SUNBURY —
What does every endangered or threatened species of concern have in common?
Their habitat is dwindling.
Even a kindergartner knows that food, water, shelter and space are essential for every species to survive and propagate.
If wildlife could, they’d be applauding a government program called Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program — better known as CREP.
“The vast majority of farmers in the Central Susquehanna Wild Pheasant Recovery project were already involved with CREP before the stocking,” said Keith Sanford, land management group supervisor. “If landowners wouldn’t have had CREP, we wouldn’t have chosen this area. CREP is that important.”
Though pheasants are the poster child, CREP is benefitting so many other wildlife species.
“CREP provides incredible wildlife habitat on local farms. Not only for the wild pheasants, but also native grassland birds like meadowlarks and grasshopper sparrows, which have been declining for years,” said Colleen DeLong, PGC biologist working with pheasant recovery areas.
“In our first winter of the pheasant recovery we were stunned by the number of northern harriers using the CREP fields to overwinter. This works because they are plenty of meadow mice in the grassy fields for the harriers,” she said.
Another species also surprised them.
“When we conducted our first winter flushing surveys for wild pheasants, we also flushed an endangered species in Pennsylvania — short eared owls,” DeLong said.
“We suspect they were moving south and the fields provided protection from wind while providing shelter and rodents,” Sanford explained. The owls have been seen every year during pheasant winter surveys.
Barn owls, a species of concern, are also making a comeback from Turbotville to the Greenwood Valley due to CREP fields.
“This area is a hotspot for these owls,” DeLong said. “Pheasants use the CREP grass fields to nest in and the barn owls use the same fields to hunt rodents. It’s a win-win situation.”
Both Sanford and DeLong praise the CREP program.
“Everything about it is positive,” Sanford said without hesitation. “It’s the best conservation program for grassland wildlife.”
Though Columbia, Montour and Northumberland counties are the top three in the state for CREP, there’s a growing fear that farmers will discontinue CREP on their lands.
“Some contracts are running out, and farmers need to re-enroll to stay in the program,” Sanford said.
In retrospect, DeLong said, “Both Pheasants Forever and the local Pennsylvania Game Commission food and cover corps have helped landowners with their CREP habitat, and we’ve all learned a good bit about managing habitat on private lands in the last 10 years.”
The success of the WPRAs across the state relies on CREP land.
“It is so important that landowners re-enroll before their contracts expire,” she emphasized.
CREP is a voluntary conservation program which rewards producers and landowners for installing conservation practices on their land, and offers up to 100 percent cost share reimbursement for installation, annual rental payments, and cash incentives. For more information, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service at 570-784-1062
n Connie Mertz enjoys all aspects of the outdoors. Contact her at owcam@verizon.net
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