CHAMPAIGN – State Conservationist Tammy Willis recently announced that the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will offer Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding for the Southern Illinois Oak Ecosystem Restorations in Southern Illinois. Illinois NRCS has partnered with the Shawnee Resource Conservation Development Inc. to help producers address resource concerns such as increasing terrestrial habitat and prevent plan degradation on forested lands.

Landowners can apply for assistance through RCPP to implement practices such as forest stand improvement, brush management and tree/shrub establishment. The project focus is to improve oak forests in the following five counties Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Pope and Union.

NRCS financial assistance will be available to producers in Illinois who have land in the above-mentioned counties. While applications are accepted throughout the year, interested producers should submit by March 29, 2024, a signed application (NRCS-CPA-1200 form) to the local NRCS field office, or through the http://www.farmers.gov website using their account, to ensure their applications are considered for 2024 funding.

A blank NRCS-CPA-1200 application form may be obtained from the local office or on the Illinois NRCS website. Producers wishing to use Farmers.gov, can sign in or create an account by clicking on “Sign up” in the upper right of the website.

For additional information and to determine program eligibility, producers should contact their local NRCS field office or visit the Illinois NRCS website at www.nrcs.usda.gov/il.