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Aerial view of a flooded farm field.
Flooding A flooded farm in the Southern Delta region of the United States. © Rory Doyle
Southern Deltas: Restoration and Conservation

Reinvesting in the Mississippi Delta

A new reforestation program pays landowners for the environmental benefits that come from restoring forests on their most flood-prone lands.

Flooding is a fact of life along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. But those floods are becoming bigger, more frequent, and more damaging. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a significant increase in rainfall in the Mississippi basin in the next 30 years. 

Across the Mississippi River Delta region, farmers are already struggling to produce crops on their lowest and wettest fields. Planting such fields represents a significant financial risk every year, especially in a rapidly changing climate.

Quote: Jason Milks

The farmers here have been asking for help for a long time. But so many farmers are asking for assistance that current government funding programs are just not sufficient. We need new sources of money to address the needs of landowners who want to reforest their lands.

Jason Milks U.S. Reforestation Program Director