WASHINGTON, D.C.– On July 10 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Defense Acting Deputy Under Secretary John Conger will host a national media conference call to announce a federal, local and private collaboration to preserve agricultural lands, assist with military readiness and restore and protect wildlife habitat.
Through the Sentinel Landscapes partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and Department of Defense (DOD) will work together near military installations to help farmers and ranchers make improvements to the land that benefit their operation, enhance wildlife habitat, and enable DOD's training missions to continue.
The announcement is a result of collaboration through the White House Rural Council. The agencies will kick off this partnership through a pilot Sentinel Landscape in the South Puget Sound region of Washington State. Home to Joint Base Lewis-McCord, an important troop training facility, this region has some of the last remaining native prairie habitat in the state. The first Sentinel Landscape pilot will support the local economy, national defense and the conservation of natural resources.
WHO:
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack
DOI Secretary Sally Jewell
DOD Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense John Conger
WHAT:
Announcement of the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership and Pilot Program
WHEN:
Wednesday, July 10, 2013, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
PRESS CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT ACCESS
Audio Bridge Number: (888) 324-9360 / International 1-630-395-0221
PASSCODE: LANDS (Given Verbally)
Trouble Number: (202) 720-8560
All callers using the above passcode will be placed in listen only mode. To join the Q&A portion of the meeting, callers must press *1 on their touch tone phone.
Source: Department of Interior
