Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA)

Conservation Technical Assistance is simply about helping people. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees provide conservation options, recommendations, planning, and engineering assistance to individual farmers, ranchers, local governments, and urban landowners.

CTA Accomplishments and Activities

Using this help, landowners apply practices that reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance forestland, wetlands, grazing lands and wildlife habitat. Some of this assistance helps individuals or communities restore natural resources after floods, fires, or other natural disasters.

The primary function and strength of this agency - assisting people to make wise land use decisions about their natural resources. The outcome of this technical assistance is often measured by the various practices applied to the land. Incentives, such as cost-share funds, offered through local, state, or federal programs, help the individual to apply conservation to the land. Natural Resources Conservation Service employees discuss these program options to the landowner during the planning process.

Demands for Technical Assistance

The Natural Resources Conservation Service not only provides technical support to USDA farm programs, but also to Oklahoma’s 88 local conservation districts. These local conservation districts are the foundation of the locally led, voluntary conservation partnership, meaning that the local citizens make the decisions for their community. Through local conservation districts, natural resource concerns are identified, prioritized, and addressed. The Natural Resources Conservation Service delivers the technical assistance to private landowners in designing conservation systems, meeting the needs of resources and customers. Natural Resources Conservation Service technical assistance is also provided to assist these local districts in implementing Oklahoma’s state conservation cost-share program.

Natural Resources Conservation Service’s technical assistance is provided in support of other state and federal conservation initiatives including the Partners for Wildlife Program, Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s Water Quality Demonstration Projects (319 Program), Conservation Buffer Initiative, and the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board’s reclamation efforts for abandoned oil and gas sites. We are also an integral part of the state’s water quality efforts related to animal feeding operations. Natural Resources Conservation Service’s technical and conservation planning standards are incorporated into laws and regulations for addressing natural resource concerns created by these facilities.

For further information and assistance, contact your local NRCS Field Service Center.

Last Reviewed/Modified: 03/26/2008

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