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Caribbean Area Coral Reef Initiative
Updated
02/28/2013
Coral
Reef Conservation through Farm Bill Programs & Projects
 The Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the US Virgin
Islands) are surrounded by exceptional coral reef ecosystems. However,
there are many effects of natural and mostly man induced activities that
have resulted in adverse impacts to the reefs, these include among
others: sedimentation, eutrophication, and pollution.
The
United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was established in 1998
by
Presidential Executive Order 13089 to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and
protect coral reef
ecosystems. The USCRTF has been instrumental in building partnerships
and strategies
for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. The USCRTF works in
cooperation with State, territorial, commonwealth, and local government agencies,
nongovernmental organizations, the scientific community, and commercial interests to
further the understanding and conservation of coral reef ecosystems.
 In 2002, the USCRTF identified the need for action at the local level to
reduce key threats to coral reefs in each of the seven states and
territories which possess significant coral reef resources. NRCS Caribbean Area has been an
active participant in the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force's Puerto Rico and
Virgin Islands Working Groups, assisting local and federal agency
representatives in the development and
implementation of local action strategies to address pollution from agricultural
activities and land development.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in the Caribbean
Area has reaffirmed the national NRCS agreement to help lead efforts to address
land-based pollution threats to coral reefs. Through the
2008 Farm Bill conservation programs, technical and financial
assistance is provided to eligible agricultural producers and other
non-federal land managers to address soil erosion and soil health, water
quality and conservation, air quality, healthy plants, energy
conservation, global warming issues, and upland and wetland wildlife
habitat enhancement.
Farm
Bill programs strive to assist agricultural producers to implement
conservation measures that provide on-site and off-site benefits. The
health of living coral reefs is dependent upon superior water quality
and clarity allowing effective sunlight penetration. Introduction of
nutrients and sediments have negative effects on the health and
sustainability of living coral reef communities. Proper management of
surface water along with other related natural resources from
agricultural lands can assist in the protection of coral reefs in the
Caribbean Area.
 The Environmental Quality Incentive
Program (EQIP) offers contracts with a minimum term that ends one
year after the implementation of the last scheduled practices and a
maximum term of ten years, These contracts provide financial assistance
to implement conservation practices. Owners of land in agricultural
production or persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural
production on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program. Program
practices and activities are carried out according to an EQIP program
plan of operations developed in conjunction with the producer that
identifies the appropriate conservation practice or measures needed to
address the resource concerns.
Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)
enable NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate
technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and
approaches to address natural resource concerns while leveraging Federal
investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction
with agricultural production. The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
is a voluntary conservation program that encourages producers to address
resource concerns in a comprehensive manner by: Undertaking additional
conservation activities; and, Improving, maintaining, and managing
existing conservation activities. The Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) is
a voluntary conservation program that emphasizes support for working
grazing operations, enhancement of plant and animal biodiversity, and
protection of grassland under threat of conversion to other uses.
Participants voluntarily limit future development and cropping uses of
the land while retaining the right to conduct common grazing practices
and operations related to the production of forage and seeding, subject
to certain restrictions during nesting seasons of bird species that are
in significant decline or are protected under Federal or State law.
 The
Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a
voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect,
restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The USDA Natural
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial
support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts. The
NRCS goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along
with optimum wildlife habitat, on every acre enrolled in the program.
This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term
conservation and wildlife practices and protection. The Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program
(WHIP) is a voluntary program for conservation-minded landowners who
want to develop and improve wildlife habitat on agricultural land,
nonindustrial private forest land.
 The
Jobos Bay Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) began in
2006 as a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of
conservation practices used by private landowners participating in
selected U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs.
The Jobos Bay Watershed in South-Central Puerto Rico (PR) was selected
as the first tropical CEAP Special Emphasis Watershed. CEAP objectives
are: to determine environmental effects that agricultural conservation
practices may have on coastal waters and associated habitats in a
tropical ecosystem, and ultimately, to coral reefs. Findings will help
to develop new conservation practices and land management strategies to
resolve resource concerns in the Caribbean Area as well as a basis for
other tropical areas such as the Pacific Basin. This project is possible
thanks to governmental and Non-governmental organizations. For more
information visit:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/nri/ceap/
 The
Guánica-Rio Loco Watershed Project located in the southwestern corner of
Puerto Rico covers portions of the municipalities of Guánica, Yauco,
Lajas and Cabo Rojo. This project is in its initial phase and its
purpose is to apply conservation practices in both the upper and lower
parts of the watershed especially to address soil erosion, water quality
and quantity and wildlife habitat in agricultural lands to benefit the
environment and the coral reefs in this part of the Island. This project
involves several conservation partners including state and local
government and nongovernment organizations and will serve a prototype
for watershed management.
Links to NRCS & Partners Coral Reef Activities in the Caribbean Area
Some of these documents require
Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Guánica
Watershed Initiative Update (PDF, 228 KB)
- NEW!
• Protecting
Corals in the Caribbean: USVI Coral Reef Initiative Update (PDF, 327
KB)
- NEW!
• Rio
Loco Update Newsletter (PDF, 138 KB) - August 20, 2012
• Soil
Resource Report for Río Loco Irrigation Reservoir #3 (PDF, 451 KB) -
August 8, 2012
• NOAA, Ridge-to-Reefs, UPR, NRCS Hydroseeding
Test Plot Report (PDF, 414 KB) - June 2012
• Guánica
/ Río Loco NRCS Coral Reef Initiative Project Poster (PDF, 791 KB) -
May 2012
•  U.S.
Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF)
[exit USDA-NRCS Website]
◦
22nd USCRTF Meeting, October 30, 2009, San Juan, PR
- Jobos Bay Conservation Effects Assessment Project: Partnership
Success Story (PDF; 2.41 MB)
- Guánica Bay Watershed Management Plan Implementation Update
(PDF; 2.29 MB)
- V.I. RC&D Receives "Outstanding Community-Level Participation" Award
at 22nd U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting(PDF; 24.2 KB)
◦ 16th USCRTF Meeting October 24, 2006, St. Thomas, USVI
• USDA
Launches New Coral Reef Conservation Initiative
• Local Partnership Agreement Manages Resource Concerns in the Jobos Bay
Watershed
• Jobos Bay Conservation Effects Assessment Project
• Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve System
[exit USDA-NRCS Website]
• Río
Loco Brochure (English
PDF; 405 KB) (Español
PDF; 454 KB)
• Río
Loco Watershed Poster presented at USCRTF October 2009 conference
(PDF; 232 KB)
• Spatial
Distribution of Vegetation in Undisturbed Salt Flats in Southern
Puerto Rico poster (PDF; 260 KB)
• University of Puerto Rico Guánica Bay Research Projects
[exit USDA-NRCS Website]
• V.I. RC&D Awarded $2.7 Million NOAA Habitat Restoration Economic
Stimulus Grant
• V.I. RC&D "St.
Croix International Year of the Reef" Project Committee Receives
2009 EPA Environmental Quality Award
Links to Additional Coral Reef Information (exit USDA-NRCS Website)
 Some of these documents require
Adobe Acrobat Reader:
• Proposed Critical
Habitat Designation for Threatened Elkhorn & Staghorn Corals
• Caribbean
Fisheries Management: Coral Reef Fisheries Uses in Puerto Rico & the USVI
(PDF; 326 KB)
• University of Puerto Rico Coral Reef Research Papers
• Puerto Rico Department of Natural & Environmental Resources - Coral
Information
• CORALations nonprofit
• USGS Caribbean Coral Reef Conservation
-
USVI Ecological Monitoring Program
-
VI National Park Biosphere Reserve
-
Isla del Coco Fishes
• NOAA Coral Reef
Conservation Program
• NOAA Coral Reef Information
System (CoRIS)
• National
Coral Reef Institute
• The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific
Freely Associated States: 2005
• International Coral Reef
Initiative
• Potential
Consequences of Climate Variability and Change for the
US-Affiliate Islands of the Pacific and Caribbean
(PDF; 272 KB)
• 2008 International Year of the Reef
• Coral Reef Alliance
• International Coral Reef Action
Network
• Status of Coral Reef
Ecosystems
• Ocean
World Coral Reef Education (Texas A&M University)
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