North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Private Land Initiative (PLI)

(A cooperative program of the NDGF, USDA, Ducks Unlimited, and The North Dakota Natural Resources Trust.)

State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) CP38
Eastern North Dakota Tall Grass Prairie Restoration (ver 10/07)

Purpose
The purpose of this USDA project is to restore cropland to native tall-grass prairie in order to maintain or increase populations of greater prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse.

Up to 6,000 acres of cropland will be enrolled in CRP in order to meet the project goal.  Cropland may be enrolled in the designated area shown in red on the map below. 

Nesting cover will be established on the CRP acreage and wetlands will be enhanced or restored. 

The cover may include native grasses, legumes, and forbs. Existing perennial cover may be eligible.  Food plots may also be established.
 
CRP Contract
CRP applications will be accepted on a continuous basis until the 6,000-acre allocation is reached.  Applications will be accepted at the local Farm Service Agency office. 

The CRP contracts may be for a 10 to 15 year period.  

Cropland Eligibility
In addition to being in the designated area, cropland must have been cropped or considered cropped in four of the years 1996 through 2001.  Years that the land was enrolled in CRP are considered cropped.

Cropland enrolled under the Farmable Wetland Program must have been cropped three out of the most recent ten years. 

Land that has expired from CRP or land that is in the final year of an existing CRP contract may be enrolled in the SAFE project. 

Program Benefits
CRP program participants will receive annual rental payments.  Rates are established for each type of soil in a county.  The per-acre rental rates will be based on the three predominant soils within the offered area.

FSA will reimburse participants up to 50 percent of the cost of establishing perennial cover.

In addition, a practice incentive payment (PIP) equal to 40 percent of the cost to establish cover and a signup incentive payment (SIP) equal to $100 per acre may be available in some cases from FSA.  The SIP and PIP are one-time payments.    

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will also provide up to 50 percent of the cost of grass seed, as well as additional incentives for landowners who allow public access through the Department's Private Land Open To Sportsman (PLOTS) program. Other partners, such as Ducks Unlimited and the Natural Resources Trust, will also provide incentives to landowners who perform wetland restorations on land they enroll into SAFE.

Cover Establishment
Cover should be seeded within 12 months of the CRP contracts effective date. 

Participants required to complete cover management activities that are site specific and ensure:

• Plant diversity
• Wildlife benefits
• Protection of soil and water resources.

Management activities may include:

• Light disking
• Heavy harrowing
• Clipping and removal
• Prescribed burning
• Interseeding legumes

Management of cover will be required once for ten-year contracts and twice for 15-year contracts.  The cover management activity for a ten-year contract must be completed before the eighth year of the contract.  Cost share may be available for these activities.

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