Bob Anderson purchased an 85-acre tract in Barnes County, North Dakota, to conserve wildlife habitat, hunt and as an investment property. Bob researched programs for habitat conservation and found the Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to be beneficial for the landowner and wildlife. EQIP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to private landowners who implement conservation practices on their land.

Once enrolled in EQIP, Bob worked with a Ducks Unlimited conservation specialist to determine if his property was eligible to enroll in an Outdoor Heritage Fund (OHF) grazing land and habitat enhancement program administered by Ducks Unlimited. This program allows landowners to transition expired Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres into grass-based working lands with more haying and grazing options.

"Ducks Unlimited's OHF project allowed me to keep my property in grass and benefit wildlife," Bob said. "Without the OHF grant, I would not have been able to improve my property."

Through DU's OHF project, Bob diversified his operations. The project works in cooperation with EQIP to provide additional funds to landowners in exchange for conservation stewardship that enhances ranching and conserves wildlife habitat.

"My property has been positively impacted by the OHF and EQIP programs and Ducks Unlimited has been great to work with," Anderson said. "Without these programs, the wildlife wouldn't be here."