Partners In Restoration – Permit Coordination

The purpose of the San Luis Obispo County Partners In Restoration (PIR) is to provide an efficient permitting process for accomplishing needed restoration work on private land.

Since 2006, Sustainable Conservation, the US-LT RCD, the Coastal San Luis RCD, and Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) have collaborated to establish a PIR program for the County of San Luis Obispo. Under the PIR program, programmatic permits are secured up-front from federal, State and local agencies to enable the voluntary restoration of habitat on private farms, ranches and rural residential properties. The PIR program coordinates permitting across all the regulatory agencies. It provides a forum where landowners, scientists, the RCD’s and agencies can work together to implement conservation practices.

The restoration practices of the Project are designed to improve critical water quality problems and enhance fish and wildlife habitat, including steelhead habitat connectivity, native riparian habitat, and habitat for California red legged frogs, California tiger salamanders and other species in peril. The Project is a public–private collaborative effort that encourages and supports local farmers, ranchers, landowners and public land managers who want to improve water quality and wildlife habitat on their lands in San Luis Obispo County.

This program builds on the unique capacity of RCDs to develop sustained relationships with landowners in the design and implementation of conservation projects. To date, we have secured programmatic authorizations from the California Department of Fish and Game, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and the County Department of Planning and Building for 18 Conservation Practices derived from NRCS’ Field Office Technical Guide. Programmatic agreements are nearly finalized with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) and the US Army Corps of Engineers.