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FORAGES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Forage Crops have many beneficial features that contribute
to protecting and enhancing the environment.
Forage
Crops:
$
improve Soil Quality by adding organic matter to the
soil.
$ Legume crops also add nitrogen to the soil.
$
protect the soil surface from Erosion
$
grown as Cover Crops, protect the soil and absorb
excess
nutrients.
$
in Grassed Waterways and Filter Strips,
protect the soil and reduce nutrients entering
surface waters or groundwater
$
help stabilize Streambanks and Buffer Strips
$
help reduce Global Warming by storing
Carbon in the Soil
$
can provide habitat for Wildlife
$
may be harvested and used for Bio-fuels
$
are used in Other Ways to Protect the
Environment, such as green roofs
General Information about the
benefits of forages
Many Environmental Organizations
also provide information about the environmental benefits of forages
General Information
Greencover
Canada Program
Agricultural
Policy Framework: Environmental Programs
Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
Beneficial
Management Practices: Environmental Manual for Crop Producers in Alberta
Alberta
Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development
The
(Grass) Farmer as Conservationist: Aldo Leopold's Legacy
University
of Wisconsin
Do
Genetically Engineered Crops Impact Animal Health and Food Products?
University
of California: Davis
Will
the Public Recognize the Environmental Benefits of Alfalfa?
Alfalfa
for Profit
Evaluation
of Managed Rotational Grazing of Livestock to Reduce Ground Water Contamination
form Soil Nitrates
Michigan
State University
The
Environmental Impacts of N2 Fixation by Alfalfa
Forages
& Soil Quality
Home
Page for the USDA Soil Quality Institute
Soil
Quality Concepts
USDA Soil Quality
Institute
Soil
Quality Management - General
USDA Soil Quality
Institute
Best
Management Practices, Soil Management
OMAFRA
Preserving
the Soil Resource
from Agronomy
Guide, OMAFRA
Understand
the Living Soil (OMAFRA) :
Part
1 Introduction
Part 2
Good Bug or Bad?
Part
3 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Part 4
Those Wonderful Worms
The
Soil Biology Primer
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Adjustments
to Fertilizer Recommendation (Legumes and Manure)
OMAFRA
Pastureland
Soil Quality - Introduction
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Pastureland
Soil Quality - Indicators for Assessment and Monitoring
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Soil
Quality -Cropland
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Cover
and Green Manure Crops Benefits to Soil Quality
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Conservation
Crop Rotation Effects on Soil Quality
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Legumes
and Soil Quality
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Agricultural
Management Effects on Earthworm Populations
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Soil
Organic Matter Management
Minnesota
Institute for Sustainable
Soil
Organic Matter
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Long-Term
Agricultural Management Effects on Soil Carbon
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Sod-Based
Rotations: A Proven Old Practice to Improve Soil Productivity
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Soil
Biology and Soil Management
Minnesota
Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
Better
Soil, Better Yields
Conservation
Technology Information Centre
Building
Soils for Better Crops
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education
Forages
for Erosion Control
New
York State Revegetation Procedures Manual
Seeding
of Erosion Control Projects
OMAFRA
Grasses
and legumes used for conservation plantings
Cornell
University
Cover
Crops
Cover
Crops
OMAFRA
Agronomy
Guide: Cover Crops
OMAFRA
Forage
Selection Guide: Green Cover Program
Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
Managing
Cover Crops Profitably
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education
Considering
Cover Crops - Fall Nitrogen Capture
OMAFRA
Cover
Crop Fundamentals
Ohio State
University
Cover
Crop Seed Suppliers
OMAFRA
Michigan
Cover Crops
Michigan
State University
UC
SAREP Cover Crop Resource Page
University
of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
Managing
Cover Crops Profitability (214 pages)
Forage
Information System: Oregon State
The
Knife Roller (Crimper): An Alternative Kill Method for Cover Crops
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Winter
Cover Crops - Their Value and Management
Purdue
University
Cover
Crops: Legumes
Forage
Information System: Oregon State
Cover
Crops: Grasses
Forage
Information System: Oregon State
Rye
as a Cover Crop
National
Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
Legume
Green Manuring
Alberta
Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
The
Basics Of Green Manuring
Ecological
Agriculture Projects, McGill University
Cover
Cropping in Potato Production
Ecological
Agriculture Projects, McGill University
Grassed
Waterways and Filter Strips
Grassed
Waterways
OMAFRA
Wildlife
Habitat in Grassed Waterways
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Handling
Runoff from Outside Livestock Areas and Solid Manure Storages
OMAFRA
Vegetated
Filter Strip System Design Manual
OMAFRA
Vegetative
Filter Strips for Improved Surface Water Quality
Iowa State
University
Vegetative
Filter Strips: Application, Installation and Maintenance
Ohio State
University
Wildlife
Habitat in Filter Strips
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Vegetative
Filter Strips - For Improved Surface Water Quality
Iowa State
University
Streambank
Management
Grazing
Streamside Pastures
University
of
Fencing
of Watercourses To Control Erosion
OMAFRA
Cows
and Fish
Alberta
Riparian Habitat Management Program
Managed
Grazing and Stream Ecosystems
University
of Wisconsin
Grazing:
a Natural Component of Grassland Ecozone Riparian Systems
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
Using
Off-Stream Water Sources as a Beneficial Management Practice in Riparian Areas -
A Literature Review
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
Riparian
Area
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
Alternatives
to Direct Access Livestock Watering
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
Managing
Livestock in a riparian Zone
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
What
Makes a Healthy Riparian Area?
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation
Understanding
the Benefits of Healthy Riparian Area
Ohio State
University
Negative
Effects of Livestock Grazing Riparian Areas
Ohio State
University
The
Effects of Grazing Management on Riparian Areas
Ohio State
University
Best
Management Practices to Control the Effects of Livestock Grazing Riparian Areas
Ohio State
University
Pathogenic
Effects from Livestock Grazing Riparian Areas
Ohio State
University
Buffer
Strips: Common Sense Conservation
Natural
Resources Conservation Service:
USDA
Conservation
Buffers to Reduce Pesticide Losses
Natural
Resources Conservation Service:
USDA
Buffer
Strip Design, Establishment and
Iowa State
University
Riparian
Buffer Systems
Conservation
Buffers and Water Quality
Iowa State
University
Forages
and Wildlife
Alfalfa,
Wildlife and the Environment
California
Alfalfa and Forage Association
Enhancing
Wildlife Habitat on Farmlands
Ohio State
University
Establishing
Wildlife Food Plots
Ohio State
University
Wildlife
Habitat in Field Borders
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Conservation
Corridors Planning at the Landscape Level: Managing for Wildlife Habitat
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Field
Borders and Farmland Songbirds
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Wildlife
Habitat in Grassed Waterways
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Wildlife
Habitat in Filter Strips
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Buffers
for Wildlife Project
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
Grassland
Birds: Fostering Habitats Using Rotational Grazing
University
of
Rotational
Grazing and Grassland Birds in Michigan
Michigan
State University
Grass
Management for the Birds
University
of Wisconsin
Global
Warming and Carbon Sequestration
Beneficial
management practices which may reduce greenhouse gases
Prairie Farm
Rehabilitation Administration
Greenhouse
Gas Mitigation: Report to Canadian Producers
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Global
Warming and Agriculture: Cow/Calf Best Management Practices
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Global
Warming and Agriculture: Carbon Credits
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Global
Warming and Agriculture: The Carbon Cycle
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Global
Warming and Agriculture: Best Management Practices
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Global
Warming and Agriculture: Nitrous Oxide
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Soil
Carbon Sequestration - Fundamentals
Ohio State
University
Carbon
Management and Sequestration Center
Ohio State
University
Economics
of Sequestering Carbon in the U.S. Agricultural Sector
USDA
Impact
of tillage and crop rotation systems on soil carbon sequestration
Iowa State
University
Carbon
Sequestration - Additional Environmental Benefits of Forage in the PFRA
Permanent Cover Program
Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
Bio-fuels
from Forages
Crop
residue removal for Biomass Energy Production: Effects on Soils
USDA Soil
Quality Institute
Resource
Effects of Biomass Energy Production
USDA Soil
Quality
Grassbioenergy.org
Information
on pelletting grass for fuel from Cornell University
Grass
Bioenergy in the Northeast USA
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Benefits
of Grass Biomass
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
USA
History of Grasses for Biofuel
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Management
of Grasses for Biofuel
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Ash
Content of Grasses for Biofuel
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Grass
Management for Biomass
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Research
to Advance Grass Bioenergy
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Grass
Pelleting - The Process
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Establishment
and Management of Switchgrass
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Frequently
Asked Question (FAQs) on Using Grass for Fuel
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Growing
Grass for Fuel: Field Research and Demonstrations
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Pellet
Stoves: Demonstration Results
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Grass
Biofuel Pellets
Grassbioenergy.org,
Cornell University
Establishment
and Management of Switchgrass
University
of Wisconsin
Other
Environmental Uses for Forages
Green
Roofs for Healthy Cities
City
of Toronto: Green Roofs
Centre
for the Advancement of Green Roof Technology
Environmental
Organizations
AGCare
Caring
for the Land
Farmissues.com
Conservation
Ontario
Ontario
Stewardship
Ducks
Unlimited
Minnesota
Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA)
Index
to Nutrient Management Information from OMAFRA
Ontario
Environment Industry Association
Resource
Efficient Agricultural Production - REAP - Canada
Ecological
Agriculture Projects
McGill
University (Macdonald Campus)
University
of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
Sustainable
Agriculture Newsletter
University
of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
The
Soil and Water Conservation Society
Soil
Conservation Council of Canada
Sierra
Club of Canada
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education
Conservation
Technology Information Center (CTIC)
Links
to On-line Information about Sustainable Agriculture
Ohio State
University
National
Handbook of Conservation Practices
Natural
Resources Conservation Service: USDA
National
Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
