Working with private landowners to advance Gulf Coast restoration

With private land making up 86 percent of the land area across the five Gulf states, effective conservation requires a collaborative approach that engages farmers, ranchers and forestland owners directly. That’s why the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have long collaborated in the Gulf Coast, working together to support conservation on working lands in this crucial region.

In 2014, NFWF and NRCS launched the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Partnership, with the goal of accelerating private lands conservation by leveraging NFWF’s newly established Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF), along with NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This innovative approach allowed us to fund complementary projects with lasting conservation legacies.

The partnership’s work is focused on conserving land, improving water quality, and restoring wetlands, all while sustaining agricultural production. 

Watch to see how our efforts are making a significant impact in several key areas.