The U.S. Natural Resources  Conservation Service-PA is accepting applications from northcentral Pennsylvania forest landowners in 15 counties for financial assistance to apply conservation practices that enhance forest ecosystems.

The deadline for applications is March 17.

The counties include: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga, Warren, and Wyoming.

The Sustaining Pennsylvania’s Oak Ecosystems through Partnership in Forest Management Program is designed to improve and protect the health and resiliency of oak ecosystems.

The entire area canvasses 4.6 million acres of watersheds with greatly reduced brook trout populations and feed into the Ohio River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds.

The project is a partnership between NRCS, the Allegheny National Forest, the Game Commission, and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry. All partner agencies will coordinate efforts by leveraging financial and technical resources to initiate conservation activities on public lands and private lands adjacent to public lands.

This collaboration will help meet the growing challenges that come with protecting communities, watersheds, and forests from the devastating and costly impacts of introduced and native insects and disease, non-native invasive plants, fire exclusion, and other threats to forest health, while protecting water resources, and improving wildlife habitat.

For additional information, please contact your PA USDA NRCS Service Center.

[Posted: Feb. 6, 2017]

2/13/2017