Iowa Learning Farms virtual field day is scheduled for Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. CST

Iowa Learning Farms will host a virtual field day on Thursday, Feb. 26, at 1 p.m. CST. The event, which is available at no cost, will feature a live discussion with Billy Beck, associate professor and extension forestry specialist at Iowa State University; Michelle Soupir, professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering at Iowa State; and Clarisse Siababa, Fulbright Scholar and agricultural and biosystems engineering graduate research assistant at Iowa State.

The virtual field day aims to highlight how woodland management and woodchip bioreactors can work together to reduce nitrate and improve water quality.

“If you came to Iowa 200 years ago, you would have seen a prairie, woodland and wetland system. But today, you'll see a highly agricultural production system. The difference is that tile drainage has been installed to manage the moisture content in the soil to allow crop production,” said Soupir. “While tile is very important, it has also created a situation where water is able to move through the system, collect nitrate and move offsite rather quickly.”

Through an innovative research and demonstration project support by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the team is exploring how traditionally low-value timber species perform in woodchip bioreactors to meet both landowner woodland management and statewide water quality goals.

“We have nearly three million acres of woodlands in the state, and of those, 85% are privately owned and passively managed,” commented Beck. “We need more of our acres to be actively managed to be resilient and for these woodlands to provide all their ecosystem goods and services.”

Any person interested in woodland management or water quality is welcome to attend the virtual field day. Participants are also encouraged to bring any questions they would like to ask.

To participate in the Iowa Learning Farms Field Day "Forestry On Tap: Microbiome, Local Wood Resources and Bioreactors," join the live virtual field day online or join from a dial-in phone line (dial 646-876-9923 or 646-931-3860, with meeting ID 914 1198 4892). The field day will be recorded and archived on the ILF Virtual Field Day Archive for future viewing.

Participants may be eligible for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit. Information about how to apply for and receive the CEU will be provided at the end of the event.

This event is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through grant award 2024-68016-42660.

About Iowa Learning Farms

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, EPA Section 319 Grant Program, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and GROWMARK Inc.