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Establishment of grasses and legumes to former cropland provides many soil, water, and wildlife benefits. Establishing vegetative cover can mitigate erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water, provide habitat for wildlife species, improve water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients, and sequester carbon.

Restoring native grasses to former cropland provides many soil, water, and wildlife benefits. Planting diverse native seed mixes can mitigate erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water, provide habitat for wildlife species, improve water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients, and sequester carbon.

Softwood or hardwood trees can be planted in upland, bottomland and riparian areas. Establishing trees on less productive land can diversify farm operations, mitigate wind and water erosion, provide habitat for wildlife species, improve water quality, and provide post-contract income from timber or wood fiber.

Softwood or hardwood trees can be planted in upland, bottomland and riparian areas. Establishing trees on less productive land can diversify farm operations, mitigate wind and water erosion, provide habitat for wildlife species, improve water quality, and provide post-contract income from timber or wood fiber.

Permanent wildlife habitat plantings provide critical cover, nesting, and food resources to species displaced by land conversion. This conservation effort allows mammal, insect, and bird species to thrive, drives significant ecological and biodiversity benefits, expands recreational activities, mitigates erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water, and improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients.

The damage incurred by strong and erratic winds on farms can be catastrophic. Rows of trees and shrubs forming windbreaks can mitigate erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind, protect crops, livestock, and homesteads, provide additional nectar and pollen sources for pollinators, and create habitat and travel corridors for wildlife.

Grass waterways are designed to move water across fields, reducing the negative effects of water flow on cropland. The grass cover forming the waterway acts as a natural filter, allowing it to slow water flow to reduce erosion and prevent gulleys, trap sediment and nutrient runoff, and enhance habitat for pollinators and grassland-dependent wildlife.

Shallow water areas function as a critical conservation resource aiding birds and other wildlife throughout the year. Restoring shallow water areas provides water, food, and cover for wading birds, small mammals, and beneficial insects; reduces downstream flood damage; and improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients.

For many wildlife species that do not migrate during the winter months, planting a forage mix or small grains such as rye or buckwheat on cropland can be the key element to survival. Planting wildlife food plots provides a food source for wildlife, creates critical shelter during extreme weather, improves soil health, sequesters carbon, and reduces erosion.

Contour grass strips are a sustainable solution for cropped fields susceptible to erosion. Composed of grasses and legumes, the strips follow natural contours in the land to achieve long-term environmental benefits. Establishing contour grass strips improves water quality by trapping sediment, nutrients, and chemicals; reduces erosion, and creates wildlife habitat.

Contour grass strips on terraces are a sustainable solution for cropped fields susceptible to erosion. Establishing contour grass strips improves water quality by trapping sediment, nutrients, and chemicals; reduces erosion, and creates wildlife habitat.

By planting rows of trees and shrubs on the edges of cropland, landowners and farmers create a natural wind barrier to protect fields, farmsteads, and livestock from wind damage. Establishing shelterbelts can protect property from damage, save energy, create wildlife habitat, and reduce wind erosion.

Planting rows of trees or shrubs on cropland can reduce the damaging impacts of snowdrift. Establishing living snow fences can reduce wind erosion; protect crops, livestock, and homesteads; create habitat and safe travel paths for wildlife; and attract pollinators and beneficial insects.

Vegetative cover made up of salt-tolerant grasses can be used to establish permanent salt tolerant vegetative cover on eligible cropland with existing high water tables that will improve the environmental benefits of a farm or ranch.

Vegetative cover made up of salt-tolerant grasses can be established in shallow water tables where salt accumulates in the root zone. This practice contributes to overall soil health in addition to providing a sustainable form of groundcover. Establishing salinity-reducing vegetation reduces soil salinity, mitigates soil erosion, improves water quality by reducing saline runoff and leaching, as well as creates wildlife habitat.

Grass filter strips can be planted adjacent to perennial and seasonal streams, wetlands, lakes, and ponds. As natural filters, they are useful conservation tools for protecting water and soil. Establishing filter strips improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; mitigates erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water; provides habitat and corridors for wildlife; and sequesters carbon.

Riparian buffers are strips of trees bordering perennial or season streams, wetland areas, and other waterbodies. They are a beneficial conservation solution for farmers and landowners interested in water quality and other ecological benefits. Establishing riparian buffers filters nutrients and sediment from runoff, cools water temperatures, stabilizes stream banks, creates habitat for wildlife, and sequesters carbon.

Restoring former wetlands that have been converted for agricultural use, as well as maintaining their associated functions, can yield significant ecological benefits. Wetland restoration holds runoff to reduce downstream flooding; improves water quality by intercepting sediment, nutrients, and chemicals; and creates habitat to support hundreds of species of birds, plants, amphibians, and other wildlife

Restoring former wetlands that have been converted for agricultural use, as well as maintaining their associated functions, can yield significant ecological benefits. Wetland restoration on floodplains holds runoff to reduce downstream flooding; improves water quality by intercepting sediment, nutrients, and chemicals; and creates habitat to support hundreds of species of birds, plants, amphibians, and other wildlife

For cropland that is affected by wind erosion, establishing two or more strips of permanent vegetative cover resistant to wind erosion perpendicular to the wind direction will reduce on-farm wind erosion, trap wind-borne sediments and sediment borne contaminants, and help protect public health and safety.

Restoring rare and declining habitats such as tallgrass prairie, wet meadows, and sage steppe with appropriate native plant species provides a sustainable solution. Establishing rare habitat rehabilitates functions of degraded habitat; provides food, nesting, and escape cover for wildlife; increases vegetation diversity; reduces soil erosion; and protects water quality.

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to help farmers retire chronically wet cropland and restore previously farmed wetlands. This conservation practice has major benefits for both the farmer and the environment, including restored wetland functions; enhanced habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife; increased profitability by retiring lower-yielding cropland; improved water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; and reduced downstream flooding damages.

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is designed to help farmers retire chronically wet cropland and restore previously farmed wetlands. This conservation practice has major benefits for both the farmer and the environment, including restored wetland functions; enhanced habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife; increased profitability by retiring lower-yielding cropland; improved water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; and reduced downstream flooding damages.

For landowners and farmers with marginal pastureland adjacent to streams, wetlands, and other water body types, grass buffers can play a critical role in enhancing the environment. Establishing wildlife habitat buffers provides vital habitat for wildfowl, grassland birds, pollinators, and other wetland species; improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients, stabilizes stream banks and reduces erosion; and restores native plant communities.

For farmers with marginal pastureland adjacent to bodies of water, restoring and retaining vegetative buffers can play a critical role in protecting wetland functions. Made up of native grasses, wildflowers, or shrubs, wetland buffers are a sustainable solution to many ecological problems. Establishing wetland buffers improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrient runoff; stabilizes stream banks and reduces erosion; restores native plant communities; creates habitat for wildlife; and provides nutrition for pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Restoration of bottomland hardwood forests on wetland sites can yield significant multipurpose natural resources benefits. Establishing bottomland timber on wetlands supports a diverse ecosystem by creating wildlife habitat; improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; reduces soil erosion and downstream flooding; and provides timber and other wood products after contract expires.

Establishes buffers of native grasses and legumes around crop fields to provide habitat for quail, pheasants, and other grassland birds with declining populations, reduce soil erosion, and improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients.

Restoring longleaf pine forests on marginal cropland has significant ecological and economic benefits for farmers, including enhanced wildlife habitat for game and wildlife species; reduced risk of catastrophic loss from insects, fire, disease, and weather; mitigated erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water; protected soil quality; and timber production that may be commercially harvested at the end of the contract.

As more land is converted for agricultural uses, wildlife is left with fewer natural areas for nesting, brooding, and rearing. Restoring wildlife habitat to agricultural landscapes through State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement provides food and other resources to ecologically important wildlife species; restores native grasses, prairie, and sage; prevents soil loss from wind and water erosion; improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; and creates economic opportunities related to wildlife.

Healthy, sustainable wetlands are critical to duck populations, which in turn play a significant ecological role. Restoring wetlands and buffers to create duck nesting habitat gives ducks feeding territory and cover for nesting and brooding; restores habitat for other wetland fowl species; improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; reduces downstream flooding damages; sequesters carbon. Limited to the prairie pothole region encompassing certain counties in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

The Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) is an effective conservation strategy for restoring wetlands and their associated environmental benefits. Establishing constructed farmable wetlands improve water quality by filtering out nitrogen and sediment; enhances habitat vital to wildlife, especially waterfowl, game birds, and songbirds; and sequesters carbon.

Through the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) aquaculture wetlands program, land previously devoted to commercial pond-raised aquaculture is restored to its natural wetlands state. Re-establishing these wetlands improves water quality by removing nitrogen from agricultural drainage runoff; reduces sediment loading in streams; creates habitat for waterfowl, grassland birds, and other wildlife; and sequesters carbon.

Through the Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) flooded prairie wetlands program, land previously converted to prairie is restored to its natural wetlands state. Re-establishing these wetlands mitigates erosion by reducing the negative impacts of wind and water; provides habitat for wildlife species; improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients; and sequesters carbon.

Agricultural productivity relies on pollinators—including honeybees, native bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, wasps, birds, and bats—to pollinate one-third of food products and more than 80% of all plants. Establishing pollinator habitat boosts crop yields, protects soil productivity, creates habitat for other wildlife, improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients, and sequesters carbon.

For farmland susceptible to erosion, prairie strips are a beneficial conservation solution. These permanent strips of vegetative cover, including a mixture of prairie grasses and legumes, are located on cropland and follow natural contours in the land. Establishing prairie strips mitigates water erosion, provides habitat for wildlife species, improves water quality by intercepting sediment and nutrients, and sequesters carbon.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to increase native grassland communities, primarily native warm-season grasses and appropriate forbs, for the restoration of northern bobwhite quail populations and early successional wildlife habitat.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore native grassland habitats for rare, threatened, endangered and declining species that are dependent on native prairie communities found within the Black Belt Prairie region of Mississippi and Alabama.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to establish bottomland hardwood forests to support stable black bear populations by providing forage, den, and escape habitat needed by the black bear. These areas would also provide larger landscape-level habitat needs of black bear by establishing corridors between existing forest block and protected areas.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore grassland habitat for Quail and other grassland dependent species.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore grassland habitat for pheasant and other grassland dependent species.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore sand prairie, sand woodland, sand savannas, and sand upland/wetland complexes in the Mississippi River Alluvial Basin.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore grassland habitat for bobwhite quail, monarch butterfly, and other grassland dependent species.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to develop high-density, hardwood tree plantings to provide early successional forest habitat, create corridors between larger blocks of forest, and minimize forest fragmentation.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore native grasslands and wetlands where they will be the most beneficial for ring‐necked pheasants.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore early successional habitat where it will be the most beneficial for bobwhite quail.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to restore native grasslands where they will be the most beneficial for grassland songbirds.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to increase populations of the greater prairie chicken, and other grassland dependent songbirds.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat by planting, establishing, and managing habitat for Indiana Bat and Northern Long-eared Bat.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat by planting, establishing, and managing habitats for Northern Bobwhite Quail.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat by planting, establishing, and managing habitats for Henslow’s Sparrows.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat by planting, establishing, and managing habitats for Ring-necked Pheasants.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat Quail by planting, establishing, and managing habitats for Ring-necked Pheasants and Northern Bobwhite.

The purpose of this State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program is to provide habitat by planting, establishing, and managing habitats for monarchs and other pollinators.

In order to prevent environmental degredation, land may be eligible to enroll to maintain existing vegetative cover or either introduced or native grasses and legumes.

Ohio Lake Erie Watershed Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) establishes permanent vegetative cover alongside rivers and streams in the Lake Erie Watershed. The goals of Lake Erie Watershed CREP are to increase wildlife population and improve water quality.

Ohio Scioto River Watershed Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) established grasses, trees, or wetlands to increase wildlife populations and reduce sediment and other pollutants from entering streams and rivers.

North Central Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is designed to improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, reduce sediment and pollutants entering waterbodies, improve wildlife habitats, and restore wetlands.

Indiana Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is designed to assist in erosion control, sedimant reduction, water retention, and nutrient uptake.

Mississippi Delta Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is designed to improve water quality by reducing sediment, nutrients, nitrogen, and other pollutants through increasing bottomland hardwood forest acerage.

The Illinois River Watershed CREP is designed to reduce the amount of chemical runoff from entering waters to enhance aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitats.

The Kaskaskia River Watershed CREP is designed to reduce the amount of chemical runoff from entering waters to enhance aquatic and terrestrial wildlife habitats.