Electric Cost Monitoring

Conservation Security Program enrollment

Enrollment for USDA’s 2008 Conservation Security Program was launched on March 27 in a Federal Register notice [PDF]. Applicants are limited to one CSP contract, and those currently enrolled in the program cannot apply for another contract. Funding and other sign-up specifics are being carried over from 2007, when the planned sign-up was not held. Enrollment closes May 16, according to a correction that appeared in the April 11 Federal Register. The second notice [PDF] also corrected a cropland criteria table that appeared in the earlier notice.

Utah prairie dog update

Utah prairie dog. (Photo: Copyright 2007 Brian Slobe)

Across the West, conflict has long dominated human-prairie dog interactions on private land. However, change is underway in Utah, where some ranchers are volunteering to help make a home on the range for the federally threatened Utah prairie dog. The first two Utah prairie dog Safe Harbor Agreements were featured in this newsletter in 2005. Since then, more landowners have come on board: five are now signed up for Safe Harbor, and another has an agreement pending. Seven more landowners have expressed interest in Panoramaland Resource and Conservation and Development Council’s statewide, programmatic (multi-landowner) Safe Harbor, which is awaiting approval by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A new habitat evaluation guide  is available to aid landowners and practitioners who want to help the Utah prairie dog.

Harnessing farms and forests in the low-carbon economy

Interest is growing in the potential for agriculture and forestry to help offset the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming by changing land management practices. The Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University has published a book to guide farmers, traders and investors who want to participate in future carbon markets. Harnessing Farms and Forests in the Low-Carbon Economy: How to Create, Measure, and Verify Greenhouse Gas Offsets begins with a non-technical look at how to assess costs and benefits of land management projects that aim to earn market credits by lowering or sequestering carbon and how to quantify, register and verify carbon offsets. The second half of the book provides technical information on carbon offsets from agricultural and forestry practices. A 41-page summary report [PDF] can be downloaded from the web.

New conservation agreements

New conservation agreements have been proposed for Arizona, Illinois, Guam, California and elsewhere to restore and maintain a variety of habitats on private lands. Dragonflies, a frog, several fish and birds are among the intended beneficiaries.