DID YOU KNOW MOAS ARE CRITICAL TO CONSERVATION WORK?
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plays an integral part in actualizing conservation projects across the country. Soil and water conservation districts and tribal entities have a special relationship with NRCS due to shared priorities of sound resource conservation and management. Stemming from this intertwined interest, NRCS works closely with districts on agreed responsibilities and roles in conservation, on top of the support provided through funding. The agreements that outline these relationships are done through a Memorandum of Agreement.
Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) are formal agreements between two or more parties, typically NRCS and conservation districts or tribal advisory councils, as well as other national and state-level conservation agencies. These agreements are not legally or financially binding and are not intended to facilitate resource sharing or the transference of funds. The role and purpose of MOAs is to outline the structure of cooperation and the relationship between the included parties. In order to facilitate resource sharing, or in the case of project or office funding, NRCS must use different formal agreements. MOAs are critical to the maintenance of the close relationship between local tribes and conservation districts and NRCS because they clarify guidelines for expectations and responsibilities of each party in order to create and sustain working cooperation.
NRCS is currently working to update and renew all MOAs with conservation districts with a goal to complete by December 31, 2019. For more information, please contact your NRCS State Conservationist.
