Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76SEPTEMBER 2016 SEEDWORLD.COM / 19 Perfectingagriculturalpracticeswhilemanagingenvironmentalimpactsis key.Seedtreatmentsplayanimportantrole.operationpollinator.com TIP Habitat Creation However, one area that does provide a faster return on investment is habitat creation. Changing agricultural practices have altered rural landscapes and natural habitats for many of the pollinators we need. Pete Berthelsen, direc- tor of habitat partnerships for Pheasants Forever, works to help create and restore high-quality wild- life habitats, and farmers often receive incentives and rebates as an immediate benefit. Berthelsen said that these efforts directly impact pollinator habitats as well. “The connection is really simple. The critical habitat needs for bees and butterflies are the same exact needs we see for birds and other small wild- life,” Berthelsen said. There are many options that require various levels of commitment. Longer con- tracts that lock portions of underperforming land into habitat use for several years while providing a financial incentive appeal to some farmers. Others prefer to commit to only one or two years at a time. One program, the Honey Bee and Monarch Butterfly Partnership, which is supported in part by Syngenta and other companies, offers farmers three- to six-year contracts to put land into habitat in exchange for an annual rental payment, a plant- ing incentive and free seed. “We’re working with the agricultural industry to find ways to build wildlife conservation into their operations. We want to work with farmers, not against them, so we help identify the best areas of their land to reinvest into habitat,” Berthelsen said. In addition to the short-term financial benefits for farmers, habitat creation also provides pretty fast results for the pollinators. It doesn’t take years to grow flowers for forage. “It’s a simple process. If a farmer is interested in the Honey Bee and Monarch Butterfly Partnership, for instance, they’ll receive a packet of informa- tion and an application. They’ll receive the seeds, shipped to their door and it’s a one-time plant- ing that will grow into a functioning habitat,” Berthelsen said. Taking Action Wheeler said the first step to building biodiver- sity is to study yield maps to identify areas of the operation that aren’t as productive. “On average, about five percent of a farmer’s land is only marginally useful for crop production. Our goal is to find those areas and convert them to habitats such as buffer strips while increasing production on the remaining 95 percent,” she said. Field corners are one good place to start, especially when center-pivot irrigation systems are used. “We also look at soil type and land topography,” Berthelsen said. The next step is to look at tweaking production methods. When taking land out of production for habitat creation, something must be done to increase productivity of the remaining land. “If we have fewer acres being used for farming, we need to be careful with those areas, which goes back to reducing crop failure risks by investing in genetic diversity, and ensuring good soil health,” Wheeler said. Field to Market has developed a Fieldprint Calculator tool for corn, cotton, rice, wheat, potatoes and soybeans to graphically represent the farmer's unique operation and help them assess efficiencies and environmental impacts. Farmers can also compare their performance against averages. Another good starting point for adding back biodiversity is to consider the positive benefits cover crops provide. “We tended to move away from cover crops when we developed the ability to do deep tillage with machinery. But that technology isn’t always the best tool for the job and we’ve found with recent research that bringing back some of those older practices can help with soil structures and nutrient manage- ment,” Wheeler said. Small changes can also make a difference. “I spoke with a farmer who said, for him, it was as simple as just not remov- ing all the milkweed from his land. Before, it was something he would eradicate each year. Now, he leaves some where he can, just because he knows it’s valu- able for pollinators,” Snyder said. In some cases, that education and awareness is the first, most important step. “We’re helping farmers think about how their choices have a real impact on biodiversity. There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, but together, we’re building a narrative about how we can better our land for the future,” Snyder said. SW There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach, but together, we’re building a narrative about how we can better our land for the future.” — Rod Snyder