By Bubba Groves, AGFC

In the AGFC Private Land Habitat Division, we “Ring the Bell” whenever something truly extraordinary happens through the dedication of our staff and for the cause of conservation. On July 28, 2026, we are proud to ring that bell loud and clear for the entire Open Pine RCPP Delivery Team!

With the FY26 RCPP obligation deadline behind us, this team crossed the finish line! Because of your relentless efforts, we are on track to contract nearly $6 million across 11 counties. This massive effort funds critical habitat restoration such as Timber Stand Improvement (TSI), prescribed burning, and supporting practices that will restore habitat for priority open pine and grassland birds across the region. Never before have we had such a monumental effort and achievement in this landscape to deliver landscape-level priority wildlife habitat across so many ownerships with so many partners involved as we have this year!

An achievement of this magnitude simply does not happen without an all-hands-on-deck partnership effort. To our dedicated team members across NRCS, Quail Forever, FSA, and AGFC: Thank You. The proactive communication, coordination, and mutual support demonstrated across agency and organization lines over these past few months have been nothing short of impressive.

What this team accomplished isn't just a win for our local landscapes—it serves as a gold-standard model for the entire nation of what true, unified collaboration looks like when everyone pulls together toward a common goal.

Thank you all for your unwavering commitment to conservation. Please take a moment to celebrate this monumental accomplishment—you have certainly earned it!

AGFC "Rings the Bell" for Open Pine RCPP