by Katie DeMuro | Oct 10, 2017 | Uncategorized
Water unites all of us. Can you begin to imagine a day without water? It isn’t just your personal use of water – brushing your teeth, flushing your toilet, taking a shower – though those rituals are vital. Water is also essential to a functioning economy. An economic study released by the Value of Water Campaign earlier this year found that a single nationwide day without water service would put $43.5 billion of economic activity at risk. But investing in water infrastructure, unfortunately, has not been a priority for decades. And the truth is, communities across the country have let those systems deteriorate for far too long. Greenleaf Communities and its sister organization, Greenleaf Advisors, has deep experience with water resource management projects for both environmental and social well-being. Our work with the full spectrum of stakeholders, scientists, and policymakers helps to ensure that water resources will meet the needs of a growing world and the challenges of a changing climate. The Healthy Soils for Healthy Waters Initiative is dedicated to developing and expanding multidisciplinary and whole systems management practices for agricultural lands that impact our nation’s waters. Our research in Ohio and Indiana demonstrates how gypsum helps sediment and nutrients stay on the land and out of the water. Excess phosphorus and nitrogen can contribute to algal blooms much like the ones in Toledo, Ohio causing economic and social impacts through loss of recreation and a lack of drinking water for residents. Greenleaf is assisting Argonne National Laboratory in their research on perennial biomass crops and their contribution to reduced nitrogen loads. We are working with Sustainable Waters...
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 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...
