The program, set up through the Farm Service Agency, was created to benefit wildlife in 16 states and covers up to 500,000 acres.

These habitat restoration projects represent the best of President Bush's Cooperative Conservation Initiative because they assist farmers and ranchers to voluntarily conserve habitat acrossthe nation.

to help a wide range of wildlife which have the greatest need," said Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer. "Because SAFE helps marginal, ecologically sensitive acreage, prime cropland can remain in production at a time when commodity prices are high."

Over 15,000 acres of land in northwest portions of Oklahoma are eligible for enrollment in the state's mixed-grass prairie SAFE program, including parts of Dewey, Ellis, Harper, Woods and Woodward counties. Habitat improvements stand to benefit wildlife such as bobwhite quail and Cassin's sparrow, and in addition will improve habitat suitability for other grassland birds like the Bell's vireo, lark sparrow and lesser prairie chicken.

Incentives may be available for participating landowners, including annual rental payments for 14- and 15-year contracts, sign-on bonus payments of $100 per acre, up to 50 percent cost-share and a 40 percent practice incentive payment that would help with the costs of establishing permanent vegetative cover and an annual CRP maintenance payment. Management practices that may be implemented through the SAFE program include prescribed burning, mowing and strip disking.

Besides improving wildlife habitat, SAFE will help address issues of fragmentation and will indirectly help improve water and air quality, reduce soil erosion and provide hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities.

The Oklahoma mixed-grass prairie SAFE program will assign acres on a first come-first served basis. Offers for the program are accepted on a continuous basis beginning May 1, 2008. To find out if certain lands are eligible for enrollment in the SAFE program, interested landowners should visit their local Farm Service Agency office or call them at one of the following phone numbers:

Dewey: (580) 328-5331 x2

Ellis: (580) 885-7244 x2

Harper: (580) 735-2033 x2

Woods: (580) 327-3136 x2

Woodward: (580) 256-7882 x2

For more information about the SAFE program, log on to fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/safe08.pdf.