Practical Conservation

Conserving Biodiversity in Productive Agricultural Landscapes

Soil Conservation History

Posted by Sam Riffell on July 8, 2009

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Farmer as Conservationist

Posted by Sam Riffell on July 3, 2009

Premonition of the Farm Bill’s conservation programs ?

“Most of what needs doing must be done by the farmer himself.  There is no conceivable way by which the general public can legislate crabapples, or grape tangles, or plum thickets to grow up on these barren fencerows, roadsides, and slopes, nor will the resolutions or prayers of a city change the depth of next winter’s snow nor cause cornshocks to be left in the fields to feed the birds.  All the non-farming public can do is to provide information and build incentives on which farmers may act. “

- Aldo Leopold, 1993 as cited by C. Meine in The Farmer as Conservationist: Leopold on Agriculture.

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National Pollinator Week

Posted by Sam Riffell on June 23, 2009

June 22-27, 2009 is National Pollinator Week to recognize the importance of pollinators to our food system.  The Pollinator Partnership and US Fish & Wildlife Service both have lots of resources about pollinators in recognition of this week.

Here are two videos for this week.

One about the problems pollinators face:

And one about what NRCS is doing and can do to help:

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Establishing Native Grasses and Forbs

Posted by Sam Riffell on June 5, 2009

A new research advance entitled “Evaluating Pre-emergence Herbicides for Establishing Native Grasses and Forbs” from Mississippi State’s Forest and Wildlife Research Center.  And yes, it’s a shameless plug for my own research.

Posted in NWSG's, Pollinators | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Online Plant Identification Guide

Posted by Sam Riffell on June 4, 2009

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service has an online plant identification key (use MS Explorer).  It has state specific keys for grasses and legumes, plus keys for gymnosperms and wetland monocots in the US.

Posted in Plant Identification, Tools, Wetlands | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

Managing Invasive Species

Posted by Sam Riffell on May 31, 2009

Southern Forests Network has compiled some great resources about identifying and managing invasive species HERE.  The resources include:

Appalachian Region Invasive Weed Guide from the University of Tennessee provides photos, descriptions,and control methods for a wide array of invasive plants.
Invasive Plants of the United States: Identification, Biology and Control
provides identification, ecology, and control information for invasive plants in the United States occurring in aquatic, wetland, forest, rangeland, desert, or prairie habitats.
Nonnative invasive plants of southern forests: a field guide for identification and control provides information on accurate identification and effective control of the 33 plants or groups that are invading the forests of the 13 Southern States, explains control recommendations and selective application procedures.
Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States is a reference guide for field workers and land managers concerning the historical and current status of the biological control of invasive plant species in the eastern United States .

Invasive Plants Field and Reference Guide: An Ecological Perspective of Plant Invaders of Forests and Woodlands gives a scientific synthesis of what is known about the behavior of such species in managed, disturbed, and pristine forested systems in addition to key information for accurate identification.

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Haying Expiring CRP Contracts

Posted by Sam Riffell on May 15, 2009

If expiring CRP is not re-enrolled, consider haying instead of other uses – better for erosion and wildlife than plowing and planting (from Plant Management Network).

Posted in Farm Bill Programs, Haying, Haying & Grazing CRP | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

Soil and Pasture Rental Rates from UDSA

Posted by Sam Riffell on May 13, 2009

USDA has a new tool that lets you download soil and pasture rental rates (for CRP and other uses) in a variety of ways.  Also has an EI caclulator.

Posted in Buffers & Corridors, Data Sources, Economics, Farm Bill Programs | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Field Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill for Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Posted by Sam Riffell on April 30, 2009

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Native Pollinators in Agriculture Video

Posted by Sam Riffell on March 5, 2009

Posted in Butterflies, Pollinators, Videos | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »