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Conservation Security Program (CSP)

Staff Contact:
Leslie L. Michael, Assistant State Conservationist/Programs
Phone:(318) 473-7755
Tim Landreneau, State Program Specialist
Phone: (318) 473-7759
Fax: (318) 473-7682

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that goes beyond the past approach of repairing on-farm conservation problems. Instead, CSP offers rewards to those who have been good stewards of the soil and water resources on their working agricultural land. CSP provides financial and technical assistance to landowners to further enhance the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland, improved pasture, as well as forested land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation.

CSP also offers incentives for those who wish to exceed the minimum levels of resource protection and enhance the natural resources on the land they manage. By providing financial and technical assistance to those who currently practice conservation stewardship within selected watersheds these stewards will be examples for others to follow for future CSP sign-ups. Furthermore, by rewarding land stewardship, CSP will ensure that our Nation’s private agricultural lands remain viable working enterprises.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill) (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the program. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

2008 Conservation Security Program (CSP)

The Tickfaw Watershed is selected as the 2008 CSP Watershed for Louisiana

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has selected the Tickfaw Watershed in Louisiana for the Conservation Security Program (CSP). What does the CSP watershed designation mean for landowners and operators with private agricultural lands within this watershed? It means that they may be eligible for financial and technical assistance through qualification in CSP in the selected watershed. Sign-up for the program will begin April 18 and close on May 16.

The Tickfaw Watershed which covers major areas of St. Helena and Livingston Parishes as well as a smaller area in Tangipahoa Parish has been selected as the 2008 Conservation Security Program (CSP) Watershed for Louisiana.  CSP is a voluntary program that supports on-going stewardship of private agricultural lands by providing payments for maintaining and enhancing natural resources.  CSP identifies and rewards those farmers and cattle producers who are meeting the highest standards of conservation and environmental management on their operations in selected watersheds.

For more information on CSP, the CSP Workshops (locations and/or times), or the NRCS, please contact your local NRCS Field Offices in Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishes at 985-748-8751 Ext. 3, or in Livingston Parish at 225-664-1430 Ext. 3.

Tickfaw Watershed

Click on map for full screen version in PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat.

 


Tickfaw Watershed Stats


The Tickfaw Watershed 8-Digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) sub-basin is comprised of over 450,000 acres with the majority stretching across two parishes in the Florida parishes in southeast Louisiana. The watershed is nearly equally divided between the Southern Coastal Plain, the Southern Mississippi Valley Loess, and the Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods. The Southern Coastal Plain consists of southward-sloping, dissected irregular plains; some open low hills, mostly broad gently sloping ridgetops with steeper side slopes near drainages; low to moderate gradient sand and clay-bottomed streams; some sinkholes in eastern area. The southern mixed forest consists of oak-hickory-pine forest and some southern floodplain forest. Some of the flatter uplands are planted to soybeans, corn, pecans, and horticulture crops. The Southern Mississippi Valley Loess consists of nearly level to gently sloping loess plains east of the Mississippi River. The deep, highly erosive soils in this area developed from thick Pleistocene loess. And the Eastern Gulf Coast Flatwoods consists of flat to gently undulating plains; low gradient streams with sandy and silty substrates. Most of the area remains in forestland. Cleared areas are mainly used for forage production. Less than 40 percent of the watershed carries a Prime Farmland designation.

The watershed has approximately 560 farms with an average size of 114 acres. Major resource concerns include impaired water quality due to animal waste and suspended solids and gully erosion due to highly erosive soil characteristics.

Conservation assistance is provided by three NRCS service centers and one resource conservation and development (RC&D) office.
 

Aerial Image of Watershed

Tickfaw Aerial Image
 

2008 CSP Information

Some of the documents listed below may require Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word.

Tickfaw Watershed Additional Information

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

News

For national CSP information, visit the NRCS national CSP web page.

Last Modified: 05/14/2008

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