Partnering with local soil and water conservation districts, the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the Natural Resources Conservation Service announced the 2013 RIM-WRP program sign-up is now open.

The program offers competitive payment rates for landowners to restore wetlands that have been drained and have a history of being used for agricultural production. RIM-WRP is a local-state-federal partnership that combines the state’s Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve conservation easement program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wetlands Reserve Program. Combining these two programs allows state funds to leverage federal funds available through the Federal Farm Bill. Funding for this partnership is through the USDA’s NRCS and BWSR.

State dollars for this partnership have been provided from the constitutionally dedicated Outdoor Heritage Fund, based on a recommendation of the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, and through bonding dollars.

More information can be found on BWSR’s website: www.bwsr.state.mn.us.