By Candy Moore, Idaho FSA Communications Coordinator
The USDA’s State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) program in Idaho has enrolled 100,000 acres, making it the largest allocation of SAFE acres enrolled the United States.
The program is based on a partnership between state government and the USDA Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Program.
SAFE programs vary nationwide but for Idaho it is concentrated on increasing habitat for Columbian Sharp-Tailed Grouse as well as other upland game birds. Since its implementation, Idaho has seen a marked increase in nesting areas, known as Leks, for this bird.
“Idaho has the largest remaining population of Sharp-Tailed grouse in North America. The Conservation Reserve Program and SAFE are one of the main reasons why,” said Sal Palazzolo of Idaho Fish and Game.
The popularity of the program was obvious from the beginning. Idaho’s original allocation of 6,300 acres in 2008 quickly jumped to 24,300 in 2010 and then to 94,300 in 2012. Deb Duba, FSA County Executive Director for Power County, remembers producers waiting in line to sign up.
“We even had producers at our office hours before it opened to make sure they got in,” said Duba.
Because of its success, Idaho FSA added a second SAFE focus area in western Idaho, with Upland Game Birds as the targeted species. This brought the total acres available to 131,100. The total allocation for Sharp-Tailed Grouse in Idaho is 106,100 acres with an additional 25,000 acres set aside for Western Idaho Upland Game Birds.
The commitment of Idaho Fish and Game and the support of producers will allow Idaho to enroll to enroll the 100,000acre for Sharp-Tailed grouse by the end of September. The 100,000th acre will be on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation where the tribe is committed to enhancing habitat for this native bird.
FSA created SAFE to assist states’ high-priority wildlife conservation objectives through the restoration of vital habitat. While still a game bird in Idaho, Sharp-Tailed grouse are considered a species of greatest conservation need in the Idaho State Wildlife action plan.
Under the SAFE program Idaho producers elect to take eligible crop land out of agricultural production and plant habitat beneficial to sharp-tails. These grouse were once considered the most abundant and well-known upland game bird throughout much of this region. Through SAFE , Idaho is aiming to bring it back to that status.
Throughout their historical range, the decline of Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse has been primarily attributed to the loss and degradation of native grassland and shrub-grassland vegetation types. Major portions of these communities were converted to agriculture within the Interior Columbia Basin that includes Idaho. To a lesser extent other land uses that are unsuitable for the birds were also instituted and suitable nesting areas continued to diminish.
Because of the partnership between FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Idaho Fish and Game and Idaho producers, the nesting, brood-rearing and wintering habitat for Sharp-Tailed grouse has been re-established in many Idaho counties and the population of this bird is growing.
