Michigan's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is the states largest voluntary environmental improvement program to date. The benefits of Michigan CREP goes far beyond Michigan borders by helping to maintain the purity of the Great Lakes, which make up 20% of the worlds surface fresh water. The Great Lakes aesthetic, environmental and commercial values are vitally important to the entire region and nation. As has been the case with many areas of the nation, Michigan's water quality and depleted wildlife habitat has become a growing concern. The CREP is a perfect piece of the puzzle to protect these valuable resources.

Mike Parker, Michigan's Pheasants Forever Regional Biologist, loves talking about habitat almost as much as he loves talking about pheasants. When the Michigan CREP partnership approached Mike and his organization about the September of 2000 Agreement, Mike's response was simple – "If you plant it, they will come."

A little over four years later, his words have come true. Pheasants and other wildlife now flourish in nearly 60,000 acres of CREP-planted habitat. Of course, Mike will be the first to tell you that the success of the CREP in Michigan is due to the unique partnership effort where producers, local, state and federal agencies and private conservation-minded organizations are working toward a common goal of enrolling 80,000 acres of environmentally sensitive cropland into the CREP.

An example of a partnership within a partnership is the efforts of several landowners located in Tuscola County, Michigan who enrolled nearly 5 miles of continuous filter strips ending at a 160 acre wetland restoration that is less than ¼ of mile from Saginaw Bay. Drinking waters for several million Michigan's residence is drawn directly from the Saginaw Bay. This effort will improve surface and ground water quality by reducing non-point source pollution and restore and improve area wildlife habitat that had been previously lost due to a variety of reasons.

Jim and DeAnn Sattleberg were key to this partnership and are happy with the economic, environmental and wildlife benefits from their participation in CREP. Many of the Sattleberg's neighbors thought that they were foolish for enrolling such seemingly highly productive farm land into the CREP, but in fact the high water table and proximity to the bay caused crop losses on average every three years. Many of the Sattleberg's neighbors have since followed suit and enrolled acreages of their own into the CREP.

The Sattleberg's farm several thousand acres in Tuscola County, Michigan and specialize in growing and custom processing of organic dry beans, soybeans, black soybeans, clover seed, corn, and small grains. All together they have enrolled over 620 acres into CREP conservation habitat, including the160 acre wetland restoration mentioned above.

As a continuing legacy, the Sattleberg's have also taken advantage of a State of Michigan sponsored CREP option by placing a permanent easement on much of their enrolled CREP acreage. "As a fifth generation farm, we are proud to be stewards of the soil" says Sattleberg "We feel it is of the utmost importance to maintain healthy soil and water quality to benefit human health and the environment". Approximately 4,500 acres of Michigan CREP has been placed under a permanent easement with another 3,000 acres on a list awaiting State of Michigan dollars to be identified for such purchases.

The Sattleberg's created a wildlife habitat oasis in the middle of a habitat desert.

Jim and DeAnn Sattleberg with their beagle Lucy.

Michigan CREP accomplishments include enrollment of over 2800 miles of 100' average width filter strips. From a linear perspective, that's the distance between New York City, New York and Los Angeles, California.

The Sattleberg's 160 acre CREP wetland restoration.