Farm Bill: WRP

Established in 1990, WRP provides incentives for restoration of wetlands previously impacted by agricultural development. The 2002 Farm bill expanded the program’s enrollment cap of 2.3 million acres to ~4 million acres. The average size of projects enrolled is ~194 acres. Landowners continue to show great interest in the program; ~3,000 applications covering ~536,000 acres in FY04 were not accepted due to funding limitations.

While it may be decades for most wetlands functions to be restored, valuable habitat and other wetland functions can appear shortly after restoration actions are taken. Studies have shown how restoring wetlands results in recovery of wetlands vegetation; and colonization by aquatic invertebrates, fish and amphibians, and by wetland birds: Bald Eagle, Wilson’s Phalarope, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, other waterfowl, egrets, herons, etc. At a WRP site in northwestern Indiana, bird species have been sighted that have not been known to nest in Indiana for many years – including 18 species that are on the state’s threatened or endangered species list.

Through WRP, a group of landowners in OK have restored a nearly 7500-acre wetland complex adjacent to the Red River known as the Red Slough. The Red Slough is now recognized within the state and region as a birdwatcher’s paradise. Within 2 years of restoration, 254 species of birds were recorded at the site including Wood Storks, White Ibis, Willow Flycatcher, Roseate Spoonbill, and Black-necked Stilt. These observations are common at many other WRP sites across the country.

**The Kind bill expands WRP from its current 2.275 million acres to 5 million acres.