So I spent yesterday reading up on landowner incentives. Turns out that state of California has a very popular program of paying landowners to turn fields into wetlands that are needed by migratory birds, 30 dollars an acre is the going rate unless you’re in Tulare county where the rate is 60 dollars an acre. There are so many people who want to partake that the program maintains a 100 person waiting list. And there isn’t always money to run it every year.
The waterfowl wetlands (Presley) program gives farmers money for keeping their fileds under 6 inches of water during the fall and winter flooded or more money for the opposite season. Is was fully funded recently but currently all funds are applied.
And if you were ME let say, wanting to give incentives to landowners for leaving BEAVER wetlands on their property, well you might think, GEE how can we get state senator Bill Dodd interested in this idea? How can we coordinate the voices of commissioners and mayors and assemblymen who WANT beavers in their territory because it will reduce risk or fire, or keep water on the landscape, or clean up the resources, or make greater biodiversity. You might be thinking HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN and what can one woman do to start the ball rolling?
Stay tuned.
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