Clark Miller is one of the Conservation Reserve Program (CR)) pioneers in Whitman County, Washington. He enrolled some of his least productive land in CRP the second year of the program. Since then, CRP has transitioned for Clark into 53 acres of contour buffer strips combined with 222 acres of wildlife habitat laid out on the contour.

"CRP has come along way since it first started," he said. "People who swore off CRP whole-field enrollment have embraced buffer strips. I've seen complete erosion eradication in places." These vegetative strips stop the water flow that builds up on the more than 4,000 acres of steep, erosive hillsides that Clark farms. The buffer strips are better than the conservation practice of strip crop farming, in which all of a field is farmed, because the grass buffers have more flexibility to fit the topography of the land. According to Clark, "It makes farming the fields more efficient."

Weed control has been one of the challenges of using contour buffer strips since crop fields remain adjacent to some of the CRP fields. "Maintaining ground isn't cheap," said Clark. "I can't afford to let weeds get into the fields."

Although his original goal was simply to protect the most fragile ground from erosion, Clark quickly added amendments for wildlife. He has planted more than 234,000 trees and shrubs and installed water improvements. "It is the biggest tree farm around here," Clark said. "Schoolchildren from all over the area come to see it."

When CRP vegetation first became established on his fields, Clark had problems with mice. Since that time hawks, eagles, and coyotes have moved in to take care of the mice problem. Clark has seen the pheasant population increase as well. He also improved a pond to provide nesting habitat for geese, and wild turkeys have moved into the area. What started out as a showcase for erosion control has become a showcase for wildlife habitat, as well.

Clark Miller used CRP contour buffer strips and filter strips to protect his crop production acreage.

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