Locally Led Conservation

What does conservation look like in Bennington County?

The Bennington County Conservation District believes the people who live, farm, work, and care for this landscape should help answer that question.

The Bennington County Conservation District (BCCD) works with farmers, forest landowners, residents, conservation partners, and local organizations to identify our region's most important natural resource concerns and develop solutions that work for our community. Through the Locally Led Conservation process, community input helps shape conservation priorities and direct federal conservation funding toward projects that address local needs. You don't have to be a conservation expert to participate. You just have to care about the future of our land, water, farms, and communities.

Have a Conservation Project in Mind? 
Aerial view of lush greenery, fields, a winding river, and a road with cars in a peaceful rural landscape.

Are you a farmer, forester, or landowner interested in making improvements to your property?

Whether you're thinking about planting trees, improving pasture, addressing erosion, protecting a stream, improving soil health, or making your land more resilient to flooding, BCCD can help you explore available technical assistance and funding opportunities.

You don't need to have a fully developed project or know which conservation practices you need. Start by telling us what you're hoping to accomplish.

Complete our short interest form. BCCD will follow up to learn more about your goals and help identify potential next steps.

 

 What is Locally Led Conservation?

Locally Led Conservation is a community-driven process for identifying natural resource concerns and determining how conservation resources can best address them. Rather than relying exclusively on statewide or national priorities, the process gives local communities a voice in deciding which conservation challenges deserve attention and investment. In Bennington County, this means listening to the people who know our landscape best: farmers, forest landowners, residents, municipal leaders, conservation professionals, and community organizations.

Community input helps BCCD and our Local Working Group: Identify local agricultural and natural resource concerns; establish conservation priorities for Bennington County; recommend conservation practices and funding priorities; identify gaps in existing programs and technical assistance; direct available conservation funding toward locally identified needs; rvaluate progress and adapt priorities as conditions change.

Bennington County conservation priorities

Through community surveys, stakeholder conversations, and conservation planning, BCCD works to identify the issues that matter most to our region. Our conservation priorities include:

Healthy Soils & Productive Farmland 

Improving soil health and soil organic matter; reducing erosion and nutrient loss; supporting productive, resilient agricultural systems.

Clean Water & Flood Resilience 

Protecting streams and waterways; Reducing runoff and sedimentation; Restoring riparian areas and floodplain functions; Helping farms and communities prepare for flooding and extreme weather.

Agroforestry & Perennial Agriculture 

Integrating trees into agricultural landscapes. Developing silvopasture, forest farming, and perennial food systems. Supporting diversified and climate-resilient farms. Increasing tree cover and ecological connectivity.

Healthy Forests & Wildlife Habitat 

Improving forest health and management. Protecting and restoring wildlife habitat. Supporting biodiversity and resilient landscapes.

These priorities help guide local conservation planning and funding opportunities.

The Local Fund Pool: Conservation Funding for Local Priorities

One important outcome of the Locally Led Conservation process is the opportunity to direct federal conservation funding toward locally identified needs through an EQIP Local Fund Pool.

What is the Local Fund Pool? The Local Fund Pool is a designated funding pool within USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). EQIP provides financial and technical assistance to farmers, agricultural producers, and eligible forest landowners who want to implement conservation practices on their land. Through locally led conservation, BCCD and local stakeholders help identify the resource concerns and conservation priorities that should receive focused attention through a local EQIP ranking pool.

Bennington County Agroforestry & Flood Resilience Local Fund Pool

Our local funding priorities are designed to support conservation projects that strengthen agricultural resilience, improve natural resource conditions, and help working lands adapt to changing environmental conditions. Projects may include eligible practices related to:

Agroforestry and forest farming. 
Silvopasture and integrated tree-and-pasture systems 
Riparian forest buffers and streamside plantings 
Tree and shrub establishment 
Soil health and erosion reduction 
Flood and weather resilience 

Specific eligibility depends on current NRCS program requirements, approved practices, and funding availability.

 

How Do I Apply?

The Local Fund Pool is administered through EQIP. Farmers do not submit a separate application to BCCD for the Local Fund Pool. 

The general process:

  1. Tell us about your project. Contact us to discuss your conservation goals and potential funding opportunities.You may be eligible even if you lease rather than own the land.
  2. Submit an EQIP application. Complete the USDA NRCS CPA-1200 Conservation Program Application and select EQIP as the program. Under "Assistance Requested," describe in a sentence what you'd like to do on your land. It doesn't need to be technical or final, one of our conservation planners will work through the details with you.
    • Pownal, Bennington, and Shaftsbury residents: copies are available to pick up and fill out at your town clerk's office. We coordinate pickup and delivery of applications to the NRCS office in Rutland, so you don't have to make the trip yourself. Leave your completed form at your town clerk's office, or contact us to arrange collection. 
  3. Work with NRCS. An NRCS conservation planner can help assess your land, identify resource concerns, and develop a conservation plan.
  4. Application review and ranking. Eligible applications may be evaluated for applicable EQIP funding pools, including local ranking pools.
  5. Contract and implementation. If selected for funding, NRCS will offer a contract outlining approved practices, payment rates, and implementation requirements.

You do not need to know the technical name of a conservation practice before applying. You can contact BCCD or NRCS before submitting an application. Applying does not guarantee funding. Farm records and other eligibility requirements may need to be established or updated with USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA). Application deadlines and funding availability vary by funding cycle. Contact BCCD or your local NRCS office for current signup information.

Learn About EQIP & Apply

Contact BCCD for Help

You don't have to be a farmer or conservation professional to participate in the Locally Led Conservation process.

We want to hear from people who care about the future of Bennington County's farms, forests, waterways, wildlife, and communities. Here are some other ways you can participate:

Take our Community Conservation Survey 

Tell us what natural resource issues matter to you, what challenges you see in your community, and what solutions you believe deserve attention. Your feedback helps inform BCCD's Conservation Action Plan and the recommendations developed through our Local Working Group.

 

Attend a Local Working Group 

Local Working Groups bring together agricultural producers, forest landowners, conservation professionals, and community stakeholders to discuss local resource concerns and recommend conservation priorities.

Participation is an opportunity to help shape how conservation resources are directed in our region. You can participate by: Attending a Local Working Group meeting. Completing community and agricultural surveys. Sharing your experiences and conservation needs with BCCD. Participating in local conservation planning and outreach.

Contact Us About Participating

What Is a Local Working Group?

Local Working Groups are an important part of the federal Locally Led Conservation process. They bring together people with knowledge of local agriculture, forestry, soil, water, wildlife, and other natural resource concerns. The group provides recommendations to USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) regarding: Local natural resource priorities. Resource concerns and applicable land uses. Conservation practices that address local needs. Ranking questions and criteria for local EQIP funding pools.

These recommendations help ensure that federal conservation investments reflect the needs and priorities of the communities they serve.

The image discusses "Local Working Groups" focused on community engagement within conservation districts, dated January 2023.
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A group meeting taking place with a panel at the front, attendees seated, and a presentation on a screen. Snacks on tables.
The image discusses "Local Working Groups" focused on community engagement within conservation districts, dated January 2023.
A community gathering in a spacious room with people socializing, seated, and accessing food at a service counter.
A group meeting indoors with a presentation on a large screen, discussing topics related to the image displayed.
A group meeting in a room with a presentation on a screen, where attendees engage in discussion and note-taking.
A meeting or presentation setup featuring a green table, several people seated, and a projector screen.
A group of people is seated in a conference room, listening to a presentation about a grants program, with a projected slide.
A workshop or meeting in a space with people seated, focused on a presentation displayed on a screen.
A group meeting taking place with a panel at the front, attendees seated, and a presentation on a screen. Snacks on tables.

Learn More & Explore Resources

Learn about the natural resource concerns identified in Bennington County and the goals guiding our local conservation work.

Local Working Groups: An Overview
Learn how community members can participate in the Locally Led Conservation process.

EQIP: Is It Right for Me?
Explore USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program and determine whether it may be a good fit for your farm or land.

NRCS Conservation Practice Standards
Explore the technical standards used to plan and implement eligible conservation practices.

Vermont Guide to Assistance for Agricultural Producers
Explore additional technical and financial assistance available to Vermont farmers.

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