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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #387081
Research Project: Improving Forage and Bioenergy Plants and Production Systems for the Central U.S.

Location: Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research

Title: Establishing and managing warm-season grasses for conservation buffers

Author
item Mitchell, Robert - Rob
item Schmer, Marty
item Jin, Virginia
item REDFEARN, DAREN - University Of Nebraska
item GLEWEN, KEITH - University Of Nebraska
item HAY, JOHN - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: Extension Publications
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/29/2021
Publication Date: 9/29/2021
Citation: Mitchell, R., Schmer, M.R., Jin, V.L., Redfearn, D., Glewen, K., Hay, J. 2021. Establishing and managing warm-season grasses for conservation buffers. Extension Publications. https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/ec3056.pdf.

Interpretive Summary: Conservation buffers are small strips of land in perennial vegetation designed to buffer the landscape against the negative effects of water moving across the land. Conservation buffers increase soil organic matter and reduce erosion by slowing water runoff and trapping sediment, resulting in the interception of fertilizers and pesticides and enhanced water infiltration. Properly installed and managed buffer strips can remove 50% or more of the nutrients and pesticides, remove 60% or more of certain pathogens, and remove 75% or more of the sediment in runoff water. Although these responses are striking, they don’t come without a cost. Taking cropland out of production still requires the landowner to pay property taxes. Properly establishing and managing conservation buffers increases their ability to rapidly provide long-term environmental benefits.

Technical Abstract: Conservation buffers go by many different names depending on the field location, type of vegetation planted, and primary purpose of the intended planting. Whether the conservation buffers are called vegetated filter strips, contour strips, buffer strips, riparian buffers, grass buffers, grass hedges, or grassed waterways, these small strips of land in permanent vegetation are designed to buffer the landscape against the negative effects of water moving across the land. Conservation buffers increase soil organic matter and reduce erosion by slowing water runoff and trapping sediment, resulting in the interception of fertilizers and pesticides and enhanced water infiltration. According to the NRCS, properly installed and maintained buffer strips can remove 50% or more of the nutrients and pesticides, remove 60% or more of certain pathogens, and remove 75% or more of the sediment in runoff water. In eastern Nebraska, planting 28” wide grass hedges of switchgrass in corn fields reduced runoff by an average of 52% and sediment loss by 53%. Although these responses are striking, they don’t come without a cost. Taking cropland out of production still requires the landowner to pay property taxes, which can be as high as $120 per acre in eastern Nebraska. Properly establishing and managing conservation buffers increases their ability to rapidly provide long-term environmental benefits.