Conservation Reserve Program Wordle
I just thought it looked cool. Make your own at wordle.net.
Rain gardens
Now that’s practical conservation! Rain gardens for everyone.
Publications from National Bobwhite Technical Committee
The National Bobwhite Technical Committee has a new website. Lots of good publications for managing quail on their publications page.
Bobwhite Restoration Project
My colleagues just completed a multi-state northern bobwhite research initiative. The final report was just published by NRCS and is available online. It summarizes a suite of research projects that will improve conservation on farms. A quote from the Foreward should pique your interest – “You will find clear, concise recommendations and the kind of conservation practices to use on your farm or recommend to others for quail restoration. Much of the bobwhite’s needs are supported by farm bill programs approved by Congress and administered by USDA NRCS.” – L. Pete Heard
Flooded Fields for Birds
National Geographic features “Walking Wetlands” – flooded fields for shorebirds. This has been used for waterfowl in the Mississippi Delta for a long time.
Agriculture and Aquaculture – Chesapeake Bay Videos
Here is a great 3-part series from Terra about agriculture, aquaculture, land development and sustainability in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Disappearing Catch
Farming Forward
Chesapeake Gold
Urban Agriculture II
Another article about the Slow Food movement in Detroit and elsewhere. Having lived in Michigan for a long time, I think this has exciting promise for revitalizing the state’s hurting urban areas. As a wildlife biologist, I can’t help thinking about the potential for urban farming for conserving wildlife diversity. Can it alleviate the pressure to convert natural habitats to farmland? Can it help support biodiveristy in urban areas? Pollinators? Birds even? My research (and lifestyle) are outside the urban farming realm, but I hope someone answers these questions.
Here is another link to Vertical Farming. Below is a video from Urban Farming about this phenomenon.
Urban Agriculture
Lands around airports represent valuable land that can be managed to support agriculture and/or conservation. Two examples below:
The “Garden Boys” farm plots around a major airport – from CNN.
Butterflies protected and thriving at LAX – from the Epoch Times.
How many bee species in New York City?
227 in New York City!! Maybe there is hope for an agricultural urban Detroit.
