Private land programs for Habitat improvements?

[JAlvis]

Anyone aware of (or used) government programs to convert or improve private land use to animal habitat?

Ive been improving my small holding out of pocket but intend to increase my land to 200 plus acres. Would like to convert the majority to a highly diverse and healthy habitat for native game both large and small. This practice is not common out west.

Perhaps grants, tax incentives, seed or tree planting, permanent water infrastructure improvement. Anyone have experience?

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Where are you located?

 

[JAlvis]

Where are you located?

Idaho

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Ah okay. Can’t help you there. We took advantage of several habitat restoration programs in California. They love throwing money away so we figured it might as well go to something somewhat useful.

 

[BruinPoint]

Call your local NRCS office and ask to talk to the wildlife biologist.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Yep. NRCS and DNR and ask to talk to someone who can do private land site evaluations.

 

[JAlvis]

I'm also considering putting the majority of land in a trust for permanent habitat use with extremely limited management practices.

 

[tt_johnsclist]

I’m not specifically familiar with Idaho, but contact your local NRCS office, Soil and Water Conservation Office, google USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife and find your local contact, and call your local DNR state office and inquire about private lands assistance.

 

[Vandy321]

CRP pays per acre, but it's not much, and no clue of parts of Idaho are included.

 

[S.Clancy]

Yep. NRCS and DNR and ask to talk to someone who can do private land site evaluations.

This. I work for the NRCS, there is a number of cost share and technical assistance options.

 

[Hackleback]

USFWS also has a private lands program.

IFWO - Partner's Program in Idaho

The USFWS wants you to get outside and enjoy nature. Find events in the Pacific NW and Pacific Islands and fun activities for families and educators.

www.fws.gov

 

[Donjuan]

Anyone aware of (or used) government programs to convert or improve private land use to animal habitat?

Ive been improving my small holding out of pocket but intend to increase my land to 200 plus acres. Would like to convert the majority to a highly diverse and healthy habitat for native game both large and small. This practice is not common out west.

Perhaps grants, tax incentives, seed or tree planting, permanent water infrastructure improvement. Anyone have experience?

Yes I'm doing this exact thing. Contact NRCS and ask about EQIP. Also good funding through Quail Forever Habitat First. Pm if you want more info

 

[Somthingoriginal]

Good on you for doing this!

 

[Wapiti66]

NRCS will Help cost share on different programs, just make sure you know what will be expected of you going forward, according to your contracts. For instance the CRP program may force you to do “enhancement practices” which means tilling up your grass to promote weed growth….not desirable or effective in my opinion. Another practice they force you to do is hay the crp every five years or so. Just be aware of any practices that will be required once in the program before you sign that contract, once you enroll they will make the rules and tell you how/when to handle YOUR land.

 

[JAlvis]

NRCS will Help cost share on different programs, just make sure you know what will be expected of you going forward, according to your contracts. For instance the CRP program may force you to do “enhancement practices” which means tilling up your grass to promote weed growth….not desirable or effective in my opinion. Another practice they force you to do is hay the crp every five years or so. Just be aware of any practices that will be required once in the program before you sign that contract, once you enroll they will make the rules and tell you how/when to handle YOUR land.

Thank you for the heads up. I'm a read the fine print guy. Doing a lot of research before hand and want to do what makes sense long term. I might do a lot of land infrastructure work in advance to avoid some limitations.

 

[JBears]

NRCS will Help cost share on different programs, just make sure you know what will be expected of you going forward, according to your contracts. For instance the CRP program may force you to do “enhancement practices” which means tilling up your grass to promote weed growth….not desirable or effective in my opinion. Another practice they force you to do is hay the crp every five years or so. Just be aware of any practices that will be required once in the program before you sign that contract, once you enroll they will make the rules and tell you how/when to handle YOUR land.

So I work with private landowners and help manage various NRCS contracts here in WI and am a professional ecologist and land manager. This can somewhat be the case, but just as important as it is to understand the contract you are entering, its also important for you to understand the reason they ask you to do those things.

The mowing and haying is often to attempt a poor simulation of grazing buffalo that many of the native grassland plants experienced and thrive under. Similar with the light tillage, intent is to replicate the soil disturbance of large herds moving across the landscape. These activities help promote native grassland plant diversity and increase the number of little critters that can use the landscape effectively.

While the methods may not always be perfect, they are generally better than having no management practices/plans at all.

 

[JAlvis]

@JBears Thanks for the reply.

Theres a lot to learn and I'm hoping to combine some other beneficial practices like logging. Although logging done in older traditional methods. A lot of cost considerations for me would be seeds, and starts. Would also like to combine some ground work like ponds and swells. Lots to consider.

 

[JBears]

@JBears Thanks for the reply.

Theres a lot to learn and I'm hoping to combine some other beneficial practices like logging. Although logging done in older traditional methods. A lot of cost considerations for me would be seeds, and starts. Would also like to combine some ground work like ponds and swells. Lots to consider.

Sounds like you've definitely got your work cut out for you! As others have mentioned, reach out to your local agency offices for NRCS and DNR( or Idaho equivalent). They should be more than willing to help aalk you through the process and find the plans/timelines that work best for you

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

I would add that getting into a formal CRP contract will be difficult/impossible if there is no crop history on the land you intend to improve. In addition, the CRP process is a competitive one, and there are no guarantees that your application will be approved. So like others have said, you may need to investigate other state and federal programs.

For example, I own 10 acres of pasture connected to my acreage. It has been in hay production for more than 15 years and half of it is erodible. However, when I inquired with our FSA office about CRP, without knowing the original planting date and having documented crop history (number of cuttings, number of bales, etc...) I wouldn't be able to complete the application. Basically, I would need to tear it all up and start over to build the crop history required for the government to calculate the rental rate if it was accepted into the program. The farm history also has to fall within the specific farm bill window to be eligible for the program.

Bottom line, there is a ton of red tape and requirements to get into CRP. I have less experience with the other programs, but there are "strings attached" any time you partner with a state or federal agency. I'm not saying this to discourage your effort, just emphasizing the need to go in with eyes wide open.

Good luck!

 

[Prelude8626]

The one thing to consider with NRCS (what I’m dealing with) is setting up the management plan and then the wait to get enrolled in the plan. At least in my area it’s about a year out at least.