Waterfowl Identification Guide Comprehensive Conservation Plan Phone: 218-8474431 |
Wetland Easements
The Duck Stamp Act also funds the purchase of wetland and habitat easements. The wetland easement is a signed agreement with a landowner protecting wetlands on their land from being burned, drained, filled, or leveled in perpetuity. This is a willing seller program where the landowner receives a one-time payment for protecting the wetlands on their property. When protected wetlands go through dry cycles, they can be farmed, grazed or hayed without violating the agreement. The land remains in private control, and the landowner controls access to these wetlands.
Habitat / Grassland Easements
Habitat easements generally protect both grassland and wetland habitat, but again the property remains in private control and the landowner allows access. This too is a willing seller program where the landowner may be offered one of four options. The first option is complete protection of wetlands and grassland on their property. With this easement, the government purchases the rights to graze, hay, farm, drain, and harvest seed from the property. Two other options allow the landowner to either hay or graze. The haying option purchases all of the above rights except the right to hay or harvest seed. The landowner can hay or harvest seed after July 15th each year, which allows most ground nesting birds to hatch their eggs before any cutting is done. The grazing option allows the landowner to graze the land with no restrictions, but the Service still purchases the rights to hay, harvest seed, farm, and drain. The haying and grazing option allows the landowner to hay after July 15 and graze, but the Service purchases the rights to farm and drain. With any of these options, the landowner receives a one-time payment for the rights that the Service purchases from them.
You can learn more about this opportunity by downloading the brochure below:
Prairie and Grassland Easements: Commonly Asked Questions & Answers
(249 KB Adobe pdf file)
