Conservation Reserve and Community Reserves

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The following are subtopics of Conservation Reserve and Community Reserves:

  • Conservation Reserve Program
  • Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
  • Wetlands Reserve Program
  • Grassland Reserve Program
  • Farmland Protection Program
  • Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program
  • Environmental Quality Incentives Program
  • Conservation Security Program
  • Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
  • Rural Clean Water Program
  • Agricultural Water Enhancement Program
  • Conservation Partnership Program
  • Regional Conservation Partnership Program
  • Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
  • Wetlands Reserve Easement Program
  • Grassland Reserve Easement Program
  • Farmland Protection Easement Program
  • Wildlife Habitat Incentives Easement Program
  • Environmental Quality Incentives Easement Program
  • Conservation Security Program Easement Program
  • Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Easement Program
  • Rural Clean Water Easement Program
  • Agricultural Water Enhancement Easement Program
  • Conservation Partnership Program Easement Program
  • Regional Conservation Partnership Program Easement Program
    Conservation Reserve and Community Reserves are two programs that provide financial assistance to landowners who agree to take land out of production and use it for conservation purposes. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that pays farmers to take highly erodible land, wetlands, and other environmentally sensitive land out of production and plant it with grasses or trees. The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program that pays landowners to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands. The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a voluntary program that pays landowners to protect and restore native grasslands. The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) is a voluntary program that pays landowners to keep their land in agricultural production. The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program that pays landowners to create or improve wildlife habitat on their land. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary program that provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to implement practices that improve water quality, soil health, air quality, and wildlife habitat. The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that pays farmers to implement conservation practices that improve the overall health of their land. The Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program (WP&FP) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to local governments to develop and implement watershed protection and flood prevention projects. The Rural Clean Water Program (RCWP) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to implement practices that improve water quality on their land. The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program (AWEP) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers to implement practices that improve water quality and quantity on their land. The Conservation Partnership Program (CPP) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to partnerships of landowners, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to implement conservation projects. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to partnerships of landowners, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to implement conservation projects in priority areas.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Programs (ACEPs) are voluntary programs that provide financial assistance to landowners who agree to permanently protect their land from development or other uses that would harm the environment. ACEPs are administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

There are several different types of ACEPs, each with its own set of eligibility requirements and benefits. The most common type of ACEP is the Wetlands Reserve Easement Program (WRP). The WRP pays landowners to permanently protect wetlands on their land. Other types of ACEPs include the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP), the Farmland Protection Program (FPP), the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Security Program (CSP).

ACEPs provide a number of benefits to landowners, including:

  • Permanent protection of their land from development or other uses that would harm the environment
  • Financial assistance to help cover the costs of conservation practices
  • Tax benefits
  • Increased property values
  • Improved water quality and quantity
  • Increased wildlife habitat
  • Reduced soil erosion
  • Improved air quality
  • Increased public access to the outdoors

If you are a landowner who is interested in protecting your land through an ACEP, you can contact your local NRCS office for more information.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

  • What is the Conservation Reserve Program?
    The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program that pays farmers to take highly erodible land, wetlands, and other environmentally sensitive land out of production and plant it with grasses or trees.

  • What are the benefits of CRP?
    The CRP provides a number of benefits, including:

    • Reducing soil erosion and sedimentation
    • Improving water quality
    • Protecting wildlife habitat
    • Restoring wetlands
    • Providing carbon sequestration

  • How does CRP work?
    To participate in CRP, farmers must sign a contract with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The contract specifies the land that will be enrolled in the program, the type of cover that will be planted, and the length of the contract. Farmers are paid an annual rental fee for the land that is enrolled in CRP.

  • How much land is enrolled in CRP?
    As of 2020, over 27 million acres of land were enrolled in CRP.

  • What are the costs of CRP?
    The costs of CRP are shared by the federal government and the farmers who participate in the program. The federal government pays the annual rental fee, as well as the cost of planting and maintaining the cover crop. Farmers are responsible for the cost of any other necessary conservation practices, such as fencing or water management.

  • How is CRP funded?
    CRP is funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), which is a federal agency that provides financial assistance to farmers.

  • What is the future of CRP?
    The future of CRP is uncertain. The program is currently authorized through 2023, but it is possible that it will be extended or modified.

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

  • What is the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program?
    The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is a voluntary program that provides financial assistance to farmers who enroll highly erodible land, wetlands, and other environmentally sensitive land in conservation practices.

  • What are the benefits of CREP?
    The CREP provides a number of benefits, including:

    • Reducing soil erosion and sedimentation
    • Improving water quality
    • Protecting wildlife habitat
    • Restoring wetlands
    • Providing carbon sequestration

  • How does CREP work?
    To participate in CREP, farmers must sign a contract with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The contract specifies the land that will be enrolled in the program, the type of cover that will be planted, and the length of the contract. Farmers are paid an annual rental fee for the land that is enrolled in CREP.

  • How much land is enrolled in CREP?
    As of 2020, over 1 million acres of land were enrolled in CREP.

  • What are the costs of CREP?
    The costs of CREP are shared by the federal government and the farmers who participate in the program. The federal government pays the annual rental fee, as well as the cost of planting and maintaining the cover crop. Farmers are responsible for the cost of any other necessary conservation practices, such as fencing or water management.

  • How is CREP funded?
    CREP is funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), which is a federal agency that provides financial assistance to farmers.

  • What is the future of CREP?
    The future of CREP is uncertain. The program is currently authorized through 2023, but it is possible that it will be extended or modified.

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

  • What is the Wetlands Reserve Program?
    The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program that pays landowners to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands.

  • What are the benefits of WRP?
    The WRP provides a number of benefits, including:

    • Protecting and restoring wetlands
    • Improving water quality
    • Reducing flood risk
    • Providing wildlife habitat

  • How does WRP work?
    To participate in WRP, landowners must sign a contract with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The contract specifies the land that will be enrolled in the program, the type of restoration or enhancement that will be done, and the length of the contract. Landowners are paid an annual rental fee for the land that is enrolled in WRP.

  • How much land is enrolled in WRP?
    As of 2020, over 10 million acres of land were enrolled in WRP.

  • What are the costs of WRP?
    The costs of WRP are shared by the federal government and the landowners who participate in the program. The federal government pays the annual rental fee, as well as the cost of restoring or enhancing the wetlands. Landowners are responsible for the cost of

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect wetlands?
    (A) Conservation Reserve Program
    (B) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
    (C) Wetlands Reserve Program
    (D) Grassland Reserve Program
    (E) Farmland Protection Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect grasslands?
    (A) Conservation Reserve Program
    (B) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
    (C) Wetlands Reserve Program
    (D) Grassland Reserve Program
    (E) Farmland Protection Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect farmland?
    (A) Conservation Reserve Program
    (B) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
    (C) Wetlands Reserve Program
    (D) Grassland Reserve Program
    (E) Farmland Protection Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect wildlife habitat?
    (A) Conservation Reserve Program
    (B) Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program
    (C) Wetlands Reserve Program
    (D) Grassland Reserve Program
    (E) Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to improve water quality?
    (A) Environmental Quality Incentives Program
    (B) Conservation Security Program
    (C) Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
    (D) Rural Clean Water Program
    (E) Agricultural Water Enhancement Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect water resources?
    (A) Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
    (B) Rural Clean Water Program
    (C) Agricultural Water Enhancement Program
    (D) Conservation Partnership Program
    (E) Regional Conservation Partnership Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect agricultural land?
    (A) Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
    (B) Wetlands Reserve Easement Program
    (C) Grassland Reserve Easement Program
    (D) Farmland Protection Easement Program
    (E) Wildlife Habitat Incentives Easement Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect wetlands through easements?
    (A) Wetlands Reserve Easement Program
    (B) Grassland Reserve Easement Program
    (C) Farmland Protection Easement Program
    (D) Wildlife Habitat Incentives Easement Program
    (E) Environmental Quality Incentives Easement Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect grasslands through easements?
    (A) Wetlands Reserve Easement Program
    (B) Grassland Reserve Easement Program
    (C) Farmland Protection Easement Program
    (D) Wildlife Habitat Incentives Easement Program
    (E) Environmental Quality Incentives Easement Program

  • Which of the following programs is designed to protect farmland through easements?
    (A) Wetlands Reserve Easement Program
    (B) Grassland Reserve Easement Program
    (C) Farmland Protection Easement Program
    (D) Wildlife Habitat Incentives Easement Program
    (E) Environmental Quality Incentives Easement Program