Practical Conservation

Pheasant’s Forever celebrates the historic legislation.

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.

I just thought it looked cool.  Make your own at wordle.net.

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

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.

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).

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.

USDA Releases CRP for Grazing in Flood Regions — yes?

Grazing for Critical Feed Use due to high feed prices — not so fast!

US Judge Allows Haying and Grazing… — okay, now you can, but only if……

USDA FSA has a map of the Primary Nesting Season (PNS). PNS is the period of high nesting activity of grassland birds, and managed haying and grazing is prohibited during this time frame. Notice how much the dates and length of the PNS varies even among adjacent states.