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Conservation
From corn farmers to vegetable growers to graziers, all farmers have an interest in land stewardship. Practical Farmers’ conservation and habitat program brings our farmer-led approach to on-farm, working lands conservation. In general, our work is divided into four major functional areas: in-field conservation, edge-of-field conservation, grazing and pasture-lands conservation, and set-aside. Scroll down to explore each area and learn more about Practical Farmers’ conservation and habitat programming.
“When I think about the most joyful times I’ve had out at my farm, it’s when I’ve seen some wildlife—a deer, or a fox or coyote. The habitat provides some of the most meaningful moments and helps you make the connection with your land in a way that nothing else does.”
-Clark Porter
“We want our daughter – and other kids – to live on this planet for a long time, and the best way is to be good stewards of the land and take conservation seriously.”
-Wendy Johnson, PFI board president, Charles City, IA
Functional Areas
In-Field Conservation
Just like it sounds, in-field conservation refers to conservation practices that are implemented within a production field. Such practices might include: no-till/strip-till; cover crops; manure management; extended crop rotations; precision nutrient management; and integrated pest management strategies.
Practical Farmers has a long history of promoting, researching, and sharing stories and science related to in-field conservation practices. Some selected articles, reports, and blogs related to in-field conservation include:
- Blog: Wildlife and Continuous Living cover: What Does the Research Say?
- Blog: Cover Crop and Reduced Tillage Benefits in the Field and Beyond
Learn more about PFI’s Cover Crops program.
Edge-of-Field Conservation
In addition to its in-field conservation programming and research, Practical Farmers’ members have recently expressed more interest in edge-of-field conservation. Common edge-of-field conservation practices include: buffer strips; filter strips; riparian buffers; constructed wetlands; water and sediment control basins; drainage water control structures; bioreactors; and saturated buffers. Selected articles, reports, and blogs related to edge-of-field conservation include:
- Farminar: Installing and Maintaining Prairie Strips
- Field Day Recap: Beneficial Insect Habitat at Grinnell Heritage Farm
- Farminar: Using Natives to Create Pollinator Habitat: A Guide to Native Restoration
- Research Report: “Annual Wildflower and Herb Mix for Pollinators”
Grazing and Pasture Conservation
Although conservation within grazing and pasture systems is often classified as in-field conservation, managing pasture-based grazing operations for conservation benefits presents unique challenges and opportunities. Selected articles, reports, and blogs related to grazing and pasture-land conservation include:
- Research Report:” Monitoring Birds in Rotationally Grazed Pasture, 2017 Update”
- Field Day Recap: Using Managed Grazing and CSP to Enhance Biodiversity
- Field Day Recap: Grazing Heritage Cattle & Sheep on Converted Crop Ground and Prairie
Set-Aside
Set-aside generally refers to the act of removing land from production, either for a specific time period or permanently. Many easement programs associated with the U.S. Farm Bill can be considered set-aside programs. Set-aside usually incorporates varying types of perennial cover and can either consist of large chunks of land or smaller pieces distributed across a farm. When designed and located appropriately, set-aside can have tremendous benefits for on-farm conservation and risk management. Selected articles, reports, and blogs related to set-aside include:
- Field Day Recap: Multiple Benefits from Wetlands, Prairies and Cover Crops
- Field Day Recap: Grazing Heritage Cattle & Sheep on Converted Crop Ground and Prairie
Other PFI Resources
- Conference Session: Landowners: Prioritizing Conservation on Rented Ground
- Blog: Clark Porter: Conservation in Estate Planning
The Latest from PFI on Conservation & Habitat
- Learn more about PFI’s work on conservation policy
- Learn more about Summer 2019 Field Days
- Browse all upcoming PFI events
Non-PFI Resources
Technical Assistance and Financial Assistance
The following organizations provide technical and/or financial assistance to individuals seeking to restore, manage, and improve habitat and conservation practices on privately-owned lands. Click each link below for more information and contact information for each organization.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS):
- Working Lands Financial Assistance (Conservation Stewardship Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program)
- Easements (Agricultural Land Easements, Wetland Reserve Easements)
- Conservation Technical Assistance
- Find a technical service provider
- Find your local USDA Service Center
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA):
Iowa Department of Natural Resources:
- Iowa DNR Wildlife Landowner Assistance Homepage
- Iowa DNR Wildlife Technical Assistance
- Iowa DNR Native Prairie, Wetland, and Wildlife Habitat Tax Exemption
- Iowa Habitat and Access Program (IHAP)
- Iowa DNR Cost-Share Information
- Find your local Iowa DNR Private Lands Biologists
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach:
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation:
- Pollinator Conservation Resources – Great Lakes Region (Eastern Iowa)
- Pollinator Conservation Resources – North Central Region (Western Iowa)
- Invertebrate Conservation Fact Sheets
Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever:
- Iowa PF/QF Habitat Programs
- Precision Agriculture
- Seed Program
- Iowa PF/QF Staff (includes maps of private lands biologist areas of responsibility)
- Find a biologist
Other organizations that offer conservation resources:
- Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
- Conservation Districts of Iowa
- National Wild Turkey Federation
- Ducks Unlimited
- Trees Forever
- Sustainable Iowa Land Trust
Contact Information
For more information about on-farm conservation efforts: contact Jorgen Rose at jorgen@practicalfarmers.org