Browse Ambrook’s collection of funding programs by The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

Julia Barfield

Mary Fahey

Working in partnership with the Colusa Groundwater Authority, The Nature Conservancy is conducting an on-farm, multi-benefit program, which provides an opportunity for growers to receive financial compensation for recharging groundwater in&#x2004;the course of normal farming operations on a variety of crops while also providing critical “pop-up” wetland habitat in early fall when water is scarce on the landscape and shorebirds migrating along the Pacific Flyway often have nowhere to stop over on long migrations.

This on-farm recharge program requires short-term commitments from growers to irrigate and maintain shallow depths of 4” or less on enrolled fields. The program pays for field preparation, irrigation and water costs.	



Working in partnership with the Colusa Groundwater Authority, The Nature Conservancy is conducting an on-farm, multi-benefit program, which provides an opportunity for growers to receive financial compensation for recharging groundwater in the course of normal farming operations on a variety of crops while also providing critical “pop-up” wetland habitat in early fall when water is scarce on the landscape and shorebirds migrating along the Pacific Flyway often have nowhere to stop over on long migrations.
This on-farm recharge program requires short-term commitments from growers to irrigate and maintain shallow depths of 4” or less on enrolled fields. The program pays for field preparation, irrigation and water costs.	

Land must be in the area approved for this project, encompassed by this map.
Required Water Management
In addition to the straw management requirements, BirdReturns requires participants to maintain shallow-flooded conditions – saturated soil on the entire enrolled acreage and no more than 4″ depth.
Growers may use surface water or groundwater (or a combination of both) to maintain water on their enrolled field.
Required Field Conditions
BirdReturns requires participants to achieve certain field conditions, mainly by performing post-harvest mechanical treatment(s) which disrupt the soil and encourage straw-soil mixing and straw decomposition so that the field is free of standing vegetation or matted straw. For rice fields which do not already provide suitable migratory bird habitat with their typical practices, some modifications or additional treatments may be required to create suitable habitat. Thus, proper straw management is a critical component of this program’s success and TNC’s ability to continue this incentive. 
Rather than prescribe a specific practice, TNC is attempting to maintain flexibility by describing the desired field conditions and allowing growers to implement any one of the following practice combinations after harvest:
Chop + Disc + Roll
Chop + Disc 2x

Example Pictures at the bottom of this page.

Payment per unit of land to do or avoid certain practices related to land management.

Easement

Landscape

High Tunnel

Air Quality

Certification

Carbon Capture

Regenerative

Wildlife and Pollinator Habitat

Soil Health

Certified Organic

Certified Grassfed

Cover Crops

Reduced Tillage

Conservation

Timeline
The set up and implementation dates are somewhat flexible. Water spreading will take place between Aug. 15 -Oct. 15, with set up taking place earlier. Timing will vary depending on water availability and crop schedule. Let TNC know what will make these practices workable with your crop production schedules!
July 1-August 15
Application: (1) Let TNC know your field location and availability, crop types, and timing by phone or email, (2) Fill out the 1-page application and attach a map and 10-year crop history.
July-September
Selection: TNC selects fields based on soil and crop type and timing.
Field Verification: TNC verifies suitable conditions.
Contracting: Selected participants sign contracts with TNC.
Field Set Up: (1) Engineers will survey the field and install pressure transducers or flow meters at inlets and outlets and in adjacent wells to measure water and groundwater depths. (2) Field prep to remove or incorporate vegetation may be recommended. (3) Soil and water samples collected to monitor impacts on water quality. (4) Installation of wooden stakes to monitor water depths and bird presence.
August-Mid-October
Implementation: (1) Participants spread water on fields for 4-6 weeks, maintain shallow depth (4” maximum), and record changes in water flow on an irrigation log. (2) TNC records field depth and bird presence. (3) Consulting engineers monitor water delivery and changes in groundwater depth.
October-December
Payment: Contract fees paid after completion of program requirements.

To apply for the program, submit a bid specifying the acres and duration you are willing to flood, along with the dollar amount per acre that you need to recover your costs for creating the habitat.

The BirdReturns-Delta Farmlands Program provides incentive payments via an open bidding process for farmers to flood their farm fields to enhance habitat for migratory waterbirds during times of year when crops are not being grown. Because the targeted birds&#x2004;require specific habitat conditions, farmers selected for the program will be required to manage shallow water flooding on their fields for a minimum of five weeks, consisting of a one-week flood up, a minimum of two weeks of flooding, and a two-week drawdown period. To qualify, fields must also have little to no vegetation or crop residue, and minimal tillage to ensure waste grain is available for birds. The program will take place December 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022, with a preference for longer enrollments.



The BirdReturns-Delta Farmlands Program provides incentive payments via an open bidding process for farmers to flood their farm fields to enhance habitat for migratory waterbirds during times of year when crops are not being grown. Because the targeted birds require specific habitat conditions, farmers selected for the program will be required to manage shallow water flooding on their fields for a minimum of five weeks, consisting of a one-week flood up, a minimum of two weeks of flooding, and a two-week drawdown period. To qualify, fields must also have little to no vegetation or crop residue, and minimal tillage to ensure waste grain is available for birds. The program will take place December 1, 2021 through April 30, 2022, with a preference for longer enrollments.

Farmland in the project area (See map) is eligible unless
- It's within five miles of major airports
- It has more than 20% cover of standing stubble or other vegetation that is greater than 4 inches tall
- It's smaller than 30 acres

Water Management

Enrolled land must meet the following habitat requirements
- Flooding: Flood and maintain depths between 2-4 inches throughout flooding period
    - In sloping fields, the shallow end should be maintained at approximately 2 inches; the deep end may be greater than 4 inches; however, if possible, cross-field berms should be installed to maximize shallow depths
    - Fields that are uniformly deeper that 4 inches are ineligible
- Post-harvest stubble management required – a combination of any of the following post-harvest crop stubble treatments and incorporation practices may be used to meet our field condition requirements: burn, chop, roll, bale, single pass disc, single pass chisel, or stomp (see below for examples of suitable and unsuitable conditions)
- Gradual drawdown required: after the required flooding period (one week of flood up, and a minimum of two weeks of flooding), reduce water levels incrementally over two weeks

To apply for the Spring BirdReturns-Delta and South of Delta Wetlands Program, submit a bid consisting of the desired dollar amount per acre to create the habitat as described in the program details below.

Xerónimo Castañeda

Private wetlands compose sixty-five percent of remnant wetland habitat in the Central Valley, making them important habitat strongholds. By supporting&#x2004;wetland owners to flood-up dry wetlands in the winter and spring, private wetlands can help to meet habitat needs for all waterbird species. This is especially important during extended drought when there is far less flooded habitat across the Central Valley.

### **Delta and South of Delta Wetlands Spring 2023**

The objective of the Spring BirdReturns-Delta and South of Delta Wetland Program is to provide monetary support to private landowners to enable the flood up of managed seasonal wetlands by April 1 to a depth of 8-12” followed by a staged drawdown over a four-to-six-week period. Landowners can apply to enroll multiple wetland units/properties by submitting a bid for each wetland unit.

Wetlands located throughout the Delta and San Joaquin Valley are eligible for the spring program. Wetland managers are asked to meet specific conditions in their fields to provide high-quality habitat for waterbirds, specifically shallower water depths, low vegetation and crop residue, and minimal tillage.



Private wetlands compose sixty-five percent of remnant wetland habitat in the Central Valley, making them important habitat strongholds. By supporting wetland owners to flood-up dry wetlands in the winter and spring, private wetlands can help to meet habitat needs for all waterbird species. This is especially important during extended drought when there is far less flooded habitat across the Central Valley.
Delta and South of Delta Wetlands Spring 2023
The objective of the Spring BirdReturns-Delta and South of Delta Wetland Program is to provide monetary support to private landowners to enable the flood up of managed seasonal wetlands by April 1 to a depth of 8-12” followed by a staged drawdown over a four-to-six-week period. Landowners can apply to enroll multiple wetland units/properties by submitting a bid for each wetland unit.
Wetlands located throughout the Delta and San Joaquin Valley are eligible for the spring program. Wetland managers are asked to meet specific conditions in their fields to provide high-quality habitat for waterbirds, specifically shallower water depths, low vegetation and crop residue, and minimal tillage.

Who is eligible:
- All Delta and south of Delta wetlands >25 acres
- Wetland owners with access to ground and/or surface water
- For more detail on eligibility see Ineligible details below
Ineligible Due to Program Overlap and Geographic Restrictions:
- Wetlands enrolled in the Presley Program or that are currently receiving annual funding to manage spring wetlands i.e. NRCS EQIP
- Within 5 miles of major airports, including Sacramento, Travis Air Force Base, Fresno-Yosemite International Airport, and Lemoore Naval Air Station
- Groundwater pumping in areas that may negatively impact municipal wells
- Wetland Units less than 25 acres in size

Disaster Relief

Emergency

Requirements
- Enrolled wetland units will be fully flooded (minimum depth of 8 to 12 inches at outflow, dependent on geography) with no exposed mudflat on April 1, 2023 and then carry out a staged drawdown over four weeks.
    - By April 15, 25-50% of the enrolled wetland unit(s) is mudflats
    - By April 30, 75% of the enrolled wetland unit(s) is mudflats
    - Allow access to wetland units for compliance and biological monitoring during the drawdown period
Bid Ranking and Scoring Process
All bids will be ranked and scored by representatives from the Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, Ducks Unlimited, and the California Waterfowl Association. This committee will assess bids according to standardized methods, using the best available science and tools that predict the habitat value of each bid according to its location in the landscape, history of bird use in the surrounding area, and timing. Those bids that are able to flood longer, have larger acreages, and have competitive bids will rank higher.

List of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Funding Opportunities