Federal Agencies Collaborate at the Landscape Scale

The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership enables the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of the Interior (DOI) to collaborate for greater impact in locations where significant agricultural and natural resources, species habitat, and military training needs intersect. The USDA, DOD, and DOI established the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 (updated in 2022). 

Leadership from the participating agencies coordinate the partnership at the national level through the Federal Coordinating Committee (FCC). The FCC consists of representatives from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Forest Service, the DOD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, and the DOI Fish and Wildlife Service. 

The FCC collaborates with state, municipal, and tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, landowners, and land managers to develop and implement projects on the ground within the sentinel landscapes. This enables the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership to consider each individual sentinel landscape's unique geography, economic drivers, cultural heritage, and natural resource challenges. 

The FCC also designates sentinel landscapes that hold onsite benefits for the FCC member agencies to collaborate on natural resource conservation and management. Once sentinel landscapes are designated, the FCC works to connect landowners and land managers in these areas with voluntary federal and state assistance programs that support adopting and maintaining sustainable land management practices. Overall, the USDA, DOD, and DOI use taxpayer dollars more efficiently by aligning their efforts in sentinel landscapes to accelerate work on the ground with fewer resources. 

Federal Programs Active in Sentinel Landscapes

The interactive graphic below summarizes the federal programs that are active within the sentinel landscapes. Explore the graphic by hovering over the various priorities and programs.

Preserve open space and wildlands Improve water quality Strengthen populations and create wildlife corridors Improve forest health Protect prime soils Provide assistance for land and water resource management Encourage compatible land use Protect military training routes and special use airspace Provide noise and safety buffers SENTINEL LANDSCAPES Core Values and Programs P r o t e c t V i t a l M i l i t a r y T e s t a n d T r a i n i n g M i s s i o n s C o n s e r v e H a b i t a t a n d N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s S t r e n g t h e n t h e E c o n o m i e s o f F a r m s , R a n c h e s , a n d F o r e s t s DoD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program USFWS North American Wetlands Conservation Act Grants Migratory Bird Conservation Fund NPS Land and Water Conservation Fund USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Conservation Stewardship Program Environmental Quality Incentives Program Regional Conservation Partnership Program USDA Farm Service Agency Conservation Reserve Program D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E F O R E S T S E R V I C E U S USFS State and Private Forestry Forest Legacy Program Forest Stewardship Program Land and Water Conservation Fund Community Forest Program BLM National Conservation Areas NOAA Coastal Estuarine Land Conservation Program DoD Natural Resources Program Legacy Program DoD Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation Compatible Use Plans and Military Installation Resilience Reviews y