A Milestone Made Together: Celebrating 20,000 Acres of Conservation

Recently, our team celebrated an incredible milestone: over 20,000 acres enrolled in the Conservation Forage Program (CFP)! This achievement was made possible by landowners, partners, and organizations who believe in a healthier future for our grasslands and wildlife across North Dakota. The Conservation Forage Program aims to put grasslands back on the landscape for birds and livestock producers through a unique land-restoration model in the Dakotas.

To celebrate this achievement, landowners, conservation partners, and agency leaders gathered in September in Bismarck to recognize the program’s impact and the partnerships that make it all happen. 
 

Beginning with a field tour of the Welch’s family farm south of Bismarck, attendees saw firsthand the land restored through the Conservation Forage Program and learned how conservation practices can benefit working lands and wildlife. Mike Welch and his brother Jon raise cattle on the same land their family has used for agriculture since 1876, when their great-grandfather Oliver settled near Menoken. The Welches run a combination of pasture and grain ground, guided by the belief that diversification is key to keeping the operation on the path for another 150 years. “Some years the grain pays the bills, and some years cows pay the bills,” Mike Welch said. 

At September’s celebration event, the field tour offered an opportunity to connect with partner organizations, learn directly from landowners benefiting from the program, and build relationships with like-minded conservation professionals.

Following the tour, we convened at the North Dakota Heritage Center, where speakers shared their perspectives on the importance of CFP. 

The event featured remarks from: 
Kristal Stoner, Vice President, Audubon Great Plains 
Christa Kiedrowski, Regional Director for Senator John Hoeven 
John Devney, Chief Policy Officer, Delta Waterfowl 
Dave Dewald, Board Chair, Outdoor Heritage Fund 
Scott McLeod, State Coordinator, North Dakota Partners for Fish and Wildlife 
Erin Gaugler, Conservation Forage Program landowner 
Dr. Susan Felege, Professor of Biology – Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of North Dakota

Speakers reflected on the Conservation Forage Program’s history, the benefits it has brought to landowners and bird populations, and their hopes for its future, including the potential to see the program replicated across the country. The room was filled with a sense of gratitude and pride for what has been accomplished, and for the years of work it took to build support and reach this important milestone.

From concept to implementation, the Conservation Forage Program wouldn't be possible without partnership. It’s clear that when conservation meets collaboration, big things happen!

Audubon Great Plains is grateful to every landowner, partner organization, supporter, and funding partners including Corteva and the Outdoor Heritage Fund, who have helped make the Conservation Forage Program a success. Together, we’re restoring grasslands, supporting working lands, and creating a stronger future for people, wildlife, and the Great Plains.