Reinvest In Minnesota (RIM) Reserve and Permanent Wetland Preserves (PWP) are state conservation easement programs designed to keep certain marginal agricultural land, including drained restorable wetlands, and existing types 1, 2, 3, or 6 wetlands out of crop production to protect soil and water quality and enhance fish and wildlife habitat.
The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) suggests an alternative approach to administering a refocused Conservation Reserve (CRP) and the new Wetland Reserve Programs (WRP), in Minnesota. BWSR could enter into a delegation agreement with the U. S. Department of Agriculture to transfer easement acquisition, practice establishment, and necessary administrative funding through BWSR to local soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs).
This presentation will outline how this arrangement could successfully administer a federally delegated program through the state and local SWCDs to participating landowners. Benefits of this arrangement will also be discussed
