Environmental Conservation Archives - Page 2 of 7

The Benefits of the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative

April 13, 2023 / Environmental Conservation, General, Soil, Wildlife Conservation

As part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative is designed to enhance important wildlife habitat to achieve local conservation goals. SAFE is a component of CRP that specifically focuses on working with private landowners to convert their land into valuable wildlife habitat. For the environment, the land, […]

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Vermillion Rivers Matthiessen State Park Ottawa Illinois CREP

The Goals of the Illinois Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

March 20, 2023 / CRP, Environmental Conservation, Soil, Wildlife Conservation

In 2022, Illinois reinstated the statewide Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) as a division of the federal Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Along with the general conservation and restoration goals of CRP, CREP focuses on specific goals for each state. Upon its return, the Illinois CREP released a number of guidelines and requirements for landowners interested

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Biochar’s Impact on Climate Change

March 2, 2023 / Bioenergy, Environmental Conservation, Soil

In the bioenergy sector, biochar is quickly becoming recognized for its promising impact on climate change. As a type of carbon-rich charcoal, biochar is produced through a process called pyrolysis, where organic matter is heated without the use of oxygen. Typically used as a soil amendment to increase the health and fertility of the soil,

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CRP Signup Starts Feb. 27th – April 7th 2023

February 20, 2023 / Agricultural News, CRP, Environmental Conservation

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced recently that agricultural producers and private landowners can begin applying for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) General signup starting February 27 through April 7, 2023. What is the CRP? The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that helps agricultural producers

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The Benefits of Biochar

December 15, 2022 / Bioenergy, CRP, Environmental Conservation, Soil

When added to soil, biochar can bring numerous benefits to your land. An organically produced amendment, biochar has been used for thousands of years to enhance soil and generate better crop yields. Its unique, porous texture provides abundant opportunities for enriching vulnerable soil and keeping it healthy over the long term. Today, as farmers look

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How Do Conservation Buffers Benefit CRP Land

How Do Conservation Buffers Benefit Your Land?

December 2, 2022 / CRP, Environmental Conservation

When you enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), there is a long list of conservation practices, or CPs, that you can put into action to improve the condition of your land. One of the most common CPs is known as a conservation buffer. Conservation buffers, also called buffer strips, can not only enhance your

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What is an Environmental Benefit Index (EBI) Score?

September 16, 2022 / CRP, Environmental Conservation

When entering a bid for General Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), eligible land is evaluated based on the Environmental Benefit Index (EBI). This comprehensive ranking system is used to measure the overall environmental benefits of your proposed CRP project. Each CRP submission is ranked with an EBI score by the FSA and compared to other applicants

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FDCE Awarded USDA Funding Through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)

August 18, 2022 / Agricultural News, Environmental Conservation

The USDA recently announced a $197 million investment in local conservation projects through the partner-driven Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). We’re proud to announce that FDCE was one of the recipients of this award and can’t wait to get started with our RCPP project. With the goal of advancing new, innovative conservation projects including efforts

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CRP Practices to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

June 17, 2022 / CRP, Environmental Conservation

The environmental benefits of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) are vast, but one of the most impactful is the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Through CRP practices, 30 million metric tons of CO2 were removed from the atmosphere in 2020, the equivalent of removing 6 million cars from the road. While all CRP practices

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Conservation Reserve Program Pros and Cons

CRP Pros and Cons

March 1, 2022 / CRP, Environmental Conservation, General, Wildlife Conservation

If you’re considering enrolling your land in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), you likely already have some idea of the benefits of participating in this program. But you may be wondering what, if anything, are the drawbacks to CRP? While the positives of participating in CRP certainly outweigh the negatives, it’s important to understand both

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