Submitted Photo Juli Bosmoe, center, Working Lands Programs manager, views a restoration on a Conservation Forage Program site in North Dakota.

FARGO – The Conservation Forage Program has successfully restored more than 10,000 acres of grassland in North Dakota, marking a significant milestone in its effort to bring back critical bird grassland habitat, according to the National Audubon Society.

With a goal of restoring 18,000 acres, the program is now over halfway to completion, the society reported.

The North Dakota Conservation Forage Program (CFP) works with North Dakota’s producers and landowners to establish native grasses and forbs on marginal cropland, improving soil health while creating essential nesting and foraging habitat for grassland birds and other wildlife. By providing support through financial and technical assistance to landowners, CFP aims to accelerate grassland restoration and improve overall soil health across the state.

The program’s success is rooted in voluntary enrollment and cost-share assistance.

Launched in the spring of 2021, CFP is financially supported by the North Dakota Industrial Commission Outdoor Heritage Fund, CORTEVA, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Partner support comes from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North Dakota Game and Fish, Delta Waterfowl, the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, Natural Resource Conservation Service, the North Dakota Natural Resources Trust and the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts.