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In southeast Wyoming, numerous landowners have upgraded or enhanced the vegetative cover on their Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage. Stands of grass, particularly those predominated by species such as Smooth Brome, have been targeted for enhancement.
Aggressive disking of the soil at depths of four inches or more, followed by interseeding of legumes such as Yellow Sweet Clover or dryland alfalfa, help to increase the vegetative diversity of the stands.
Improved vegetative diversity has led to increased use by wildlife including big game and upland game birds. Insects are also drawn to these new stands, and they play an important role as a source of food for upland game bird broods in the summer months. This protein-rich food source aids birds in all phases of body development, particularly during the first eight weeks of life.
Several non-noxious broad-leafed plants are also commonly found in the CRP grass stands for the first couple of years after disking. The plants provide additional food as well as cover for area wildlife.
CRP landowners have found cost-share funding for disking and legume interseeding enhancement from several partners including the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and local Pheasants Forever chapters.
Interseeding legumes such as yellow sweet clover or dryland alfalfa help to increase the diversity of vegetative species on CRP acreage, increasing its value for wildlife.
CRP participants in southeastern Wyoming have enhanced previously-installed CRP Permanent Native Grass by light disking and interseeding legumes. Here James F. Fowler disks existing CRP acreage to enhance the cover erosion.
With plant diversity, insect diversity and densities typically increase, providing an excellent food source for upland game bird broods.
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