COLUMBUS — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announces an opportunity to help restore oak-hickory woodlands in southeastern Ohio.
To restore oak-hickory woodlands, NRCS and its conservation partners created the ‘Collaborative Oak Management’ project in southeastern Ohio.
The project area includes the Wayne National Forest and Ohio State Forests, as well as privately held forest land.
Oak management
Approximately 73 percent of the land within the Wayne National Forest is privately owned and interspersed within forest boundaries. However, the boundaries of private and public land don’t exist for invasive species and wildlife.
The Collaborative Oak Management project uses the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help restore oak-hickory woodlands owned privately.
Woodland owners in the project area can receive both technical assistance from professional foresters and financial assistance to implement conservation measures recommended by foresters using EQIP.
Conservation measures that promote oak and hickory growth include the control of invasive plants and undesirable trees like the highly invasive non-native tree of heaven.
Apply
Woodland owners in Adams, Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington Counties may apply for the EQIP Oak Management program.
Applications for EQIP submitted by entities, such as agricultural producers applying as a corporation, must have a DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number and an active SAM (System for Award Management) registration status when applying.
Visit your local USDA Service Center if you are interested in applying for the EQIP Oak Management program.
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