Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Winnsboro, Franklin Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2017-11-10

Duration: 00:05:54

Subjects: Landowners | United States. Department of Agriculture. | Wetlands Reserve Program (U.S.) | United States. Natural Resources Conservation Service | Agricultural conservation | Black bear | Environment

Contributors:

• Moreau, Andre Host
• Spires, Kelly Producer
• Fortenberry, Rex Q. Photographer
• Norton, Kevin Interviewee
• Wiggers, Bonner Interviewee
• Graham, Ronnie Interviewee

This segment from the November 10, 2017, episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Kelly Spires’ report on the 25th anniversary of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wetlands Reserve Program, now known as the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Spires reports that the program, a partnership between landowners and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), allows unusable farm land to be returned back to nature. She also reports that 300,000 acres in northeast Louisiana have been restored, which played a major role in the removal of the Louisiana Black Bear from the endangered species list. Spires tours the Wiggers Farms Partnership outside of Winnsboro with Kevin Norton, the Louisiana state conservationist with the NRCS. She also interviews Bonner Wiggers, farmer and landowner, and Ronnie Graham, landowner. Host: Andre Moreau