COLUMBUS — Enrollment is open for two conservation reserve programs for certain parts of Ohio: the Upland Bird and the Pollinator and Monarch State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement.
Bird program
The Upland Bird SAFE program is available on a continuous basis in the following counties: Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Fulton, Gallia, Greene, Hancock, Hardin, Highland, Jackson, Knox, Lawrence, Logan, Madison, Marion, Miami, Morrow, Paulding, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Williams and Wyandot.
The Upland Bird program uses a wildlife management practice specifically developed by conservation organizations and agencies located within Ohio to establish and restore habitat for ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail and other upland birds on eligible cropland. The program specifically targets declining quail and pheasant populations in areas of greatest impact.
To be eligible, the offered land must be owned or leased for at least one year prior to enrollment and must be physically and legally capable of being cropped in a normal manner.
Pollinator program
Pollinator and Monarch SAFE is available on a continuous basis in the following counties: Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Erie, Franklin, Guernsey, Harrison, Henry, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jefferson, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Muskingum, Ottawa, Perry, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Scioto, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wood.
The Ohio Pollinator and Monarch SAFE project was designed in collaboration with pollinator experts and other conservation partners to help enhance and restore habitat for ecologically and economically significant pollinator species. The goal is to increase the amount of appropriate habitat for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators in Ohio.
For more information on either program, visit your local Farm Service Agency county office.
