1. Longleaf Regional Conservation Partnership Program
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Longleaf Partnership Council Meeting
Biloxi, Mississippi

2. Regional Conservation Partnership
Program (RCPP)
Establishes a new partnership program which consolidates four previous programs into one to support projects that improve soil quality, water quality and quantity, and/or wildlife habitat on a regional scale.
8 critical conservation areas (CCA) to be identified
Avoid regulatory challenges (CWA, CAA, ESA)
Regional, watershed, resource scale
Longleaf potential CCA
How can we best leverage new opportunities in farm bill to provide more $$ on the ground for longleaf? What are the key needs/gaps?

3. Key Needs –Private Lands
Longleaf RCPP
Key Needs –Private Lands
Increase acreage of prescribed burning and other improvements on private lands.
Increase capacity and coordination of private landowner technical assistance and outreach.
Support Local Implementation Team capacity to understand needs and enhance conservation delivery.
Improve verification and monitoring on private lands to ensure working toward better outcomes.
Increase involvement of large landowners in restoration and maintenance of longleaf.

4. Opportunity/Potential Mechanism
Longleaf RCPP
Opportunity/Potential Mechanism
NRCS Interests
Leverage
Ability to convene multiple partners and implement well coordinated strategy
NFWF Opportunity
$5 – 7 million new funds for longleaf
Needs to be levered up significantly with add’l new funds
Contribute to long-term work with large-scale impact
Longleaf Stewardship Fund?

5. Longleaf RCPP Next Steps RFP- end of May/mid June, due in Sept.?
Establish working group – what can we accomplish?
Develop proposal, get feedback