Andrew J. Courts, Jr., MS, CEM, LEED AP’s Post

Grassland Fire Breaks Because of the open nature of natural grasslands and agricultural sites, the options open to create fire breaks are numerous and often easier to attain than in forested regions, though not without environmental considerations. The easiest guard is a ploughed break, attained with disc harrows, overturning the soil to occlude vegetative matter, and then maintained over time with a combination of rake and disc harrowing, dependent on soil types, surface erosion and regrowth, sometimes requiring mechanical brushers where "suckering" is extensive. Grazing a buffer with livestock can also pay dividends as it allows agricultural activities and cost recovery, and can be used in some forest stands. Grazing can complicate soil compaction, tree root damage, and facilitate invading weed species, so best practices in range management must be utilized, no matter the setting. Broad spectrum herbicides can be employed to create rapid fuel breaks, but shoddy application and the inevitable runoff can poison large tracks of land and watercourses, present hazards to human population centres, and still result in fire as dried, dead vegetation is left in situ. The burning of road right-of-ways and field corners, with range trucks and ground crews ready to respond within a moment's notice, can be employed in small and controlled areas where risk management analysis indicates the technique is reasonably safe and appropriate.

We have stayed in contact with #DEFRA via the #RuralPaymentsAgency since our initial contact with them at the beginning of January 2024 and thank them for their help so far. The job is not yet done. The current CS guidance suggests bare root planting happens in November, negatively influencing the uptake of the scheme. In fact, the bare root season runs from November through to April, depending on weather and local conditions. This is the change we are asking for. Can you help lobby Natural England to influence change? Does anyone have a direct contact for the ECSAG (which we have assumed mean England Countryside Stewardship Advisory Group)? Please help lobby so we can help remove barriers to planting (however small they may seem). One voice won’t make much of a difference. Lots will. Latest response from the Rural Payments Agency received on 19/02/24: _____ We have had this response from our operational enabling team: “Natural England have confirmed that this suggesting wording change for BN11 has been sent up to specialists within NE and will be taken to ECSAG for discussion. Any agreed changes will be implemented for the new scheme year. Please could you respond to the customer to let them know this update. As this was a suggested change rather than a question, we have done everything we can from our side, and it will now be with ECSAG as to if the changes will be implemented as part of the new scheme.” _____ #countrysidestewardship #cs #planting #rpa #naturalengland #forestrycommission #hedging #treeplanting #agriculture #farming #bareroot #frustrated

Local soil and water districts awarded over $2.3 Million for water quality initiatives "The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the State Soil Conservation Board awarded $2,313,287 in matching grant funds to 26 projects within soil and water conservation districts (SWCDs) and soil health organizations through the Clean Water Indiana program. “Providing farmers and landowners with tools and funding to keep our Indiana waterways clean and their soil structure healthy is key to keeping Indiana agriculture thriving,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This funding will allow 48 organizations across 26 projects to improve their local water systems, keep their soil healthy and keep their communities thriving. Last year's increase in Clean Water Indiana funding from the general assembly is already making a lasting impact." The Clean Water Indiana program is administered by the state’s soil conservation board. The program, led by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), provides financial assistance to landowners and conservation groups that are working to reduce runoff from non-point sources of water pollution, whether it’s on agricultural land, urban areas or eroding streambanks." -  Indiana State Department of Agriculture #WhitefieldGlobalHoldings #RexburgHemp #Hemp #News #Articles #CleanWaterIndiana #WaterQuality #SoilHealth #ConservationFunding #IndianaAgriculture #EnvironmentalInitiatives #SustainableFarming #CommunityDevelopment #NonpointSourcePollution #GrantFunding #SWCDs #SoilConservation #RuralDevelopment #HealthyCommunities #FarmersForChange

#ForCommunities #ForDevelopment #ForCommunities #ForDevelopment As the #winter cropping season gathers pace, it is paramount that #farmers sign #water abstraction agreements so that their water allocations can be reserved in the #dams. Water abstraction agreements make the #efficient #sustainable and #equitable allocation of the limited available water resources possible. Marjorie Munyonga (MCIM) Waddilove Mandiziba Constance Rudo Makoni-Thodhlana https://lnkd.in/df35Vm5f

 🌳Support for Ash Forest Owners: Progress Update!🌳 Welcome news for ash forest owners! The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that the development of an IT system to facilitate compensation payments is well underway. Last month, the government announced a substantial support package, including a climate performance action payment of €5,000/ha for ash plantation owners affected by ash dieback. While details on payment timelines were previously awaited, DAFM has now assured that payments will begin once the IT system is in place. ❗ Impacted by ash dieback? Here's what you need to know: ➡ Payment Details: The climate performance action payment of €5,000/ha will be dispersed in three installments over several years. ➡ Task Force Formation: DAFM is setting up a task force to implement necessary actions outlined in the support package. Stay tuned for updates on its progress!   We understand the importance of timely support for forest owners affected by ash dieback. As developments unfold, we'll keep you informed every step of the way.   We provide a one stop shop for owners of Ash plantations including: ➡ Grant Application ➡ Clearance of the infected Ash ➡ Replanting the area with a new crop ➡ All paperwork completed. Together, we can deal with diseased crops and replant the areas with a new productive crop 💪 📞 353 056 770 2242 📨 [email protected] 📣 www.forestryservices.ie #SupportForAshForests #ClimateAction #ForestManagement  

🚨 **NEW TODAY** 🚨 Check out our piece about Wildfires, Farms, Ranches, and Water in The Conversation-US. This article was based on our Maui #wildfire rapid response study. Special thanks to Stacy Morford and her colleagues at The Conversation-US for their help. Here’s the new article: https://lnkd.in/gPpmT2eN 📝 Here is the foundational article published in the @RoyalSocietyofChemistry Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology journal: https://lnkd.in/gQPiXsUe 👷♂️ Here is practical guidance about wildfire preparedness, response, and recovery and a link to the foundational studies: www.PlumbingSafety.org #wildfire, #farm, #ranch, #water, #infrastructure, #plastic, #disaster, #recovery, #crops, #livestock, #cattle, #sheep, #chickens, #goats, #emergency, #plastic, #irrigation, #contamination, #agriculture, #publichealth, #soil, #grass, #barn, #well, #power, #forest

The Klamath Tribes, the Yurok Tribe, and the Klamath Water Users Association have agreed to collaborate on ecosystem restoration projects that will improve water supply for agriculture. Drought has often led to tensions between Indigenous peoples and farms that rely on irrigation for their crops. The Interior Department plans to provide more than $72M to modernize ag infrastructure and restore Klamath Basin ecosystems. #ecosystemrestoration https://ow.ly/oENv50Rky7A

"The looming water crisis and historically low reservoir storage in 2021 and 2022 shook officials in the Colorado River Basin. In response, the federal government relaunched its System Conservation Pilot Program in 2023 with $125 million in federal funds. The program pays water users, mostly farmers and ranchers, in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming to temporarily cut back on water to save the overstressed Colorado River. This year, the federal government is spending about $797,000 in Colorado on drought-resistant crop projects as part of the program." https://lnkd.in/dq9aTeUT

https://lnkd.in/gVQM3a2w Soil erosion in Southern Alberta should never be occurring right now despite the lack of moisture the last couple of years. Tory Campbell has it right that "There are steps that can be taken" and the article's author offers up one of the many steps...that being cover crops. When growers follow the 6-3-4 framework (6 principles of soil health, 3 rules of adaptive stewardship, and the 4 ecosystem processes) they can then create real drought resilience through a regenerative agriculture system.

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) 2024 saw a number of announcements regarding #countrysidestewardship (CS) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive #sfi. Payment rates are being increased as of 1st January 2024 and new options are being added to the schemes such as #agroforestry. Although CS is not yet open for applications, SFI is open all year round. By designing a scheme to suit your #land and #farming operations, income from #agrienvironment schemes is a useful top-up to #farm income and can play a major part in #naturalhabitat restoration and preservation. With increasing concerns around the impacts of #climatechange and #biodiversityloss, it has never been a more appropriate time to farm our land whilst enhancing the #naturalenvironment around it. Here are a few tips to guide you in embracing a nature-friendly approach to designing an agri-environment scheme for your land: 🐝 Create an environment on your farm in which #pollinators can thrive - for instance, you can cut grass less often and establish vigorous herb-rich and legume swards 🦉 Manage the land in a way to support priority habitat and #nativespecies - this can be done through offering over-winter feeding and establishing flower-rich habitats 🦔 Create #wildlife corridors around the farm - establish buffer strips around fields, manage #hedgerows allowing for species and structural diversity around the farm 🌊 Protect water features from run-off and #livestock poaching - buffer strips can also prevent #soil runoffs and support a better #soilstructure 🌱 Protect your soils - include winter cover in your rotation and minimise bare soils You can read our full blog post for much more tips and advice! https://lnkd.in/gu-_65wD And please get in touch with us if you would like to know more about who we are, what we do, and our accreditation process 🧐