Conserving the Gulf Coast

I ran across a neat blog post I'd like you to see.

It's all about working together to preserve the land to the south known as the Gulf Coast.

Farmers and conservationists. Farmers as conservationists.

During the next 3 years, a program being formed by the USDA will provide farmers and ranchers in the Gulf Coast states with program assistance that will invest in the future of 16 priority watersheds in 7 major river basins. This project is being conducted with the NRCS.

The NRCS is the National Resources Conservation Services which was established during the 1930's. You'll remember from your American History courses that the Dirty 30's were a rough time for Americans because of the severe drought. Today the NRCS has expanded as a program that helps to establish conservation programs for all natural resources, and ensuring private land conservation, restoration. 

One way the GoMI program in the Gulf Coast area is working with area farmers and ranchers is to provide on-site watering technology for people who raise cattle. In the area, ranchers let their cattle graze lands that have access to streams and creeks that feed into major river basins. This can contaminate the water and threaten wildlife species. By fencing off the cattle and not allowing them to access these water sources, ranchers are playing their part in the conservation world. The NRCS is helping ranchers accomplish this goal by providing financial assistance for them to drill wells, put in wind mills or install solar-powered pumps.

I see this program as an investment in the future of this important region to the U.S. economy. The Gulf Coast employs thousands of fisherman and is home to some of the busiest tourist attractions.

What's your take on it? 

Tera