Conservation field days have been announced for the week of September 13. For more information about recently announced field days, visit here.
What's the Buzz? Exploring the Impact of Prairie Strips and Pollinators
Thursday, September 23 (1 pm)
Virtual Field Day
Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, and Conservation Learning Group (CLG), is hosting a free virtual field day discussing the impact of prairie STRIPS (Science-Based Trails of Rowcrops Integrated Prairie Strips) on September 23 at 1 p.m. CDT. Join us for a live discussion with Randall Cass, Iowa State University (ISU) bee extension specialist, Amy Toth, ISU professor of entomology, and Kate Borchardt, ISU department of ecology, evolution and organismal biology graduate student.
Prairie strips are strategically placed native prairie plantings in crop fields to improve soil health and water quality, as well as providing critical habitat for wildlife and pollinators. The practice began as experimental plots at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in 2007 and increasingly on commercial farms across Iowa.
Prairie strips provide both abundant and diverse flowering plants to agricultural landscapes, which are essential for supporting honey bees and conserving wild bees and butterflies. Flowers provide critical food resources for these insects: nectar for adult bees and butterflies, and pollen for the young bees. Furthermore, a growing body of scientific literature indicates that bee health is improved when they are provided a diverse diet of plants.
To participate in the live virtual field day, click this URL: https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpduihpj8iE9ZHcjpsenc2DWQILG41wg0D