top of page
Highway to Washtucna.jpg

For Landowners — Participate in VSP

DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT MAY PROTECT OR ENHANCE CRITICAL AREAS ON YOUR AGRICULTURAL LAND?

Franklin Conservation District is here to help you learn more about the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) and take advantage of financial incentives for eligible VSP projects. 

 

As it says in the name, VSP is completely voluntary. With your help, Franklin County has the opportunity to demonstrate that we can protect critical areas using a non-regulatory and incentive-based approach. The success of the program — which is our only option to avoid the traditional regulatory approach to critical area protection under the County’s Critical Areas Ordinance — depends on willing landowner participation.

Flexible & Farm-Friendly

VSP offers a flexible conservation program for landowners. Not only does it protect critical areas, but it also protects agricultural viability. This means that plans are catered to the landowner and their operation. Additionally, the program can foster a partnership between Franklin CD and landowners for continued success in the future.

VSP Participant Sign

Get in Touch!

Find out if you have critical areas on your land. We will provide you with a map of identified Critical Areas in Franklin County. 

​

Develop projects to protect or enhance Critical Areas. We will work to identify cost-share opportunities for eligible projects.

​

Riley Zionce,

Resources Conservationist

(509-416-0440​ | riley-zionce@franklincd.org) 

Help us tell the story!

VSP needs to show that the voluntary approach to conservation works! Even if you don't have critical areas, conservation practices protect and enhance critical areas directly or indirectly and contribute to agricultural viability. Every project matters!

  • Are landowner checklists and Individual Stewardship Plans (ISPs) confidential, just like farm plans?
    Federal regulation Section 1619 prohibits farm plans from disclosure if they are used as part of a federal cost-share program. VSP ISP’s are not like farm plans. ISP’s only address those areas that address critical areas. ISP’s are not necessarily a full-blown NRCS farm plan. Farm plans are not disclosable, but are confidential – meaning they can be shared among governments (for example, a county to the SCC). ISP’s can be discussed in the VSP Work Group but are not disclosable.
  • Can a landowner choose not to participate in the local VSP program?
    Yes. Landowners are not required to participate, and if they choose to participate they are free to withdraw at any time without penalty. But, landowners must still comply with any new or existing contractual agreements for which they have obligated themselves for the installation of a practice.
  • What about situations where there is a lessee of the land? Is it with the operator or with the landowner?
    The WG is tasked with developing goals for participation by “agricultural operators” to meet the benchmarks of the WP. Agricultural operators is not defined by the statute, other than “commercial and noncommercial agricultural operators participating in the program are eligible to receive funding and assistance under watershed programs.”
  • What is the Voluntary Stewardship Program?
    The Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP) is an optional, incentive-based approach to protecting critical areas while promoting agriculture. The VSP is allowed under the Growth Management Act (GMA) as an alternative to traditional approaches to critical areas protection, such as “no touch” buffers. Twenty-seven counties have “opted in” to the VSP by nominating one or more watersheds in their county where the program would apply.
bottom of page