WASHINGTON — The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will award nearly $670,000 to the PA Fish and Boat Commission to help provide more opportunities for fishing and boating.
Funding through the USDA’s Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), will allow the PA Fish and Boat Commission to expand its existing Public Fishing Access and Conservation Easement program to provide more opportunities for fishing and boating by involving more private landowners in the program.
This program, which started in 2006, utilizes public fishing access and conservation easements with private landowners to provide a perpetual riparian buffer conservation easement on the property which includes public fishing and boating access along the waterbody. The public fishing access and conservation easement allows the commission the right to make habitat improvements within the easement area.
The goal of the program is to ensure quality public fishing access in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Learn more about the VPA-HIP program and this year’s recipients at www.nrcs.usda.gov.