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OREGON CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANT RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact information:
Bill White: (503) 414-3267, Bill.White@or.usda.gov
Sara Magenheimer:  (503) 414-3250, Sara.Magenheimer@or.usda.gov

PORTLAND, OR, June 25, 2008 – Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced $14 million in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) to fund 45 projects nationwide, including three in Oregon, to develop and refine technologies that will help farmers conserve and sustain natural resources on their land.

"Conservation Innovation Grants foster the development of new technologies and approaches to natural resource management and conservation," Schafer said. "The grants we announce today will ultimately result in placing innovative solutions in the hands of our producers, which benefits agriculture and the environment."

CIG targets innovative, on-the-ground conservation, including pilot projects and field demonstrations. CIG projects address traditional natural resource issues such as water quantity, water quality improvement, livestock nutrient management, grazing lands and forest health, and soil resource management. The projects also address emerging natural resource issues, including agricultural air emissions, energy conservation and market-based approaches to conservation.

Grants go to state and local governments, tribes, non-governmental organizations and individuals. Grantees provide matching funds to CIG bringing the total value of the approved projects to more than $28.4 million.

Oregon CIG Recipients

Project Grassland Restoration and Bison Management on American Indian Lands
Recipient: Inter Tribal Bison Cooperative
Conservation Innovation Grant funds awarded: $425,787
Total Project Value: $977,788
Purpose: To develop an innovative approach for coordinated conservation efforts among 57 Indian tribes in 18 states, including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla. The effort will provide coordination in the investigation, evaluation and restoration of tribal grasslands and development of management practices for bison.
Project Protecting Biodiversity through the Early Detection and Rapid Response to Invasive Species
Recipient: The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Innovation Grant funds awarded: $78,246
Total Project Value: $157,589
Purpose: To develop an early detection and rapid response system for identifying and reporting new invasive weed species in Oregon. The effort is focused on providing information and resources to private landowners.
Project Creating a Conservation Mechanism to Facilitate Non-Industrial Private Forest Access to Carbon Offset Markets
Recipient: George McKinley
Conservation Innovation Grant funds awarded: $24,800
Total Project Value: $49,600
Purpose: To develop a carbon accounting system for non-industrial private forest owners. The effort will provide markets for private timber owners to sequester carbon and promote management techniques and conservation practices on private forest lands.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers CIG, which is part of the Agency's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). NRCS provides technical oversight for each project. Grantees provide technical assistance required to successfully complete their projects.

CIG funding was awarded through a nationwide competitive grants process. NRCS received applications from every state, Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

Additional information about CIG, including summaries of approved projects, is available at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig. A listing of all fiscal year 2008 CIG projects can be found at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/cig_fy2008_14_million.html. For more information about NRCS conservation programs online, visit: www.or.nrcs.usda.gov, or visit the nearest USDA Service Center in your area.

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The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people
conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.

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