The continental United States has already lost more than 50
percent of its wetlands and continues to lose these habitats at
an alarming rate. One of the most successful federal
conservation programs is the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP),
which provides a voluntary, non-regulatory, incentive-based way
for private landowners, farmers, and ranchers to protect and
restore wetlands on their property. WRP is administered by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) and is the federal government's
largest wetlands restoration program. WRP is designed to provide
technical and financial assistance to private landowners and
Native American tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands
that have been degraded or converted for agricultural use. WRP
has also provided an avenue for farmers and ranchers to remove
marginal croplands from production. WRP also provides societal
benefits such as improved water quality and quantity, reduced
flood damage, and enhanced wildlife habi