___________________________________________________

Constructed wetland and bioreactor effectiveness project – (National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) – Competitive). Helps answer: “How can nitrate discharges from row crops be most effectively reduced using constructed wetlands and bioreactors?”. (Multiple products 2014 - 2015).

Assessing the regional economic impacts of CRP and other USDA conservation programs on Outdoor Recreational Sector – (Colorado State University). Helps answer: “What is the impact of CRP and other conservation program enrollment on the rural economy?” A particular focus will be on outdoor recreation income and employment in the Northern Plains. (Dec. 2014)

Refining CRP pollinator cover practice – (Pollinator Partnership). Helps answer: “How can pollinator habitat be cost-effectively established under CRP?” This project focuses on the effects of various practices on pollinator populations. (Oct. 2013)

Northern Prairie Integrated Landscape Model (ILM) - (US Geological Survey Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (USGS - NPWRC) and others). USGS has quantified numerous CRP environmental benefits in the Northern Plains. With this funding, USGS will assess the pollinator habitat effects of CRP and develop a tool that integrates these considerations to help FSA identify the most suitable land for enrollment. (Dec. 2013)

Estimating water quantity benefits of CRP – (USGS – Cooperative Research Unit - Texas Tech University). Helps answer: “To what extent does CRP help conserve groundwater in the Southern High Plains?” The study expands Texas Tech University’s prior work on Texas (showing profound impacts) to include Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. (May 2013)

Estimating benefits of CRP on flooded landscapes – (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Helps answer: “To what degree does CRP enrollment moderate flood damage, thus protecting people and property?” This project investigates the potential for CRP enrollment to restore hydrological function in the Mississippi Delta and Gulf regions. (Dec. 2013)

Assessing the effect of routine grazing on CRP covers – (USGS - Ft Collins). Helps answer: “How does routine grazing of CRP affect vegetation and grassland bird, pollinator, and other wildlife habitat?” This project builds upon invaluable USGS responses to past USDA requests for assistance. (Multiple products, 2013-2014)

Measuring wildlife and biodiversity impacts of CRP acres – (NatureServe). Helps answer: “What types of tracts have the biggest impact on wildlife diversity and abundance when enrolled in CRP”? (Dec. 2013)

Ensuring CRP success in the shortgrass prairie – (Colorado State University). This analysis will identify and document the enhanced management required for native grasses that have proven a challenge to re-establish. (Ongoing, 3 articles accepted for publication)

Targeting Conservation Programs to Maximize Wildlife Habitat, Water Quality, and Flooding in Minnesota’s Agricultural Landscapes – (USFWS – Habitat and Population Evaluation Team - Fergus Falls, MN). Multi-agency effort to develop GIS based tool to identify shared conservation goals and target priority sites. (Dec. 2013)

Pollination Services from Playa Lakes (USGS - Cooperative Research Unit – Oklahoma State University) - Identification, analysis and inventory of CRP pollinators and pollen, Pollinator sampling on CRP, integrating CRP into High Plains landscape, and including CRP pollinator samples into pollinator library. This is a collaborative effort with USGS, to identify native and introduced pollinators and their vegetative hosts on Playa Lakes in CRP and cropland landscapes, and a key element in broader efforts to quantify pollinator benefits from conservation and conservation’s effects on biodiversity. (Dec. 2014)

Illinois Wetlands Study (The Nature Conservancy) - Will measure water quality at constructed wetland inlet and outlets and monitor instream water quality for a watersheds with and without constructed wetlands. (March 2015)

Lesser Prairie Chicken Study (USGS – Cooperative Research Unit - Kansas State University) - Monitor Lesser Prairie Chicken (LEPC) population response to changing CRP enrollment and assess CRP targeting for enhanced LEPC habitat. (Sept. 2014)

Saturated Buffer Effectiveness Monitoring (Agricultural Drainage Management Coalition) - Monitor the effectiveness of saturated buffers in reducing nutrient loading from tile drainage systems into waterways. (March 2015)

Estimate effect of CRP, WRP, GRP, and USFWS programs on Waterfowl and Grassland Birds (USFWS - Habitat and Population Evaluation Team – Bismarck, ND) - Integrated study of individual and aggregated effects of Federal Conservation Programs on 9 waterfowl and 11 grassland bird species. (Dec. 2014)