The U.S. Department of Defense relies on critical land, air and sea space in which it can train troops and test vital weapon systems. These testing and training areas, once remote in location, now face increasing encroachment. Housing developments and schools built adjacent to installations pose safety concerns. Conversely, noise and dust from military training exercises are a nuisance to those same schools and housing developments.

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is an innovative collaboration to promote compatible land use around important military facilities.

While large rural landscapes such as farms, ranches and forestland are vital to sustaining agricultural and timber productivity and protecting wildlife habitat, they are also good neighbors to military bases. Private landowners maintaining rural lands, in some cases for decades and without due recognition, have significantly contributed to the nation’s defense. 

Through the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, the Interior and Defense are recognizing and incentivizing landowners to:

  • maintain working lands,
  • undertake conservation practices that benefit wildlife habitat, and
  • continue land-use practices that are compatible with the military’s mission.

NRI understands the unique relationship between natural resources and national defense and is assisting these departments in implementing Sentinel Landscapes. It provides its management expertise in programs and policy development where national defense requirements and natural resource interests meet. Watch this compelling documentary developed by the NRI and the partnership to tell the story of Sentinel Landscapes across the country: 

 

 

For more information, see the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership website.

Bruce Beard
bruce.beard@ag.tamu.edu

As the associate director for Policy at the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Bruce Beard leads the institute’s Military Land Sustainability Program (MLS). The MLS Program supports test and training activities on U.S…

Todd Nightingale
todd.nightingale@ag.tamu.edu

As a project manager for the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Todd supports the Private Land Stewardship and Military Land Sustainability Programs within NRI and provides additional specialized support to the Depart…

Brittany Wegner
brittany.wegner@ag.tamu.edu

As a program manager for partnerships for the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Brittany works with our partners to build strategies to grow the recognition and use of sound science, expanding conversations around co…

    News

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    SERPPAS Principals meet to share priorities for the upcoming year

    The 2019 SERPPAS Principals Meeting, chaired by DoD Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Environment and the Commissioner of Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR), was held on June 4-5, 2019, at the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama. 

    Southern Georgia Named ‘Sentinel Landscape’ for Readiness Enhancement

    The Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Interior have designated portions of southern Georgia as the newest Sentinel Landscape designed to protect natural resources, enhance habitat for several key species, and maintain military readiness. The Georgia Sentinel Landscape was selected because of its broad partnerships and defined objectives.

    Troxler announces N.C. Sentinel Landscape designation

    N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler today announced the federal designation of 33 counties as the North Carolina Sentinel Landscape, and the development of voluntary programs of incentives for landowners and local governments that desire to participate.

    Three Military Bases, Ranges Added to Sentinel Landscape Partnership

    The U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD), Agriculture and the Interior today announced the addition of three military bases to the Sentinel Landscape Partnership, a conservation effort begun in 2013 to improve military readiness, protect at-risk and endangered species, enhance critical wildlife habitat and restore working agricultural and natural lands in the Southeast and Midwest.


      Blog Posts

      NRI Partners Awarded Grants Through America the Beautiful Challenge

      The Department of Defense’s (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program is pleased to join the Council on Environmental Quality and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in announcing over $141 million in grants through the new America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC). The 74 new grants will support projects that conserve, restore, and connect habitats for wildlife while improving community and installation resilience across 46 states and three U.S. territories.

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      When America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative (America’s Longleaf) was first formed, the extent of longleaf pine forests had been greatly reduced with an estimated 3.4 million acres remaining. Through the collaborative restoration and conservation efforts of partners involved in America’s Longleaf, that downward trend has been reversed and the current data indicate that the acreage of longleaf pine has increased to approximately 5.2 million acres. This progress is encouraging, but there is still much work to be done to achieve the restoration goals outlined in this Conservation Plan.

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      New Sentinel Landscapes to Strengthen Military Readiness, Address Climate Change and Other Natural Resource Challenges

      The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, comprised of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Interior (DOI) announced three new areas designated as sentinel landscapes, where natural and working lands thrive alongside military installations and ranges. These landscapes play a key role in strengthening the nation’s military readiness while addressing natural resources concerns like climate change and contributing to the America the Beautiful initiative.

      2021 REPI Webinar Series is Released

      Join the REPI office for this online series highlighting best practices, knowledge sharing and tutorials on REPI partnership efforts that support military missions, accelerate the rate of conservation, and promote military installation and community resilience.

      Sentinel Landscapes Partnership Announces 2021 Designation Cycle

      The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is now accepting applications for its 2021 designation cycle! Apply today to become part of an innovative community working to strengthen military readiness, bolster agricultural economies, and enhance climate change resilience. 

      2020 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishments Report Now Available

      The report outlines how the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership enables the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of the Interior (DOI) to collaborate on land conservation and natural resource restoration projects that enhance national security by increasing the resilience of military installations and ranges.

      Sentinel Landscapes: Uniting People, Securing the Future

      In 2013, the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Interior came together in collaboration to launch the Sentinel Landscape program. This program is an innovative approach to landscape conservation—recognizing the seemingly disparate but actually interwoven values of national security, conservation, and working lands and leveraging this cross-sector collaboration to unite people and secure the future of landscapes across the country.

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