The Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) is a program housed within the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB). The program provides voluntary incentives to farmers and ranchers to support practices that maintain or enhance both agriculture and natural resources such as fish and wildlife habitat on agricultural lands.
Donor Name: Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)
State: Oregon
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/31/2022
Details:
OAHP was developed by a collaboration of organizations representing natural resource conservation and agriculture, including farmer and rancher representatives.
The purpose of OAHP is to contribute to the public benefits of the following:
- Increased economic viability of Oregon’s agricultural operations and economic sector;
- Reduced conversion and fragmentation of Oregon’s working land; and
- Enhanced fish or wildlife habitat, water quality, and other natural resources on Oregon’s working land.
The Conservation Management Plan Grant Program funds the development, implementation, and monitoring of CMPs entered into by agricultural landowners or operators and CMP holders to manage working land in a manner that contributes to the purpose of the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program.
Purpose of Grant
The purpose of a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) is to develop and implement conservation measures or other protections for maintaining or enhancing fish or wildlife habitat, water quality or other natural resource values in a manner consistent with the social and economic interests and abilities of the agricultural landowner or operator. The plan may include provisions for addressing particular priorities related to natural resource values, including but not limited to soil, water, plants, animals, energy and human need considerations.
Conservation Management Plan Components
At a minimum, Conservation Management Plans must include the following:
- A summary describing how the Conservation Management Plan meets OAHP’s purpose;
- The contact and location information for the agricultural landowner or operator and Conservation Management Plan holder;
- Relevant background and context of the working land and operation;
- Inventory, including site characteristics and current management;
- Short- and long-term social, economic, and conservation goals of the agricultural landowner or operator;
- Resource analysis and identification of resource and management concerns;
- Identification of potential plan activities and a justification for the activities that were selected for implementation;
- The implementation plan, including a budget;
- If applicable, a maintenance plan for infrastructure associated with the plan that may affect neighboring lands if not maintained over time;
- The expected agricultural, fish or wildlife, water quality or other natural resource outcomes, and related social outcomes of the plan once implemented
- How the Conservation Management Plan will be evaluated and managed;
- A conflict resolution protocol for the agricultural landowner or operator and the Conservation Management Plan holder if the grant program would fund the implementation of the plan; and
- The term of the plan.
Eligibility Criteria
- Entities eligible to hold a conservation easement as defined in ORS 271.715, other than a state agency;
- Watershed councils; and Not-for-profit organizations other than a state agency. Individual agricultural landowners or operators are not eligible to apply for a Conservation Management Plan Grant.
For more information, visit OWED.