Ducks Unlimited (DU), the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to conserving North America’s diminishing wetlands, grasslands, and other waterfowl habitats, announced a sign-up period for South Dakota farmers, ranchers, and landowners interested in converting portions of their land or entire properties back to native grass. According to Bruce Toay, DU manager of conservation programs in South Dakota, Ducks Unlimited, along with its conservation partners, is keen to find new strategies of increasing the area covered by grass, while focusing on recovering marginal cropland soils. The project was launched after DU received a $25 million award from the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore/convert over 25,000 acres in the next five years.

According to Mr. Toay, under the new partnership, DU will provide incentives to producers while the grasses are established. Thereafter, management options and advice will be provided to enable landowners, ranchers, and producers to remain profitable. RCPP’s program structure will enable DU partners to offer financial and technical support on grass-seeding plans and annual payments to program participants for the first three years after seeding to mitigate any grazing losses. In addition, RCPP Partners will also avail resources for livestock grazing infrastructure if needed.

South Dakota’s grasslands are expected to directly benefit producers by boosting soil health and offering livestock forage. RCPP partners include Ducks Unlimited, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish, and Parks. Others are the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, South Dakota Grassland Coalition, and Audubon Great Plains.