Forest Stewardship Briefings, June 2012 Page: 3
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Forest Stewardship Briefings Page 3
NEW WATER QUALITY INITIATIVE
A national water quality initiative will pro-
vide $2.8 million in funding to farmers,
ranchers and timberland owners along a
major watershed of the Trinity River Basin
to encourage conservation practices that
will have a positive impact on Texas' riv-
ers, lakes and streams.
The new plan from the U.S. Department
of Agriculture's Natural Resources Con-
servation Service is voluntary, though fed-
eral, state and local soil and water conser-
vationists said it is critical. The Trinity
River Basin is the most populated river
basin in the state and provides water for
more than 40 percent of Texas' population
- nearly 8 million people.
The agency's proposed practices include
better ways of dealing with fertilizers and
pesticides and encouraging prescribed
grazing, field borders, cover crops and
reduced tillage to lessen erosion.Another proposed suggestion to help stop
erosion and increase the amount of clean
rainwater that runs off into rivers and
lakes calls for restoring native grasslands
in rural watershed areas. Gary and Sue
Price, who are recipients of the 2007 Leo-
pold Conservation Award and the 2012
Outstanding Rangeland Stewardship
Award, have found that the deeply-rooted
native grasses on their land absorb rainfall,
helping to recharge underground aquifers
and reduce runoff.
The Natural Resources Conservation Ser-
vice plan covers 152,309 acres of seven
sub-watersheds, known collectively as the
Chambers Creek Watershed. It was tar-
geted because of the high levels of sedi-
ments, chemicals and other pollutants.
The Chambers Creek Watershed is a sub-
watershed of the Trinity River Basin,
whose headwaters begin north of Dallas-
Fort Worth and run south through Hou-
ston and into the Galveston Bay outlet.LONGLEAF PINE FUNDING AVAILABLE
The USDA Natural Resources Conserva-
tion Service (NRCS) announces additional
funding availability through the Longleaf
Pine Initiative to implement conservation
practices that will maintain, improve, and
restore Texas' longleaf pine ecosystem.
Offered through the Environmental Qual-
ity Incentives Program (EQIP), approved
participants will receive financial assistance
from NRCS for implementing conserva-
tion practices to improve the health and
extent of the longleaf pine ecosystem.
Eligible conservation practices include
firebreaks, forest site preparation, forest
stand improvement, prescribed burning,
and tree/shrub establishment.
"We've taken great steps toward conserv-
ing longleaf pine forests in Texas," said
NRCS State Conservationist Salvador Sa-
linas. "Through this initiative and the
great work of our landowners, we will beable to enhance and protect more of this
essential habitat."
The deadline for applying for the addition-
al funds is July 27, 2012
Highest priority will be given to land suita-
ble for tree production in the following
counties: Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee,
Hardin, Houston, Jasper, Liberty, Mont-
gomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk,
Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shel-
by, Trinity, Tyler and Walker. Land out-
side these counties that is determined to
be suitable for longleaf pine production
will also be considered.
Producers are encouraged to visit their
local USDA Service Center office about
this funding opportunity. These offices are
listed in phonebooks under federal and
state government, or online at
www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov.from an article by Linda
Stewart Ball, The Associat-
ed Press, dated May 17,
2012
For more information:
" http://
www.statesman.
com/news/texas/
officials-detail-new
-water-quality-
initiative-
2360814.html
" http://the-back-
40.com/2012/new-
water-quality-
initiative-rolled-out
-in-texas/
" http://
trinitywaters.org/by Beverly Moseley, Public
Affairs Specialist, USDA
NRCS, Bryan, TX
For more information:
" www.tx.nres.usda.g
ov/programs/whip/
whipsrc/
longleafpine.html
" http://
www.nres.usda.gov
/Internet/
FSEDOCUMENT
S/stelprdb
1045845.pdfForest Stewardship Briefings
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Texas Forest Service. Forest Stewardship Briefings, June 2012, periodical, June 2012; Lufkin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth576319/m1/3/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.