Land Stewardship Project

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Past LSP Projects

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Over the years, the Land Stewardship Project has been involved with on-the-ground research projects about our food and farming system. As a way of archiving some of this work and documenting long-term initiatives, this page summarizes past projects LSP has been involved with. It also provides summary reports of ongoing initiatives.

Chippewa 10% Project

The Chippewa 10% Project was launched in 2010 and wrapped up in 2018. During the fall of 2020, LSP’s George Boody wrote a report summarizing the Project’s context and approaches, as well as what short term and long terms impacts it’s had. Download the report, The 10% Solution in Minnesota’s Chippewa River Basin, here.

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis is a special report on the “Multiple Benefits of Agriculture” analysis, which was conducted over a three-year period in southeastern Minnesota’s Wells Creek watershed, and a sub-watershed of the Chippewa River, in western Minnesota. Biologists, economists, and rural sociologists from the U.S. Geological Survey, University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Bemidji State University and Iowa State University conducted the study. The Land Stewardship Project coordinated the research; the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy also participated in the analysis.

Four scenarios were examined in the watersheds, ranging from continuing current trends of fewer farms raising increasing acres of row crops, to converting a significant number of acres to grass and forage-based farming and utilizing other perennial systems such as wetlands. Under this last scenario, sediment levels in the waters of Wells Creek and the Chippewa River dropped 84% and 49% respectively. Nitrogen in the water, which can be a major pollution problem, plummeted by 74% in Wells Creek and 62% in the Chippewa under that scenario. These environmental benefits occurred even as the number of dairy cattle was increased from 5,427 to 12,212 in Wells Creek, and 271 to 911 in the Chippewa sub-watershed study areas, under the scenarios.

The Multiple Benefits of Agriculture: An Economic and Social Analysis report is available here.

Building the Bridge to Soil Health

In October 2020, a special LSP report was published: Building the Bridge to Soil Health: The Power of Organizing Farmer-to-Farmer Engagement. It describes the organization’s experience with launching the Bridge to Soil Health initiative in Minnesota. The report is available here.

The Monitoring Tool Box

In 1993, LSP convened a group of farmers, researchers, and natural resource professionals to create the “Biological, Financial and Social Monitoring Project.” This initiative, which developed a set of indicators for determining the ecological, economic, and social sustainability of farms, went on to have a tremendous influence on various aspects of the regenerative agriculture movement. Everything from state and federal policy to beginning farmer training to innovative watershed management and scientific research has been impacted by this project.

One result of this project was the Monitoring Tool Box, a resource developed for farmers and natural resource professionals to monitor the sustainability of various land use practices. To download a copy of the Tool Box, click here.

 

Contact

Brian DeVore, LSP managing editor, e-mail, 612-816-9342

 

 

  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Long Range Plan
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
    • Past LSP Projects
    • LSP Publications
  • Join, Donate, or Renew
  • Building People Power

Upcoming Events

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May 2022

Wednesday May 18

4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
LSP Food Systems Virtual Listening Session
LSP Food Systems Virtual Listening Session
Wednesday May 18
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm

The Land Stewardship Project will hold a virtual listening session on regional food systems. Register here.

Thursday May 19

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP Grazing Group Pasture Walk
LSP Grazing Group Pasture Walk
Thursday May 19
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP will hold a Grazing Group Pasture Walk at Oak Creek Pastures in Ossian, Iowa. Sign-in for this free event begins at 4:45 p.m. Supper will be provided; suggested $3-$5 meal contribution.

Scott & Amanda Holthaus of Oak Creek Pastures are hosting a pasture walk for area graziers to show cattle grazing on crop-ground planted last fall to a diverse winter cover mix (rye, vetch, triticale, winter barley) and results of winter bale grazing on permanent pasture. There will be a discussion around fencing and watering considerations for maximizing grazing days.
 
Register at https://secure.everyaction.com/aYx1CibrAUaEu0XVPjqlIw2.

Friday May 20

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Farm Bill Listening Session for Retiring Farmers, Non-operating Landowners
Farm Bill Listening Session for Retiring Farmers, Non-operating Landowners
Friday May 20
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join the Land Stewardship Project on Friday, May 20, from noon-1 p.m., for a virtual conversation with other retiring farmers and non-operating landowners to discuss how federal policy could better support your efforts to build a more just and resilient agricultural system. To register, click here.

Saturday May 21

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Farmer Fiesta at Whitewater State Park
Farmer Fiesta at Whitewater State Park
Saturday May 21
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Get to know other farmers and learn about conservation programs while enjoying a build-your-own taco bar with locally grown foods and ice cream served by the Winona County Dairy Princess. After supper, area farmer and soil conservationist Martin Larsen will share his experiences caving below the farm fields of southeastern Minnesota. Reserve a spot for this free Friends of Whitewater State Park event by e-mailing sara.holger@state.mn.us or calling 507-312-2308.

Tuesday May 24

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
LSP Food Systems In-Person Listening Session
LSP Food Systems In-Person Listening Session
Tuesday May 24
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

The Land Stewardship Project will be holding an in-person listening session on regional food systems in Montevideo, Minn. Register here.

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Montevideo

117 South First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

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https://landstewardshipproject.org/past-lsp-projects