Many Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program participants often question the benefits to wildlife since one of the programs goals is to increase habitat for ground nesting birds. Well, late last year, two studies were released that confirmed just that. USDA conservation efforts did increase northern bobwhite quail and sage grouse populations.

The results of those two studies show conservation practices are increasing populations of northern bobwhite quail throughout its range and sage grouse in eastern Washington. Both studies showed other grassland and shrubland bird species also benefited from the Conservation Reserve Program.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of CREP, the nation's largest private-lands conservation program.

In the northern bobwhite quail study, conducted in 2005 and 2006, Mississippi State University researchers found that, generally, quail numbers increased in areas in CREP. When researchers' analyzed land enrolled in CREP in Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri, they found almost a 3 percent increase in quail numbers.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted the study of sage grouse populations in the eastern part of the state between 2004 and 2006. Researchers discovered the sage grouse population grew 12 percent between 1992 and 2006 after covers matured on CRP acreage. The increase is significant considering the population of sage grouse in this region had declined by 25 percent between 1970 and 1988, prior to the availability of the CREP. Researchers also found that sage grouse populations in an area not aided by CREP continued to decline, showing the ability of conservation acreage to positively affect a species in sharp decline.

CREP is a voluntary program through which farmers and ranchers plant grasses and trees in crop fields and along streams. Today, more than 37 million acres are enrolled in the program. Besides providing wildlife habitat, plantings on CREP acres stop soil and nutrients from washing into regional waterways and contaminating the air. CREP provides numerous benefits to the nation, including preventing 450 million tons of soil from eroding each year and restoring more than 2 million wetland acres since its inception.

The northern bobwhite quail and sage grouse reports are posted on FSA's Web site at www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/quail_study.pdf and www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/sage_grouse.pdf respectively.

Luke Fritz is executive director of the Butler County Farm Service Agency.