Agricultural News
Conservation Districts Support Voluntary Conservation Partnerships Proposed by Fish and Wildlife Service
Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:17:59 CDT
National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Gene Schmidt today submitted comments in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) advance notice of proposed rulemaking for Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants: Expanding Incentives for Voluntary Conservation Actions Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
"Given NACD's mission and more than 70 years of experience working directly with private landowners, conservation districts have a unique understanding of how voluntary conservation actions yield positive results for all types of conservation, including conservation directly related to threatened and endangered species," Schmidt said. "Voluntary partnerships are the key to providing incentives for voluntary conservation actions related to threatened and endangered species under ESA."
NACD supports USFWS's movement for a voluntary approach to ESA, and for allowing private landowners to work through and identify opportunities for voluntary conservation actions occurring at the local level. The flexibility of Safe Harbor Agreements, Habitat Conservation Plans, and Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances speaks to the true intent of ESA; it is important that these programs maintain the integrity, flexibility, and ease-of-use that voluntary incentive-based programs achieve.
Schmidt stressed that a conservation plan should consider landowner needs and match site-specific solutions to meet those needs. "Flexibility is essential, and the structuring of incentives in a flexible manner that allows for local conservation plans to be developed-is important to ensure the locally-led process is successful," he said. "Ultimately, such conservation planning improves the understanding of current conservation on the land, streamlines the conservation program participation processes, and promotes appropriate ESA planning."
Schmidt also encouraged USFWS to explore opportunities for incentives for landowners on specific species recovery efforts. "It is critical to have incentives available to help landowners who are willing to improve habitat, but who would face significant economic loss if they were to forgo such market driven activities," he said.
Click here to read the NACD's full comments.
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