Decorah Iowa News

News Talk to Wildlife, Forestry Specialists Now for CRP Posted 16 August 2010 Talking to a DNR biologist or forester can pay off for landowners who want to enroll marginal cropland in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). "Our private lands biologists and foresters know plants," said Kelly Smith, coordinator of the DNR's private lands program. "So they can help landowners find the best vegetation mix to meet their conservation and wildlife goals. "If someone wants to create a haven for pheasant, we can help them meet that goal," she said. "If they are more interested in seeding down an erosive hill to prevent a pond from silting in, we can help them pick a seeding mix." The DNR's specialists offer technical advice tailored to each landowner's objectives. They will base their recommendations on the landowner's tolerance for required maintenance, the specific types of wildlife they want to attract and other factors. The CRP is a competitive program where landowners offer a bid and USDA accepts only the top bids - the ones with greatest benefits to control soil erosion, improve water quality and increase wildlife habitat. Because of their familiarity with USDA program requirements, the DNR specialists can help landowners develop a competitive bid offer. "The USDA gives priority to land in areas that require improved water quality, and areas that need more wildlife habitat created," Smith said. The areas were identified as state or national priority areas based on Iowa's 2009 Wildlife Action Plan and the 2008 lists of impaired streams and lakes. Maps of the priority areas and a fact sheet on the program are available on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/crp.html. Look for a list of biologists and foresters on the website, too. Landowners receive an annual rental payment by enrolling eligible land in the general CRP. Signups are taken in local USDA Farm Service Agency offices from now until Aug. 27.

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