Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

On The Ground with the Leopold Center Archive


Farming for Untroubled Waters: Time, Tools Make a Difference

Bear Creek Watershed, a nationally recognized project by the USDA in Story County, Iowa, has 20 years of research under its belt. The research done there involves riparian buffers, and how they benefit the surrounding land and water. Hear from Iowa State researcher Tom Isenhart and what he hopes to learn from two new projects at the site in part I/III of our Bear Creek series, "Farming for Untroubled Waters." Filmed November 2010. News release

Farming for Untroubled Waters: Reconnecting Tiles and Buffers

Bear Creek Watershed, a nationally recognized project by the USDA in Story County, Iowa, has 20 years of research under its belt. The research done there involves riparian buffers, and how they benefit the surrounding land and water. Hear from soil scientist Dan Jaynes and what he hopes to learn from two new projects at the site in part II/III of our Bear Creek series, "Farming for Untroubled Waters." Filmed November 2010.

Farming for Untroubled Waters: Buffered Streams and Uplands

Bear Creek Watershed, a nationally recognized project by the USDA in Story County, Iowa, has 20 years of research under its belt. The research done there involves riparian buffers, and how they benefit the surrounding land and water. Hear from Iowa State researcher Dick Schultz and Iowa Department of Natural Resources researcher Keith Schilling about what they hope to learn from two new projects at the site in part III/III of our Bear Creek series, "Farming for Untroubled Waters." Filmed November 2010.

Grazing, Browsing and Conservation Partnerships: Overview

Polk County Conservation natural resource specialist Loren Lown hopes that goats and cattle grazing in the Chichaqua Bottoms Wildlife Area will rejuvenate habitat and control invasive species. Also hear from Iowa farmers, who own the goats and cattle, about the benefits they get from this Leopold Center ecology project. Filmed August 2010.

Grazing, Browsing and Conservation Partnerships: Goats

Polk County Conservation natural resource specialist Loren Lown hopes that goats and cattle grazing in the Chichaqua Bottoms Wildlife Area will rejuvenate habitat and control invasive species. Also hear from Iowa farmers, who own the goats and cattle, about the benefits they get from this Leopold Center ecology project. Filmed August 2010.

Grazing, Browsing and Conservation Partnerships: Cattle

Polk County Conservation natural resource specialist Loren Lown hopes that goats and cattle grazing in the Chichaqua Bottoms Wildlife Area will rejuvenate habitat and control invasive species. Also hear from Iowa farmers, who own the goats and cattle, about the benefits they get from this Leopold Center ecology project. Filmed August 2010.

Cover Crop Systems for Iowa

Leopold Center research supports living mulch and cover crop systems appropriate for Iowa agriculture. Jeremy Singer describes his current research and the advantages of using cover crop systems. Filmed 2009.

Bioenergy Systems and Soil Health

Tom Sauer, soil scientist for the USDA’s National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, wants to know how vegetation changes soil quality, specifically the soil atmosphere around plant roots. His work is part of a larger project looking at biomass cropping systems for energy production. Filmed 2009.

Water Usage of Native Perennials in Annual Crop System

Matt Helmers, associate professor in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, is working with a team of ISU researchers to find the water usage of native perennial plants in an annual crop system. They're working with 48 plots on the Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Research Farm just west of Ames. Filmed 2009.

Water Usage of Native Perennials in Annual Crop System - Graduate Student

Emily Hancheck, graduate student in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, discusses the technology used while working with a team of ISU researchers to find the water usage of native perennial plants in an annual crop system. They're working with 48 plots on the Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Research Farm just west of Ames. Filmed 2009.