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FAQ: Will prairie strips eliminate erosion completely?

Prairie strips will not completely eliminate erosion, and you may still need grass waterways. Data from our initial work at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge has shown that prairie strips can dramatically reduce sediment loss from the field, but there are still signs of in-field erosion, especially along the fall line of the watershed where a grass waterway could be quite effective. Read more about FAQ: Will prairie strips eliminate erosion completely?

FAQ: How are prairie strips different from contour buffers and grass strips?

Contour buffers are typically planted with fixed widths. In contrast, we vary the width of the prairie strips based on the amount of water they intercept, with the goal of treating all of the runoff leaving the crop field. Where more water is flowing down-slope, prairie strips should be wider, and where less water is flowing down-slope, the strips can be narrower. Read more about FAQ: How are prairie strips different from contour buffers and grass strips?

FAQ: Are prairie strips only for organic operations?

Prairie strips are a conservation tool that can be used in both conventional and organic farming operations. In conventional farming operations, precision herbicide management is useful. Native forbs (i.e., wildflowers) in the prairie strips are broadleaf plants and can be damaged or even killed by direct contact with herbicide. Once established, native grasses and forbs have deep root systems that help create a durable, resilient plant community. Read more about FAQ: Are prairie strips only for organic operations?

FAQ: What kind of plants are actually in the prairie strips?

Prairie strips are planted with native, perennial prairie species. Species include grassesforbs (i.e., wildflowers), legumes, and sedges. Typically, plantings include stiff-stemmed warm season grasses (e.g., Indiangrass, big bluestem, little bluestem) and a wide range of erect forbs, including species of aster, beebalm, blazing star, bush clover, coneflower, goldenrod, and native sunflower. Read more about FAQ: What kind of plants are actually in the prairie strips?

Prairie Prophets: Episode 3 The Science of Prairie

March 15, 2023

Brandon Butler, Director of Communications | Roeslein Alternative Energy, meets with Dr. Lisa Schulte Moore (Ph.D.), a professor of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University, and a leader in guiding the scientific efforts of landscape ecology on agricultural lands throughout the Midwest. Brandon and Lisa discuss the benefits of restoring prairie, and the solutions it brings to 21st century challenges in agriculture, technology and innovation. Read more about Prairie Prophets: Episode 3 The Science of Prairie

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