Edge-of-field conservation practices are not new. However, they are a highly effective strategy that can be used to improve water quality.
A Water Quality Program Manager at Iowa State University Extension, says that these practices have many benefits, not limited to removing nitrates.
According to Catherine Delong, “These practices, like bioreactors, saturated buffers, constructive wetlands, you know, they can, on average, remove nitrate up to 50%. So, that’s a big impact, but these practices also have other benefits. So, a saturated buffer has a buffer you know, and these buffers— these areas of perennial vegetation— have lots of benefits for wildlife, for catching soil before it goes into a common water body, and a lot of times, these areas that are on the edges of our fields can be unprofitable. They’re compacted, we might be paying more money to get good yields from these areas than we are from actually selling that crop, and so this can be an ideal opportunity to put in an edge-of-field practice.”
While these practices can be expensive, Delong says that landowners do have options to help pay for them.
“We are in a time right now where it just seems like there is a lot of money for conservation, a lot of it is coming through the USDA and RCS. So, there’s lots of opportunities to get cost share to support these practices. If for some reason you may not want to take all your money from the federal government, there are usually other options if you want to try something else,” she adds.
