By Scout Nelson
The USDA and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have partnered to provide $450,000 to ten Northwestern Nebraska counties to help ranchers make their operations more nature-friendly and successful, aiming to make their operations more successful in grazing lands.
Alexis Bonogofsky, the big boss of WWF’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative, shared that they're really excited to see how these green practices will help nature and keep ranches going strong for generations. They're calling the project 'Building Ranch Resiliency in Nebraska,' and it's all about understanding and boosting the health of the land and critters living on it in the Northern Great Plains.
The WWF's Ranch Systems and Viability Planning program, called RSVP, offers financial assistance to ranchers who participate. The program provides training, cost sharing, and learning opportunities. Ranchers must commit to not altering their grasslands for 10 years, adhere to a smart grazing plan, and monitor their ranch's progress.
Nature-friendly practices involve managing weeds, planting pastures, installing water pipelines for livestock, and building shelters for wildlife. These practices aim to ensure the health and happiness of land, animals, and plants.
The USDA and WWF are collaborating with South Dakota's Department of Game, Fish, and Parks, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Department of Interior - Bureau of Land Management, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Millborn Seeds, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture, and South Dakota State University.
So, if you're a rancher in Dawes, Box Butte, Sheridan, Grant, Hooker, Thomas, Cherry, Brown, Rock, or Keya Paha County, make sure you get your application in by November 17, 2023. This is your chance to be part of something big, making your ranch a better place for all!
Photo Credit: gettyimages-jimfeng
Categories: Nebraska, Livestock, Sustainable Agriculture