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BISMARCK, N.D. – Aug. 7, 2024 – Ducks Unlimited (DU) and its conservation partners recently announced an open sign-up period for South Dakota farmers, ranchers and landowners interested in converting all or portions of their property back to native grass.
 
Thanks to an award from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, DU received $25 million to support the project. The ambitious goal is to convert or restore over 25,000 acres over the next five years.
 
"Our goal is to provide new approaches for getting more grass on the landscape, with an emphasis on the recovery of marginal cropland soils," says Bruce Toay, DU manager of conservation programs in South Dakota. "Under this new partnership, we can provide incentive payments to producers while the grasses are established. Then we’ll provide management options so landowners, ag producers and ranchers remain profitable."
 
Thanks to the RCPP program's structure, DU partners can also provide financial and technical assistance on grass-seeding plans and annual payments to cooperators for the first three years after seeding to help offset any grazing losses. At the end of the seeding and growing term, cooperators can use the natural grass areas for grazing or haying with a 10-year commitment. RCPP partners also have resources for livestock grazing infrastructure if needed. In the end, the projects will increase carbon sequestration in soils, reduce nitrogen loss and help capture atmospheric carbon, as well as aid flood water storage, reduce the effect of erosion and increase migratory waterfowl biodiversity.
 
"South Dakota's grasslands provide direct benefits to producers by improving soil health and providing livestock forage," said Toay. "But they also provide value to all South Dakotans in the form of wildlife habitat, improved water quality, reduced erosion and sequestered carbon."
 
RCPP partners include Ducks Unlimited, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, Audubon Great Plains, the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition and the South Dakota Grassland Coalition.
 
Interested participants can reach out to the organizations listed above or visit tinyurl.com/WGP-RCPP for more information, or to request an application.
 
 
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 18 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. DU is growing its mission through a historic $3 billion Conservation For A Continent comprehensive campaign. Learn more at www.ducks.org.

 

Media Contact:
Ben Romans
(208) 761-7775
bromans@ducks.org