This 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 (OWED)
State: Oregon
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/31/2022
Details:
The Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (OAHP) is a program housed within the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB).
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.
Purpose of Grant
The purpose of a working land conservation covenant or easement funded through OAHP is to preserve and protect the continued use of a working land for agricultural purposes, and maintain or enhance fish or wildlife habitat, water quality, or other natural resource values on the land.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants for OAHP Working Land Conservation Covenant and Easement Grants are holders as defined in ORS 271.715 other than state agencies.
- OWEB-funded interests in land may be held by local, State and federal agencies, tribes, not-for-profit land conservation organizations and trusts, state institutions of higher education, independent not-for-profit institutions of higher education or political subdivisions of the state, as long as the entity continues to use the land for the purposes specified in the Oregon Constitution. OWEB does not make acquisition grants directly to state or federal agencies or private landowners. In the case of working land conservation easement projects, the grantee is OWEB’s direct partner and is responsible for working with the private landowner to develop and implement the project.
- Individual owners of working land are not eligible to apply for a Working Land Conservation Covenant and Easement Grant.
Eligible properties
Lands that are actively used by an agricultural owner or operator for an agricultural operation that includes, but need not be limited to, active engagement in farming or ranching.
For more information, visit OWED.