Inside Agroforestry | Winter 2003 2002 Farm Bill The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill) has been hailed as the single most significant commitment of resources toward conservation on private lands in the Nation's history. Private landowners will benefit from a portfolio of voluntary assistance, including cost-share, land rental, incentive payments, and technical assistance. We gratefully acknowledge Larry Godsey of the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry for his significant contributions to this issue of Inside Agroforestry. ("Funding Incentives for Agroforestry in Missouri" UMCA 5-2002) FLEP Overview New Program Gives NIPF Owners Boost The 2002 Farm Bill has authorized the Forest Service to launch a $100,000,000 forestry program to assist non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in what will be known as the Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP). Authorized for program years 2002-2007, the program has scheduled its inaugural year for fiscal year 2003 and funds will be administered through State forestry agencies. FLEP Assistance For Farmers The establishment, management, maintenance, and restoration of forests for shelterbelts, windbreaks, aesthetic quality, and other conservation purposes. Agricultural resource professionals and crop and livestock producers should not overlook FLEP as a possible source of assistance. FLEP is not limited for use only on forested lands. Within the FLEP legislation NIPF land is broadly defined as having trees or being suitable for growing trees. Specific targeted activities under FLEP include: 1) the establishment, management, maintenance, and restoration of forests for shelterbelts, windbreaks, aesthetic quality, and other conservation purposes, 2) the restoration, use, and enhancement of forest wetland and riparian areas, the protection of water quality and watersheds through, among other practices, planting of trees in riparian areas, and 3) to conduct energy conservation and carbon sequestration activities. Through FLEP, State forestry agencies can provide a wide array of educational, technical and financial services that are intended to ensure that the nation's NIPF land and related resources continue to provide sustainable forest products and safeguard the health of our water, air, and wildlife. In each participating state, the State Forester and State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee will jointly develop a State priority plan to promote forest management objectives and describe FLEP in their State. The State priority plan will describe the cost-share components that will be available to NIPF landowners. NIPF owners who wish to participate in the cost-share component of FLEP must complete one or more of the sustainable forestry practices available in their State as described in a forest management plan. In each state, the State forester or their representative will evaluate the management plans submitted by NIPF owners and approve them for participation in FLEP. FLEP allows treatment of up to 1,000 acres per year per landowner and variances of up to 5,000 acres if significant public benefits will accrue. The maximum FLEP cost-share payment for any practice is 75 percent. Program implementation will commence 30 days after the publication of an interim rule in the Federal Register (anticipated Spring 2003). The U.S. Forest Service and State forestry agencies are guided by the following principles: * Establish, manage, maintain, protect, enhance, and restore NIPF lands. * Enhance the productivity of timber, habitat for flora and fauna, soil, water, air quality, wetlands, and riparian buffers of these lands. * Assist owners and managers to more actively manage NIPF lands to enhance and sustain the long-term productivity of timber and non-timber forest resources. * Reduce the risk and help restore, recover and mitigate the damage to forests caused by fire, insects, invasive species, disease, and damaging weather. * Increase and enhance carbon sequestration opportunities. * Enhance implementation of agroforestry practices. * Encourage and leverage State, Federal, and local resource management expertise, financial assistance and educational programs that support FLEP. You can keep current on FLEP by visiting this web site: www.fs.usda.gov/spf/coop/flep.htm. Adapted from a USDA Forest Service briefing paper prepared by Hal Brockman and Susan Stein, Cooperative Forestry, USDA Forest Service. NAC Director's Corner A commentary on the status of agroforestry by NAC Director, Dr. Greg Ruark The Farm Bill and Agroforestry Agroforestry has come a long way in the United States. It was only recently in the 1990 Farm Bill that a center for agroforestry was first authorized within USDA. Originally, it began as a Forest Service effort in 1992 that focused on agroforestry in the Great Plains and was called the Center for Semi-Arid Agroforestry. In 1995, the Center expanded into a partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and was renamed the USDA National Agroforestry Center. This expansion was due to the rapid growth of interest in agroforestry technology by landowners throughout the country. Today we see agroforestry practices being adopted in all regions of the country. Alley cropping is being used in the central states and to a lesser extent in some southern states, while forest farming has found a home in the eastern half of the country. The demand for silvopasture systems has expanded dramatically in the southeast and is beginning to take root in the northwest. Windbreaks are still being used to protect soils and crops, but new designs are being used to protect roadways from drifting snow, provide improved wildlife habitat, store carbon, and provide screening for feedlots and other agricultural operations. Riparian forest buffers are being designed to reduce agricultural runoff into surface waters and, more recently, to help communities manage stormwater runoff. The 2002 Farm Bill provides an increased level of support for agroforestry. A greater number of conservation programs, both public and private, now include cost sharing, incentive and maintenance payments, and rental rates for agroforestry practices. This issue highlights the many agroforestry opportunities within the 2002 Farm Bill, with state programs and some non-government conservation organizations. Federal Funding Support for Agroforestry The financial success of agroforestry practices does not depend on the availability of government funding programs, nor should it. However, funding programs were developed as incentives for good stewardship and, when properly designed and managed, agroforestry promotes good stewardship. Although there are more funding programs than described in this newsletter, the programs listed represent federal sources with the greatest application to agroforestry. Changes in farm policy resulting from the 2002 Farm Bill are included and they may be subject to further change as the details of that policy are worked out over the next few years. For more detailed and up-to-date policies, contact the listed agencies sponsoring each program. Most federal funding for agroforestry is administered through United States Department of Agriculture agencies. The table on page five lists the federal agency programs and available incentives by practice/benefit. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Programs The USDA/FSA has three major programs that can be used to establish and maintain agroforestry practices on private land. They are the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP), and in partnership with some states, the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). Each of these programs is designed to take environmentally sensitive and highly erodible land out of production by offering a soil rental rate payment, cost-share for the establishment of various conservation practices and other financial incentives to landowners who offer to set aside their land for periods of 10 or 15 years. Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) CRP is a voluntary program of land retirement that offers annual soil rental rate payments, cost share payments and annual maintenance payments. Enrollment in the regular CRP can occur only during specific sign-up periods and landowners must meet specific eligibility requirements. Of the ten CRP practices that include tree planting, agroforestry is directly related to eight. Two practices, Tree Planting (CP3) and Established Trees (CP11), could possibly be used to develop a silvopasture system. The Wildlife Habitat (CP4) practice could include windbreaks designed to provide winter wildlife and livestock protection. The other five practices are clearly designed for agroforestry. They are Field Windbreaks (CP5), Shelterbelts (CP16A), Living Snow Fences (CP17A), Alley Cropping (CP19), and Riparian Buffers (CP22). Most of these are described in more detail under the CCRP Program. Alley cropping (CP19) allows a landowner the opportunity to plant trees and receive CRP rental payments on a tract of land while still making an income from a crop grown on the same tract of land. In order to earn an annual soil rental rate (SRR) payment and still produce a crop, the landowner must take at least a 50 percent reduction in the average SRR payment for the land being enrolled. For example, if the tree and grass width is 20 feet and the alley width is 40 feet, a landowner will have about one-third of an acre in trees and grass, generating a soil rental rate equivalent to one-half the full acre rate. Income from crops can be generated on the remaining two-thirds of an acre. Further guidelines and tree species recommendations for alley cropping can be found in the NRCS Alley Cropping Standard in the Field Office Technical Guide. State Success: CRP Supports Alley Cropping in Idaho Alley cropping, the growing of an annual or perennial crop between rows of high value trees, has not been applied commonly in recent years. However, in Fiscal Year 2002, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reported about 3,600 acres of alley cropping nationwide. The majority of the alley cropping was implemented through conservation technical assistance provided by NRCS. About one third of the alley cropping acres were applied with support from one of the conservation incentive programs. For example, 107 acres of alley cropping were established in Bonneville County Idaho using the Conservation Reserve Programs. Dennis Hadley, District Conservationist in Idaho Falls, reported that the alley cropping was installed on a surface irrigated border dike farm. "The dikes are about 50 feet apart, and he planted a single row of blue spruce down the middle of each land with barley on each side," said Hadley. The blue spruce will eventually be sold for landscape trees. As a tree is removed and sold, it will be replaced with a new seedling according to Hadley. The barley crop is harvested each year and replanted in the spring. Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) The CCRP is a voluntary program that focuses on funding conservation practices protecting environmentally sensitive land, including wetlands and riparian areas. Landowners with eligible land who wish to enroll that land in the CCRP may sign-up at any time during the year. There are nineteen practices that are eligible for CCRP including four key agroforestry practices: * Field Windbreaks (CP5A): Field windbreaks designed and funded under CP5A are eligible for Signing Incentive Program (SIP), Practice Incentive Program (PIP), 120 percent Soil Rental Rate (SRR), and annual maintenance payments. The number of rows, tree species, and spacing within the tree row is determined by the desired purpose of the windbreak. Design characteristics for field windbreaks are specified in NRCS Windbreak/Shelterbelt Standard. * Shelterbelts (CP16A): Shelterbelts can be used to protect farmsteads or livestock. Design characteristics allow for a 2- to 4-row shelterbelt for a farmstead or feedlot. For wildlife protection, a 5- to 10-row shelterbelt may be established. * Living Snow Fences (CP17a): This specialized windbreak practice is intended to manage snow, provide a living screen and enhance wildlife habitat on farms and ranches. Incentives are similar to Field Windbreaks and the design must follow the NRCS Windbreak/Shelterbelt standard. * Riparian Buffers (CP22): Riparian buffers are a priority for USDA. Under the requirements of the CCRP's riparian forest buffer practice (CP22), landowners must establish at least a two-zone buffer. The total width of the riparian forest buffer will vary depending on the size of the stream and landowner objectives. NRCS Riparian Forest Buffer Standard identifies the guidelines for establishing a riparian forest buffer for the CCRP. The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) CREP is a joint Federal - State land retirement conservation program targeted to address local, state, and nationally significant agriculturally related environmental concerns. In addition to rental payments, CREP can also be used to purchase permanent easements of development rights. About 24 states have approved CREP authority. Opportunities for agroforestry will vary by state depending on the targeted environmental concerns. For current information about FSA conservation programs, visit their website: www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/ State Success: Riparian Forest Buffers Advance in Pennsylvania Through CREP "This summer the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) just passed their 300th mile of buffers [in Pennsylvania] under the Farm Stewardship Program. When you add the miles of riparian buffers that CBF has helped fund and deliver via the Pennsylvania Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), the grand total passes 600 miles! This fulfills Pennsylvania's commitment under the Chesapeake Bay agreement for riparian buffers for 2010. We just got there a little early," said David Wise, Restoration Specialist, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Pennsylvania office. Pennsylvania has an extensive partnership effort to plan and apply riparian forest buffers. Their partnership includes federal agencies such as USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service; State Agencies like the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Bureau of Forestry; local organizations such as soil and water conservation districts; and numerous private organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, and Mellon Foundation, etc. Technical and financial assistance contributed through this partnership has resulted in hundreds of miles of riparian forest buffers. Most counties have a varied combination of federal, state, local, and private programs to meet their needs. The CREP program is available in 20 Chesapeake Bay Counties with probable expansion to the remaining Chesapeake Bay Counties this spring. According to Rich Shockey, NRCS Resource Conservationist, "The acceptance of riparian forest buffers is growing in Pennsylvania. When we first started planning riparian forest buffers, 35-foot wide buffers seemed like a lot to ask for. Now, most buffers are 50, 70, and up to 180 feet wide, and many areas include adjacent wetlands." Shockey attributes the success to the combination of good incentives and solid training for natural resource professionals who assist Pennsylvania landowners. The training was conducted with the help of the Stroud Water Research Center near Avondale, Pennsylvania. "As many of these areas turn from mud and/or manure to attractive vegetated areas, the demand for riparian forest buffers will continue to increase," added Shockey. State Success: Partnership Saves Lives on Minnesota Highways A major safety concern on Minnesota's roadways during the winter months is blowing and drifting snow. In the past, wooden snow fences have been placed to interrupt snow drifts. However, living snow fences comprised of plant materials such as grasses, shrubs and trees are more cost effective than structural fences and provide additional conservation benefits. Establishment of living snow fences offers the unique opportunity to market a conservation practice whose primary purpose is to provide public safety. Through an interagency partnership of programs and services - USDA's Conservation Reserve Program, Minnesota Department of Transportation's Living Snow Fence Agreement, and the technical expertise from soil and water conservation districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - the number of living snow fences planted on private lands in Minnesota will increase. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD) and Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has combined financial and human resources to better market a living snow fence program along Minnesota's state highways. This MOU outlines a CREP-like program to establish living snow fences in all but seven counties of the state. Through this arrangement Local Work Groups are empowered to use the Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP), with enhanced payments from MN/DOT, to establish the CP-17A Living Snow Fence practice on identified priority locations along state and federal highways. The Local Work Group process will be expanded to include representatives from MN/DOT who bring expert knowledge of where snow trap and blowing snow problems exist. The enhanced payments from MN/DOT will include additional compensation to landowners: * At a rate equal to 50% of the CCRP annual rental rate but no less than $30 per acre per year. * To actively grow and maintain the snow fence planting at a rate of $0.20 per lineal foot of planting per year. * To provide cost share for the use of geotextile fabric (plastic mulch) on all plantings through out the state. The cooperating agencies are very excited about the potential of Minnesota's Living Snow Fence Program. The MOU is the catalyst that has empowered these agencies to work together now and into the future to provide landowners with this rewarding opportunity. This new arrangement benefits landowners and their communities, as well as all Minnesota citizens, because living snow fences "save lives, save money, and save time." USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Programs The USDA/NRCS has four main programs that offer funds for tree planting and agroforestry. In conjunction with the funding programs noted, the USDA/NRCS also provides technical assistance to landowners who are interested in conservation planning and application. In each state, NRCS seeks input about administering these programs through State Technical Committees and Local Work Groups. Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill to provide a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible national goals. EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to help eligible participants install or implement structural and management practices on eligible agricultural land. EQIP offers contracts of one- to 10-years that provide incentive payments and cost-shares to implement conservation practices. Sixty percent of the annual national EQIP funding is designated for environmental concerns associated with livestock production. EQIP contracts provide cost-share payments for the establishment of conservation practices. The cost share rate will be determined at the state level up to a maximum of 75 percent. However, limited-resource or beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for up to a 90 percent cost-share. Since the reauthorization of EQIP added non-industrial private forests as eligible land, funding for certain practices that are not specifically considered agroforestry, could assist landowners trying to implement an agroforestry practice. For example, in Missouri, the following practices are eligible: forest site preparation, forest stand improvement, tree/shrub establishment, tree/shrub pruning, forest harvest trails and landings, and wildlife upland habitat management. These practices could be utilized by someone considering silvopasture or forest farming. Agroforestry Opportunities with EQIP Agroforestry practices and systems that can be funded through EQIP include: alley cropping, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture, forest farming, and windbreaks. In fiscal year 2002, NRCS reported that EQIP funded: * Riparian Forest Buffers in 43 states and territories * Windbreak/Shelterbelts in 23 states and territories * Alley Cropping in two states and one territory Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) WRP is a voluntary land retirement program designed to establish and improve wetland areas. Restoration of wetlands includes the planting of trees and shrubs. However, the trees and shrubs planted must be commonly found in wetland areas. In some cases, WRP land may even be grazed, cut for hay or harvested for wood products, providing wetland values are maintained. Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) WHIP is a program designed to develop and improve wildlife habitat on private land. Under WHIP, the landowner and USDA/NRCS enter into a 5- to 10-year agreement that pays the landowner up to 75 percent of the cost to establish wildlife habitat practices. Agroforestry Potential with WHIP In fiscal year 2002, NRCS reported that the following agroforestry practices were applied using the WHIP: * Riparian Forest Buffers in 29 states * Windbreak/Shelterbelts in 15 states * Hedgerows in 9 states Other practices supported by WHIP can put existing timber stands under management, which could help develop a forest farming system. Conservation Security Program (CSP) CSP, established by the 2002 Farm Bill, is designed to provide payments to producers for adopting or maintaining a wide range of management, vegetative, and land-based structural practices that address one or more resources of concern, such as soil, water, or wildlife habitat. Cropland, grazing land, and forestland that is an incidental part of the agricultural operation is eligible for the CSP program. Producers can participate in the CSP at one of three tiers (levels). Higher tiers require a greater conservation effort and offer greater payments. Payments consist of a base payment and a cost share payment. Agroforestry practices can be incorporated into the conservation security plan in order to meet certain goals. For example, if converting a portion of cropland from a soil-depleting to a soil-conserving use is the goal, the incorporation of alley cropping or field windbreaks into the conservation management system could be one alternative. The Conservation Security Program is going through the formal rule making process. The program will not be available until after publication of the final rule. For current information about all the NRCS programs, visit their website at: www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/products.html Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) SARE funds are designed to help increase farmer and rancher knowledge and adoption of practices that are "economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible." SARE assigns funds based on several competitive grants programs. Proposals submitted for funding through SARE are peer reviewed by regional administrative councils. Of the grants available through SARE, only the producer grant and on-farm research grants are aimed at the landowner. Maximum funding levels are $5,000 and $15,000, respectively. Agroforestry practices can be economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible. Therefore, landowners who want to try an agroforestry innovation can apply for SARE funding. However, due to the competitive grant process, there is no guarantee that a landowner's proposal will be accepted. To find out more about SARE producer grant applications and tips on how to write a winning proposal, visit SARE's website at www.sare.org United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Funding Incentive USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) The PFW Program emphasizes native habitat restoration on an ecosystem and landscape scale, including riparian corridors, in-stream habitat, wetlands, upland native grasslands, and others. The goal of PFW is to help conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. For more information on the PFW program, visit the US Fish and Wildlife Service website: http://partners.fws.gov USDA Forest Service (FS) Program for Forestry and Agroforestry The USDA Forest Service has one program that supports private land management and agroforestry practices. The Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) is a new program established by the 2002 Farm Bill that emphasizes sustainable management of private woodlots and other non-industrial forested acres. Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP) This program has seven major objectives including enhancing the implementation of agroforestry practices. See FLEP article insert on page two for specific activities and practices that would qualify for up to a 75 percent cost share. To be eligible for the cost-share, you must be a non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowner. However, NIPF is broadly defined to include land where trees may not currently exist but could be grown. FLEP will be administered through each state forestry agency. For more information about FLEP visit www.fs.usda.gov/spf/coop/flep.htm., or contact your local forester. State forester contact information can be found at www.stateforesters.org. State Success: West Virginia Funds Forest Farming West Virginia incorporated forest farming into the implementation of the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program. AMA is available in 15 states with historically low participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program. One of AMA's goals is to mitigate risk through production diversification or resource conservation practices. West Virginia NRCS in cooperation with the West Virginia Division of Forestry offered AMA cost share funds for timber stand improvement. According to Barbara McWhorter, West Virginia NRCS Forester, "The intent is to encourage landowners to improve their timber stand while at the same time create an environment that would allow production of special forest products, thereby diversifying an operation. Through timber stand improvement, the daylight regime in the forest is altered to allow growth of medicinal plants such as ginseng and goldenseal." In addition to cost share assistance, the West Virginia University Extension Service, the Center for Sustainable Resources and others are offering landowners assistance with ginseng and goldenseal production methods. Fred Hays, Director of the Center for Sustainable Resources, assists landowners who have requested cost share assistance through AMA. He has also used the former Stewardship Incentives Program to enhance forest farming on his own land in Kanawha County. "I followed the typical agenda of improving the forest stand through crop tree release, thinning, cull removal, and grapevine removal," says Hays. "However, what I ended up with, I believe, are areas of forest land that will produce good hardwood trees for commercial use but also a forest that will be ideal for producing ginseng, goldenseal, cohosh, and other valuable and useful products," commented Hays. He also deliberately manages for wild berry and mushroom production and mast for wildlife. The farm is used for demonstrations and workshops directed toward area landowners and sponsored by the Center for Sustainable Resources, a non-profit organization. He thinks this forest management approach should also be appropriate under the new Forest Land Enhancement Program (FLEP). State Funding Support for Agroforestry In addition to the wide array of federal programs that can financially support agroforestry, there are a number of state programs that will also help implement agroforestry. The following are a few examples of state programs that either provide independent financial support or complement other federal or private efforts. There are undoubtedly many other state programs that could encourage agroforestry. For information about programs in other states, contact the state forestry or soil and water conservation agency, the local conservation district office, or the local USDA service center. Kansas State Conservation Commission (KSCC) The State Conservation Commission�s cost-share programs are aimed at providing financial incentives to landowners to apply enduring conservation practices that reduce soil erosion and improve water quality and water conservation. For example, the Riparian and Wetland Protection Program addresses the conservation and management of riparian areas and wetlands. Funded projects include alternative livestock water supplies, wetland enhancement, riparian fencing, tree plantings and soil bio-engineering for streambank stabilization. Also, the Kansas Buffer Partnership Program began its second year in September with a 25 percent increase in funding for more coordinators. The funding increase allows 38 Kansas counties to participate in the program that encourages landowners to establish conservation buffer practices like field windbreaks and riparian forest buffers. Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), implements the Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI). The Bobwhite Quail Initiative (BQI) is a voluntary and experimental program to restore quality early successional habitat for bobwhite quail, songbirds and other farm wildlife, improve water quality, and reduce soil erosion. This pilot project is being conducted in three focus areas comprised of 17 counties in central Georgia. Funding assistance may include incentive payments to establish and maintain field borders, hedgerows (similar to a windbreak), fallow patches and/or center pivot corners. Cost share payments are also used for prescribed burning in thinned pine forests adjacent to enrolled crop fields. Several agencies work cooperatively in this new program, including: the Soil and Water Conservation Commission, Georgia Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, Quail Unlimited and others in order to integrate this program with other conservation programs. Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) The Missouri Agroforestry Program was established in 1990 with the passage of the Missouri Economic Diversification and Afforestation Act and amended in 2001. The program is designed to complement an existing or new Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) plan by providing financial assistance for the cost of establishing the trees and/or shrubs used in an agroforestry management program. Agroforestry practices that are covered by the program include alley cropping, riparian forest buffers, silvopasture, and windbreaks. Currently, the program is not funded and may be subject to the limited application periods of the regular CRP signup. However, the State of Missouri is working on providing funds for this program. In addition to the Agroforestry Program, the MDC Cost Share Program offers funds to private landowners that are not enrolled in any other federal or state incentive program. Under this program, the tree and shrub establishment practice (MDC 700) allows landowners to plant native trees and shrubs where needed for conservation purposes such as reforestation, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, erosion control, pollution control, filter or buffer strips, and energy conservation. This would include establishing riparian forest buffers and windbreaks. Private Funding Support for Agroforestry Federal and state programs are not the only sources of assistance available to landowners. Numerous private organizations offer grants, cost-share, and equipment-on-loan for landowners who are improving wildlife habitat with timber stand improvement or by planting shrubs, trees, and forages. Most of the following organizations do not specifically promote agroforestry practices. However, the nature of agroforestry practices, to provide a variety of benefits, means that landowners interested in establishing agroforestry may find that they are eligible to receive assistance from these conservation organizations. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Grant Programs The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) works to foster cooperative partnerships to conserve fish, wildlife, and plant resources through the use of Challenge Grants. Funding is based on an applicant's ability to generate additional matching sources of funding. The NFWF grant program Conservation on Private Lands has implications for private-land agroforestry. Alley cropping, riparian forest buffers and windbreaks can all provide wildlife habitat and travel corridors that when coordinated with producers can make an impact at the landscape scale within the context of working agricultural lands. Silvopasture systems and some kinds of forest farming activities can also meet the criteria of conservation on working lands that provide on-the-ground value for wildlife for the Conservation on Private Lands challenge grants. Conservation on Private Lands The NFWF has partnered with the NRCS to provide a challenge grant that promotes effective conservation and stewardship on private lands. A 2:1 ratio is recommended. Projects are judged against the following criteria: * Conservation on Working Landscapes * Demonstrated Value for Fish and Wildlife * Partnerships * Leverage of lands * On-The-Ground * Landscape Scale * Immediacy of Need For more information visit the NFWF online at: www.nps.gov/plants/nfwf/index.htm or www.nfwf.org/programs/grant_apply.htm, or contact by phone at (202) 857-0166. National Wild Turkey Federation Funding Incentives The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) is a private organization that promotes scientific wildlife management on public, private, and corporate lands as well as wild turkey hunting as a traditional North American sport. Members of the NWTF may purchase year-old grain seed for the cost of shipping through the Conservation Seed Program for habitat improvement projects. The Wild Turkey Woodlands program provides opportunities for landowners who actively manage their farms, ranches, or woodlands for wild turkey and other wildlife to purchase tree seed and the seedlings at a reduced cost. Tree and shrub seedlings could be used to establish riparian forest buffers, silvopastures, and windbreaks. These agroforestry practices will provide future roosting and feeding grounds as well as providing continuity of habitat on the landscape. For more information about the NWTF contact the organization at: The National Wild Turkey Federation, PO Box 530, Edgefield, SC 29824-1510, 1 (800) THE-NWTF, www.nwtf.org. Pheasants Forever (PF) Funding Incentives Pheasants Forever (PF) is a private, non-profit conservation organization founded in 1982 in response to a declining ring-necked pheasant population. PF is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF's unique system of county chapters allows 100 percent of the funds raised by chapters to remain at the chapter level for local habitat projects. Local PF chapters raise money to support five habitat restoration programs. These five programs are: * Food plots * Nesting cover * Woody cover * Land purchases * Wetland restoration Windbreaks and riparian forest buffers can provide critical winter protection for pheasants and other wildlife in intensively farmed lands. These practices also provide loafing and escape cover within working agricultural lands. For more information about PF and programs that are available, contact your local PF chapter, visit on the web at www.pheasantsforever.org, or write to: Pheasants Forever, 1783 Buerkle Circle, St. Paul, MN 55110. Phone: (651) 773-2000 or toll free: 1 (877) 773-2070. Quail Unlimited (QU) Funding Incentives Quail Unlimited (QU) is a national, non-profit conservation organization dedicated to the wise management and conservation of America's wild quail. Local QU chapters raise funds for local habitat and education projects, state wildlife departments, upland game bird management, habitat research and education programs. QU organizations are involved in: * Challenge Grants with the NFWF * Answer the Call, a partnership program with the US Forest Service emphasizes quail management Quail Habitat Improvement Programs provide local chapters with free food plot seed, low cost trees/shrubs, and equipment on loan. These low cost seedlings could be used for establishing agroforestry practices. Windbreaks and riparian forest buffers can help connect the patches of roosting, feeding, and brood rearing cover, making smaller patches even more beneficial to coveys of quail. To find out more about Quail Unlimited, contact your local chapter, or write to: Quail Unlimited National Headquarters, 31 Quail Run or PO Box 610, Edgefield, SC 29824 Phone: (803) 637-5731, Fax: (803) 637-0037, www.qu.org. Ducks Unlimited (DU) Funding Incentives Ducks Unlimited (DU) is a private conservation group that was started about 65 years ago by a group of sportsmen and has become the largest wetland and waterfowl conservation organization in the world. DU offers a variety of programs to restore grasslands, replant forests, and restore watersheds. In the southeast and south riparian forest buffers can provide important hardwood habitat components in lands dominated with row-crop agriculture. For example, these programs: * Help landowners enroll in government-subsidized easement and set-aside programs * Plant hardwood seedlings in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley * Restore drained wetlands, protect stream corridors, and establish riparian buffer strips DU works in partnership with landowners, federal agencies, and other private agencies to implement their programs. Their programs include: * Financial incentives to landowners who manage their land for waterfowl for 10 years * Challenge grants that provide landowners with cost share through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) For more information about programs offered by DU, visit their website at www.ducks.org, or write to: Ducks Unlimited, Inc., One Waterfowl Way, Memphis, TN 38120. Phone: 1 (800) 45DUCKS or (901) 758-3825.