Regional Conservation Partnership Programs
Growing and Expanding Nebraska’s Grassland Cores is a multi-year Regional Conservation Partnership Program. This program is designed to proactively address woody encroachment—particularly eastern red cedar—across Nebraska’s priority grassland cores identified through NRCS’s Great Plains Grassland Initiative. Through this effort, approximately $18.8 million in NRCS funding will be delivered to landowners to implement targeted grassland management practices on more than 90,000 acres statewide.
The program prioritizes grasslands based on canopy cover and ecological condition, allowing partners to efficiently enroll producers and match treatments to site-specific needs. Eligible practices include Brush Management, Prescribed Burning, Grazing Management (deferment), and Pest Management Conservation Systems, with cost-share and incentives structured to encourage long-term maintenance of tree-free grasslands. A centralized online mapping portal supports partner-led site assessments, compliance screening, and practice design.
This webpage serves as a hub for the documents, tools, and guidance needed to consistently implement the program, coordinate with landowners, and ensure project success.
