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Conservation Corner

Submitted by Christine Peterson, NRCS Secretary

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The Red River Valley Prairie Management Toolbox is a new cost share program that is available from Dakota Audubon. These counties include Dickey, LaMoure, Sargent, Cavalier, Pembina, Ramsey, Walsh, Nelson, Grand Forks, Grigg, Steele, Traill, Barnes, Cass, Ransom and Richland.

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The Prairie Management Toolbox provides technical and financial assistance to producers interested in improving grassland habitat and forage quality. The goal is to increase the resiliency and biodiversity of existing grassland acres for the benefit of grassland birds and wildlife, with an emphasis on declining pollinator species such as the Monarch Butterfly.

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Audubon will collaborate with enrolled producers to develop a habitat management plan to outline management priorities and strategies to achieve range and habitat goals. This technical assistance also includes resource surveys conducted by Audubon to evaluate management goals related to increasing native vegetation, avian, and pollinator diversity.

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All enrolled acres will have 10-year term protection established. Available Cost-Share Options through the Prairie Management Toolbox include –

  • establishing rotational grazing systems: 60% cost share available for perimeter, cross fence and water development.

  • invasive woody species removal: 90% of cost share available.  Landowner responsible for remaining 10% and long-term maintenance. Focus on Russian olive and Siberian elm.

  • grassland rejuvenation for pollinators through inter-seeding native wildflowers: Cost of seed covered 100%, landowner is responsible for site preparation and grassland management. Focus on small sites.

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Audubon’s mission is to protect birds and places they need, today and tomorrow. They offer various working lands program in North and South Dakota. Funding in North Dakota is provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission’s Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF).

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To learn more please contact Juliann Bosmoe, Senior Range ecologist at 605-290-2571 or at julianna.bosemoe@audubon.org.

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Dates to Remember –

February 8 – SCD Board Meeting, 8 am, CBS’, Ellendale

February 20 – President’s Day, closed

 

As always, please feel free to reach to the office with any conservation-based questions. Contact the James River Soil Conservation District and Ellendale NRCS office at 349-3653, ext. 3. Our field office is in Ellendale at 51 N. 1st Street. Also, remember to visit the James River Soil Conservation District Facebook page and our websites for more information –http://www.jamesriverscd.org/ and http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/nd/home/. The NRCS is an equal opportunity employer, provider and lender.

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