Indianapolis, IN, October 7, 2024 –Damarys Mortenson, State Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana announced today the deadline to apply for funding through the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) is Dec. 6.
RCPP is a partner-led program, with NRCS directing technical and financial assistance to priorities identified by partners. Led by the Conservation Law Center, and the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Partnership (SISL), this RCPP is part of a larger initiative to address pressing environmental concerns in the region.
“SISL is a great example of public, private and non-profit organizations working together to solve local concerns,” said Mortenson. “The partners are building on years of successful collaborations focused on natural resource protection, making a greater environmental impact within the focus area.”
Beginning about 20 miles south of Indianapolis, SISL comprises a unique patchwork of land uses. It is anchored by four critical Department of Defense installations and ranges and also contains state parks, state forests, state fish and wildlife areas, state-dedicated nature preserves, the Hoosier National Forest, and National Wildlife Refuges.
These natural and working lands provide an opportunity for partners and stakeholders to sustainably manage forests, build soil health and resiliency on agricultural lands, improve ecosystem health and maintain areas compatible with the military mission. SISL’s overarching goals are to preserve and protect military missions, support sustainable farming and forestry, restore and sustain ecosystems, ensure thriving human communities, and improve climate resiliency. Combined, these efforts have the potential to mitigate the effects of existing encroachment threats or avoid them altogether.
“Protecting Indiana’s oak-hickory ecosystems is essential not just for preserving our natural heritage, but also for safeguarding biodiversity, water quality, soil health and wildlife habitats,” said Mortenson. “The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape plays a major role in helping to maintain ecological balance, support countless species and provide clean air and water for southern Indiana communities.”
Eligible conservation practices for this funding period include a variety of both forestry and cropland practices. Historically, forests, woodlands and savannas were prevalent across Indiana. These areas were characterized by an abundance of oak and hickory species in the overstory and a highly diverse herbaceous understory. Cultural stewardship practices by Native Americans, such as frequent prescribed fires and natural disturbances such as high winds, ice storms, and tornados, increased and maintained these ecosystems across the landscape. However, decades of fire exclusion, unsustainable timber harvesting, invasive species encroachments and other detrimental effects of mismanagement have reduced the ability of these ecosystems to properly function and have jeopardized the future of the forests. Forestry practices will cover a range of management options but will primarily focus on the restoration of these critically important and declining ecosystems. In addition to improving landscape resilience by maintaining and connecting healthy forests, these practices also address habitat needs of the federally endangered Indiana bat, the federally threatened northern long-eared bat, and neotropical migratory songbirds, among others. SISL will also work with farmers to implement land management practices on cropland and targets practices that improve production while improving soil health, water quality and carbon sequestration. Cropland practices promoted with SISL will include cover crops, no-till, nutrient management, pest management, crop rotation and conservation cover.
The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape RCPP is a unique opportunity for landowners interested in sustainable forest management of oak-hickory ecosystems to access funding to help implement active land management practices aimed at improving ecosystem health. While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, all applications for this round of funding consideration must be received by Dec. 6. Visit your local USDA Service Center and speak with an NRCS representative to see if you are eligible for this funding opportunity. You can find your local office and representative by visiting https://www.farmers.gov/service-locator.
To learn more about RCPP in Indiana, visit: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/rcpp-regional-conservation-partnership-program/indiana/RCPP.
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Contacts:
Damarys Mortenson, State Conservationist, (damarys.mortenson@usda.gov)
Jerod Chew, Assistant State Conservationist – Partnerships, (jerod.chew@usda.gov)
Kris Vance, State Public Affairs Specialist, (kris.vance@usda.gov)
