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Conservation Buffers
Conservation
buffers are small areas or strips of land in permanent vegetation,
designed to slow water runoff, provide shelter and stabilize riparian
areas. Strategically placed buffer strips in the agricultural landscape
can effectively mitigate the movement of sediment, nutrients, and
pesticides within farm fields and from farm fields.
Buffers include: contour buffer strips,
field borders, filter strips, grassed waterways, living snow fences,
riparian buffers, shelterbelts/windbreaks, (grass, shrubs and trees),
and wetlands.
The small amount of land taken out of
production helps producers meet environmental and economic goals.
Key Messages
Conservation buffers protect soil,
improve air and water quality, enhance fish and wildlife habitat, and
beautify the landscape.
Conservation buffers shows a
producer’s commitment to conservation and
their willingness to protect the environment.
Benefits of Conservation Buffers
- Slow water runoff.
- Remove up to 50% or more of nutrients
and pesticides in runoff.
- Remove up do 60% or more of pathogens
in runoff.
- Remove up to 75% or more of sediment
in runoff.
- Reduce noise and odor.
- Serve as a source of food, nesting
cover, and shelter for wildlife.
- Stabilize streambanks and reduce water
temperature in stream.
- Provide a setback distance for
agricultural chemical use from watercourses.
- reduce downstream flooding
- Represents profitable, common sense
conservation for landowners.
- Reduced risk of tractor rollover due
to set back of steep ditch or creek.
- Take advantage of incentives. provided
to establish buffers from local, state, and federal programs.
- Establishment of natural vegetation.
Types of buffers:
Contour buffer strips – narrow bands of
vegetation established across the slope of a crop field and alternated
down the slope with strips of crops.
Field border – strips of vegetation
planted at the edge of fields, that are can be used for turn areas or
travel lanes for machinery.
Filter strips – strips of grass or
other vegetation used to slow water runoff from a field. These intercept
or trap sediment, nutrients, pesticides and other pollutants before they
reach a river, lake or stream.
Grassed waterways – strips of grass on
areas where water is concentrated as it runs off a field. Used primarily
to prevent and control gully erosion, waterways also act as a filter,
trapping sediment and other pollutants.
Living snow fence – Trees and/or shrubs
designed to control drifting snow to protect buildings, roads and other
property. They can be installed to help protect nearby areas for
livestock, provide wildlife cover and enhance soil moisture.
Riparian buffers – streamside plantings
of trees, shrubs and grasses that can intercept pollutants from both
surface and ground water before they reach a river or stream. Provides
habitat for wildlife and also enhances fish habitat.
Shelterbelts/windbreaks – a row or rows
of trees and/or shrubs used to reduce wind erosion, protect field crops
and shelter from blowing snow. Shelterbelts also provide protection from
the elements for houses, farm buildings, livestock and wildlife.
Wetlands – areas of shallow water
within or near cropland that have water loving grasses, shrubs and/or
trees growing in and around the area. These act as a filter and provide
wildlife habitat.
Economics: http://www-agecon.ag.ohio-state.edu/faculty/bsohngen/bmp/filter.htm#grass
Conservation planning with the Core 4 approach.
As each year passes, we improve our
understanding of how to manage for better soil, cleaner water, greater
profits and a brighter future. We call this management approach the Core
4. The four fundamental components integrated into this approach are:
Conservation Tillage; Crop Nutrient Management; Weed and Pest
Management; and Conservation Buffers. If you’d like to learn more
about the Core 4 approach, call your local agronomic and/or natural
resources professional:
- Agricultural Retailer
- Certified Crop Advisor
- Conservation District
- Extension Agent
- Independent Crop Consultant
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
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