PA Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) Grant

The grant program focuses on protecting agricultural lands and wetlands through conservation easements. Key goals include preventing non-agricultural uses of lands that negatively affect their agricultural and conservation values, restoring or conserving eligible grazing lands, and protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands. The Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) aim to protect working farms and ranches, preserving the nation’s food supply and providing public benefits like environmental quality and wildlife habitat. The Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) focus on the protection, restoration, and enhancement of degraded wetlands, offering benefits such as habitat for wildlife, water quality improvement, flood reduction, groundwater recharge, biodiversity protection, climate change resilience, and opportunities for education and recreation. The program emphasizes the importance of local partnerships to match funding and ensure the long-term stewardship of the easements.