Second Century Working Lands Habitat Program

Introduction

The Second Century Working Lands Habitat Program is a pioneering initiative under Governor Kristi Noem’s Second Century Initiative, designed to enhance South Dakota’s wildlife habitat by providing a short-term, working lands conservation alternative to cropping marginal lands. Administered by the Second Century Habitat Fund Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization, this program encourages landowners to enroll less productive cropland—such as saline soils, moist areas, field edges, and other marginal lands—for a period of 5 or 10 years. These lands are then seeded with a mix of perennial grasses and forbs that provide crucial habitat for ground-nesting birds and forage for livestock, allowing for management through haying and grazing.

Participants in the program receive a one-time payment, ranging from $150 to $750 per acre, depending on location and contract length. In addition to the financial incentive, free seed is provided to establish high-quality habitat. Starting in the second growing season, enrolled lands can be hayed or grazed between August 1 and March 1, with haying limited to 50% of the acres each year or the entire acreage every other year.

While the program does not require enrolled lands to be open for public hunting, they are eligible for enrollment in South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks’ Walk-In Area program. Landowners who opt into this program can receive a one-time signing bonus of $10 per acre, per year, alongside the annual access incentive payments.

With technical assistance available from Pheasants Forever and SD Game, Fish, and Parks habitat biologists, and resources like seed drills from local Conservation Districts, this program offers landowners a valuable opportunity to contribute to conservation efforts while enhancing the productivity and sustainability of their land.