Natural Resources Conservation Service

"NRCS" redirects here. For a list of National Red Cross Societies, see List of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Agency overview
Formed	April 20, 1932
Preceding agency	Soil Erosion Service
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Employees	11,478 (2006)
Agency executives	Dave White, Chief Ginger Murphy, Acting Associate Chief
Parent agency	Department of Agriculture
Website	www.nrcs.usda.gov

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides technical assistance to farmers and other private landowners and managers.

Its name was changed in 1994 during the Presidency of Bill Clinton to reflect its broader mission. It is a relatively small agency, currently comprising about 12,000 employees. Its mission is to improve, protect, and conserve natural resources on private lands through a cooperative partnership with local and state agencies. While its primary focus has been agricultural lands, it has made many technical contributions to soil surveying, classification and water quality improvement. One example is the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), set up to quantify the benefits of agricultural conservation efforts promoted and supported by programs in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill). NRCS is the leading agency in this project.

History

The agency was founded largely through the efforts of Hugh Hammond Bennett, a soil conservation pioneer who had worked for the Department of Agriculture from 1903 to 1952 . Bennett's motivation was based on his knowledge of the detrimental effects of soil erosion and the impacts on U.S lands. On September 13, 1933, the Soil Erosion Service was formed in the Department of the Interior, with Bennett as chief. The service was transferred to the Department of Agriculture on March 23, 1935, and was shortly thereafter combined with other USDA units to form the Soil Conservation Service by the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1935. Hugh Bennett continued as chief, a position he held until his retirement in 1952 . On October 20, 1994, the agency was renamed to the Natural Resources Conservation Service as part of the Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994.

Water

Pollution of water due to a number of different pollutants has driven the NRCS to take action. Not only do they offer financial assistance but they also provide the equipment needed for private land owners to protect our water resources. Water gets polluted by nitrogen and phosphorus which causes algae to grow proliferously causing the oxygen concentrations to decline rapidly, life is no longer supported in this habitat. Excessive sedimentation is also another concern along with pathogens threats that can find their way into water systems and cause detrimental effects. NRCS works in a way to help both the land owner and the water systems that need prevention or restoration.

Water Management

Water management strives to manage and control the flow of water in a way that is efficient while causing the least amount of damage to life and property. This helps provide protection in high risk areas from flooding. Irrigation water management is the most efficient way to use and recycle water resources for land owners and farmers. Drainage management is the manipulation of sub surface drainage networks in order to properly disperse the water to the correct geographical areas. The NRCS engineering division is constantly making improvements to irrigation systems in a way that incorporates every aspect of water restoration.

Water Quality

A team of highly trained experts on every aspect of water is employed by the NRCS to analyze water from different sources. They work in many areas such as: hydrology and hydraulics, stream restoration, wetlands, agriculture, agronomy, animal waste management, pest control, salinity, irrigation, and nutrients in water.

Watershed Program

Under watershed programs the NRCS works with states, local governments, and tribes by providing funding and resources in order to help restore and also benefit from the programs. They would like to provide: watershed protection, flood mitigation, water quality improvement, soil erosion reduction, irrigation, sediment control, fish and wildlife enhancement, wetland and wetland function creation and restoration, groundwater recharge, easements, wetland and floodplain conservation easements, hydropower, watershed dam rehabilitation.

Programs & Services

As of November 2011 the NRCS consists of 42 programs and activities. The NRCS also offers services to private land owners, conservation districts, tribes, and other types of organizations.

The farm bill

The conservation provisions in the Food, Conservation, and Energy act of 2008. This bill provides conservation opportunities for farmers. Services also include financial assistance which makes sure money is allocated and used properly in providing conservation for various natural resources, technical assistance which is given through the Conservation Technical Assistance program (CTA). This service is available to anyone interested in conservation of natural resources and easements. This includes:

The Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program

(FRPP) The purpose of this program is to work with land owners to purchase development rights to current farm and ranch land, in order to keep said land from being developed for other uses. The program matches funds from property owners, and can be applied whether potential buyers are private or from state or local government, as well as Native AMerican tribes. In order to receive funds from the program, the land must be privately owned, and have an offer for sale pending. The land must be large enough to support substantial agricultural yield, and be surrounded by land with a similar nature. If there is a danger for soil erosion, a conservation plan must be included.

The Grasslands Reserve Program

(GRP) Volunteer program to increase animal and plant biodiversity, and to protect grasslands. Participants limit use of grassland for commercial and agricultural development. The land may still be grazed or seeded, with the exception of the nesting seasons of bird species that are protected under law. A grazing management plan must be submitted for participation.

The Healthy Forests Reserve Program

(HFRP) Landowners volunteer to restore and protect forests in 30 or 10 year contracts. This program hands assising funds to participants. The objectives of HRFP are to:

1. Promote the recovery of endangered and threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)
2. Improve plant and animal biodiversity
3. Enhance carbon sequestration

The Wetlands Reserve Program

(WRP) Volunteer program for landowners to protect or restore wetlands on properties they own. The program offers both financial and technological support to these landowners in order to help cultivate long term wetland health with optimal biodiversity per acre.

NRCS National Ag Water Management Team

(AGWAM) Serves 10 states in the Midwest United States in helping to reduce Nitrate levels in soil due to runoff from fertilized farmland. The project began in 2010 and initially focused on the Mississippi Basin area. The main goal of the project is to implement better methods of managing water drainage from agricultural uses, in place of letting the water drain naturally as it had done in the past. In October 2011, the The National “Managing Water, Harvesting Results” Summit was held to promote the drainage techniques used in hopes of people adopting them nationwide.

Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting

Includes water supply forecasts, reservoirs, and and the Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) for Alaska and other Western states. NRCS agents collect data from snowpack and mountain sites to predict spring runoff and summer streamflow amounts. These predictions are used in decision making for agriculture, wildlife management, construction and development, and several other areas. These predictions are available within the first 5 days of each month from January to June.

Conservation Technical Assistance Program

(CTA) Is a blanket program which involves conservation efforts on soil and water conservation, as well as management of agricultural wastes, erosion, and general longterm sustainability. NRCS and related agencies work with landowners, communities, or developers to protect the environment. Also serve to guide people to comply with acts such as the Highly Erodible Land, Wetland (Swampbuster), and Conservation Compliance Provisions acts. The CTA can also cover projects by state, local, and federal governments.

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These programs are to encourage local landowners and organizations to participate in the conservation of natural resources on their land, and lastly landscape planning has a goal to solve problems dealing with natural resource conservation with the help of the community in order to reach a desired future outcome.

Technical Resources

The NRCS utilizes a very wide range of interdisciplinary resources. They utilize the following disciplines in order to maximize efficiency:

• Agronomy
• Erosion
• Air Quality and Atmospheric Change
• Animal Feeding Operations and Confined Animal Feeding Operations
• Biology
• Conservation Innovation Grants
• Conservation Practices
• Cultural Resources
• Economics
• Energy
• Engineering
• Environmental Compliance
• Field Office Technical Guide
• Forestry,
• Maps
• Data and Analysis
• Nutrient Management
• Pest Management
• Plants
• Pollinators
• Range and Pasture
• Social Sciences
• Soils, and Water Resources

These Science-Based technologies are all used together in order to provide the best conservation of natural resources possible.

Careers

The NRCS hires a wide range of specialists including: soil conservation technicians, biologists, rangeland management specialist, financial experts, human resource opportunities, and many others that facilitate the NRCS in advancing its effectiveness in conservation services. NRCS offers a service on their website that allows you to see all available positions at a given time, here it will give you the date the position became vacant and when they are planning to fill the position.

Scholarship Opportunities

The NRCS offers various opportunities for students to receive financial support. Currently there are 3 scholarship programs available for students to take advantage of. Tribal Scholars Program is a program that offers U.S. citizens the opportunity to receive aid if they are seeking a degree in agriculture or one of the many other subjects that relate to the NRCS's needs. You must also be seeking one of these degrees at a 1994 tribal lang grant institution. The purpose of this scholarship is to attract more individuals into studying the disciplines that will then allow the NRCS to give employment opportunity. USDA/1890 Scholarship program is another program offered by the NRCS that is striving to get more students into the 18 1890 black land grant institution by offering financial support for schooling and then job opportunity when they have completed their studies. This scholarship allows the individual to have a much more diverse choice in the disciplines of possible study. Hispanic Public Service Leaders Program is the other program offered that promotes public service and allows for the outreach to help undergrad and grad students to continue their education. A student who may be interested in this scholarship is seeking employment with the USDA after graduation.

Internship Opportunities

The NRCS employs a system that gives opportunities to individuals seeking to advance in their specified field. The NRCS calls them USDA internship webinars. The internships are frequent there are a few of them monthly. These internships offer students who are currently attending college who are taking Agriculture, Environment, Science, Math, Statistics, and Technology as a discipline a chance to intern for a given time period. The student must be a U.S. citizen along with access to the internet and a computer with speakers.

Supported organizations

• Great Basin Plant Materials Center based in Fallon, Nevada.

Established in 2006, the GBVPMC serves Nevada, California, and parts of Utah and Oregon. The main purpose of the center is to combat damage done by invasive plant species in the area, which have done great damage to ecosystems in the Great Basin. They also aid in restoring ecosystems damaged by fires, climate change, drought, or other natural disasters. The centers provides native plants to help restore these damaged areas. They also do work developing plant organisms and technologies that are suited for the dry, high salt content soil of the area.

• National Association of Conservation Districts

(NACD) A non-profic agency which serves 3,000 conservation districts across the United States. There about 17,000 employees. The organization works with landowners and public properties to help manage land and water resources. The mission of NACD is to provide leadership and a unified voice for natural resource conservation in the United States. The NACD grew in the 1930's from a statewide operation in Oklahoma, and many independent districts, to a unified National organization in 1946.

See also

• Conservation Security Program
• Dust Bowl
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program
• Honey Hollow Watershed
• National Cooperative Soil Survey

External links

• Natural Resources Conservation Service - Official site