NorthPotter
5 year old buck +
I have been performing habitat improvements for 20+ years but similar to the OP I came across some information and pursued it . I called my local NRCS and started talking about what was available that may mesh with my goals. I had shared that I would like to create another NWSG/pollinator habitat (I have a couple already) and secondarily I have planted various trees for 20+ years and wish to continue to do so. Turns out, their "Conservation cover to provide food habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects" (I believe through EQIP) and "Tree/Shrub planting for wildlife food" (not sure who subsidizes the tree plan) were both a match for my goals and available.
Within the pollinator program there are dozens of flowers/pollinator seed mixes from which you can choose. Reviewing the list some more, I see it also includes Big/little blue, Indian grass, several types of clover, vetch and even alfalfa. Bam!
The tree/shrub list has maybe 80 species,... of which all the types I wished to continue planting were included. Bam x 2!
To be brief I was approved and actually received my payment before I have started. We have talked for hours and they have very few notable restrictions for my 2 plans. They ask I cage/tube the trees for a couple years (been doing that for 20+ already), they ask I remove the invasives from both plan areas (been doing that for 10+ already, lol), they ask I choose native species (no problem!), they ask I prep the pollinator area very well to prevent weeds (been doing that for all my NWSG areas).
Both programs are only 5 years. The tree/shrub plan is paying me about what I expected but the pollinator plan is paying me about 2x more than I anticipated. If I had land in their "high erodable" designation they would be paying me 7x more than they are currently paying.
I am doing the same things I have been doing for many years. It seems now they are just paying me to continue doing it and the amount is more than I anticipated.
I wanted to create better turkey/grouse brooding areas hence the choice for another section of pollinator habitat. Wish I would have found NRCS before I started my previous 3 sections of NWSG/pollinator habitat several years ago.
I am soooo glad and I went and talked to the NRCS. My $0.02.
Within the pollinator program there are dozens of flowers/pollinator seed mixes from which you can choose. Reviewing the list some more, I see it also includes Big/little blue, Indian grass, several types of clover, vetch and even alfalfa. Bam!
The tree/shrub list has maybe 80 species,... of which all the types I wished to continue planting were included. Bam x 2!
To be brief I was approved and actually received my payment before I have started. We have talked for hours and they have very few notable restrictions for my 2 plans. They ask I cage/tube the trees for a couple years (been doing that for 20+ already), they ask I remove the invasives from both plan areas (been doing that for 10+ already, lol), they ask I choose native species (no problem!), they ask I prep the pollinator area very well to prevent weeds (been doing that for all my NWSG areas).
Both programs are only 5 years. The tree/shrub plan is paying me about what I expected but the pollinator plan is paying me about 2x more than I anticipated. If I had land in their "high erodable" designation they would be paying me 7x more than they are currently paying.
I am doing the same things I have been doing for many years. It seems now they are just paying me to continue doing it and the amount is more than I anticipated.I wanted to create better turkey/grouse brooding areas hence the choice for another section of pollinator habitat. Wish I would have found NRCS before I started my previous 3 sections of NWSG/pollinator habitat several years ago.
I am soooo glad and I went and talked to the NRCS. My $0.02.
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