Reviving the endangered Topeka shiner minnow
Restoring stream oxbows where they naturally occur is reviving the endangered Topeka shiner minnow, other fish and wildlife. Farmers also see nutrient reduction benefits.
Read MoreNo-tillers take the lead for water quality
Wisconsin no-tillers John Eron and Matt Hintz didn’t wait for regulations telling them how to farm. They started farmer-led watershed groups to deal directly with local environmental issues and the groups that raised them, not as adversaries, but as advocates.
Read MoreComing together for the sake of a creek
Focused work in Minnesota’s Rice Creek watershed is connecting producers, reducing the risk of trying cover crops and other new practices, influencing local farming methods and improving conditions for brook trout in Rice Creek.
Read MoreOxbow alchemy better than lead into gold
Two restored Boone River oxbow wetlands on Camille Rogers’ Iowa farm are part of a plan to renew more than 400 similar sites in her watershed. After eroded soil was removed, the topeka shiner minnow returned and Rogers can again enjoy a favorite natural area from her childhood.
Read MoreLandowner-led effort jumpstarts conservation practice adoption
Shoal Creek Woodlands for Wildlife, a bottom-up, self-organized group of local landowners and collaborators, connected neighbors and jumpstarted rapid adoption of conservation practices across the watershed.
Read MoreNeighbor to Neighbor | Peno Creek Cooperative Partnership
Hear how producer John Scherder and MDC Fisheries regional lead Chris Williamson connected and turned a ripple of interest into a wave of cover crop adoption in Peno Creek Watershed.
Read MoreBoots on the Ground | Seven Mile Creek Watershed Partnership
Learn how a diverse leadership team refocused to bring new relevance to Seven Mile Creek Watershed Partnership after 20 years of activity and evolution.
Read MoreBoots on the Ground | Farmers for Tomorrow
Matt Hintz and his family do not drink their own water. “As a farmer,” he says, “I want to change that.” He and neighbors focus on soil health to achieve the goal.
Read MoreNeighbor to Neighbor | Women for the Land + Learning Circles for Women Nonoperating Landowners
Becky Taylor leads learning circles for women landowners, and tells how they work and impact land. Gabrielle McNally, Women for the Land program director, is expanding learning circles nationwide.
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