Habitat Approaches

Second Century Working Lands Habitat Program

Administered by the Second Century Habitat Fund, the Second Century Working Lands Habitat Program provides an alternative to cropping marginal lands. The focus of the program is to enroll cropland such as wet and saline soils, field edges, or other less productive soi types or areas landowners want to manage as wildlife habitat for 5 or 10 years. One-time payments are provided to the cooperator in the amounts of $150 (5 yr) or $450/acre(10 yr) for west river counties and $250 (5 yr) or $750/acre (10 yr) for east river counties plus Tripp, Lyman and Gregory counties. Seed is also provided at no cost. All cropland is South Dakota is eligible with a minimum enrollment size of 5 acres and maximum size of 160 acres per participant. Individuals interested in the program should contact their nearest habitat advisor. 

Every Acre Counts.

South Dakota is the land of infinite variety, from our fertile croplands in the east, to our prairies in the central and west, to the granite outcroppings of the forested Black Hills. The primary focus for this project will be marginal lands impacted by wet conditions, saline or sodic soils and eroded areas, such as hilltops. SDSU Extension will work with selected landowners and their crop and financial consultants to precisely quantify the technical metrics of their existing operations and generate an economic analysis report. That information will then be incorporated into a profit mapping software to pinpoint and quantify marginal acres. In addition, federal, state and local habitat and conservation programs will be used to leverage funding. Learn More