A grassland easement (also known as a habitat easement) is a legal agreement signed with the United States of America, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that pays landowners to permanently keep their land in grass. Landowners who sell a grassland easement to the Service agree to maintain permanent vegetative cover such as forbs, grasses, and low shrubs. Many landowners plan on never putting their land into crop production and can benefit from the added cash incentive of a grassland easement. Land covered by a grassland easement may not be cultivated. Mowing, haying and grass seed harvesting are restricted and may be delayed until after July 15 each year. This specific restriction is designed to help grassland nesting species, such as ducks and pheasants, complete their nesting before the grass is disturbed. Property subject to a grassland easement remains on local tax rolls. By selling easements, landowners receive funds to pay down debt, reinvest in capital improvements, or buy other lands to maintain and/or expand working lands.

The easements are available for lands in the Prairie Pothole Region located within the northern Great Plains in parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

REMINDER: This listing is a free service of LandCAN.
Grassland Easement Program is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.

Listed in:

• Department of Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service Programs

Contact Grassland Easement Program

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Denver Federal Center
P.O. Box 25486
Denver, Colorado  80521
Phone: 303-236-8130
Fax: 303-236-4712
 Visit Website

 

Service Area

Statewide Program in:

• Iowa
• Minnesota
• Montana
• North Dakota
• South Dakota

Create an Account to make additions or corrections to your profile.