July 2024 FloridAgriculture eNewsletter

The Suwannee to Gulf (S2G) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Project proposal addresses the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) natural resource concerns of the Longleaf Pine Critical Conservation Area through a strategy of easement programs coupled with conservation land management.  Their goals are:

• Permanent land protection: 10,500 acres over five years, including NRCS and Partner program acquisitions. 

• Restoration of terrestrial habitat for imperiled species: conservation land management of 10,000 acres 

• Connection of existing conservation lands to improve the landscape resiliency of the Suwannee River basin. 

• Promote conservation activities that improve wildlife habitat, water quality, water conservation, drought resilience, forest land restoration and protection, and promote carbon sequestration. 

• Protect cropland, grasslands and working forestland by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements.  

• Assist farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with the integration of conservation best management practices into working lands. 

• S2G RCPP project outreach will target participation of 100 HU producers per year in the UF Small Farms Academy (SFA).  

• The S2G RCPP partners aim to invest at least 10% of project financial assistance to HU producers. 

Working with Florida NRCS, RCPP partners will bring a combination of land protection and land management programs to S2G project area landowners.  The RCPP investment of about $20 million will be matched by partner contributions valued at an additional $20 million, making for a total project investment of $40 million over five years.   

The support letter can be found here. Any questions regarding the project can be directed to Curt Williams.