Focusing on Stewardship for Long-term Sustainability

Developed by:Cinda Williams, UID Ext.Kevin Laughlin, UID Ext.

Susan Donaldson, UNV Coop. Ext.Univ. of Idaho Extension

Topics to be covered: The whole-property concept Integrating the lessons you’ve learned Viewing your property through a

sustainability lens How others are making it work Monitoring and assessing progress How you’re making it work

What about sustainable agriculture? “involves farming systems that are profitable,

environmentally sound and good for people and communities.” (SARE)

These systems must be:◦ Economically sustainable◦ Environmentally sustainable◦ Socially sustainable

USDA NRCS

“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (U.S. EPA)

What is “sustainability”?

So you want to be a steward of your land?

Steward: a person who manages another's property or financial affairs

Environmental stewardship: the responsibility to take care of our natural resources to ensure they are sustainably managed for current and future generations

What does it mean to be a steward of a small-acreage property?

“The practice of carefully managing land usage to ensure natural systems are maintained or enhanced for future generations.”

-The Land Stewardship CenterUSDA NRCS

Caring for the system as a whole◦ Holistic approach

Conserving resources◦ Renewable and non-renewable

Maintaining, building and enhancing stability in nature◦ Encourage biodiversity

Honoring cultural values and ethics◦ Think long term

Guiding principles of land stewardship

Putting it all together with a whole-property perspective

Use what you’ve learned about:Inventory and goals SoilsWater Wildfire threat reductionPlantsAnimalsManagement

The whole-property view

Redrawn by A. Miller from www.sare.org

Applying a “systems” approach System: a group of interacting,

interdependent elements that function together as a complex unified whole

www.unesco.org

National Center for Atmospheric Research

Whole-farm nutrient balance

www.extension.org/pages/Whole_Farm_Nutrient_Balance

An alternate view of the whole-farm nutrient balance

Losses or soil storage

Managed

outputs

Meat and milk

Crops

Manure

Inputs

Feed

Animals

Irrigation water

Fertilizer

Legume N

Feed Manure

Livestock and Poultry Environmental Stewardship

Farm boundary, but remember to think outside the box too!

Applying systems thinking to your property

What are the components of your system?

How are they interrelated? How does an

action on one component affect other parts of your system?

Systems diagram activity

www.icra-edu.org

Seeks to understand the big picture

Observes how elements within systems change over time, generating patterns and trends

A systems thinker:

Being a systems thinker

Identifies the circular nature of complex cause- and-effect relationships, i.e. interdependencies

Changes perspectives

Developing your goals with sustainability in mind

Environmental concerns

Economic factors

Social issues

www.sare.org

Putting sustainable goals into action

Soils

Short-term Actions Long-term Goals

1. Do a soil test for nutrients, organic matter content, etc.

2. Plant cover crops and till in as green manure

Outcome:Improved soil quality

Putting sustainable goals into action

Plants

Short-term Actions Long-term Goals

1. Assess existing vegetation

2. Improve grass mixture

3. Implement rotational grazing

Outcome:Healthy pastures and

healthy animals

Putting sustainable goals into action

Business

Short-term Actions Long-term Goals

1. Research and identify a feasible niche market

2. Develop a business plan

Outcome:Make a profit from your small-acreage

enterprise

Make your own goals!

Short-term Actions Long-term Goals

The living soil

How do the practices we employ on our land influence the soil?

USDA NRCS

Improving soil quality Work on the basics of high-quality soils

◦ Reduce tillage◦ Add organic matter

(plant cover crops)◦ Reduce applications of synthetic-

based chemicals

Monitor for:• Earthworms,• Organic matter, • roots and residues,• Subsurface compaction,• Soil tilth,• Erosion,

• Water-holding capacity, • Drainage and infiltration,• Crop condition,• Nutrient-holding capacity,• pH

Protecting our water

Water quantity◦ Reduce unnecessary water loss by covering soil

(cover crops, mulch, etc.)◦ Increase water-use efficiency by proper irrigation

Water quality ◦ Prevent runoff of soil into water bodies◦ Prevent contamination by livestock by installing

buffers or providing off-stream watering

USDA NRCS

What are you doing to conserve water? For your crops or pasture?

For your animals?

In your landscape?

In your home?

NDEP

Sustainable water use Build well-structured soils that retain water Design for infiltration of water, rather than

runoff Plant species that are drought-tolerant and

disease-resistant Capture, conserve and recycle water

Drought index

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/prelim/drought/palmer.html

How does drought affect you?

In the short term? In the midterm (3 years)? In the long term (5 years)? What is your contingency plan? What will you do differently?

Protecting and preserving your space Was wildfire part of your long-term plan?

Make a plan for protecting and preserving your space

Managing plants for sustainability

Promote ecological balance with plant diversity

Maintain vegetative cover Enhance or provide organic matter Enhance nutrient recycling Promote pest population balance through

biological strategies

Raising healthy animals – a systems approach

You can manage parts of the system to decrease internal parasites and their effects

ATTRA

Pasture rotation

Managing energy use Make use of renewable energy

◦ Solar Pumps for watering and irrigation Greenhouses

◦ Wind Electricity for buildings

◦ Biofuels Oils or fuel from plants

◦ Energy from animal waste (which is not a waste after all!) Methane digesters

Creating successful enterprises

Choose your production system Develop your niche

◦ Your uniqueness is the key

◦ Tell your story!

Value-added products Connect to customers and the

community Understand the bottom line

Quality lives

For you and your family◦ Physical health: exposure and safety◦ Mental health: stress and depression

For employees◦ Fair treatment◦ Decent wages and living conditions

For animals◦ Humane treatment of animals◦ Low-stress handling

USDA NRCS

Vibrant communities Links between the landowner or farmer

and the community Networking Partnerships and collaboration Lifelong learning What can you do?

◦ Host public and school tours◦ Share what you’ve learned◦ Donate food to local food banks◦ Buy fresh and buy local◦ Join a co-op or support group

Stewardship Actions

Protect ground and surface water resources

Conserve water, practice efficient application

Stabilize, amend, and cover soil◦ increase organic matter ◦ Increase moisture content◦ decrease erosion

Improve vegetative cover and better manage vegetated areas to increase occurrence

Focus on systems sustainability by looking at all aspects of your property: land, soil, water, plants, animals, etc.

Foster awareness in young people

Host field trips for schools Encourage students to

participate in the farm Create school gardens Support youth programs Volunteer

Monitor and assess your progress

Before you took this class, how were you interacting with your resources?

What are you doing differently now? What do you plan to do differently in

the future? What results do you want? How will you achieve your goals? How will you know if you succeeded? How are you making progress toward

making your property more sustainable?

Where can you get help? SARE – www.sare.org ATTRA – www.attra.org Local organizations

◦ CSU Ext. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/sam/

◦ USDA-NRCS◦ Conservation District

http://www.mountsopriscd.org/◦ CSFS

http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/grandjunctiondist.html

Summary What do sustainability and stewardship

mean to you? How will you be a better steward? How can you help your neighbors become

better stewards? How does systems thinking help you

achieve your goals?

How are YOU making it work? How are you integrating what you’ve

learned about your resources? How have you affected your own property? How have you affected your community? Have your long-term goals changed? Why? What do you hope to accomplish? How will your property be more

sustainable? Are you a better steward?

You’re on your way to a sustainable approach to managing all the resources on your small-

acreage property!

UNCE, Reno, NV