USDA NRCS Announces Changes to Management Planning

Nationwide the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has made several changes to planning and the Technical Service Provider (TSP) program recently, and one of the most pertinent changes for the Pennsylvania forestry community is the change in Forest Management Plans. The NRCS Forest Management Plan, which was formerly called a Conservation Activity Plan (CAP) 106, is now broken into two separate plans. These two plans are the Conservation Planning Activity (CPA) 106 and the Design and Implementation Activity (DIA) 165. In most cases, NRCS field offices in Pennsylvania will be pairing CPA 106 with DIA 165 for Forest Management Plans in one Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) contract (learn more at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/eqip/). Both the CPA 106 and DIA 165 will be on the NRCS Fiscal Year 2022 EQIP cost list. The criteria for both the CPA 106 and DIA 165 can be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/financial/eqip/?cid=nrcseprd1833492.