There are opportunities to receive reimbursement for brush management where it can be shown to improve water quality. The Environmental Quality Incentive Program sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture has been established to aid land owners in their efforts to improve habitat and water quality. The ashe juniper has been identified as a detriment to certain aquifers in Texas. Therefore, cost sharing funds have been made available to landowner cooperators who are anxious to reduce ashe juniper as a method to conserve aquifer water.

TEXAS NRCS PROGRAMS

The 2002 Farm Bill programs [Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002] offer landowners financial, and technical assistance to voluntarily implement conservation practices on privately owned land. These programs are specifically directed to reduce erosion, improve water quality, conserve water, enhance wetlands, retain agricultural lands and improve management on grazing lands and wildlife habitat. The EQIP is one of the funded programs. See http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ for more details. Within the context of the governments initiatives are programs that support the reduction of ashe juniper as well as the restoration of native grasslands.

The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a voluntary program that helps landowners and operators restore and protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland, and certain other lands, while maintaining the areas as grazing lands. The GRP was authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and is administered jointly by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service. http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/GRP/index.html Search on ashe juniper.

NRCS and its partners are working with landowners in Texas on a voluntary basis to conserve natural resources on private land. Our private lands are an integral part of the total ecosystem and benefit soil, water, animals, plants air and humans (SWAPA+H). These ongoing conservation programs are authorized in the current Farm Bill and offer our customers a variety of assistance to solve resource concerns and carry out the 65-year mission of the agency.

HOW TO APPLY

Landowners who are interested in the details of the various USDA programs should explore the http://www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/ web site. Also, you can visit your Natural Resources Conservation Service offices or your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices to get more information.