The Agriculture Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will spend up to $50 million in fiscal year 2024 through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership to support conservation partners with local projects that help protect, restore and enhance critical wetlands on agricultural lands and help mitigate climate change, NRCS announced this week.

“WREP empowers eligible conservation partners to work with local agriculture producers to protect, restore and enhance high-priority wetlands on agricultural lands,” NRCS said in an announcement.

NRCS is accepting proposals until Aug. 16.

“Our goal is to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act’s additional funding to help mitigate climate change through our conservation programs while protecting and improving critical natural resources like wetlands and wildlife habitat,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby.

“The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program takes a collective focus amongst partners and producers, with persistent engagement in conservation activities that helps grow the healthy functions and values of wetland ecosystems on working lands.”