2017 | Kickapoo River Watershed

Contact

Applicant Organization: Valley Stewardship Network

Contact: Shelly Gradwell-Brenneman

Email: shelly@valleystewardshipnetwork.org

Project

Valley Stewardship Network is creating the first project and farmer-led demonstration site for the Iowa State University STRIPS (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips) model in the state of Wisconsin.  STRIPS are an easily-integrated and low-cost management option that, when 10% of fields are devoted to prairie strips, are reported to reduce sediment transport by 95%; reduce phosphorous transport by 90%; reduce nitrogen transport by 84% and reduce annual surface water flow by 40%. This demonstration serves as a farmer-to-farmer education tool and model of sediment and nutrient runoff reduction from prairie STRIPS that benefits fish habitat, soil health, wildlife, pollinators and biodiversity.