• Grassland Habitat
• Wetland Habitat
• Woody Habitat
• Food Plots
• Pollinator Habitat
• Wildlife Habitat Management
• Hunting Access Programs
• Watershed Protection
• Forestry Programs
• Resource Conservation
• Other Habitat Practices

Pollinator Habitat Assistance

Pollinators like bats, bees, beetles, butterflies and hummingbirds play a key role in pollinating most of the fruits and vegetables we all like to eat. However, many of these pollinator populations have been declining. In an effort to slow the decline, multiple programs and initiatives exist to create more habitat for pollinators on private land. 

The great thing about pollinator habitat is that it is also outstanding wildlife habitat. Many bird species raise their young in areas with flowering plants because they are loaded with insects that chicks feed on. Pollinator habitat is also excellent nesting and fawning habitat.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Pollinator Food Plot

• Free Seed Mix of annual flowering plants that bloom throughout the growing season
• $20/acre payment or $80/acre if part of a public hunting access program
• Maximum of 20 acres per 160 acres of land and unlimited per landowner.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Perennial Pollinator Program

• Plantings must contain a diverse mix of flowering plants and grasses. 
• GFP will provide 100% c/s for seed costs, up to $150/acre.
• Minimum size requirement of 2 acres and a maximum of 9 acres.
• Grazing and prescribed fire may be used for habitat management purposes

Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund Seed a Legacy Program

The Seed A Legacy program works to establish pollinator habitat on private, public and corporate lands in a 12-state region of the Midwest and Great Plains, including South Dakota.

Accepted projects receive two pollinator seed mixtures. Seed mixtures will be delivered to plant 50% of contracted acres to a high-quality forage mix designed for honey bees and 50% of contracted acres to a high quality, diverse seed mix designed for monarch butterflies and other native pollinators. Pollinators will receive and benefit from both seed mixtures, but each mix is designed to establish differently and must be planted in two seperate areas. Projects that are 2 to 25 acres in size receive FREE seed. Larger projects receive the seed with cost share.

• Seed a Legacy

USDA FSA Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) CP42 Pollinator Habitat

• 50% cost share for seed and seeding with a minimum of 9 flowering plants of which 3 bloom in each early, mid and late growing season periods
• Annual rental payment, dependent on soil rental rate, for 10-15 year contract
• Contact a habitat advisor or your local Farm Service Agency office.

USDA NRCS Pollinator Plots through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

• Plant a pollinator plot with a minimum of 9 flowering plants of which 3 bloom in each early, mid, and late growing season periods
• Annual payment of $283/acre for 5 years
• Contact a habitat advisor or your local Natural Resource Conservation Service office.

USDA NRCS Pollinator Plots through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)

• Plant a pollinator plot with a minimum of 9 flowering plants of which 3 bloom in each early, mid and late growing season periods, or defer grazing on native prairie with flowering plants, or defer haying until after bloom period
• One-time payment of $178 to $544/acre for seeding
• Forgone income payments on deferred use practices
• Contact a habitat advisoror your local Natural Resource Conservation Service office.

If a landowner would like help creating a seed mix to plant without any cost-share assistance they can contact a habitat advisoror their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office.