Significant funding for environmental restoration projects is available to landowners from a variety of federal, state, and private grant programs.  Grant programs offer funding to cover all or a significant share of the costs of restoration projects, and additionally may provide incentive payments to the landowner for participation in a program.  

Programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are a particularly important source of funds for owners of farm and forest lands.  USDA funding priorities for Maryland 2008 include forest stand improvement, planting of trees, shrubs, hedgerows, and riparian forest buffers, and restoration of wetlands. The following list summarizes the major sources of funds for restoration projects.

FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP)

Maryland's CREP provides payments for landowners to take environmentally-sensitive cropland out of production for 10-15 years and to improve the land by creating vegetative buffers, wildlife habitat, and wetlands. Maryland CREP pays landowners a one-time signing bonus of up to $150 an acre along with attractive annual rental rates.  In certain instances, landowners have the option of selling a permanent easement on their land to the State of Maryland.  Cost-share rates for environmental enhancements range from 50 percent to 87.5 percent of the cost and may additionally include an incentive payment worth 40 percent of the cost of eligible practices.  Maryland CREP contracts in 2007 covered nearly 75,000 acres. For more information click on this link: http://www.md.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/crp_crep/crp_crep.html

Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)

WHIP provides cost-share reimbursement to farmers and landowners that plant grassland habitat or restore riparian buffers, streambanks, and wetlands for wildlife habitat. WHIP conservation practices restore and manage habitat to benefit game birds, song birds, waterfowl, and other wildlife.  Landowners agree to retain the wildlife habitat usually for 5 to 10 years.  WHIP covers 75 percent of the cost of habitat improvements.  NRCS provides higher cost-share rates to landowners who enter into agreements of 15 years or more for improvements on essential plant and animal habitat.  The program funded over $300,000 in habitat improvements in Maryland in 2007.  For more information click on this link: http://www.md.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/whip.html  

Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP)

WRP offers landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. Landowners benefit by receiving financial and technical assistance in return for protecting wetlands, reducing problems associated with farming potentially wet and difficult areas, and developing wildlife and recreational opportunities on their land.  Landowners are paid to enroll their land in WRP for 10 years, 30 years, or permanently.  Cost-share rates for wetland restoration range from 75 percent for enrollments of 10 and 30 years and 100 percent for permanent enrollments.  WRP payments in Maryland totaled nearly $300,000 in 2007.  For more information click on this link: http://www.md.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/wrp.html

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

EQIP provides funding to farmers to install and maintain conservation practices that enhance soil, water, and related natural resources, while sustaining production of food and fiber. EQIP offers incentive payments and cost-sharing to implement conservation practices. The length of EQIP contracts ranges from one to 10 years.  The EQIP cost-share rate is 75 percent of the cost of eligible conservation practices.  Small-scale producers and beginning farmers may qualify for cost-share rates up to 90 percent.  In 2007, EQIP payments in Maryland totaled nearly $6.4 million dollars.  For more information click on this link:  http://www.md.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/eqip/eqip.html

STATE GRANT PROGRAMS

Maryland Landowner Incentive Program (LIP)

LIP provides cost-share assistance to private landowners to protect, enhance, and restore habitat for rare, threatened, and endangered species.  Projects can include: reforestation, grassland buffers, invasive species control, vegetation management, and livestock exclusion and fencing.  For more information click on this link:  http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/lip.asp  

Maryland Waterfowl Restoration Program

The Maryland Waterfowl Restoration Program is a tax incentive program to increase and improve wetland habitats, ensuring a diverse wetland plant community that will support a variety of wetland-dependent wildlife species, particularly waterfowl. Program agreements remain in effect for ten years and are renewable.  For more information click on this link:  http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/mwrp.asp

Maryland Woodland Incentive Program

Provides cost sharing assistance for tree planting, site preparation and timber stand improvement practices.  The program pays up to 65% of eligible practices and is available to owners of at least 5 forest acres but not more than 1,000 acres.  For more information click on this link:  http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/programapps/wood.html

For non-profit organizations and government agencies, other funding for environmental restoration projects also may be available from private sources such as regional, state, and national foundations.

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