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, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, 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 climate change.  

Sentinel landscape partners accomplish their objective by connecting private landowners with voluntary state and federal assistance programs that provide tax reductions, agricultural loans, disaster relief, educational opportunities, technical aid, and funding for conservation easements. By aligning these programs in sentinel landscapes, government agencies use taxpayer dollars more efficiently and accomplish more on the ground with fewer resources.

Through Fiscal Year 2022, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership have attracted approximately $335 million in USDA funds, $233 million in DOD funds, $92 million in DOI funds, $341 million in state funds, $26 million in local funds, and $142 million in private funds. These efforts have preserved wildlife habitat, bolstered agricultural and forestry production, and reduced land-use conflicts around military bases. To learn about landowner assistance programs that are available to you, please explore the Landowner Resources Tool on the Sentinel Landscapes website.

For more information about the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, read the newly released Sentinel Landscapes Partnership Fact Sheet. The Sentinel Landscapes Partnership newsletter shares success stories, announcements, and opportunities to the sentinel landscapes network and public. Subscribe to the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership Listserv.

FEMA Joins the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership to Support Climate Resilience and Military Readiness

On September 24, 2024, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership announces the addition of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to its Federal Coordinating Committee (FCC).  The FEMA Office of Resilience joins the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the Department of the Interior (DOI) in designating sentinel landscapes to support mutually beneficial land-use and climate resilience around military installations across the country.

Founded by the USDA, DOD, and DOI in 2013, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership’s mission is to strengthen military readiness, conserve natural resources, bolster agricultural and forestry economies, increase public access to outdoor recreation, and enhance climate change resilience. FEMA joins the FCC following the signing of an addendum to the Sentinel Landscapes Memorandum of Understanding.

“FEMA’s partnership with Sentinel Landscapes underscores our dedication to building climate resilience in every community,” said Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator. “By joining this initiative, we are reinforcing our commitment to protecting vital landscapes that not only support our environment but also serve as natural defenses against disasters. This collaboration will enhance our ability to work alongside other federal agencies, and state and local partners to implement innovative strategies that safeguard both our natural resources and the people who rely on them.”

“The addition of FEMA to the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership will further expand DOD’s efforts to enhance the resilience of our military installations and their surrounding communities,” said Brendan Owens, Assistant Secretary of Defense, Energy, Installations, and Environment. “We look forward to strengthening engagement with the FEMA Office of Resilience to ensure our military facilities and communities are best positioned to partner on disaster risk mitigation efforts. The expansion of the partnership is another example of the Department’s commitment to implement proactive solutions that promote installation resilience across the country.

Read more about the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership’s mission and accomplishments at www.sentinellandscapes.org.

2024 Sentinel Landscapes to Address Climate Change Impacts and Strengthen Military Readiness

On May 15, 2024, the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership, comprised of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DOD), and Department of the Interior (DOI), announced the designation of five new sentinel landscapes. In these landscapes, natural and working lands thrive alongside military installations and ranges. The partnership is excited to welcome these new landscapes and support their partners' work to mitigate climate change impacts and improve sustainable land and water management practices around military installations.
 
The 2024 Sentinel Landscape Designations include:  
 

Read more about the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership’s mission and accomplishments at www.sentinellandscapes.org.

2023 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishments Report Released

The 2023 Sentinel Landscapes Accomplishments Report is now available! The report showcases how USDA, DOD, DOI, and their on-the-ground partners collaborate through the Sentinel Landscapes Partnership to solve complex land-use challenges, combining resources and aligning funding across the 13 sentinel landscapes.

The report’s findings demonstrate that through FY 2022, projects across sentinel landscapes have attracted approximately $335 million in USDA funds, $233 million in DOD funds, $92 million in DOI funds, $341 million in state funds, $26 million in local funds, and $142 million in private funds.  These contributions have permanently protected 677,100 acres of land through FY 2022 and enrolled over 4.4 million acres of land in financial and technical assistance programs in FY 2022 alone.