Conservation Choices

Contour Buffer Strips

Contour buffer strips are strips of grass or legumes in a contoured field, which help trap sediment and nutrients. Similar to stripcropping, buffers have more narrow grass/legume strips.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Vegetation provides cover and habitat for small birds and animals

• The strips reduce erosion by slowing water flow and increasing water infiltration into soil

• By reducing siltation and filtering nutrients and chemicals from runoff, grass strips improve water quality

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Contour farming

Contour farming is farming with row patterns that run nearly level around the hill, not up and down the hill.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

How it helps

• Contouring can reduce soil erosion by as much as 50% from up and down hill farming

• By reducing sediment and runoff, and increasing water infiltration, contouring promotes better water quality

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Contour Stripcropping

Contour stripcropping is crop rotation and contouring combined in equal-width strips of corn or soybeans planted on the contour and alternated with strips of oats, grass, or legumes.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Contour stripcropping reduces soil erosion and protects water quality

• Contour stripcropping may help reduce fertilizer costs by providing nutrient inputs naturally

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Cover Crop

Cover crops are a close-growing crop that temporarily protects the soil when crop residues are not adequate.

• Air Quality

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

How it helps

• Cover crops keep ground covered, add organic matter to the soil, trap nutrients, improve soil tilth, and reduce weed competition

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Critical Area Planting

Critical area plantings consist of  grass or other vegetation that protects badly eroding areas from soil erosion.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• It reduces soil erosion

• A vegetated area improves water quality by reducing the amount of sediment, nutrients, and chemicals running off farmland

• Protects areas such as dams, terrace back slopes, or gullied areas when vegetation may be difficult to establish

• Vegetation can be planted to provide small areas of nesting cover for birds and small animals

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Crop Residue Management

Crop residue management is leaving last year’s crop residue on the soil surface by limiting tillage. Includes no-till, mulch till, ridge till, and strip till.

Benefits

• Air Quality

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Ground cover prevents soil erosion and protects water quality

• Residue improves soil tilth and adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes

• Fewer trips and less tillage reduces soil compaction

• Time, energy and labor savings are possible with fewer tillage trips

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Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is changing the crops grown in a field, usually year by year.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Pesticide costs may be reduced by naturally breaking the cycles of weeds, insects, and diseases

• Grass and legumes in a rotation protect water quality by preventing excess nutrients or chemicals from entering water supplies

• Meadow or small grains cut soil erosion dramatically

• Crop rotations add diversity to an operation

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Diversion

Diversion is an earthen embankment similar to a terrace that directs runoff water from a specific area.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Reduces soil erosion on lowlands by catching runoff water and preventing it from reaching farmland below

• Vegetation in the diversion channel filters runoff water, improving water quality

• Vegetation provides cover for small birds and animals

• Allows better crop growth on bottomland soils

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Farm Pond

A farm pond is a pool of water formed by a dam or pit that supplies water for livestock, recreation, wildlife, and helps control gully erosion.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Prevents soil erosion and protects water quality by collecting and storing runoff water

• Provides water for livestock, fish, wildlife, and recreational activities

• Adds value and beauty to a farm or farmstead

• Provides a water supply for emergencies

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Field Border

A field border is a strip of grass or legumes established at the edge of a field used in place of end rows.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Vegetative cover reduces sheet and rill erosion by slowing water flow

• Vegetation filters runoff, improving water quality

• Grass and legume strips may be harvested in some cases and are easier to turn on than end rows

• Vegetation provides cover and habitat for small birds and animals

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Filter Strip

Filter strips are strips of grass, trees, or shrubs that filter or clean runoff and remove contaminants before they reach water bodies or water sources, such as wells.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Grass, trees and shrubs provide cover for small birds and animals

• Ground cover reduces soil erosion

• The vegetative strip moves row crop operations farther from a stream

• Vegetation prevents contaminants from entering water bodies, protecting water quality

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Grade Control Structure

A grade control structure is an earthen, wooden, concrete, or other type of structure built across a drainageway that prevents gully erosion.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Grade control structures are often used at the outlet of a grassed waterway to stabilize the waterway outlet, preventing gully erosion

• Grassed, non-eroding waterways made possible with a grade control structure provide better water quality, can be easily crossed with equipment, and look better than non-stabilized gullies

• If designed to store water, a grade control structure may provide a water source and habitat for wildlife

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Grassed Waterway

Grassed waterways are shaped to establish a natural drainageway that prevent gullies from forming by safely conveying water flows off the field.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Grass cover protects the drainageway from gully erosion

• Vegetation may act as a filter, absorbing some of the chemicals and nutrients in runoff water

• Vegetation provides cover for small birds and animals

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Manure Testing

Manure testing is used to sample and test manure to determine nutrient content. This promotes proper nutrient application to fields.

Benefits

• Profits

• Water Quality

How it helps

Manure testing and proper application to the land can reduce crop input costs Preventing over-application of manure to crop fields results in improved water quality

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Manure Storage

Manure storage structures protect water bodies from manure runoff by storing manure until conditions are appropriate for field application.

Benefits

• Air Quality

• Profits

• Water Quality

How it helps

• Protects water quality by preventing runoff from feedlots

• Cuts fertilizer costs and reduces nutrient losses

• Allows for field application when conditions are right

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Nutrient Management

Nutrient management is applying the correct amount and form of plant nutrients for optimum yield with minimal impacts on water quality.

Benefits

• Profits

• Water Quality

How it helps

• Sound nutrient management reduces input costs and protects water quality by preventing over application of commercial fertilizers and animal manure

• Correct manure and sludge application on all fields can improve soil tilth and organic matter

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Pasture Planting

Pasture planting is used to plant grass and legumes that reduce soil erosion and improve production.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Heavy grass cover slows water flow, reducing soil erosion

• Good pastures protect water quality by filtering runoff water and increasing infiltration

• Lush pastures offer wildlife cover and habitat As plants recycle and roots die, organic matter in the soil is improved

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Pest Management

Pest management is evaluating and using a tailored pest management system to reduce crop and environmental damages. Scouting is done to identify insects, weeds, and diseases.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

How it helps

• Scouting and spot treatment of only those pests that are threatening can save money

• Using fewer chemicals improves water quality

• Specific treatments for specific pests on specific areas of a field prevents over-treatment of pests

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Planned Grazing Systems

Planned grazing systems use forage plantings and grazing rotations to maximize production and reduce sediment and nutrient runoff.  Remember to consider food, water, and herd size.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Improves vegetative cover, reducing erosion and improving water quality

• Increases harvest efficiency and helps ensure adequate forage throughout grazing season

• Increases forage quality and production which helps increase feed efficiency and can improve profits

• Rotating also evenly distributes manure nutrient resources

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Stream Protection

Stream protection is a practice that protects streams by excluding livestock and establishing buffer zones of vegetation to filter runoff.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Streambanks are covered with rocks, grass, trees, or other cover to reduce erosion

• Better water quality results from reducing amounts of nutrients, chemicals, animal waste, and sediment entering the stream

• Buffer zones provide cover and habitat for birds and small animals

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Terrace

A terrace is an earthen embankment around a hillside that stops water flow and stores it or guides it safely off a field.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Both water and soil quality are improved

• Terraces with grass on front or backslopes can provide valuable nesting habitat

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Tree Planting

Tree planting is used to establish trees in areas adapted to woodlands.

Benefits

• Air Quality

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Improving stands of woodlands can increase profits

• Ground cover created by trees and associated debris protects soil for rill and sheet erosion

• Ground cover also protects water quality by filtering excess nutrients and chemicals from surface runoff and increasing infiltration rates

• Healthy, well-managed woodlands provide long-term wildlife habitat

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Water and Sediment Control Basin

A water and sediment control basin is a short earthen dam built across a drainageway where a terrace is impractical; usually part of a terrace system.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Basins improve water quality by trapping sediment on uplands and preventing it from reaching water bodies

• Structures reduce gully erosion by controlling water flow within a drainage area

• Grass cover may provide habitat for wildlife

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Well Protection

Well protection is necessary when changing farming practices which occur on or near the farmstead in order to reduce the risk of contamination of water sources, mainly the well.

Benefits

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Modifications in farming operations may improve your efficiency and reduce operation or production costs

• Soil conservation practices may be necessary to divert runoff from the well area

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Wetlands

A wetland is a marsh-type area with saturated soils and water-loving plants. Wetlands provide wildlife habitat and serve as natural filters of agricultural runoff.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Wetlands can provide natural pollution control. They remove nutrients, pesticides, and bacteria form surface waters and can act as efficient, low-cost sewage and animal waste treatment practices

• Wetlands filter and collect sediment from runoff water

• Because wetlands slow overland flow and store runoff water, they reduce both soil erosion and flooding downstream

• Many wetlands release water slowly into the ground which recharges groundwater supplies

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Wetland Enhancement

Wetland enhancement is installing practices such as dikes into existing wetlands to manage water levels and improve habitat.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Wetlands filter nutrients, chemicals, and sediment before water infiltrates into ground water supplies

• Wetlands provide habitat for waterfowl and many other species of wildlife

• Wetlands add beauty and value to a farm

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Wildlife Food Plot

Wildlife food plots establishes a variety of plants that furnish food for wildlife.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Standing crops with unharvested grain provide food to wildlife that may otherwise not be accessible after heavy snows or ice

• A food plot helps maintain wildlife on your farm by providing a reliable food source

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Wildlife Upland Habitat

Wildlife upland habitat is designed to create, maintain, or improve food and cover for a variety of upland wildlife.

Benefits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Ground cover reduces soil erosion, adds organic matter to the soil, filters runoff, and increases infiltration

• It can add value to your farmstead

• Planned wildlife habitat provides food and cover for wildlife

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Windbreak

Windbreaks are rows of trees and shrubs that protect areas from wind and provide food and cover for wildlife.

Benefits

• Air Quality

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Wildlife

How it helps

• A windbreak reduces wind erosion, conserves energy, reduces heating bills and beautifies a farmstead

• Trees serve as a sound barrier, muffling road noise

• Trees and shrubs provide wildlife food and cover

• Improved livestock weight gains can be expected when livestock are protected from winter winds and snow

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Woodland Management

Woodland management improves the quality and quantity of woodland growing stock and maintains ground cover and litter for soil and water conservation.

Benefits

• Air quality

• Profits

• Soil Erosion

• Water Quality

• Wildlife

How it helps

• Adds income to your farm

• Adds beauty to your farm

• Ground cover provides wildlife habitat, reduces soil erosion, and improves water quality

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