Promoting Natural Landscapes: A Guide to …...Promoting Natural Landscapes: A Guide to Ecological Restoration and Practices for Wisconsin Farms Deana Knuteson, UW-Horticulture Merging

Promoting Natural Landscapes: A Guide to Ecological Restoration and

Practices for Wisconsin Farms Deana Knuteson, UW-Horticulture

Merging Ag and Conservation

View Farm as a Whole Entity with Multiple Resorces

Maintain Native Species in Ecosystems

Maintain Productivity and Economic Returns for Agriculture

Receive Benefits for Ecological Services

Enhance Agricultural Sustainability

The Wisconsin Healthy Grown Potato

Certification can serve as a model

Reason: Tying conservation action to a

science-based program of in-field

improvements (IPM, etc.) fosters

integration, and supports the view of the

farm as an ecosystem within a regional

ecosystem.

Natural Communities Standard:

Certification Documents

- Herbicide application

- Spot spray

- Boom spray

Natural Communities Standard:

Ecological Restoration

-Prescribed fire

-Mechanical brush cutting

Natural Communities Standard:

Annual Farm Plan

A next step,

the

publication

of a

restoration

guide

Approaches and Goals An ecosystem approach to farm conservation planning allows

for traditional natural resources services (including forestry or hunting land improvements) while generating many ecosystem services through protection and management of Wisconsin’s native ecosystems.

Landowners can connect their stewardship efforts with existing regional plans to conserve locally important or rare ecosystems or species.

Farm-specific ecosystem planning puts landowners in a decision-making role during all steps of the process, allowing for greater consideration of a conservation vision for the land.

A place-based, whole-farm approach allows for development of a plan that maximizes the potential conservation benefits that can be achieved on the farm in its regional context.

Why Restore?

Preservation of remaining

high quality remnants

Minimize introduction of

invasive species, animals

and plants

Identify opportunities for

re-establishing native-

dominated ecosystems

Steps in

the

Process

Community Types: Templates and

Indicator Species

Community Types based on

Central WI

Locations around state

Timelines and How to Implement

Pollinators

Resources

Available

Merging Productivity and Conservation:

Not just a goal, it is a reality in todays ag!

Questions?