Practical Conservation

5 Aug 2010.  The tool has been updated.

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.

“A new study on the threatened grasshopper sparrow in New Jersey demonstrates that farmland conservation programs can potentially play an important role in reducing the extinction risk of grassland birds.”  From Conservation Maven.

The U.S. NABCI Committee and the Intermountain West Joint Venture have produced a Field Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill for Fish and Wildlife Conservation.

USDA’s Conservation Assessment Effects Project has just released two extensive reviews of the effects of agricultural conservation practices – like those used in CRP and other conservation programs  (public announcement here).  Part A addresses terrestrial habitats and Part B addresses aquatic habitats.  Even better is the dynamic bibliography.

“…buried deep in this monster bill are what could be the seeds of change.” FarmPolicy.com summarizes the new Farm Bill. Many of these seeds of change may be good for conservation.