What is it?
This practice has been called many different terms, but all terms refer to the practice of containing and moving animals in a way that mimics nature and that allows for the maximum, sustainable production of pasture and soil health.
How is it climate-beneficial?
Holistic planned grazing encourages maximum production of photosynthesizing grass, which sequesters more greenhouse gases from the air than grazing cattle emit. Holistic planned grazing also encourages a healthy soil microbiome, which results in the rapid conversion of organic matter into stable humus. In fire-prone areas, holistic planned grazing can reduce fuel loads, thus preventing the release of CO2 into the atmosphere through burning.
Implementation notes
Carbon gains with grazing are possible but variable. Cropland returned to perennial meadows seem to be the most probable driver for carbon sequestration, but rates will level out over time.
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What is it?
Precision nutrient management is the application of nutrients (whether through manure, compost, biologically fixed N, or chemical fertilizers) to the ground at the right source, the right rate, the right time, and the right place, in order to maximize efficiency and minimize excess. With precision nutrient management, producers can expect to use at least 15% less fertilizer.
How is it climate-beneficial?
When nitrogen is applied in excess to a field it can result in the release of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Precision nutrient management prevents excess nitrogen applications, thereby preventing nitrous oxide release. Additionally, by reducing the amount of chemical fertilizer applied to farms, precision nutrient management also minimizes the negative effects of chemical fertilizers on soil biology, leading to healthier soil microbiomes and the increased production of humus.
Implementation notes
Precision nutrient management requires a nutrient budget that includes each nutrient applied, from all sources including synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, animal manures, other organic amendments, and irrigation water. The budget is the nutrient application prescription used to apply the nutrients. The budget includes application maps for each nutrient, specifically N, P, and K.
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What is it?
Intercropping and strip cropping are practices that involve planting a diversity of crops on the same land in alternating strips, to improve soil health1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Producing a diversity of complementary plants on the same land increases whole-farm productivity, resulting in greater below-ground biomass, subsequent higher root litter, and ultimately higher organic matter.2
Implementation notes
Among agroecological elements, biological diversification on farms consistently had strong positive climate change adaptation and mitigation impacts, and can also attract beneficial insects for improved pest control.
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What is it?
Refraining from tillage entirely or utilizing minimal tillage passes to cultivate the soil, resulting in minimal soil disturbance and leaving at least 30% of the soil surface covered in crop or cover crop residue.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Practicing zero or minimal tillage can reduce energy use, thereby reducing CO2 emissions, as less fuel is consumed when less soil is disturbed. Practicing no- or minimal-tillage can also reduce the amount of carbon lost from the soil by reducing topsoil loss. It also leads to the rapid creation of organic matter by leaving the soil microbiome undisturbed, and by maintaining conditions critical to microbiome health, such as available plant moisture and root exudates that remain in the soil. Leaving crop residues in fields allows them to break down in place, replenishing nutrients back to the field and maintaining a healthy soil microbiome.2,3
Implementation notes
Start planning at least one year before implementation with a good fertility and weed management plan. A good entry point for minimal- or no-till is after having planted a cover crop.
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What is it?
Grassed waterways are plantings of grass on sloped channels where erosion and runoff would otherwise occur if the soil were left bare.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Grassed waterways prevent the removal of soil organic carbon from a farm by catching eroded organic matter from adjacent fields and storing it in place, serving as a carbon sink. Grass also photosynthesizes and converts atmospheric CO2 into above- and below-ground biomass, which will eventually turn into stable humus.2
Implementation notes
A grassed waterway should direct water and prevent it from becoming channelized without eroding the soil. To establish a grassed waterway, the soil surface should be smooth to allow for grass germination and to prevent flow disruptions. Waterways should be directed to a common channel.
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What is it?
Conservation crop rotation is the practice of growing different crops on the same land in a sequential rotation over time, to improve soil health and reduce pest pressure.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Planting different crops one after another replenishes soil nutrients, which keeps the soil microbiome balanced and healthy, leading to the rapid creation of organic matter and humus.2
Implementation notes
A crop rotation plan that includes cash crops, sod, cover crops, green manure crops, and catch crops helps improve soil organic matter content, encourage beneficial insect populations, manage deficient or excess plant nutrients, and control erosion.
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What is it?
Mulching is the application of woody and carbon-rich plant residues, such as woodchips, to the soil surface to prevent erosion and build soil health.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Mulching with woody residues reduces carbon loss from the soil by reducing erosion and topsoil loss. Mulching also helps maintain soil moisture and provides a source of food to sustain a healthy soil microbiome, thus stimulating the rapid production of humus.2
Implementation notes
When mulch is first applied, microbial decomposition may reduce available N in the soil. Reduce this impact by using diverse crop rotations, keeping the soil covered, and integrating cover crops.
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What is it?
Cover cropping is the practice of planting mixes of non-invasive grasses, legumes, and forbs as seasonal vegetative cover on the soil, instead of leaving the soil bare.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Cover crops reduce soil erosion, minimize soil compaction, and increase soil porosity - all of which lead to improved microbiome health and the rapid creation and maintenance of organic matter. Planting cover crops during the fallow season puts photosynthesizing plants onto ground that would have otherwise been bare. Through the process of photosynthesis, CO2 in the air turns into solid CO2 in plant biomass, and eventually into solid CO2 in the form of humus.2,3
Implementation notes
Soil organic carbon accumulation from cover crops is variable and should be combined with crop rotations and other practices to achieve optimum carbon sequestration. An ideal cover crop mix will include a mix of grasses, forbs, and legumes. Cover crop species should be selected based on your goals for the field, and can include goals such as nitrogen fixation, compaction reduction, erosion control, residue production, weed suppression, nematode control, and more.
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What is it?
Compost is decayed organic matter that is applied to soil as an organic fertilizer that provides plants with plant-available nutrients. When compost is used instead of synthetic fertilizer, it can benefit the climate in numerous ways.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Using compost in place of synthetic fertilizer prevents the release of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Additionally, the nutrients from compost are plant-available and microbe-available, helping to rapidly increase the population of soil microbes, which allows for the conversion of organic matter into stable humus in a shorter amount of time.2,3
Implementation notes
Compost application rates can be calculated using fertilizer recommendations from soil tests and compost nutrient analysis. General guidelines suggest that 10% to 25% of compost N will be plant-available during the first year of application. Care should be taken to not over-apply compost.
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What is it?
Contour buffer strips are strips of perennial vegetation planted in horizontal bands on contour, perpendicular to the slope of the land, in order to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Contour buffer strips reduce erosion and runoff, leading to reduced topsoil loss and more organic matter (carbon) staying in the soil.2
Implementation notes
Buffer strip rows should have a maximum grade of one-half percent. The width should be no less than 15 feet for grasses or grass/legume mixtures and no less than 30 feet when legumes are used alone.
What is it?
Bands of perennial vegetation (typically 20' wide or more) on the edges of crop fields that sequester CO2 from the atmosphere while also providing habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife, filtering agrochemicals and toxins before they reach water, and reducing erosion.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Field borders reduce soil erosion, helping to keep carbon in the soil. They also provide an undisturbed source of carbon sequestration on the farm.2
Implementation notes
Borders should be as wide as possible for optimum benefit. 15 to 30 foot borders are common. Ideally field borders should surround the entire crop field and connect fallow corners and provide connectivity with undisturbed areas (woods, riparian areas, etc).
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What is it?
Alley cropping is the practice of intercropping rows of crops with rows of trees to maximize production and sustainability.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
The trees in alley cropping systems store a large amount of carbon in an above-ground form, in the form of woody biomass that keeps carbon in a solid form for the duration of the life of the tree. Alley cropping also reduces carbon loss from the soil by preventing erosion and topsoil loss. The trees in alley cropping systems encourage rapid organic matter production by creating the soil conditions necessary for soil microbiology to thrive in, such as increasing soil porosity, increasing water holding capacity, and providing an abundant source of root exudates and litter to stimulate the soil microbiome, which all lead to increased organic matter production and below-ground carbon storage.2
Implementation notes
The tree and crop species should be adapted to the soils, climate, and site. Species and spacing should ensure accessibility for spraying, pruning, or harvesting. Care should be taken to choose tree and crop species that are compatible with each other and that will not overly-compete for water, nutrients, and light. Good design and an intensive and consistent management strategy are critical for the success of alley cropping systems.
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What is it?
Forest farming is the cultivation of a shade-tolerant crop (typically a high-value, specialty crop) under the shade of a forest stand or an orchard.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Forest farming prevents CO2 emissions by preserving the carbon stored in the above-ground biomass of natural forest stands, while simultaneously producing an income in the understory. As trees in the forest overstory continue to grow, they continue to sequester CO2 from the atmosphere and turn it into woody biomass.2
Implementation notes
Choose high-value crops for cultivation under the protection of a managed tree canopy such as ginseng, goldenseal, shiitake, or other mushrooms.
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What is it?
Forest gardens or food forests are closed-canopy edible forests consisting of up to seven vertical layers of edible, medicinal, or otherwise useful plants. They are designed to mimic the structure and function of natural forest stands, and can include layers such as: an overstory tree layer, an understory tree layer, a shrub layer, a crop layer, a groundcover layer, a vine layer, and a root crop layer.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
The multiple vertical layers of densely-planted plants in forest gardening systems results in maximum concentration of above-ground biomass and root concentration. Carbon is stored in these systems both in the form of above-ground woody biomass, and also below-ground roots and organic matter. The density of these plantings allows for maximized carbon storage.2
Implementation notes
Plant a large number of species for optimum diversity, with a primary focus on plants with edible or medicinal uses. It is also beneficial to incorporate plants that provide habitat for wildlife, plants that increase soil fertility such as legumes, deep rooting plants which can tap mineral sources deep in the subsoil, plants that attract predators of common pests, and plants that provide tree cover and leaf litter to improve nutrient cycling and water infiltration.
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What is it?
Silvopasture is the intentional integration of livestock, pasture, and trees into a single integrated system, in order to achieve maximum productivity on the land and livestock wellbeing.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
The tree roots, grass roots, and animal impact of silvopasture systems create the conditions for a thriving soil microbiome, which leads to the rapid production of below-ground carbon storage in the form of humus. The healthy soil conditions created by silvopasture include increased soil porosity, increased water holding capacity, an abundance of root litter and root exudates, innoculation from the bacteria in cow manure, and more. Additionally, the woody biomass of trees in silvopasture systems stores above-ground carbon for the duration of the life of the tree. Trees also reduce carbon loss by preventing soil erosion and topsoil loss.2
Implementation notes
Establishment can occur by thinning existing overstory forest and planting pasture into it, or by planting new trees into pasture. The pasture component should consist of shade-tolerant pasture, and trees should be spaced to provide 25-60% shade.
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What is it?
Windbreaks are linear plantings of trees and shrubs in 1-3 rows on the edges of fields, to reduce wind, evenly-distribute snowfall, prevent pesticide drift, and provide natural habitat.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Windbreaks prevent carbon loss from the soil by preventing wind erosion and subsequent topsoil loss. Tree roots also increase below-ground carbon storage in the form of organic matter by improving the conditions for the soil microbiome to thrive in, such as increasing soil porosity, increasing infiltration and water holding capacity, and providing a source of nutrients through tree root litter and exudates. Additionally, the woody biomass of trees in windbreaks stores carbon in the form of above-ground biomass for the duration of the life of the tree.2
Implementation notes
Plant 1-3 rows of trees planted perpendicular to prevailing winds. Use windrose datasets to determine prevailing wind direction. The windbreak length should be at least 10 times the height of trees, and trees should be spaced so that there is 40-60% foliage density. It is critical that there are no gaps in vegetation in order for the windbreak to be functional.
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What is it?
Hedgerows are strips of native or naturalized perennial trees, shrubs, and forbs planted on field edges to provide habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects, reduce wind, and help store carbon.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
The woody perennials in hedgerow plantings store carbon in the form of above-ground biomass for the duration of the life of the tree or shrub.2
Implementation notes
One to three rows of plants are ideal in hedgerow plantings. Select native trees and shrubs that flower at varying times of the year in order to support the widest variety of wildlife, pollinators, and other beneficial insects. Reserve at least one half-acre for every 40 acres planted in crops for pollinators.
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What is it?
Riparian forest buffers are bands of trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses at different widths along streambanks and waterways.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Riparian forest buffers reduce soil carbon loss by preventing erosion and topsoil loss. Additionally, tree, forb, and grass roots improve soil porosity and water holding capacity, and provide root litter and exudates to stimulate the soil microbiome, leading to increased organic matter and below-ground carbon storage. The woody biomass of trees and shrubs in riparian forest buffers also stores carbon in the form of above-ground biomass for the duration of the life of the tree.2
Implementation notes
Design buffer width based off your goals, whether they be pollution removal, sediment filtration, or wildlife habitat. Other factors that should be considered in the design are field length, slope, soil texture, pollutant type, and C-factor (based off the Universal Soil Loss Equation and determined by floor management practice employed).
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What is it?
Land preservation involves the establishment of trees, shrubs, and grasses on land to maintain it as an undisturbed natural area for wildlife habitat and carbon sequestration.1
How is it climate-beneficial?
Converting land into woody vegetated zones sequesters CO2 from the air and converts it into both above-ground carbon in the form of woody biomass, and below-ground carbon in the form of humus.2,3
Implementation notes
Four principles for afforestation are: (1) plantings should enhance local economies; (2) plantings should not replace native ecosystems; (3) plantings should promote landscape heterogeneity and biological diversity; and (4) plantings should show a distinction in monitoring between residual carbon stocks and newly established carbon stocks.
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