This document discusses the benefits of cover cropping systems for soil health, erosion control, water quality, and wildlife habitat. It notes that cover cropping can increase populations of quail, pheasants, and pollinators by providing food and habitat. Cover crops benefit soil health by reducing erosion, improving nutrient retention, and increasing soil organic matter. Selecting cover crop species that provide flowering resources supports pollinator populations. The document advocates establishing polycultures of cover crops to maximize these benefits and outlines factors to consider for improving wildlife habitat through cover cropping.

1. Ray Wright
Research Specialist
University of Missouri-Columbia

2.  The Great Plow Up (Suitcase
Farmers)
 Fence Row to Fence Row
(Feed The World)
 Bio Tech., Roundup, Stacked
Traits (Product Efficiency)
 Remote Censoring, GPS
Guided Systems Variable
Seeding Rates (Equipment
Efficiency)
 Cover Cropping Systems
(Soil Health)

3.  Erosion
 Soil Health Exhaustion
 Water Quality Issues
 Declines in Wildlife Viability and Population
Stability
 Correction Opportunities

4.  Cover cropping systems
 Benefit Erosion
 Benefit Soil Health
 Benefit Weed Suppression
 Nutrient Management and Stabilization
 Benefits Water Resources
- In soil Profile
- Filters Runoff and Ground Water Resources
 Increased Habitat for Wildlife

5.  Quail
 Pheasants
 Pollinators

6. 0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
QuailHarvested
Year
Quail Harvested in Illinois

7.  “The loss of basic habitat requirements in our landscapes such as floral
resources other than flowering crops that provide food to pollinators.”
Goulson, D. et al. 2008. Decline and conservation of bumble bees. Annual
Review of Entomology 53: 191-208

8.  Increasing Areas Available for Wildlife Use
-Traditional Seasonal Habitat, i.e. Crops
-Increasing the Time Seasonal Habitats are
Available for Wildlife, i.e. Cover Crops
 Planting Cover Crops that Promote Critical
Habitat Needs of Wildlife
- Polycultures (Three or More)
- Cover Crop Species Selection

9.  Nesting Cover
 Brood Rearing Cover
 Escape Cover
 Food Availability
 Balance of Habitat
Missouri Bobwhite Quail Habitat Appraisal Guide:
Robert Pierce, Extension Wildlife Specialist-UMC , Bill
White, Private Lands Programs Supervisor-MDC and Pat
Graham, State Biologist USDA- NRCS

10.  Selection of cover crop species which provide
critical habitat and soil health benefits
 Cover crop planting methods resulting in
maximum stand development therefore
providing optimal soil health improvements
while benefiting wildlife use.
 Timely termination of cover crop for
production agriculture.

11. POLYCULTURES FLOWERING

12.  2013 Corn yield after
Cover Crops
Corn
Treatment Yield
Bu/acre
Control 175
Hairy Vetch 199
Crimson Clover 165
Radish 174
Cereal Rye 175
Hairy Vetch+Rye 187
Crimson Clv. +Rye 181
Radish + Rye 173
Rye+Radish+HV+CC 174

16.  Nesting study
 Summer cover crop rate study
 Cover crop date of planting study

17. Planting Technique Cover Crop Type % Nest Success
30” Row Spacing Summer 41
30” Row Spacing Summer 100
30” Row Spacing Fall 44
30” Row Spacing Fall/Mowed 0
15” Row Spacing None 0
 Summer Cover Crop : Sunflower, Sesbania, Winter Pea, Hairy Vetch,
Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover
 Fall Cover Crop : Winter Pea, Hairy vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover

18.  Soil and Water Conservation Society Mission:
Our mission is to foster the science and art of natural resource
conservation. Our work targets conservation of soil, water, and related
natural resources on working land—the land used to produce food, fiber,
and other services that improve the quality of life people experience in
rural and urban communities. We work to discover, develop, implement,
and constantly improve ways to use land that sustains its productive
capacity and enhances the environment at the same time

19.  Private Lands Efforts Are Reestablishing Habitat
 In Iowa land in public ownership is very limited. Public areas can only serve as islands of wildlife habitat in a landscape dominated by row crops
and urban sprawl. As a result, fulfilling the habitat needs of the state's diverse wildlife species requires natural resources and wildlife habitat be
reestablished and/or protected on private lands.
Toward that end, the Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau maintains a Private Lands Program with a focused effort to enroll landowners in conservation
programs across the state. Using 5 Private Lands Biologists, 5 Wildlife Specialists, 4 AmeriCorps members, and 5 Habitat Specialist stationed in local
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) offices, the efforts of the state's 20 management biologists are greatly enhanced.
The Iowa DNR coordinates its efforts with those of the NRCS, Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). It
also is receiving assistance from and working cooperatively with many non-government organizations such as Pheasants Forever and The Nature
Conservancy in its effort to get the habitat back on the land.
This private lands effort involves contacting and advising landowners about possible conservation practices that could be put into place on their
lands. Wetlands are designed, shelterbelts and winter food plots are developed and planted, native grass seedings and tree plantings are designed.
Funding to get these designed practices on the ground comes from the USDA, IDNR, and private organizations.
Technical Assistance Restoring Wetlands
The Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau provides technical expertise to landowners interested in restoring wetlands on their property. Private Lands
Biologists are able to assist landowners in evaluating their properties potential for wetland restoration, setting goals and identifying priorities for
their land. Wildlife Bureau biologists can also assist landowners by identifying potential partners and federal programs that can help the landowner
construct and cover costs of restoring wetlands. Many public Wildlife Management Areas provide examples of the benefits that can be accrued by
restoring wetlands. Dugout Creek is one such public wetland that was restored in Dickinson County.
Technical Assistance Restoring/Establishing Grasslands
Historically, much of Iowa was a large expanse of tall grass prairie. Today, only small protected remnants of the tall grass prairie remain. The tall
grass prairie was once home to a great diversity of wildlife species including Bison and Elk. Though our needs for agriculture preclude a return to
pre-settlement expanses of tall grass prairie, the potential to restore portions of this once great ecosystem remains especially for private landowners
who wish to have purple cone flower and bobolinks on their property, and for landowners who wish to improve habitat for pheasants, quail and
hungarian partridge.
For these landowners interested in restoring and enhancing grasslands on their property, the Iowa DNR can provide technical assistance.
Management biologists can assist landowners in evaluating their properties potential for grassland restoration, setting goals and identifying
priorities for their land. Iowa DNR biologists can also assist landowners by identifying potential partners and federal programs that can help the
landowner seed and generate income by restoring grasslands and other sorts of wildlife habitat.
Iowa Department of
Natural Resources
This private lands effort involves contacting and advising landowners about
possible conservation practices that could be put into place on their lands.
Wetlands are designed, shelterbelts and winter food plots are developed and
planted, native grass seedings and tree plantings are designed. Funding to get
these designed practices on the ground comes from the USDA, IDNR, and
private organizations.

20.  Our opportunities have never been better for
the merger of conservation and agriculture.
Our goal should be to find the most practical
applications to incorporate modern agriculture
and conservation. Cover cropping systems
can potentially be the best way we have seen to
accomplish this goal.

23.  Pollinator Use of Ecotypes vs.
Non-Ecotype Native Plants:
Missouri Department of
Conservation
 Alternative Native Planting for
Newly Established Water
Ways: Missouri Department of
Conservation
 Building Drought Resiliency
through Soil Health:
Conservation Innovation Grant
 Building Potential Wildlife
Habitat Through Planned
Cover Cropping Systems:
National Wildlife Foundation