U S Department of the Interior

Ecosystem Services Derived from Wetland Conservation Practices in the United States Prairie Pothole Region with an Emphasis on the U.s. Department of U S Department of the Interior

Publisher Marketing: Conservation programs administered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have significantly influenced landscape conditions in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States. Approximately 2,200,000 ha (5,436,200 acres) in the Prairie Pothole Region are enrolled in either the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The ecosystem services provided by lands in these programs are diverse, ranging from improvements in local and broad-scale environmental conditions, such as air and water quality, and reduction of hazard risks, such as floodwater storage, to an improved ability to conserve the Nation's biological resources and provide increased recreational opportunities (Knutsen and Euliss, 2001; Allen and Vandever, 2003). Collectively, these services provide benefits valued by a broad spectrum of American society; however, the failure to quantify the full range of benefits provided by these programs has led to increasing scrutiny regarding their actual value. For example, the President's Budget and Performance Integration Initiative requires that Federal programs demonstrate effectiveness, accurately account for the expenditure of program dollars, and document results achieved. Consequently, developing approaches that meet these new accountability guidelines is critical to ensuring the continued funding of Federal conservation programs. This is particularly relevant for both the CRP and WRP, which have not yet achieved a rating of "effective" according to the Program Assessment Rating Tool administered by the Office of Management and Budget.