Every decision we make on land impacts wildlife. The Four Things for Wildlife series helps you think about how you can help wildlife wherever you find yourself! This page explores opportunities for doing right by wildlife on farms, from the barn lot to the middle of the field!
1. Create habitat in profit-loss areas.
Research at Iowa State University estimates that around 12% of all cropland acres in Iowa lose money every year. Imagine if we reimagined our use of these areas and found ways to create wildlife habitat in them. It would improve the farmer’s bottom line and boost the good that comes from our farmland acres throughout the state on an unprecedented scale! These profit loss areas are found throughout the farm. Most commonly they are flood-prone portions of fields where long periods of standing water in spring or early summer drown out crops. Sometimes drainage can make them more profitable, but the most persistently problematic areas for farmers are where soils simply don’t allow for fast infiltration of water or where adjacent water bodies like rivers and streams flood over their banks with waters gathered further upstream. In these areas planting diverse native perennial vegetation, like flood prone native prairie seed mixes or even bottomland hardwood trees, can create places for wildlife to thrive while simultaneously helping improve net field productivity. Other areas on farms that are possible profit-loss areas worth reconsidering include highly trafficked and thus compacted field edges, old building lots, or field edges where moisture or sunlight competition from neighboring trees may outcompete crops. In each of these areas, planting the right native perennial plants would do right by wildlife and the bottom line.
2. Stack water, soil, and wildlife conservation practices.
Soil is our greatest asset in agriculture and thus a key consideration in any action we take on our farms. Water matters too, whether we’re trying to keep it in the soil to sustain crops or manage its movements to protect soil from erosion or nearby waterways from pollution. And in many cases, what’s good for water and soil is also good for wildlife. Conservation practices that slow the water down or dissipate its force can often be tailored to do more for wildlife. Edge-of-field conservation practices like riparian buffers, in-field filter strips, wetlands, or grassed waterways all provide habitat for a diversity of wildlife. When those practices apply the principles for wildlife wellbeing, such as using native plants, promoting diversity, and increasing connectivity, they can make an even greater impact. Considering wildlife along with decision making for water and soil could help distinguish between practices. For example, if you want to treat nitrate in drainage tile to improve the quality of water coming off your farm, look for ways to implement practices with the greatest net benefit to wildlife, like wetland restoration or saturated buffer construction. What’s good for water is good for wildlife. And so too can it be that what’s good for wildlife can be good for soil and water and by extension, the farm!
3. Mow less
Thousands of acres of productive land fall short of realizing their greatest potential, simply because we don’t have any better ideas of what to do with it! The proliferation of manicured turf grass and mowed areas on farms represents perhaps one of our greatest untapped opportunities for straightforward win-win resolutions for farmers and wildlife. Why mow large expanses of barn lots or back yards when you can beautify them with native vegetation? Research at Iowa State University estimated that converting mowed areas into prairie could save thousands of dollars over a 10-year period of reduced maintenance, time, and equipment depreciation. All the while, these areas that were once only a few species of exotic grasses and weeds kept short through frequent mowing could become thriving patches of diverse native vegetation that beautifies the barn lot and helps wildlife thrive. Occasional maintenance through mowing, haying, grazing, or even burning where safe will keep the areas open and still allow occasional traffic over the site to move equipment or maintain facilities. The rest of the time spent off the mower can be used enjoying the wildlife that show up or growing new endeavors elsewhere on the farm!
4. Improve and protect natural areas.
Every farm has natural areas on its margins. In many cases these easy-to-overlook areas are critical for supporting the wildlife that rely on our farms to survive. In some cases, they’re critical to support the function of the farm itself, such as helping reduce the forces of erosion or providing refuge for natural enemies of the farmer’s own, like the natural pest control when small mammals eat weed seeds or bats or beneficial insects eat insect pests. Thus, anything the farmer can do to do right by these areas can foster mutual thriving. Such natural areas may be found in many areas and in some cases may defy categorization. But here’s a few common natural areas worth noticing and helping. Grown-up fence lines like those often on border lines or between fields can be critical habitat for many edge-dwelling species like the northern bobwhite or a diversity of insects. Wet areas and wetlands, which can be found almost anywhere from along creeks and rivers to on glaciated ridges, provide habitat for hundreds of species and also help keep water clean. Grasslands of many kinds may fit best on steep hillsides or along rivers and streams or even in small patches like steep bluffs in a forest or a reimagined use of a barn lot. And finally, forests can often be a farms most overlooked asset and be a great area to improve conditions for a wide diversity of wildlife