RNR 2039 TEST 3 Questions With Correct Solutions, Already Passed!!

Conservation Incentives Programs - Answer-Public - NAWCA - US Farm Bill programs Private - NGOs - Leases Incentives - Answer-a payment or concession to stimulate greater output or investment Conservation Easement - Answer-legal agreement between landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of land in order to protect its conservation values Natural Resources Conservation Service - Answer-- the branch of the USDA that purchases easements from landowners for protection - Farm Bill (financial assistance programs like CSP and EQIP) - Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA) Conservation Technical Assistance - Answer-CTA United States Geological Survey - Answer-- USGS - under USDA - invasive species programs - cooperative research units - climate change - Bird Banding Lab (BBL) - Waterfowl Breeding Population Survey (BPOP)North American Wetlands Conservation Act - Answer-- NAWCA (1989) - provides matching grants to organizations and individuals - only act that involves another continent (South America) - $75 M per year - grant requests matched by partner contributions at least 1:1 - supports activities of NAWMP North American Waterfowl Management Plan - Answer-NAWMP NAWCA Accomplishments - Answer-- 2833 projects completed - enhancing 29.8 M acres of habitat - matched $3.7 B from 6300 partners US Farm Bill () - Answer-- primary source of implementation of US agriculture and food policy since 1930 Farm Bill Objectives - Answer-1) retirement of environmentally sensitive land from ag production 2) environmental enhancement of working ag land 3) purchase of easements to protect natural resources and ag utilization 4) partnerships to address regional environmental issues Farm Bill Conservation Categories - Answer-- voluntary conservation programs - working land programs - easement programs - partnership programs US Farm Bill- Voluntary Conservation - Answer-- Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - Answer-pays farmers to plant perennial cover on sub-optimal cropland - reduce soil loss - reduce crop surpluses - improve wildlife habitat - 10.5 times more birds in CRP than cropland - $52 per acre average payment - 24 M acres; 282,000 in LA - reimburse farmers 50% for the cost of implementing vegetative cover Perfect Storm - Answer-- high commodity prices - renewable fuel standards - improved tech - falling interest rates, easy financing - consecutive wet years= aggravated producers - immense pressures on landscape and politicians 2014 Farm Bill- Working Lands - Answer-- Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Conservation Stewardship Program - Natural Resource Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program - Answer-- EQIP - wildlife habitat improvement - 10 M new acres per year Conservation Stewardship Program - Answer-- CSP - encourages resource-conserving crop rotations - 10 M acres per fiscal year2014 Farm Bill- Partnerships - Answer-merges multiple partnerships into 1 program (RCPP) Regional Conservation Partnership Program - Great Lakes Basin Program - Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program - The Agricultural Water Enhancement Program Regional Conservation Partnership Program - Answer-- RCPP - many partnerships fall into this program category 2014 Farm Bill- Conservation Compliance - Answer-- sodbuster: discourages farming on highly erodible land and/or converted wetlands - swampbuster: Discourages clearing of lowlands for farming - sodsaver: discourages plowing of native grasslands for row crop production Sodbuster - Answer-discourages farming on highly erodible land and/or converted wetlands Swampbuster - Answer-Discourages clearing of lowlands for farming Sodsaver - Answer-discourages plowing of native grasslands for row crop production Why is Farm Bill Important? - Answer-- significant impact on wildlife habitat and populations - no other federal legislation likely has a greater impact - stroke of the pen= major landscape changes - resources in the hands of private landowners Endangered Species act of 1966 - Answer-- amended in 1969 and 1973 - authorized habitat protection- $15 M per year from Land and Water Conservation Fund - authority is vague- no limits to harvest Endangered - Answer-species in danger of extinction Threatened - Answer-any species likely to become endangered Candidate - Answer-any species under consideration for official listing Non-essential (Experimental) Populations - Answer-- any population of an endangered or threatened species released outside the current range under authorization of the Secretary - whooping crane reintroduced at White Lake, LA in 2001 - not essential for species' continued existence - limits incidental take Take - Answer-- to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct - includes destruction of critical habitat 1969 ESA Amendments - Answer-- got a list started, weak protection - big changes were international - listed species cannot be traded - called for international meeting before June 1971- genesis of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) - fish and wildlife more inclusive, no longer just vertebrates