NRCS to Provide $1.1 Million to Protect Private Forest Land in Pennsylvania

News provided by

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

May 27, 2010, 04:37 ET

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications in Adams, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Cambria, Centre, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Snyder and York Counties for approximately $1.1 million available to protect Pennsylvania's forest land through the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP).

In Pennsylvania, HFRP funding will be utilized to protect and improve critical habitat for the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), a federally listed endangered species. Indiana bats frequent wooded areas near streams, roosting in crevices under tree bark or in hollow trees.

The HFRP program offers 99-year and 30-year conservation easements and/or 10-year cost share agreements supported with habitat improvement through the implementation of selected conservation practices and supporting activities.

Owners of forest land in select areas of the twelve counties listed above are eligible to enroll in HFRP. The land must be capable of supporting Indiana bat habitat, and must be located in proximity to where known Indiana bat hibernation areas and maternity colonies exist:

Adams County – Central and South Central areas

Armstrong County –West and North West areas

Beaver County – Northern area

Bedford County – Central Western area bordering Somerset County

Berks County – Central area

Blair County – Central and Eastern areas

Cambria County – Eastern area

Centre County – Eastern half of the county

Huntingdon County – Central Western area bordering Blair County

Mifflin County – Eastern half of the county

Snyder County– Western area of the county

York County – Northwest area

Easement applicants must be able to convey clear title to the land. In addition, the landowner must provide documentation for NRCS to determine if the landowner is eligible to participate in the program.

Applications for the HFRP program will be accepted on a continuous basis until funding is exhausted. Applicants can submit their applications to their local NRCS County field office or to the Pennsylvania NRCS State Office at One Credit Union Place, Suite 340, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2993.

For more information on HFRP and other conservation programs provided by NRCS, please visit our website at www.pa.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

SOURCE USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service