Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

Overview

The foundation and history of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is based on helping landowners and land users voluntarily apply conservation on their land.

Technical assistance is simply about helping people. NRCS employees provide conservation options, recommendations, planning or application assistance to individual farmers, local governments and even individual homeowners. Farmers, NRCS’s largest customer base, rely on NRCS technical experts to help them apply practices that reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance forest land, wetlands, grazing lands, and wildlife habitat. The agency also helps individuals and communities restore natural resources after floods, or other natural disasters.

The foundation and history of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is based on helping landowners and land users voluntarily apply conservation on their land.

Technical assistance is simply about helping people. NRCS employees provide conservation options, recommendations, planning or application assistance to individual farmers, local governments and even individual homeowners. Farmers, NRCS’s largest customer base, rely on NRCS technical experts to help them apply practices that reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance forest land, wetlands, grazing lands, and wildlife habitat. The agency also helps individuals and communities restore natural resources after floods, or other natural disasters.

Helping people make wise land-use decisions about natural resources is the primary function and strength of the organization. The primary delivery system it uses with its customers is known as “conservation technical assistance.” Technical assistance for natural resource conservation is done through West Virginia’s fourteen Conservation Districts.

2004 Accomplishments

In 2004, NRCS staff gave brief technical assistance to more than 5,000 West Virginians and more detailed technical assistance to nearly seven times that many people. Other accomplishments include:

Specific conservation practices planned include:

Staffing

In 1999, a workload analysis showed that NRCS and the West Virginia Conservation Partnership were addressing legislated mandates, but have not been able to address other partnership commitments. The chart below indicates the staffing trend for the past ten years.

In 1999, a workload analysis showed that NRCS and the West Virginia Conservation Partnership were addressing legislated mandates, but have not been able to address other partnership commitments. The chart below indicates the staffing trend for the past ten years.

Existing Staff/Staff Needed in Field Offices for Conservation Technical Assistance

To adequately carry out the work identified in the work load analysis, an additional 79 employees are needed at the NRCS field office levels as shown on the map.

Needs Addressed by CTA

Local Conservation Districts identify the resource needs, set local priorities, and develop local plans to address the identified resource concerns. Conservation technical assistance provides:

• Outreach to new and under-served customers
• Make initial landowner contacts to explain services and program available.
• Assist private landowners to develop voluntary, site specific conservation plans to address resource issues.
• Assist farmers, private land owners, groups, and others to design and implement conservation practices that meet the objectives in their conservation plans, which have not been funded by USDA cost sharing.
• Provide follow-up with landowners after practice installation to ensure proper operation and maintenance.
• Provide technical assistance to Grazing Lands and demonstrate winter grazing and riparian grazing.
• Provide basic soils information to both rural and urban land users.
• Assist Conservation Districts and the WV Conservation Agency with EPA 319 Water Quality Projects.
• Support Conservation Districts’ conservation education efforts such as Envirothon, land judging, conservation camps, local workshops and tours.
• Help Conservation Districts develop voluntary Farmland Protection Program proposals.
• Assist local Watershed Associations in efforts with stream restoration activities.
• Support Conservation District efforts to address urban and rural non-farm soil erosion, sediment, and storm water management issues.
• Support the Plant Materials Center by doing plant collection evaluations and field trials.
• Follow-up to assure program operation and maintenance.

< Back to 2004 Annual Report