by Katie DeMuro | Jun 30, 2017 | Uncategorized
On June 16 and 17, John Andersen joined Nature Conservancy of Canada and its many conservation partners from the U.S. and Canada to celebrate the dedication of Trout Bay Conservation Area on the North Shore of Lake Superior. You can read more here about why those assembled have been working 15 years to protect these coastal lands and waters that support so many wide-ranging species and natural communities, including the Canada Lynx, grey wolf, peregrine falcon, arctic disjunct plants, and migratory birds. Read Wendy Cridland’s thoughtful piece on the importance of this area and it’s meaning to...
by Katie DeMuro | Feb 16, 2017 | Uncategorized
The 2017 Healthy Soils for Healthy Waters (HSHW) Symposium took place February 1st in Denver at the National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting with a national audience learning from expert producers and researchers. The symposia series is dedicated to integrated and whole systems approaches to agricultural land management practices that protect the availability and quality of land and water resources while generating profitable crop production. At this symposium, 6 of the 25 recognized “No-Till Legends” were panelists or in attendance. This year we brought together the speakers below whose work preserves resources in the Western, Midwest, and Southern United States and as far as Australia. Brian Richter is Chief Water Scientist at The Nature Conservancy and the Founder of Sustainable Waters. As a Colorado native who has counseled governments and institutions around the world on sustainable water resource solutions, it was only natural that Brian served as the keynote speaker. Brian presented a “recipe for a sustainable water future” focused on setting sustainable limits on water extraction, reducing water consumption, quantifying rights to use available water, and enabling water trading. Brian has authored many articles and books including Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability. Brian presented on how we can save water through improving irrigation practices, changing crops, using no-till farming and other practices, and how water markets and water rights trading are being utilized to advance sustainability goals. See Brian’s slides here. Jeff Mitchell is a Cropping Systems Specialist at the University of California-Davis Extension whose research focuses on soil and water management in vegetable production systems in the Central Valley, one of the most productive agricultural regions...
by Liz Hypes | Nov 4, 2015 | Uncategorized
National Geographic’s executive editor for the environment, Dennis Dimick, has come aboard as a keynote speaker for the Nutrient Management and Edge of Field Monitoring Conference held in conjunction with the Healthy Soil for Healthy Waters symposium from December 1-3, 2015 in Memphis, TN. His post, “Do We Treat Our Soil Like Dirt?” stresses the importance of soil management and health, an issue central to Greenleaf Communities and Healthy Soils for Healthy Waters. Drawing attention to the vital responsibilities of soil, ranging from the growth of the food that feeds us to the quality of the water that sustains us, Dennis puts the priority of healthy soils into perspective. Simply stated, “the future rests on the soil beneath our feet.” With the Healthy Soils for Healthy Waters symposium taking place the same week as World Soils Day, it seems only fitting that Dennis Dimick, along with a consortium of researchers, conservation professionals and farmers, are coming together to discuss and evaluate best management practices for protecting and preserving Earth’s humble hero –...
by Katie DeMuro | Jul 8, 2015 | Uncategorized
Greenleaf partners, Dr. Warren Dick of The Ohio State University, Ron Chamberlain of GYPSOIL, and Joe Nester of NesterAg, presented to The Nature Conservancy this week on the use of gypsum as an agricultural soil amendment and its environmental benefits. Dick spoke on the state of the science, including recent research on farms draining into the Maumee basin that demonstrated water quality benefits of reduced soluble reactive phosphorus loadings of 39%. Chamberlain and Nester presented on producer benefits with soil and crop response to gypsum that aided water infiltration and reduced runoff. John Andersen and Ron Chamberlain then provided a policy update including the new national practice standards for gypsum that Greenleaf and its partners, including Dr. Darrell Norton, have been working on for years – NRCS Conservation Practice Standards. You can view the slides here: Gypsum webinar slides Resources Greenleaf Advisors Greenleaf Partner Resources Healthy Soils for Healthy Waters Join the HSHW mailing list GYPSOIL Research Library Gypsum as an Agricultural Amendment, Warren Dick Nester Ag...
