Wildlife Habitat Planting  (NRCS #420)

Planting deep rooted perennial vegetation improves soil structure and reduces soil erosion³.

Improves soil cover, organic matter and aggregate stability⁴.

Increased plant diversity enhances the soil microbial community.

Promotes nutrient retention through permanent vegetation and reduced runoff^{3 4}.

Habitat plantings require limited fertilizer inputs compared to many annual cropping systems.

Supports pollinators and beneficial insects that may improve nearby crop yields.

Provides pest control³.

Wildlife habitat plantings support plant and animal diversity and can limit the spread of invasive species when managed properly.

Increases pollinator abundance and diversity⁵.

Provides food, nesting, cover and habitat for wildlife.

Increases beneficial wildlife.

Enhances aesthetics.

Adding woody vegetation to grasslands negatively impacts certain wildlife, especially grassland birds⁶.

Poorly timed management and maintenance (mowing, insecticide use) may negatively affect wildlife.

May attract wildlife that may damage adjacent crops.

Depending on what type of land is converted (annual cropland or pastureland), wildlife habitat plantings increase aboveground and belowground carbon storage⁷.

Reduces N₂O emissions compared to cropland^{7 8}.

Removes land from production.

Requires site preparation, seeding, and maintenance costs, which often vary by method and region.

Estimated costs using solarization vary from $147 to $223 per 1000 sq. feet for non-irrigated land to $345 to $420 for irrigated land.

For wildflower establishment through hedgerows, costs range from $217 to $338 per 100 linear feet.

Wildflower plantings established through chemical fallow range in cost from around $250 (non-irrigated) to $450 (irrigated) per 1000 sq. feet.