Fact Sheet Wetlands Reserve September 2004 Program Overview How WRP Works The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a Landowners and Tribes may file an application voluntary program that provides technical and for a conservation easement or a cost-share financial assistance to eligible landowners to restoration agreement with the U.S. address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restore and related natural resource concerns on and protect wetlands. Participants voluntarily private lands in an environmentally beneficial limit future use of the land, but retain private and cost-effective manner. The program ownership. provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to restore, protect, The program offers three enrollment options: and enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture. WRP is Permanent Easement. This is a conservation reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural easement in perpetuity. Easement payments Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill). The for this option equal the lowest of three Natural Resources Conservation Service amounts: the agricultural value of the land, an (NRCS) administers the program. Funding for established payment cap, or an amount offered WRP comes from the Commodity Credit by the landowner. In addition to paying for the Corporation. easement, USDA pays 100 percent of the costs of restoring the wetland. Benefits WRP participants benefit by: 30-Year Easement. Easement payments Receiving financial and technical through this option are 75 percent of what assistance in return for restoring, would be paid for a permanent easement. protecting and enhancing wetland USDA also pays up to 75 percent of functions and values; restoration costs. Seeing a reduction in problems associated For both permanent and 30-year easements, with farming potentially difficult areas; USDA pays all costs associated with recording and the easement in the local land records office, Having incentives to develop wildlife including recording fees, charges for abstracts, recreational opportunities on their land. survey and appraisal fees, and title insurance. Wetlands benefit the Nation by providing fish Restoration Cost-Share Agreement. This is an and wildlife habitat; improving water quality agreement (generally for a minimum of 10 by filtering sediments and chemicals; reducing years) to re-establish degraded or lost wetland flooding; recharging groundwater; protecting habitat. USDA pays up to 75 percent of the biological diversity; as well as providing cost of the restoration activity. This enrollment opportunities for educational, scientific, and option does not place an easement on the recreational activities. property. Other agencies, conservation districts, and private conservation The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer organizations may provide additional incentive Farmed wetland pasture; payments as a way to reduce the landowner's share of the costs. Such special partnership Farmland that has become a wetland as a efforts are encouraged. result of flooding; Range land, pasture, or production forest NRCS and its partners, including conservation land where the hydrology has been districts, continue to provide assistance to significantly degraded and can be restored; landowners after completion of restoration Riparian areas which link protected activities. This assistance may be in the form wetlands; of reviewing restoration measures, clarifying technical and administrative aspects of the Lands adjacent to protected wetlands that easement and project management needs, and contribute significantly to wetland providing basic biological and engineering functions and values; and advice on how to achieve optimum results for Previously restored wetlands that need wetland dependent species. long-term protection. Applications are accepted through a Ineligible Land. Ineligible land includes continuous sign-up process. Applications may wetlands converted after December 23, 1985; be obtained and filed at any time with your lands with timber stands established under a local USDA Service Center or conservation Conservation Reserve Program contract; district office. Applications also may be Federal lands; and lands where conditions obtained through USDA's e-gov Internet site make restoration impossible. at: www.sc.egov.usda.gov. Enter "Natural Resources Conservation Service" in the The Adjusted Gross Income provision of the Agency field, "Wetlands Reserve Program" in 2002 Farm Bill impacts eligibility for WRP the Program Name field, and "AD-1153" in and several other 2002 Farm Bill programs. the Form Number field. Individuals or entities that have an average adjusted gross income exceeding $2.5 million Eligibility for the three tax years immediately preceding To offer a conservation easement, the the year the contract is approved are not landowner must have owned the land for at eligible to receive program benefits or least 12 months prior to enrolling it in the payments. However, an exemption is provided program, unless the land was inherited, the in cases where 75 percent of the adjusted gross landowner exercised the landowner's right of income is derived from farming, ranching, or redemption after foreclosure, or the landowner forestry operations. can prove the land was not obtained for the purpose of enrolling it in the program. To Uses of WRP Land participate in a restoration cost-share On acreage subject to a WRP easement, agreement, the landowner must show evidence participants control access to the land and may of ownership. lease the land for hunting, fishing, and other undeveloped recreational activities. At any To be eligible for WRP, land must be time, a participant may request that additional restorable and be suitable for wildlife benefits. activities be evaluated to determine if they are This includes: compatible uses for the site. This request may Wetlands farmed under natural conditions; include such items as permission to cut hay, graze livestock, or harvest wood products. Farmed wetlands; Compatible uses are allowed if they are fully Prior converted cropland; consistent with the protection and enhancement of the wetland. WRP Fact Sheet page 2 September 2004 For More Information If you need more information about WRP, please contact your local USDA Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture, or your local conservation district. Information also is available on the World Wide Web at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/ 2002/ Visit USDA on the Web at: http://www.usda.gov/farmbill Note: This is not intended to be a definitive interpretation of farm legislation. Rather, it is preliminary and may change as USDA develops implementing policies and procedures. Please check back for updates. WRP Fact Sheet page 3 September 2004