Why Choose CRP? You Benefit. Land, Water and Wildlife Benefit. 

Bottomland timber improves water quality while providing vital habitat to numerous wildlife species. The 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides farmers and landowners with practices like this to achieve many 

farming and conservation goals. Whatever the conservation challenge – soil conservation, water quality protection 

or wildlife habitat enhancement – CRP is a proven land performance and management solution.

Why Bottomland Timber?

Establishing bottomland hardwood tree forests on 

wetlands will yield significant and multipurpose land 

and wildlife benefits. Bottomland timber supports a 

diverse ecosystem, providing shelter for vulnerable 

and valuable waterfowl and wildlife as well as 

controlling flooding, soil erosion and pollution. 

Trees established and managed in a bottomland 

timer planting can also provide timber or wood fiber 

products after the CRP contract expires. Offered in 

continuous sign-up, CP-31:

• Reduces downstream flood levels

• Improves water quality

• Restores and enhances the natural wetland 

functions

Farm Service Agency USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Financial Benefits

CP-31 participants are guaranteed:

• 10-15 years of annual rental payments with an 

additional 20% Rental Rate Incentive

• Payments covering up to 90% of the eligible costs of 

establishing the wetland restoration practice

 - 50% from a Cost-Share Payment and

 - 40% from a Practice Incentive Payment (PIP) 

• Sign-up Incentive Payment (SIP) up to $100/acre

• Mid-Contract Management Cost Share

• Additional incentives may be available in your state 

under the Conservation Reserve Enhancement 

Program (CREP) 

Improve Water Quality | Enhance Wildlife Habitat | Sequester Carbon 

Conservation Reserve Program

CP-31

BOTTOMLAND TIMBER ESTABLISHMENT ON WETLANDS

Photo provided by USFWS
Farm Service Agency USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

FSA will ultimately determine participant and land eligibility.

Eligible Land

• Planted or considered planted 4 out of 6 

years between 2008 and 2013

• Capable of being planted to an agricultural 

commodity

• Compliant with USDA’s highly erodible land 

and wetland provisions

Practice Requirements

• Noxious weeds and other undesirable plants, 

insects, and pests shall be controlled 

• The practice shall be maintained without 

additional cost-share payments

• Tree thinning may be permitted after year 

9 of the contract as determined by the State 

Forester

Owner/Operator Eligibility

Participants must: 

• Have owned or operated the land for more 

than 12 months prior to program sign-up

• Be in control of the land for the length of the 

contract 

• Meet USDA payment eligibility provisions

Obligations

Participants will:

• Not harvest or graze the practice area

• Work with USDA-approved conservationist to 

develop a conservation plan

• Perform periodic management activities according 

to the conservation plan

• Complete seeding and installation of the practice 

within 12 months of the effective date of the 

contract

CP-31

For More Information:

Contact your local USDA, Farm Service Agency:

http://offices.usda.gov

Proven Conservation Benefits

• Between 2005 and 2011, CRP contributed to an 

estimated net increase of 1.5 million additional ducks 

per year

• CRP reduced nutrient losses in FY 2014 by an 

estimated 542 million pounds of nitrogen and 108 

million pounds of phosphorus

• In 2014, CRP lowered greenhouse gas emissions by 

the equivalent of 43 million metric tons of CO2 - the 

same benefit as taking nearly 8 million cars off the 

road for a year

Photos provided by USFWS and NRCS, Lynn Betts respectively