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STRIPS stands for Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips. The project is composed of a team of scientists, educators, and extension specialists who have chosen to work together on the use of prairie strips as a farmland conservation practice. We strive to more fully understand the assembly, management, function, and value of prairie strips; to communicate our results to diverse audiences; and to assist others with the implementation of prairie strips on farm fields. Our initial research site is located at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge near Prairie City, Iowa. We are now implementing and maintaining research and demonstration sites across the Midwest, including on private commercial farms.

Mission

We strive to more fully understand the assembly, management, function, and value of prairie strips; to communicate our results to diverse audiences; and to assist others with the implementation of prairie strips on farm fields.

Vision 

We envision a future in which prairie strips are integrated with other agricultural conservation practices to foster the production of healthy food and sustainable fuel, and the protection and maintenance of clean water, resilient soils, and diverse and abundant wildlife and beneficial insects. We regard our project as an important way to make farming and environmental quality harmonious. Results of our research at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge indicate this vision can be achieved, but additional research, education, and extension are needed to develop and implement it on commercial farms throughout Iowa and the Midwestern U.S. 

Guiding principles 

STRIPS cooperators, Ida County.

  • Let the overall objective of resilient and sustainable agricultural landscapes guide our work

  • Seek collective wisdom and broad support by incorporating multiple perspectives: listen to and learn from a diversity of collaborators, including team members, farmer/farm landowner adopters, and other stakeholders

  • Let the science speak: while the project has expanded to include outreach and technical assistance, we are fundamentally a research project at our core (SCIENCE-based Trials of Row-crops Integrated with Prairie Strips)

  • Promote open communication within the STRIPS team and with stakeholders regarding new findings, team priorities, participants’ roles and responsibilities, and funding

  • Promote collaboration and efficiency by sharing resources and credit, if and where appropriate

  • Maintain project resiliency through shared leadership

  • Seek a balance of activities that allows us to focus on fulfilling our mission and achieving our vision

  • Seek ways to empower farmers and other members of the agricultural community to teach each other about the concepts and practices of prairie strips

  • Create and maintain feedback loops for information sharing among team members, farmer/farm landowner adopters, and other stakeholders

  • Ensure that the quality of our actions is not compromised with continued growth of the project. 

Partners

The success of STRIPS is due to support from numerous institutions, funders, stakeholder advisory committee members, and private farmers and farmland owners. Our full partner list can be found here

partners

Data

STRIPS data published in peer-reviewed papers and reports are publicly available through a GitHub repository. More information can be found here.

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