A recent report highlights partnership efforts by the Defense Department of Defense, the Agriculture and Interior departments, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations.
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership provides coordination and cooperation to enhance military readiness and support natural conservation and sustainability programs across the United States.
”DOD collaborates with its federal partners to streamline funding to projects around high-value military installations that protect against development or environmental conditions that may negatively impact mission capabilities,” said William Jordan Gillis, the assistant secretary of defense for sustainment in a DoD news release.
The report highlights that Sentinel Landscape Partnership activities have protected 467,000 acres of land and enrolled 2.3 million acres of land in technical assistance programs.
Accomplishments included in the report include:
Building Coastal Resilience to Support Military Readiness: Georgia Sentinel Landscape partners advanced priorities outlined in the National Defense Strategy by acquiring a conservation easement on an 11,000-acre parcel adjacent to Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay known as Cabin Bluff.
Protecting Ranchlands to Enhance Wildlife Habitat: In September 2019, Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape partners acquired an easement on the last unprotected portion of Rafter T Ranch, a working cattle ranch in Central Florida.
Strengthening Water Security in Southern Arizona: Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape partners enhanced water security in southern Arizona by conserving groundwater for the San Pedro River, a 141-mile waterway that supports a vibrant ecosystem, local human populations, and the U.S. Army’s Fort Huachuca.
Read the full The 2020 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishment Report.
Army photo by Margaret Ziffer
