Manipulate vegetation on fields with captured rainfall for waterfowl & wading bird winter habitat

USDA NRCS | CSP-E647A

Harvested and idled agricultural lands, notably those occurring within rice rotations, contain
high densities of residual (i.e., waste) grain and natural seeds following harvest. Seed
densities in harvested rice fields may rival those documented in intensively managed moistsoil units, especially in the Gulf Coast and Central Valley of California. When flooded to shallow depths during fall and winter, these agricultural fields provide ideal foraging habitat for myriad species of waterfowl and wading birds. In addition, flooded conditions promote establishment of aquatic invertebrate populations, thus providing protein-rich food sources for shorebirds as well as waterfowl and wading birds. In many cases, light manipulation of dense vegetation is needed to improve the accessibility of food resources to waterfowl, wading birds, and shorebirds.

Additional NRCS practice information can be found here

CSP Deadlines can be found on the state websites:
Arkansas CSP
California CSP
Louisiana CSP
Mississippi CSP
Missouri CSP
Texas CSP

Contact
County NRCS Office

Website: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app