Agricultural Resource Management

 

The District can assist you with any resource concern: soil, water, air, plants, or animals.

Our local (Polk SWCD), state (Iowa Department of Agricultural and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conservation) and federal (Natural Resources Conservation Service) staff provide free technical assistance in protecting these resources and can also assist with applications for funding assistance.


Best Management Practices (BMPs)

All technical assistance follows the USDA-NRCS Field Office Technical Guide Specifications for practices. It is recommended that your contractor follow these specifications. For more information on a specific practice, you can view the Iowa Conservation Practice Standards.

 

 

Commonly installed BMPs:

Grade Stabilization Structure
Control Basins
Terraces
Conservation Cover
Grassed Waterway
Wetlands
Wildlife Habitat
Prescribed/Managed Grazing
Streambank Stabilization
Filter Strips
Contour Buffer Strips
Farmstead Windbreaks
Nutrient Management
Pest Management
Residue Management

Prescribed/Managed Grazing

Overview

 

Manage kind of animal, animal number, grazing distribution, length of grazing and/or browsing periods and timing of use to provide grazed plants sufficient recovery time to meet planned objectives.

  • Improve or maintain desired species composition and vigor of plant communities
  • Improve or maintain quantity and quality of forage for grazing and browsing animals' health and productivity
  • Improve or maintain surface and/or subsurface water quality and quantity
  • Improve or maintain riparian and watershed function
  • Reduce accelerated soil erosion, and maintain or improve soil condition
  • Improve or maintain the quantity and quality of food and/or cover available for wildlife
  • Manage fine fuel loads to achieve desired conditions


Project Highlights


Photos