Conservation at Work is a project aimed at introducing farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners to conservation practices that they can implement on their private lands. USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service has been helping people help their land for almost 90 years, and in that time it's helped producers improve the quality of the soil and water we rely on to feed the nation.
The 30 conservation practices featured in these videos and postcards are among the most popular and effective practices that NRCS helps to implement.
These videos shine the spotlight on farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners from across the U.S. who tell us their own conservation stories, and how practices are helping them protect and improve resources and save time and money.
Housed on YouTube and featured on farmers.gov, the videos are a powerful way to help educate our customers, partners, and the general public, by sharing the conservation successes for our customers. They are useful as a tool in our approximately 3,000 offices across the country.
Current videos highlight practices such as high tunnels, micro irrigation, waste storage, nutrient management, rotational grazing, cover crops, wetland restoration and many others.
In addition, each practice highlighted in the videos has an accompanying postcard that can be a great compliment to the series. These can be downloaded and printed for placement at exhibits, field offices, etc.
By sharing the conservation successes of our customers and the value of these practices, these videos help our staff educate our customers and the general public and motivate more farmers and landowners to consider conservation.
An animal mortality facility is built for the treatment or disposal of animal carcasses. This video explores how Terry Small of Hector, AR, built one on his poultry farm
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Protects water quality
2. Controls pathogens
3. Reduces odor
4. Decreases disease
5. Improves animal health
Brush Management is removing woody species from rangeland or grassland. This video explores how Dan Doornbos in Alder, MT, is using this practice to improve his rangeland, increasing his forage and improving wildlife habitat.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases forage
2. Reduces erosion
3. Improves infiltration
4. Improves wildlife habitat
5. Improves carbon sequestration
Conservation crop rotation is growing crops in a planned sequence on the same field. This video explores how Don Norwood of Mansfield, TN, is using this practice to improve his cropland by protecting his soil health.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Decreases erosion
2. Improves water quality
3. Improves soil health
4. Decreases weeds
5. Reduces pests and diseases
A Cover Crop is a non-cash crop planted to keep ground covered. This video explores how Charlie Roberts in Halls, TN is using this practice to protect soil health and increase water infiltration on his cropland.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Decreases erosion
2. Improves soil health
3. Decreases soil compaction
4. Reduces evaporation
5. Reduces input cost
A fence is a constructed barrier to animals or people. This video explores how Paul Lisai of West Glover, VT, is using fencing to manage the cattle on his dairy farm.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces erosion
2. Confines compaction
3. Improves water quality
4. Improves vegetation
5. Improves livestock distribution
Forage and biomass planting is used to create additional feed for livestock. This video explores how Kenny Sites of Sheridan, AR, is using this practice to support his grazing plan.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases forage
2. Improves herd health
3. Decreases feed cost
4. Reduces erosion
5. Protects water quality
Forest Stand Improvement is managing the composition of a forest by removing selected plants and trees. This video explores how John Chandler in Camino, CA, is using this practice to thin his forest, improving its usability and reducing the risk of fire.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves productivity
2. Reduces fire risk
3. Improves water quality
4. Increases carbon storage
5. Reduces susceptibility to pests
A Grade Stabilization Structure controls the grade in a channel. This video explores how Vern Kimber in Tillamook, OR, is using this practice to control the flow of water in his stream, preventing flooding and allowing salmon to use the stream.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases water quality
2. Reduces erosion
3. Improves wildlife habitat
4. Reduces flooding
5. Reduces sedimentation
A Grassed Waterway is a shaped channel planted to grass or other suitable vegetation to reduce the speed of water runoff. This video explores how Delaware Wildlands in Townsend, DE, is using this practice to reduce erosion and provide wildlife and pollinator habitat on their land.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Decreases erosion
2. Improves water quality
3. Increases runoff filtration
4. Reduces pollution
5. Improves soil
A High Tunnel (also featured at the top) is an unheated, plastic-covered structure to protect crops from unfavorable growing conditions. This video explores how Keu Y Moua in Fresno, CA, is using this practice to extend the growing season and grow specialty crops on her land.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Extends growing season
2. Improves plant health
3. Improves irrigation efficiency
4. Increases profitability
5. Saves time and labor
An irrigation pipeline conveys water for storage or application as part of an irrigation system. This video explores how Steve Burke of Sheridan, MT, uses this practice on his cattle, hay, and grain operation.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves efficiency
2. Reduces erosion
3. Reduces labor
4. Reduces energy use
5. Decreases water loss
An irrigation reservoir stores water to be used in irrigation. This video explores how Robert and Cathy Seidenstricker of DeValls Bluff, AR, built this to support their row crops.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases water availability
2. Reduces erosion
3. Improves irrigation efficiency
4. Reduces water and energy use
5. Provides water storage
Irrigation water management is paired with irrigation systems to ensure efficiency This video explores how Raghbir Atwal of Yuba City, is using irrigation water management on his orchard.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces compaction
2. Improves water delivery
3. Reduces runoff
4. Reduces water and energy use
5. Increases yields
A livestock pipeline conveys water for livestock or wildlife. This video explores how George McClelland of Petaluma, CA, uses this practice as part of his rotational grazing plan on his organic dairy farm.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves livestock distribution
2. Decreases erosion
3. Improves water delivery
4. Improves riparian areas
5. Improves wildlife habitat
Microirrigation is a way to deliver small amounts of water to specific areas. This video explores how Raghbir Atwal in Yuba City, CA, is using this practice to reduce water use and improve tree health on his orchard.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces compaction
2. Improves water delivery
3. Reduces runoff
4. Reduces water and energy use
5. Increases yields
No Till is maintaining crop residue throughout the year and planting directly into it. This video explores how Blaine Hitchens in Laurel, DE, is using this practice on his cropland to improve his soil health and reduce his input costs.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Decreases erosion
2. Reduces input cost
3. Improves soil health
4. Reduces soil compaction
5. Reduces evaporation
Nutrient Management is managing the use of nutrients to reduce environmental impacts. This video explores how Guy Choiniere in Highgate Center, VT, is using this practice to create a dry manure system to feed the soil on his certified organic farm.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves soil
2. Reduces salinity
3. Improves water quality
4. Reduces input cost
5. Improves plant health
A pond is an embankment that holds water. This video explores how Dave Budeau of Turner, OR, constructed a pond to build wetland habitat on his land.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces erosion
2. Provides water storage
3. Improves water quality
4. Reduces runoff
5. Improves wildilfe habitat
Prescribed Grazing is managing grazing animals’ harvest of vegetation. This video explores how Kenny Sites in Sheridan, AR, is using this practice to manage the cattle on his ranch, increasing the utilization of the forage and increasing the stocking rate.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases forage
2. Improves herd health
3. Decreases feed cost
4. Limits runoff
5. Increases forage
Precision land forming, also known as irrigation land leveling, is reshaping the surface of land that will be irrigated. This video explores how Robert and Cathy Seidenstricker of DeValls Bluff, AR, used this practice on their cropland to improve their irrigation efficiency and water use.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases infiltration
2. Reduces ponding
3. Improves irrigation efficiency
4. Reduces water & energy use
5. Limits runoff
A pumping stating delivers water at a specific rate and pressure. This video explores how Daniel Keudell of Aumsville, OR, worked with NRCS to update his irrigation system and install variable frequency drives.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases yields
2. Reduces water use
3. Improves irrigation efficiency
4. Decreases energy use
5. Reduces erosion
A Sprinkler System is an irrigation system to efficiently apply water. This video explores how Daniel Keudell in Aumsville, OR, is using this practice to apply water to his crops, reducing runoff and the amount of water he uses.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Increases yield
2. Reduces erosion
3. Improves irrigation efficiency
4. Reduces water and energy use
5. Limits runoff
Trails and Walkways are paths that facilitate access while protecting the environment. This video explores how Paul Lisai in West Glover, VT, is using this practice to help his cattle reach grazing land while protecting the environment at his dairy.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces erosion
2. Confines compaction
3. Improves water quality
4. Improves vegetation
5. Improves cattle distribution
Tree/Shrub Establishment is planting trees or shrubs. This video explores how Larry Brown of Ennis, MT, planted trees to benefit his honey bees and other pollinators.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces erosion
2. Improves soil health
3. Reduces compaction
4. Provides shade
5. Improves wildlife habitat
A Waste Storage Facility temporarily stores waste and allows flexibility in waste management. This video explores how Dave Conant in Richmond, VT, is using this practice to protect groundwater and reduce odor on his dairy.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Decreases soil compaction
2. Limits runoff
3. Reduces threat to surface groundwater
4. Decreases odor
5. Reduces soil damage
A waste transfer system moves waste from where it's produced to where it will be used or treated. This video explores how Dave Conant of Richmond, VT, uses waste transfer to support his dairy operation and efficiently apply manure to his land.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces odor
2. Increases yields
3. Decreases soil contamination
4. Increases soil moisture
5. Minimizes fuel use
A Water and Sediment Control Basin, often called a “Catch Basin,” is an earth embankment to manage runoff and reduce erosion. This video explores how Kim Johnson in Paris, TN, is using this practice to reduce gully erosion on her cropland.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Reduces runoff
2. Improves water control
3. Retains sediment
4. Improves water quality
5. Reduces gully erosion
A water well is a hole constructed to give access to groundwater. This video explores how Dan Doornbos of Alder, MT, uses a water well to support the grazing plan on his cattle ranch.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves livestock distribution
2. Decreases erosion
3. Improves water delivery
4. Improves riparian areas
5. Reduces water and energy use
A watering facility is installed to provide a location for livestock to drink water. This video explores how George McClelland of Petaluma, CA, uses this practice to support the grazing plan on his organic dairy farm.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves livestock distribution
2. Decreases erosion
3. Improves water delivery
4. Improves riparian areas
5. Improves wildlife habitat
Wetland Restoration is returning a former or degraded wetland to its previous wetland condition. This video explores how Nathan Hudson in Laurel, DE, is using this practice to return farmland to its original condition as a wetland, providing wildlife habitat and improving water quality.
Major benefits of this practice include:
1. Improves water quality
2. Provides wildlife habitat
3. Reduces flood risk
4. Captures nutrients and pesticides
5. Increases water infiltration
For more information, visit farmers.gov/conserve/conservationatwork
The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
