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The 2026 Sentinel Landscape Designation Cycle is now open! This webpage includes information on eligibility for prospective sentinel landscapes and how to submit a proposal. Please direct questions regarding the designation cycle to FCC@sentinellandscapes.org.
Overview
The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is a coalition of federal agencies, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that work with willing landowners and land managers to advance sustainable land use practices around military installations and ranges. Founded in 2013, the partnership aligns the objectives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of the Interior (DOI), and Federal Emergency Management Agency to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance resilience to future environmental conditions.
The Sentinel Landscapes Federal Coordinating Committee (FCC), made up of representatives from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and Forest Service, DOD Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, DOI Fish and Wildlife Service, and FEMA Future Conditions Resilience Branch, designates new sentinel landscapes on a biennial basis through a competitive proposal process.
A sentinel landscape is an area where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge. Sentinel landscapes are anchored by at least one high-value military installation or range and contain high priority lands for USDA, DOD, DOI, and FEMA. They encompass agricultural and/or forestry lands and are the appropriate size and scale needed to address the ecological restoration objectives defined for each landscape. Sentinel landscape designation provides a myriad of benefits for local partnerships, including support to hire a sentinel landscape coordinator and offering priority consideration for certain federal funding opportunities.
How to Apply
All parties interested in pursuing a sentinel landscape designation must submit an expression of interest (EOI) to FCC@sentinellandscapes.org by 11:59 PM in your local time zone on April 9, 2025. In Summer 2025, members of the FCC will notify applicants regarding whether they have been invited to submit a full proposal to pursue designation. Applicants who are selected will have at least 60 business days to submit their full proposals. The FCC will announce the designation of new sentinel landscapes in February 2026.
Expression of Interest
Interested parties must submit a completed expression of interest form to FCC@sentinellandscapes.org by 11:59 PM local time zone on April 9, 2025.
Download the Expression of Interest Form
Proposal Guidance
The proposal guidance contains additional guidance for the 2026 Sentinel Landscape Designation Cycle and details about evaluation criteria that reviewers will use to assess proposals.
Download the Proposal Guidance
Have questions about your application?
Representatives from the FCC will host a live expression of interest help session webinar on January 29, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:30 PM EST. This session will provide applicants with guidance on the EOI process, tips for preparing a strong submission, and an opportunity to ask questions.
The link to join the webinar is available here: Developing a Compelling Sentinel Landscape Designation Proposal
Eligibility
Any entity whose mission aligns with or otherwise supports the goals of the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership is eligible to apply. Examples of eligible entities include but are not limited to: federal agencies; state and local governments; Federally Recognized Tribes, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and other Indigenous Communities (including state-recognized tribes and Alaska Native Corporations); for-profit and not-for-profit organizations or associations with conservation, agricultural, or silvicultural missions; municipal water treatment entities; water irrigation districts; and soil conservation districts.