There were three webinars announced during the week of June 1. For more information about recently announced field days, visit here.

Recently Announced

June 10 | Making Nutrient Reducing Prairie Strips More Predictably Successful, Multi-Functional, and Cost-Effective Webinar

Targeted restoration of native perennial vegetation (e.g. prairie strips) shows great promise as a nutrient reduction practice. To optimize the potential value of this practice, applied research focused on improving the chances of successful implementation, maximizing the ability to provide multiple ecological benefits, and improving cost-effectiveness is needed. Justin Meissen, Research and Restoration Manager at the Tallgrass Prairie Center, will give an overview of ongoing research in these areas and highlight key results from prairie reconstruction field experiments and field trials.

Register for this webinar, here.

June 11 | Exploring Badger Creek Saturated Buffer Virtual Field Day

The event will include video footage from the field and live interaction with Tom Isenhart, Iowa State University Professor, Billy Beck, Iowa State University Assistant Professor and Extension Forestry Specialist, and Dan Haug and David Stein of Prairie Rivers of Iowa. Together they will discuss how saturated buffers, riparian buffers and pollinator habitat work together to improve water quality, farm aesthetics, and wildlife opportunities.

Register for this virtual field day, here.

June 18 | Prairie Strips and Conservation on Rented Ground – Management & Prescribed Fire

Prairie strips are a practice that more farmers and landowners are using to reintegrate prairie into Iowa’s agricultural landscape, providing numerous water quality and wildlife benefits in the process. Join landowner Eric Hoien, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the ISU STRIPS team to learn more about designing, establishing and managing prairie strips and how to work with land tenants to achieve conservation goals.

In part 1 of this virtual event, landowner Eric Hoien and ISU STRIPS farmer liaison Tim Younquist will discuss prairie strip management and prescribed fire. See pictures and videos from Eric’s recent prairie burn and learn more about how fire can be used by landowners to manage prairie strips.

Register for this webinar, here.

 

Upcoming

June 11 | Working with Neighbors to Integrate Livestock and Improve Soil Virtual Field Day

Tom’s goal is to improve the soil on his family’s century farm. To do this, he has been working with neighbors Jim Funke, Jon Merrill and Conner Allender to integrate cattle, sheep and poultry into his cropping system in a variety of ways. They’ve been practicing management-intensive grazing for four years on selected areas.

We’ll see areas where unrolled hay bales were fed prior to cash crop planting and where stockpiled grazing took place. We’ll also see how chickens follow cows, along with pictures showing where soils that were once poor have become productive again. Not only is Tom seeing life come back to the soil and farm, he is building community in rural Iowa in the process.

Register for this virtual field day, here.