Alabama NRCS Technical Services and Projects for Fiscal Year 2020

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Proposals will be accepted for projects performed in Alabama. Conservation partners are invited to apply for NRCS assistance with projects focused on the following key conservation objectives: 1)        Provide conservation planning technical assistance from Biologists to build technical capacity to implement all Farm Bill programs in Alabama. They will assist to local landowners and NRCS personnel in improving habitat for Gopher Tortoise, all T&E related species to longleaf pine ecosystem, Quail and specific knowledge in improving Quail habitat. They will use latest NRCS tools Conservation Desktop, CART and other technology available. 2)        Technical investigations to identify cultural resources through reconnaissance field surveys, and/or phased field investigations, and/or the evaluation of cultural resources through the application of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility criteria for historic properties, found at 36 CFR Part 63. Provide management summaries and/or reports or letter reports detailing cultural resources investigations to the Alabama NRCS for review and acceptance by NRCS Archaeologists, Cultural Resources Specialists (CRS) or the NRCS Cultural Resources Coordinator (CRC). 3)        Provide technical assistance for watershed assessment of a 12-digit HUC watershed that meets one of the following: A stream or water body with water quality data documenting impairment, a stream or water body upstream of an impaired reach, or a source water protection area. The selected watershed must have with agricultural impacts that could be addressed with NRCS conservation practices. See Statement of Work for Watershed Assessments and Source Water Assessment in the Related Documents tab of this announcement on Grants.gov. 4)        Utilize Outreach efforts to increase participation in NRCS programs and services by socially disadvantaged, limited resource, women, veterans and beginning farmers and ranchers in Alabama through the following methods listed below: •          Conducting Conferences, Joint USDA Outreach meetings, Annie's Project, Women in Ag Conference, Farmers Cooperatives Workshops utilizing planning, and promotional techniques •          Host multi-county Conservation Events, Regional Summit, Conservation Demonstration Tours Rural Farmers Market in targeted counties utilizing news articles and other media outlets to promote the events •          Establishment, maintenance and distribution of local produce from community gardens for targeted audiences {including veterans, women, seniors, youth while increasing awareness of the benefits within the younger population. •          Engage youth and community stakeholders in the implementation of a walking trail and wetland park within a defined geographic area •          Establishment of urban gardens and walking trails to facilitate rehabilitation of our veteran's population to promote healthier lifestyles while promoting urban gardening Projects may be between one and five years in duration. Applicants should plan their projects based on a project start date of September 15, 2020. Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards. An application for renewal means a proposal submitted to continue an existing agreement that meets the objectives and requirements of this NFO. An application for supplementation of an existing project means a proposal to add components to an existing agreement so that it would meet the objectives and requirements in this NFO.

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