Funding

American Farmland Trust is partnering with farmers to test and showcase conservation practices that protect water quality and fish habitat. Through hands-on demonstrations and outreach—especially with women and minority farmers—the project aims to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff while building stronger, more resilient farming communities.

Clean River Partners is expanding public fishing access and protecting trout habitat along the Little Cannon River in Minnesota. By securing conservation easements and supporting farmers with sustainable practices, the project reduces sediment runoff and strengthens long-term stream restoration.

These hands-on workshops are all about bringing people together—farmers, landowners, and local partners—to learn from each other and take action. They create space for honest conversations, shared experiences, and practical planning, so both farms and fish can thrive side by side.

These unique workshops support farmer leadership and collaborative action, so farms and fish thrive together. They connect farming neighbors, landowners, and local collaborators to learn, share and define next steps forward.

In the Kickapoo (WI) and adjacent watersheds, private, working lands conservation is key for watershed protection. Best management of upland and riparian farmland is especially critical to aquatic health, sustainability of agriculture, and the economic benefits of cold-water fisheries.

Conservation drainage practices have been a critical component of statewide efforts in Illinois.

A stark difference between the upper and lower part of the watershed forces this group to think outside the box and pursue two major approaches.

This unique project combines on-the-ground habitat restoration with landowner outreach and education to create tangible upland and in-stream habitat benefits.

Using conservation marketing, an innovative approach being used in this geography, to engage landowners willing to adopt agricultural BMPs (Best Management Practices).

Leveraging state water quality initiative funds to increase Boone River Watershed oxbow restorations for Topeka Shiner and water quality.

Land Stewardship Project’s Bridge to Soil Health program is scaling-up the number of crop & livestock farmers who are restoring soil and talking publicly about resulting financial and environmental benefits.

Farmers, Izaak Walton League, agencies and ag service providers are advancing farming systems to restore soil health in Minnesota, including education, events, forums, interviews, workshops, tours and demonstration plots.

Farmers, UM-Mankato Water Resources Center and Waseca SWCD are advancing soil health and cover crop adoption in Le Sueur River Watershed including funds, mentoring and technical advice.

Farmers, Great River Greening and Nicollet SWCD are hosting field days, community events, demonstrations and discussions to advance cover crops, crop rotation and data collection showing results of conservation practices.

Farmers, Boone River Watershed Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Rivers Revival, Iowa Soybean Association and Wright SWCD are restoring oxbows to create Topeka shiner spawning habitat in Boone River watershed.

Farmers, Boone River Watershed Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Rivers Revival, Iowa Soybean Association and Wright SWCD are restoring oxbows to create Topeka shiner spawning habitat in Boone River watershed.

Farmers, The Wetlands Initiative, NRCS, USFWS, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, Illinois Corn Growers, University of Illinois, McKnight Foundation and others are advancing use of small tile-treatment wetlands on row-crop farms.

Farmers, Clean River Partners, Rice SWCD, St. Olaf College, MPCA, Minnesota DNR and McKnight Foundation are expanding cover cropping in Heath, Rice and Wolf Creek watersheds, including farmer-to-farmer and farmer-to-student learning.

Across Southwest Wisconsin, farmers and landowners are coming together to protect clean water, healthy soil, and thriving communities. Through farmer-led watershed councils, prairie plantings, and hands-on education, this growing movement is restoring the land—one field, one stream, and one conversation at a time.

Farmers, Boone River Watershed Partnership, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Rivers Revival, Iowa Soybean Association and Wright SWCD are restoring oxbows to create Topeka shiner spawning habitat in Boone River watershed.

Farmers, Iowa Soybean Association and Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development are implementing relay cropping and replicated strip trials to evaluate for yield and environmental impact, and facilitating dialogue among farmers.

Farmers, Mower SWCD, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, a consultant and others in Root River Field to Stream Partnership are demonstrating and communicating about Prairie Strips on 10-20 targeted sites.

Farmers, landowners, Monroe County Land Conservation and Trout Unlimited are innovating to monitor effectiveness of streambank restoration practices before and after storms, to enhance floodplains, flow regimes and connectivity.

New farmer-led watershed councils are forming across Southwest Wisconsin, empowering local land stewards to lead conservation efforts and improve water quality from the ground up.

Farmers are planting cover crops for 3 consecutive years and Clean River Partners, St. Olaf College and Minnesota DNR are coordinating, monitoring and conducting a fish count to show impacts.

Boone River Watershed Partnership farmers, The Nature Conservancy, Kossuth and Wright SWCDs, Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa DNR are restoring stream oxbows to create habitat for endangered Topeka shiner minnows.

A collaborative effort between farmers, conservationists, and state agencies restored over a mile of Tainter Creek, reducing erosion, improving trout habitat, and inspiring community-led conservation across Wisconsin’s Driftless Area.

Farmers are planting cover crops on 1,000 of 3,469 tillable acres in Rice Creek watershed for 3 consecutive years. Monitoring and a fish count will show impacts.

Building on extensive county-wide planning, Jo-Daviess Soil and Water Health Coalition farmers and local partners are hosting workshops and facilitated discussions to establish consensus and active participation in watershed restoration.

This project established Wisconsin’s first prairie STRIPS demonstration sites, reducing runoff and improving fish habitat while empowering farmers to lead conservation across 14 sites in the Kickapoo region.

Missouri Department of Conservation, NRCS and others are providing technical and cost share assistance to Peno Creek Cooperative Partnership for watering systems, riparian corridor tree plantings, stream fencing and stream crossings.

Boone River Watershed Partnership farmers, The Nature Conservancy, Kossuth and Wright SWCDs, Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa DNR are restoring stream oxbows to create habitat for endangered Topeka shiner minnows.

Farmers, Shoal Creek Woodlands for Wildlife Partnership and Ozark Land Trust are implementing a Marketing Action Plan to increase infiltration, improve stream channel habitat and reduce sediment and nutrient loading.

Project partners are removing/modifying low head dams that inhibit fish movement, enhancing fish habitat and building stream crossings for farmland access to protect 32 fish species near Osage, IA.

Farmers, USFS, USFWS, Partners for Fish & Wildlife, Illinois Department of Agriculture and Union SWCD are stabilizing streambanks, constructing riparian buffers and enhancing habitat for fish and mussel species of concern.

Boone River Watershed Partnership farmers, TNC, Kossuth and Wright County SWCDs, Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa DNR are restoring stream oxbow habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner minnow.

Root River Field to Stream Partnership farmers, MN Department of Agriculture, county agencies, TNC, MN Ag Water Resources Center and MN DNR are evaluating nutrient and sediment loss and conservation effectiveness with field-edge and in-stream monitoring.

Farmers and Missouri Department of Conservation are installing alternative water systems, riparian fencing and reinforced stream crossings, restoring riparian corridors, developing managed grazing plans and planting cover crops to improve fish habitat.

Seven Mile Creek Watershed Partnership (farmers, Great River Greening, Nicollet SWCD and NRCS) is installing water storage systems and bioreactors to reduce ravine erosion, sedimentation and nutrient runoff to the creek.

Farmers, Iowa DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association and county SWCDs are restoring stream oxbows to reduce nutrient runoff and create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner minnow.

Missouri Department of Conservation, NRCS and others are providing technical and cost share assistance to Peno Creek Cooperative Partnership for watering systems, riparian corridor tree plantings, stream fencing and stream crossings.

Iowa DNR and NRCS are working with a farmer to remove a low-head dam inhibiting fish movement, opening approximately five miles of stream habitat to fish.

Multiple partners turned watershed data into action—engaging landowners, restoring habitat, and protecting over 14,000 acres in this Wisconsin watershed through sustainable, community-led conservation.

Clean River Partners is facilitating three farmer-led projects (installation of two water management drainage structures, 300 acres strip-till, 200 acres cover crops) with integrated on-farm demos, meetings, tours and research.

Landowners and US Forest Service are enhancing wetlands in swale and ridge topography and increasing water holding capability in an oxbow lake/button bush marsh along Big Muddy River.

Missouri Department of Conservation is leading landowner engagement workshops for federal/state/county/NGO staff in a five-state area.

Farmers and Missouri Department of Conservation are implementing managed grazing to add value to farms and reduce sedimentation, nutrient loading & streambank instability.

Farmers, Iowa DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association and county SWCDs are restoring stream oxbows to reduce nutrient runoff and create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner minnow.

A 40-member farmer-led council, two sub-watershed groups, and cover crop program are addressing water quality and fish habitat issues.

Farmers, Nicollet Soil & Water Conservation District, NRCS, Great River Greening and Minnesota DNR are installing sediment control structures and other practices to reduce ravine erosion, sedimentation and nutrient loss.

Farmers, Iowa DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Soybean Association and county SWCDs are restoring stream oxbows to reduce nutrient runoff and create habitat for the endangered Topeka shiner minnow.