The Nature Conservancy’s Post

It’s valuable to consider the progress that can be made, by remembering what has been achieved. Look back to look forward?

In next Thursday's farmdoc daily webinar — Profitability and Conservation Practices — we'll take a look at Precision Conservation Management's farm production data from Illinois, Kentucky and Nebraska since 2015. We'll discuss which cover crop practices are the most profitable, the latest findings on tillage, and whether farmers should consider participating in the newest climate and carbon initiatives. To register, visit: https://lnkd.in/gCmWNYbn #webinar #conservation #illinois #farm #farmers #climate

This has gone completely under my radar. This is devastation. We need to have a much stronger One Health approach than this. Human, animal and environmental health should be treated with equal importance. All should rally behind responding to such threats. Preservation of life on land and its biodiversity has a direct impact on human health. SDG 15.

According to the United Nations , up to 40% of world’s land is now degraded. That’s why Hollie Fallick and Francesca Cooper decided to turn things around. 👩🌾 👩🌾 While conventional farming continues to be the most important pillar of feeding a growing population, many farmers, just like Hollie and Francesca, are shifting towards #RegenerativeAgriculture. By adhering to principles like minimal soil disturbance, maintaining ground cover, and promoting biodiversity, they aim to regenerate the soil while producing more food. The two best friends and environmental activists are not only producing more and more nutritious food, but also contribute to a better future for generations to come. Read more about Hollie and Francesca in the article below.

With our help, nature can heal itself. Help involves tweaking our diets towards more plant based foods and less meat, dumping our carbon-driven economy in favour of renewables and circularity, and sharing the finite resources available on earth; while "re-wilding" our green and rural spaces. To coin a popular and much overused phrase - there is no plan B, just the Plan-et. #Sustainability #RegenAg #NetZero #Carbon

Last week, I had the privilege of addressing the Cattle Australia Industry Forum following the 2023 AGM on key issues around cattle and climate. (Thanks Adam Coffey for the invite). In a presentation titled "Cattle and Carbon; Friend or Foe" I encouraged forum attendees to focus on the innovation and market opportunities provided by moving beyond the simplistic narrative of ‘stop eating beef to save the climate’. Grass-fed cattle managed with ecologically adaptive grazing principles can be our allies in feeding a growing population, enhancing soil health, and promoting biodiversity. Shifting from token gestures to meaningful solutions is the only way to meet the needs of a diverse range of stakeholders on one of the most important issues of our time. #sustainability #agriculture #climatechange

#Ditches are an often overlooked opportunity that that hold immense potential as an innovative way to support diverse natural habitats within our productive farmlands, especially in mono-cropping operations. Especially bountiful when coupled with hedgerows and shelter.   During the late 1800s, farmers in the Upper Midwest began constructing extensive networks of drainage ditches to enable the cultivation of previously waterlogged lands. This practice of agricultural drainage has continued to this day, transforming landscapes and unlocking the productive potential of the soil. Ditches are now a ubiquitous part of farms. They serve a crucial function in removing excess water, improving field conditions, serving as a "pre-riparian" buffer and an ecological base for numerous organisms that enhance environmental conservation. I have never visited Nebraska and really only know two things about the Cornhusker state: 🏈 Clemson beat Nebraska to claim its first National Football Championship in 1981 🙂 and 🐮 Animal production composes over half of its agriculture output while 98% of the remaining product is comprised of mono-cropped corn, soybeans and wheat. It would seem that it would be a State that would cry out for more biodiversity 🐞 ! But no, according to a recent article in The Nebraska Examiner, Paul Hammel reports that there is a bill in the Nebraska legislature that would exempt roadside ditches and other highway right-of-ways from state laws protecting endangered species. Classic example of greed over conservation. Please read the short article and share your thoughts. Your vote matters! https://lnkd.in/eYnSkaVC  #AllAgConsidered #Education #Biodiversity #RegenerativeAgriculture #Water #Conservation

Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Not only do #pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity. To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the UN designated 20 May as #WorldBeeDay

The Overuse Of Pesticide-Treated Seed Is a Threat to Waterways And Insect Life The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their #habitats. It has published sobering reports on the impacts of neonics on Midwestern and California waterways, finding that harmful levels are routinely detected. Neonics from treated seed are also turning up in water samples from states with less intensive agriculture, like Vermont. https://lnkd.in/eaPB9Y6K #orvis #conservation #environment #pesticide #protectwhatyoulove

On World Food Day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations emphasizes the significance of conserving water and the critical role it plays in our lives. By raising awareness about the importance of water conservation, the Food and Agriculture Organization aims to encourage people to take action and safeguard this precious resource for future generations. #WorldFoodDay #AgriculturalSustainability