Environmental Stewardship
Ensuring long-term land productivity and natural resource conservation by enhancing soil health, managing invasive species, and increasing water-use efficiency.
Featured Environmental Stewardship Impacts
Research and Extension support resilient ecosystems
Recent studies and programs are conserving and protecting water used for drinking, fishing, irrigation and recreation. Research and Extension are supporting healthy agricultural and natural […]
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Bringing automation to forest production with precision tools
Rising equipment costs, unpredictable weather, long hours and hazardous conditions make logging a high-risk industry. Not only is it difficult to attract and maintain skilled […]
Land-grant universities help communities tackle stormwater challenges
Across the country, communities face challenges in managing runoff after rainfall. When not properly managed, stormwater can cause flooding, erode land and transport contaminants and […]
Preparing for extreme weather
Extreme weather can affect communities, farms, businesses and livelihoods. These weather events, such as drought, wildfires and flooding can pose harm to people, livestock, plants […]
Extension is on the front line in the fight against invasive pests in Colorado
In Colorado, a population boom has driven increased interest in home horticulture, highlighting the need for research-based pest management education that’s easy to find and […]
Fighting coastal erosion with nature-based shoreline solutions
More than half of Florida’s waterfront property owners have constructed seawalls and bulkheads to protect against erosion and flooding. These armored shorelines provide some protection […]
Strengthening water quality across landscapes
Access to clean, reliable water for communities, ecosystems and agriculture is increasingly threatened by issues such as nutrient pollution and emerging contaminants. Land‑grant universities are […]
Iowa researchers study how prairie strips can boost soil health
Prairie strips are narrow bands of perennial, herbaceous vegetation strategically planted within crop fields. Studies have demonstrated their benefits for erosion control, water quality and […]
Building resilient communities through low-impact development practices
Traditional infrastructure in Oklahoma communities does not fully address the challenges flooding, erosion and declining water quality bring, especially in rural and residential areas where […]
Integrated Pest Management practices protect Nevada waterways
Encouraging people to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies can lower the risk of pesticide residues that harm water quality. The University of Nevada, Reno […]
Examining Arkansas’s growing timber surplus
Maintaining a balance between forest growth and harvests is vital to sustaining a healthy ecosystem. When the growth-to-drain ratio rises too high, forests become vulnerable […]
Protecting private forests by growing good stewardship
More than half of forest land in the United States is privately owned. This land produces nearly all of the harvested timber that is used […]
How wind energy affects land mammals’ habitat selection
Renewable energy is an important source of electricity around the world. Wind energy facilities are among the fastest-growing forms of renewable energy, and they’re usually […]
Researchers investigate contamination in global reservoirs
Reservoirs are an important drinking water source. As populations grow, large amounts of plastic, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals are released into the environment, polluting drinking […]
Florida researchers find a speedier way to screen palms for disease resistance
Florida’s iconic palms are under attack by Thielaviopsis trunk rot, a fungal disease that causes plants to collapse and die suddenly. With little information known […]
Illinois study finds cover crop adoption doubles
Cover crops improve soil health and water quality. They also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But only about 5% of U.S. agricultural lands use them, despite […]
In Louisiana, Extension helps industrial facilities, farms save water, cut costs
Water plays an essential role in many industrial settings. To help manufacturers, processors and agricultural operations adopt sustainable practices, the Louisiana State University AgCenter launched […]
Nanoplastics can make E. coli more toxic, Illinois researchers find
Nanoplastics — ultrafine plastic particles formed when larger pieces of plastic break down — are everywhere, from soils to waterways to the human body. Because […]
Utah researchers investigate connection between wildfires, floods
Many people might assume that streams and reservoirs aren’t affected by wildfires. But uncontrolled blazes can threaten these water sources, which are essential for agriculture, […]
New Hampshire researchers study how small mammals adapt when forest seed cycles shift
Interactions between plants and animals are key to the biodiversity and long-term ecological resilience of forests. Small mammals such as mice, voles and shrews play […]
In Connecticut, rain gardens show promise for stormwater management
Stormwater management is a challenge that many communities face. Roads, parking lots and similar surfaces make up much of the urban landscape, but rainwater can’t […]
Decision support tool visualizes benefits of agroforestry
Agroforestry — the intentional integration of trees and shrubs in agricultural systems — can provide a multitude of environmental benefits. However, few farmers in the […]
Early research helps prepare for new pest invasion in Pacific mangroves
The native mangrove tree Lumnitzera littorea (ngånga’ in CHamoru) is facing a new threat to its small population in Guam’s Sasa Bay Marine Preserve. Low […]
Leveraging a highly trained volunteer network to document bee biodiversity
Many high-value crops such as flowering fruit trees, berries and vegetables rely on native bee populations, but these critically important pollinators are declining nationwide. Scientists […]
Arkansas researchers study environmental effects of de-icers
Winter road safety depends heavily on salt-based deicers, but there are concerns about how their use is contributing to increased salinity in streams and affecting […]
Building resilience through disaster preparedness in Connecticut
Extreme weather events such as flooding, hurricanes, drought and hail are increasing in Connecticut. This threatens safety, livelihoods and local economies for farms, families and […]