Funding through the Nature Smart Climate Readiness Program (NSCRP, or “Nature Smart”) supports two separate project categories, conserving existing riparian area or establishing new riparian area. Riparian areas are immediately adjacent to a stream or other waterbody; they are the transitional areas between upland soils and bodies of water. These areas can include ravine slopes, banks, floodplains, and the ecosystems found in them. These areas directly support nature–based solutions to store and capture carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, improve water quality, and contribute to biodiversity.

Existing riparian area under the Nature Smart program pertains to conserving, protecting, and enhancing existing riparian area to maintain and increase carbon storage and sequestration.

Projects to support riparian area restoration under the Nature Smart program pertain to the establishment of a new riparian area on agricultural land where there is currently no riparian habitat.

A single project cannot include both conservation of existing riparian area and restoration of a new riparian area – these would be separate projects. Conserved or restored riparian area projects cannot be used for agricultural production, harvesting or grazing.

Funding through the Nature Smart Climate Readiness Program (NSCRP, or “Nature Smart”) supports two separate project categories: conserving existing wetland projects or establishing new wetland projects. Wetlands directly support nature–based solutions to store and capture carbon, mitigate the impacts of climate change, improve water quality, and contribute to biodiversity

Existing wetland projects under the Nature Smart program pertain to conserving, protecting, and enhancing existing wetlands to maintain and increase carbon storage and sequestration.

Projects to support wetland restoration under the Nature Smart program pertain to the establishment of a new wetland on agricultural land suitable for a wetland but where there is currently no wetland (e.g., the wetland has been drained, or the land is being used for other purposes).

A single project cannot include both conservation of existing wetlands and restoration of a new wetland – these would be separate projects. Conserved or restored wetland projects cannot be used for agricultural production, including being accessed by livestock as a water source.