Ranching & Agriculture
How women in Iowa are leading farmland conservation efforts: an organization called The Women, Food and Agriculture Network teaches women about land conservation and the role the women could potentially play in making sure their farmer-tenants are implementing sustainable practices. “We know that 50 to 70 percent of the women who come to a one day meeting will take an action to improve conservation on their land.”
The Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy (NLRS) recently revealed that every year more than 400 million pounds of nitrate-nitrogen and around 38 million pounds of total phosphorus flow from the state into the Mississippi River. About half of farmers have not adopted soil health practice due to expense, which often arises from working individually. The key to soil conservation lies in a delicate ecosystem of multiple best practices, players, and products working together at the watershed or sub-watershed level.
Nantucket Community Farm Institute An Inspiring Model for Public Private Partnership. Because it’s one of the most expensive and protected zip codes in the country, the Nantucket Community Farm Institute was started in 2015 to provide a low risk learning environment and affordable land to new growers.
North Dakota farmer selected as Pheasant Forever’s 2020 Precision Farmer of the Year for their innovative use of precision agriculture to boost both profit and wildlife conservation on their farming and cattle ranch, with support of ND Game & Fish and a federal program.
Two farmland properties, one of which was going to be commercially developed, totaling nearly 125 acres, have been permanently preserved by New Jersey Conservation Foundation and its partners.
Water
Wolf Lake dairy farm earns water quality certification. Huwe farms are now water quality certified in the Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). The Huwes' farming operation joins over 800 water quality certified farming operations in Minnesota’s unique, five-year old program that recognizes farmers’ efforts to protect the state’s water quality.
Opinion: Ranchers can help improve water quality. “Raising cattle is one of the most environmentally friendly agricultural endeavors [in Florida] since we keep much of the land in native vegetative communities, grasslands and still retain water.”
Wildlife, Recreation & Education
Wildlife populations benefit from conservation practices: taking advantage of the Corners for Wildlife Program, which helps landowners establish habitat on center pivot corners
The National Corn Growers Association and Environmental Defense Fund launched the Success in Stewardship Network, which will break down the notion that conservation is only for an elite group of farmers . . . Practices that protect the land and water and increase climate resilience are more prevalent than many think, and this network help to continue making conservation commonplace.
The main mission of Iowa’s Pheasants Forever farm bill biologist is to promote wildlife as well as improving water quality and reducing soil erosion using NRCS and USDA programs.
Ottawa County receives $438K state grant to preserve family farm
Dealing with a protection order for species at risk: Decades of carefully managing native pastures, documentation and open communication were key to convincing government officials and conservationists that this ranch is supporting wildlife
Rare native prairie near Texarkana preserved by family, conservation groups
Forests
Sierra Nevada Conservancy awards grants to forest health, land conservation projects
The American Forest Foundation receives funding from Dutch Biomass Certification Foundation to further tools and technologies that engage small forest landowners in sustainable forest management and certification.
Butte County, CA woodlands are in transition because of climate change, high-severity fires, and 20th-century land use decisions, and some woodlands face a real possibility of permanent type conversion to brushland: community workshop held in March to discuss collaborative planning.
