TWRA Releases Assessment of Landowner Incentive Program

 NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) has released a report entitled “Landowner Incentive Program: Summary and Assessment through 2009,” a comprehensive review of the agency’s cost-share incentive program aimed at protecting and enhancing habitat for species of greatest conservation need.

 

 The program was funded by grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service totaling $3,634,897. The Tennessee Landowner Incentive Program (TNLIP) started in 2004 and will end December 2011. The TWRA and the Nature Conservancy of Tennessee and Virginia have worked together to make the program a success.

 

TNLIP has primarily focused on protecting habitat for species of greatest conservation need in the Hatchie River, Duck River, Clinch River, and Powell River watersheds. Various other watersheds throughout the state have also had projects funded through TNLIP. The program also focused on cave and karst systems in middle and east Tennessee. The majority of projects focused on reducing soil and nutrient runoff into streams and rivers by assisting landowners with installing Best Management Practices (BMP) such as installing exclusion fencing along streams, alternate water sources for livestock, feeding pads for livestock, grass buffers, and tree buffers.

 

TNLIP has included 117 projects across the state with the vast majority occurring in the Duck River watershed. Overall, 188,237 feet of stream bank exclusion fencing, 134 alternate water sources for livestock, 43 livestock stream crossings, 75 acres of forest buffer, and 115 acres of native grass buffer have been installed across the state.

At a minimum, TNLIP has benefited 105 species of greatest conservation need in Tennessee. On average, projects have benefited nine species of greatest conservation need and four federally listed species. This does not include other wildlife species such as songbirds, deer, turkey, and game fish that also benefited from TNLIP habitat improvements.

 

A final TNLIP report will be produced in 2012 after program funds have ended.

 

Tennessee Landowner Incentive Program: Summary and Assessment through 2009 can be found at  http://www.state.tn.us/twra/pdfs/tnlipsummary.pdf.

 

---TWRA---