Ecology Initiative - Outcomes of Immediate Interest

• Increased  use of LCSA and sustainable research in conjunction with on-the-ground and on-farm practices that put more living roots in the ground for more of the year, increase levels of soil organic matter and manage water at the point of contact

• New research knowledge that quantifies biological and ecological services being brought about by multi-year, multi-functional agricultural practices

• An innovative model, tool, practice or policy is developed or assessed for its capacity to encourage county-wide and/or watershed transitions to more biologically and socially diverse farms and working landscapes

• An innovative model, tool or training is developed that will help Iowa farmers better manage the risk involved in adopting or changing to conservation practices*

*Conservation practices are practices primarily intended to increase biotic integrity and improve soil health, including crop-livestock integration. Aldo Leopold's definition of conservation: "Our effort to understand and preserve the land's capacity for self-renewal."

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