Present Day: The Status of Conservation
By the 1950s, conservation had grown far beyond the soil. What started as a fight to save the land evolved into a broader mission.
Click each image below to explore today’s areas of focus in conservation.
Soil
- Soil is the backbone of America’s vitality. Private landowners play a key role in conserving and improving soil through locally led conservation efforts.
- Soil health principles and practices include:
- No-till farming
- Cover cropping
- Range planting
- Diverse crop rotations
- Heavy use area protection
Water & Watersheds
- Healthy watersheds filter and store water, prevent flooding, and support wildlife habitat. Conservation efforts protect both water quantity and quality.
- Common practices include:
- Nutrient management
- Irrigation efficiency measures
- Filter strips
- Water and sediment control basins
- Streambank restoration
- Flood control and dam rehabilitation
Plants
- Plants are powerful conservation tools. They stabilize soil, protect streambanks, filter pollutants, and provide essential habitat for wildlife.
- Plant-based practices include:
- Field borders
- Grassed waterways and other water conveyances
- Conservation cover
Forestry
- Privately owned forests make up the majority of forested land in the United States. These working forests are essential for clean air and water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and rural livelihoods.
- Forestry conservation practices include:
- Forest management plans
- Timber stand improvement
- Riparian forest buffers
- Forest stand improvement
- Windbreak/shelterbelt planting and renovation
- Prescribed fire
Livestock and Grazing Lands
- Livestock and land management work hand in hand to sustain healthy, balanced grazing lands that also support abundant wildlife habitat. Conservation practices help reduce soil erosion, promote forage growth, and improve water quality.
- Common practices include:
- Stream crossings
- Livestock pipelines
- Prescribed and rotational grazing
Air, Energy, and Climate
- Healthy air, efficient energy use, and climate are all connected. Reducing emissions, improving efficiency, and adapting to change protect both the environment and agricultural livelihoods.
- Key efforts include:
- Air Quality Initiative and USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force
- Energy estimator tools for irrigation, tillage, and animal housing
- Practices such as those supported by the Inflation Reduction Act for climate adaptation and mitigation
Wildlife and Invasive Species
- Wildlife conservation helps restore ecosystems, while managing invasive species and pests protects those same habitats from harm. Integrating wildlife-friendly practices helps restore and protect landscapes for wildlife to thrive.
- Conservation practices include:
- Establishing conservation cover and native plantings
- Implementing grassland and wetland reserve easements
- Managing invasive plants and pests
- Brush management
- Assessing environmental risks of pest control activities to soil, water, air, plants, and animals
“From every conceivable angle - economic, social, cultural, public health, national defense - conservation of natural resources is an objective on which all should agree.”
– Hugh Hammond Bennett
“From every conceivable angle - economic, social, cultural, public health, national defense - conservation of natural resources is an objective on which all should agree.”
– Hugh Hammond Bennett