows that a healthy habitat for species benefits their operations and NRCS is committed to helping producers achieve their conservation goals.”

WLFW is funded through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the agency’s flagship conservation program that helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. NRCS partners with federal and state agencies, conservation organizations, and landowners that aims to conserve wildlife habitats and species across the country.

SGI focuses on enhancing sagebrush habitat on private lands by addressing threats to sustainable grazing operations and maximize benefits to sage grouse populations. In California, primary threats addressed are invading conifers, and invasive annual grasses. Rangeland management practices facilitate improved grazing management resulting in healthier, more sustainable, and productive rangelands. Implementation conservation practices have shown positive population effects to sage grouse and other sagebrush species.

SWFL offers technical and financial assistance to help landowners voluntarily restore riparian areas on private lands. This assistance helps producers plan and implement a variety of conservation activities, or practices, that benefit the riparian birds and agricultural operations. NRCS’ Upland Wildlife Habitat Management practice and Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities practice are used, along with supporting conservation practices, to address habitat resource concerns for southwest riparian bird species. 

For questions regarding eligible practices and to apply, please contact your local NRCS Service Center.

How to Apply
SGI is available to eligible producers located within the priority areas of the following counties: Alpine, Fresno, Inyo, Lassen, Madera, Modoc, Mono, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra and Tuolumne counties. 

SWFL is available to eligible producers located within the priority areas of the following counties: Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.

The deadline for SGI and SWFL applications is May 24, 2024. 

Since its inception in 1935, NRCS has worked in partnership with private landowners and a variety of local, state, and federal conservation partners to deliver conservation based on specific, local needs.