Conservation Buffers and CREP

-

Thriving fish and wildlife populations depend on the condition of their habitat. We, as humans, play a big part in that condition. It is our responsibility to take care of our natural resources so that wildlife habitats are protected. Conservation buffers can help us do just that.

Conservation buffers are strips of vegetation that grow on the edges of fields and waterways. They are designed to intercept sediments and nutrients, reduce soil erosion, and protect the soil. They can be grass, trees, shrubs, or a combination of all three. Depending on their purpose, they can be 25 feet to hundreds of feet wide.

From a wildlife standpoint, conservation buffers are amazing. They provide countless benefits including shelter and food. One of the most valuable things they can provide is wildlife corridors. Wildlife corridors are connections from one habitat to another. Most species experience high levels of mortality moving across open landscapes, such as harvested crop fields. Moving within a strip of trees and/or grasses (conservation buffer) is a much safer way to travel from one habitat to another.

Water quality protection is another important benefit of conservation buffers. When planted between a crop field and surface water, buffers trap and filter pollutants such as sediment, nutrients, and pesticides in water runoff before it enters the surface water. Buffers that include trees play an important role by shading streams. Many fish species cannot tolerate elevated water temperatures and the shade helps to moderate stream temperatures. They also provide food such as fruit, limbs, leaves and insects for stream bottom bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates to eat.

The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) is part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). It is a Farm Bill program that provides technical and financial assistance to plan and install conservation practices to protect water quality and improve wildlife habitat. These practices include buffers such as filter strips, riparian buffers, and windbreaks. Landowners who have cropland in the Saginaw Bay Watershed may be eligible to enroll in CREP. The Farm Service Agency administers CRP programs, and the Shiawassee Conservation District develops the conservation plans for both Shiawassee and Livingston Counties. Contact the Shiawassee Conservation District for more information on CREP or conservation buffers.

Native wildflowers and legumes such as alfalfa, can be planted in filter strips to provide habitat diversity for wildlife including honey bees, native bees, and other beneficial insects.  Photo credit NRCS/SWCS, Lynn Betts.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Never Rake Leaves into Storm Drains or Waterways

-
Image
Hopefully most people are aware of the dangers of pouring oil, pesticides and other products into our storm drains or dumping them into our rivers. Now that leaf raking season is fast approaching, remember storm drains and rivers are no place for leaves either. Some people may think that leaves are from nature, so it can’t hurt the environment if they washed into the storm drain or if they are left along the river banks – right? Wrong. Many leaves will naturally fall into the water, but we should never put the leaves that fall on our lawn in a creek, river or stream. Excessive decaying leaves use up the water’s oxygen, harming the animals that live in the water. Storm drains are designed to take away water runoff. They collect excess water from rain events and move the untreated water into waterways such as the Shiawassee, Maple and Looking Glass Rivers.   When leaves and yard waste collect in the drain system, they block pipes, resulting in the flooding of our roads, waterways and
Read more

Say Yes to No-Till Farming

-
Image
What do you think is the most crucial component in any farming operation? Although equipment, seed, fertilizer, and other farming tools might come to mind, these can all be interchanged or replaced. The soil is the most crucial component. The one constant in any farming operation is the land being farmed. Most farmers strive to do their best to be good stewards of the land because their livelihood depends on the productivity of the soil. One practice that will improve soil productivity and health is no-till farming. No-till farming is a method of growing crops from year to year with minimal soil disturbance. Crop residue is left on the field after harvest, where it acts as a mulch to protect the soil during the winter. No-till farming helps to control soil erosion, keeping the valuable topsoil on the crop field. The following year’s crop is planted with a special planter that cuts a slot through the residue just wide enough to place the seeds in the soil. Conserving soil is not the
Read more

Water Quality Tips to Win You Over This Winter

-
Image
Winter in Michigan is full of adventure. Skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing - there are many exciting activities this time of year. But winter also means snow, ice, and hazardous conditions. How we handle these hazardous conditions, such as icy roads or slippery sidewalks, has an impact on our natural resources. What we put on our roads and driveways today can end up in our local waterbodies tomorrow. During snow melt, any salt, sand, or deicers that were used can make their way down storm drains and into surrounding lakes, rivers, and streams. Salt and deicers can be deadly to fish, aquatic plants, and other aquatic life. Sand can make the water murky, which makes it difficult for plants to grow and aquatic animals to eat. Additionally, these materials can reduce our ability to use the water for drinking, irrigation, or recreational opportunities, such as fishing or swimming.  This winter, consider these tips for managing ice and snow – these tips can help protect you, your w
Read more