State Conservationist Eric B. Banks for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced the cutoff date of April 8, for the multi-state forestry Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI).
The CCPI, now in its second year, provides financial and technical assistance to owners and operators of agricultural and nonindustrial private forestlands.
“Farmers, ranchers and owners of forestland play pivotal roles in protecting and enhancing natural resources,” Banks said. “Our goal is to support projects that will improve the health of the natural resources on their land and bring the environmental and economic benefits of conservation to their local communities.”
According to Banks, NRCS in Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska is partnering with their state forestry agencies to address two areas of critical need in these Northern Plains states. These include shelterbelts that are old and no longer providing the benefits they used to and forests along rivers and streams that are in decline due to human-caused changes to river channels and stream flows.
Additional information specific to CCPI projects is available from your local USDA Service Center from the NRCS staff or at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.