National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

Program Description

The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on private lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture.

Program Administration

The WRP is administered by local offices of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app)

Program Status

WRP is not a new program. It was created in the Food Security Act of 1985 and was reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. The 2002 Farm Bill reauthorized the program through 2007; raised the total acreage enrollment cap to 2,275,000 acres; directed the Secretary to enroll, to the maximum extent practicable, 250,000 acres per calendar year; and added an exemption to the 12-month ownership requirement for landowners who exercised their right to redemption after foreclosure.

How the Program is Funded

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 increased mandatory funding for WRP from approximately $200 million to $300 million per year.

Using the Program

To participate in the WRP, visit your local NRCS office, sign an "intent to participate," and select one of the three contract options (see below). The sign up information for WRP is now on-line at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/ .

Landowners work with NRCS personnel to draw up a preliminary plan or Wetland Restoration Plan of Operations (WRPO), which describes the types of practices to be established, a timetable for establishing practices, and the estimated costs of restoration.

The amount of taxes to be paid on the easement area is determined by the local taxing authority; NRCS has no authority regarding property or other tax issues. You should seek this information before entering the WRP.

There are three enrollment options:

Permanent Easement. This is a conservation easement in perpetuity. Easement payments for this option equal the lowest of three amounts: the agricultural value of the land, an established payment cap, or an amount offered by the landowner. In addition to paying for the easement, USDA pays 100 percent of the costs of restoring the wetland.

30-Year Easement. Easement payments through this option are 75 percent of what would be paid for a permanent easement. USDA also pays 75 percent of restoration costs.

For both permanent and 30-year easements, USDA pays all costs associated with recording the easement in the local land records office, including recording fees, charges for abstracts, survey and appraisal fees, and title insurance.

Restoration Cost-Share Agreement. This is an agreement (generally for a minimum of 10 years) to re-establish degraded or lost wetland habitat. USDA pays 75 percent of the cost of the restoration activity. This enrollment option does not place an easement on the property.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the program, a landowner must have a clear title and own the land for at least 12 months before the end of the sign-up period (except in the case of inheritance). The land must be restorable to wetland conditions. Eligible lands include wetlands farmed under natural conditions, farmed wetlands, prior converted cropland, commenced converted wetlands, farmed wetland pasture, or land substantially altered by flooding. Your local NRCS office can help you decide if your land is eligible.

Who to Contact

NRCS WRP Contact:
Leslie Deavers, 202-720-1067, leslie.deavers@usda.gov

Internet Resources

NRCS's Wetland Reserve Program homepage: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/

"Building Better Rural Places", description of the program: http://attra.ncat.org/guide/n_z/wrp.html

Adapted from "Building Better Rural Places" and NRCS's Wetlands Reserve Program Fact Sheet.