Alysha Trexler wants people to get excited about conservation.

The conservation scientist stood at the front of a tour bus full of farmers and landowners and shouted out one of her slogans: "Put in some grass and save on gas!"

The slogan, which points out that planting grass that is mowed once a year is less costly than mowing weeds, was met with groans and rolling eyes.

But the spirit of Friday's conservation tour in Butler County was optimistic, even if farmers and landowners were cautious about a relatively new state program.

About 35 farmers, landowners and agriculture officials toured seven northern Butler County farms Friday to learn about conservation practices the state and federal government reimburse.

The tour, sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, highlighted the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, or CREP.

The program reimburses landowners for setting aside land between 10 and 15 years, and installing conservation practices. The landowner is paid for each year the land is not grazed or harvested.

Conservation practices are for land otherwise not profitable. For example, the land around a stream where nothing is grown, or a field that is not farmed.

These practices include planting native grasses, planting trees around streams, restoring wetland and attracting wildlife. Farmers are reimbursed for the costs of installing practices in exchange for not using the land for harvest or grazing.

Most of the farmers and landowners on the tour were from Butler and Beaver counties. Some had already enrolled in the program and some had not.

"We're just exploring our options," said Judy Layton, who owns land in Forward Township.

"We wanted to see this (program) in work. The fact is I've never seen these type of things before, I wanted to see how they run," said Ron Layton, Judy's husband.

Bob Spurk, who farms and owns about 100 acres in Callery, is already using some CREP practices.

He is not sure if he wants to expand to more practices or keep what he has that he can harvest. "Most of what I have is farmable," he said.

CREP practices allow for clean water, reduced topsoil erosion and wildlife habitat, said Trexler, an agriculture conservation scientist with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

These practices also improve animal life. For example, at the Hemmerlin Brothers farm in Mercer Township, a stream crossing was installed. The crossing keeps the cattle out of the water, so a cow does not drink from the same water it has been sitting in all day.

Since the cow avoids bacteria, the farmer saves on veterinary bills and the cow is healthier, Trexler said.

Financially, the CREP program pays out to landowners who are willing to set up these practices.

The Hemmerlin farm has a 19-acre buffer zone around a stream where trees are planted, a stream crossing and two water facilities. The total cost was $43,457, and the farm was reimbursed $63,705. In addition, the farm will receive $1,463 per year for the next 15 years.

The farm is reimbursed more than it spent because of CREP incentive payments. The state's target is to enroll 65,000 acres, Trexler said.

The CREP program only works for certain land. The land has to have been farmed for four years between 1996 and 2001. Some conservation practices can only be on what is considered highly erodible land.

There are restrictions on how much can be spent on each practice, and the complicated paperwork makes some farmers and landowners cautious, Trexler said.

Additionally, the upfront cost of practices goes to the landowner or farmer. They are reimbursed later.

For the buffer zones around streams, which seemed to be the most popular practice on the tour, trees are planted between 50 and 180 feet around a stream.

Tour-goers heard about tree growing from Christian Duffy, a reforestation specialist who works at a forestry firm in Millville.

"Tree placement is crucial," said Duffy. He said landowners should be careful to plant trees that will survive and that are spread far enough apart. He added that only native Pennsylvania trees are reimbursed by CREP.

He helped a crew plant about 2,040 trees at the Smith Incredibull Farms in Washington Township.

CREP started in Pennsylvania in response to pollution in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. In 2004, the program started in Western Pennsylvania's Ohio River watershed, which covers about 16 counties.

Trexler said the Conservancy's goal is to make CREP practices normal.

Landowners who want to explore the program should call the Butler Farm Service Agency at 724-482-4800.

It is free to get on the CREP interest list, which does not obligate any enrollment. A biologist will come to the land and determine eligibility. The CREP office will create a contract, which the landowner could choose not to sign, said Trexler.

For more information, call 800-941-CREP or visit www.creppa.org.