Who We Are
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. Founded in 2013 and codified in statute through the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (10 U.S.C §2693), the partnership aligns the objectives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, and Department of the Interior to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance landscape resilience.
What is a Sentinel Landscape?
Sentinel landscapes are areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge. They are anchored by at least one military installation or range and contain high priority lands for USDA, DOD, and DOI.
Sentinel Landscapes Partnership Factsheet
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership in Statute
The FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) introduced language that formally recognized the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership in statute. The FY 2022 NDAA updated the language to add natural area restoration and landscape resilience to the purposes of the partnership. The FY 2024 NDAA further formalized and elevated the partnership structure in law by enacting new section 2693 of title 10, United States Code. This section further expands the scope of collaboration and encourages additional Federal agencies to become full partners in the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership. Under Section 2693, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are encouraged to give any owners and managers of land within a designated sentinel landscape "priority consideration for participation in any easement, grant, or assistance program administered by that Secretary”.
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What We Do
Advance Sustainable Land Management
We empower landowners and managers to implement sustainable land management practices that have ecological, economic, and national defense benefits. We accomplish this by providing connections with voluntary state and federal assistance programs that meet their individual needs.
Strengthen Military Readiness
We promote land use around military installations, ranges, and operating spaces that is compatible with national defense and alleviates regulatory restrictions that may inhibit military operations. This enhances the military's ability to carry out testing, training, and operational activities necessary to prepare the warfighter for real-world combat.
Preserve Natural Resources
We restore, enhance, and manage natural resources at the landscape scale by bringing together federal agencies, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, landowners, and other land managers to address critical issues such as wildfire, water quantity and quality, wildlife habitat connectivity, and ecosystem resilience to changing environmental conditions.
Support Agricultural Productivity
Recognizing the importance of strong agricultural economies, we support farmers, ranchers, and foresters in meeting their production goals while simultaneously advancing sustainable land management practices that improve water, air, and soil quality.
Increase Access to Recreation
Preserving natural resources and open space stimulates local economic activity through creating opportunities for communities to enjoy the outdoors. We strive to increase public access to outdoor recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and hiking.
Enhance Resilience to Changing Environmental Conditions
As the impacts of changing environmental conditions increasingly jeopardize the protection of natural resources, working lands, and national defense, we support the implementation of locally-driven and nature-based resilience efforts. This includes actions to protect against wildfire, drought, and flooding.