Summer/Fall 1999

Current Research: Effective Practices Key to Conservation's Success

Natural resources conservation planning is becoming increasingly complex as farmers, landowners, governmental agencies, industry and conservationists strive to develop and implement cost effective production systems that meet world demands for food and fiber, compete in global markets and maintain the function and integrity of natural ecosystems. These changes are necessitated by increasing knowledge of ecological processes, expanding populations, increasing demands on natural resources, technological advances and changing public expectations.

Changing public expectations are expressed through regulatory action, consumer pressure and evolving priorities of legislation and governmental programs. These priorities are illustrated in unprecedented conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) and the elevation of wildlife habitat in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). As agricultural experts and resource conservationists strive to develop incentives, regulations and policies to implement these programs, science-based information is needed regarding environmental benefits of desired practices that simultaneously optimize environmental benefits and profit.

Practices such as field borders, filter strips and riparian buffers have been demonstrated to enhance environmental quality through erosion control, herbicide retention and wildlife habitat enhancement.

To encourage use of conservation buffer strips by agricultural producers, the Natural Resources Conservation Service has established a National Conservation Buffer Initiative. The goal is to install 2 million miles of buffers by the year 2000. Information needed on environmental benefits includes quantification of enhancements in water quality, erosion control, herbicide retention and wildlife habitat in relation to width of buffers, buffer cover crop and landscape context (adjacent plant communities, topography, soil type, etc.). These practices will only be implemented on the landscape if the producer's concerns regarding propagation of weeds and insects and lost opportunity are addressed.

The goal of this research is to provide quantitative information regarding economic and ecological costs and benefits of field border management practices in intensive agricultural ecosystems of Mississippi. This information will assist producers, planners, consultants and biologists in identifying optimal conservation production strategies.

This research is being conducted by Dr. Wes Burger, an avian ecologist with Mississippi State University's Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.