COLUMBUS, OHIO — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Ohio Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced funding for landowners interested in restoring, enhancing, and protecting wetlands through the Wetlands Reserve Easement Program (WRE). The first application cutoff date to receive fiscal year 2025 funding for the WRE program is Oct. 4, 2024.

Wetland Reserve Easements can help landowners protect land from climate impacts by reducing, capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Additional benefits include land development protection, critical wildlife habitat creation and water quality improvement.

“Wetlands are one of nature’s most productive ecosystems providing water quality benefits and critical wildlife habitat,” said John Wilson, NRCS State Conservationist in Ohio. “We hope to reap these benefits and more by assisting landowners with creating and restoring these critical habitats.”

Many of the state’s landowners can take advantage of this program, as eligible lands include farmed or converted wetlands that can successfully be restored; croplands or grasslands subject to flooding; and previously restored wetlands and riparian areas that connect protected wetland areas.

WRE enrollment options include permanent easements, 30-year easements, and 30-year contracts. NRCS staff are available to help landowners plan and implement individual projects. The agency will pay a percent of the land’s value as well as restoration costs for each easement option.

Find Ohio’s ranking dates as well as other program information on the Ohio NRCS WRE website or contact Joe Lehman at [email protected] or Katie Tack at [email protected]. To learn more about other technical and financial assistance available through NRCS conservation programs, visit Get Started with NRCS or contact your local USDA Service Center.