Ecology Initiative

Our vision is of a "new generation" food and agricultural system that meets the challenges of the 21st century with more productive and profitable farms, ecologically resilient landscapes and healthy rural communities.

What we do: We support research, demonstration and outreach projects and research teams favoring the development and adoption of 'ecologically friendly' production systems.

FUNDING PHILOSOPHY: Our work generally falls in one of two categories: doing it better, or doing it differently. We prefer a combination of the two, researching how to do agriculture differently AND better. ‘Differently, and better’ is where we think sustainability starts. It begins to create the "new generation" in our vision statement. More about the initiative [PDF of powerpoint presentation/notes]

OF IncrEASING INTEREST are two topics: soil health and agricultural and ecological diversity.

The bottom line is Leopold's Land Ethic: We refer to the writings and observations of our namesake, Aldo Leopold, for both inspiration and arbitration! Learn more

Our competitive grant program:

• View FY2013 annual ecology call for pre-proposals
• Review proposal outcomes of immediate interest to our program
• Learn more about the Leopold Center competitive grants program

Initiative leader: Jeri Neal, (515) 294-5610, wink@iastate.edu

Research on rotations

Research about the benefits of extended rotations at ISU’s Marsden Farm has generated national attention. A scientific article has been viewed more than 15,000 times since it was published October 10. Here's a new Q&A about this work, supported by an Ecology Initiative grant.