Sublette County Conservation District (SCCD) is offering opportunities to be involved in their Private Land Enhancement Program into 2024. The program is designed to increase vegetative cover and forage availability for sage-grouse and other species while also helping landowners in Sublette County increase agricultural and/or rangeland productivity through planting or interseeding projects.

The Private Land Enhancement Program is made possible by Upper Green River Basin Sage-Grouse Local Work Group funds. With the help of the program, qualifying applicants will receive 50 percent reimbursement for the cost of seed up to $2,500.

SCCD saw a need for this program because we receive several inquiries a year from private landowners in Sublette County asking for recommendations on how to improve the quality of their private lands, increase productivity for livestock and increase species diversity in areas such as hay meadows, pastures and rangelands.

By pairing the needs of private landowners and wildlife such as the greater sage-grouse, we can create improved ecosystem services that benefit all.

To make this possible and inexpensive for landowners, SCCD is also offering the use of equipment including a Ranchworx Tandem Model aerator for prepping the seeding site and a 10-foot Rangeland drill for seeding.

The use of the aerator and seed drill, along with other equipment owned by SCCD, is free regardless of being enrolled in the private land enhancement program.

Some seeding ideas may include but are not limited to homogeneous hayfields where more species diversity is wanted, low production areas of pastures, planting more desirable species on pivot corners, interseeding on rangelands where biodiversity has been reduced and disturbed areas such as along dirt roads, trails or fence lines.

For those that think they would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please refer to the eligibility criteria below and then contact our office for a simple application form.

Applying sooner is better for selection so that we may have seed ordered and sites prepped come springtime for planting.

If you have any questions about the program or any of the equipment available through SCCD, please contact Keller Hyde at 307-367-2364 or stop by the SCCD office at 217 Country Club Ln. in Pinedale.

2024 Eligibility Criteria

• Land must be zoned AGRICULTURAL.

• Seed mixes must include plant species beneficial to greater sage-grouse conservation such as forbs and grasses (different mixes are acceptable for different uses, e.g., pasture, hay, range). Seed mixes must also be compliant with Wyoming state weed seed laws and “cheatgrass free.

• Landowners agree to a pretreatment plan to increase the probability of success. Pretreatment would be focused on reducing seed competition with existing plant species through practices such as herbicide treatments, mowing, tillage, aerating, etc.

• Landowners agree to a weed management plan including landowner completed annual weed checks. SCCD is available to help identify any existing weed species prior to treatment and will be available to help identify weeds post-treatment.

• Landowners are willing to defer haying or grazing, or rest treated areas for a minimum of one growing season post-treatment if determined that this action will facilitate optimum conditions for seed establishment.