Abstract
Improving Integration of Biodiversity in Agricultural Incentive Programs Track: Agriculture Author(s): Judy Soule The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) implements the Farm Bill program, which makes payments to and cost shares with farmers to carry out a variety of conservation practices on their lands. Recently there has been an increased emphasis on the impacts and benefits to biodiversity of these programs. Implementation is conducted by some 3,000 district conservationists who lack the data, methodology, and technology tools to adequately or efficiently consider impacts or benefits to biodiversity. Working with a variety of state and federal agency and academic partners, we developed a prototype approach and DSS tool to assist this decision need. The prototype matches the response of species to conservation practices, reports conflicts to meet legal reporting obligations, and guides practitioners to maximize conservation effectiveness with least conflict. The prototype is currently under agency review for further development and deployment. Judy Soule NatureServe Network Operations 1101 Wilson Blvd, 15th Fl Arlington , VA 22209 US Phone: 703.908.1828 E-mail: judy_soule@natureserve.org |
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