Projects Demonstrating Ecological Approaches
to Agriculture at the Watershed and Landscape Level
Sugar Creek Watershed
Restoration – A Community Based Approach to Ecosystem
Management
A stakeholder watershed alliance of
farmers, university and agencies was formed in response to the
Ohio EPA’s selection of the Sugar Creek as a target for planning
and restoration because it is the second most impaired watershed
in Ohio. Farmers, other land owners, municipalities and
industry within the watershed, faced with costly corrective
measures to meet EPA regulatory water quality standards, are
proactively taking the opportunity to improve their
environmental quality and resource base while creating a model
system for community wide response to an major environmental
issue. Our research objectives have emphasized 1). community
based organizations that lead to effective water quality
improvement; 2). models of effective conservation improvement
that can be replicated in other Ohio watersheds; and 3).
methodology to benchmark water and habitat quality. The Sugar
Creek Watershed was selected for intensive study and education
projects because it is ranked as one of the most impaired
watersheds in Ohio, with impairments related to sedimentation,
nutrient enrichment, bacterial contamination, and loss of
riparian habitat.
Contact Richard Moore
moore.11@osu.edu or Jason Parker
parker.294@osu.edu for more information.
Agroecosystem Health Initiative –
Understanding Complexity at the Landscape Level
 In
light of the many issues affecting agriculture, we have had many
requests from stakeholders for a methodology to assess Ohio
agroecosystems and visualize their current state. Sustainable
management of land and water resources requires a complex
balance between environmental, social and economic objectives.
While this concept is widely accepted, a major challenge is how
to measure and integrate the many kinds of data needed to
describe an agroecosystem, using a rigorous scientific approach
that can be applied to land use planning, watershed management
and so forth. We have developed an in-depth methodology
targeted at analyzing and understanding the holistic structure
of agriculture, including its surrounding influences at the
landscape and community level. We have been using this approach
to combine data on the biological and physical environment,
economics, and information from social surveys and interviews.
The resulting index represents the current state of the
agroecosystem in terms of how its structure relates to the
properties of agroecosystem health: productivity,
sustainability, stability and equitability. These data sets
typically contain very different kinds of measurements, and the
ability to combine these into a common basis that relates to
agroecosystem health was a major accomplishment. The resulting
information is being used within a GIS (Geographical Information
Systems) framework for mapping studies of rural areas with the
goal of visualizing and predicting changes in agroecosystem
health over time. Our partners, including farmers, land owners
and managers, policy makers and communities, can use this tool
to improve agroecosystem function and health at local and
regional scales.
Contact Casey Hoy
hoy.1@osu.edu for more information.
Balancing Nutrient and Carbon
Management in Crop Systems and Riparian Buffers
Our long-term goal with this project is to develop understanding
of ecosystem processes that will encourage adoption of
sustainable agroecosystem management practices for improved
water quality. Non-point source pollution from agriculture is a
serious problem in the upper MidWest where current agricultural
practices contribute significantly to the hypoxia in the Gulf of
Mexico. Our central tenet is that reducing agriculture’s
footprint on streams, rivers and oceans will require a
multi-faceted landscape ecology approach that integrates
ecosystem research at multiple scales. We are investigating the
effectiveness of coupling the filtering function of restored
riparian zones with sustainable management of croplands into
integrated agroecosystem management units in which nutrient
cycling efficiency is increased significantly. Our study
is closely linked to surrounding watersheds in Wayne and Holmes
County Region. The study is providing a mechanistic
understanding of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)
dynamics, and soil biotic processes, in selected reference
agroecosystems within the headwaters of the surrounding
watersheds and in controlled experimental watersheds on the OARDC campus on which we are implementing a range of cropping
systems coupled with riparian buffers. Our specific objectives
are: 1) Quantify water quality in headwater
streams and C, N, and P cycling and associated soil microbial
ecology characteristics in riparian buffer zone and cropland
reference sites. 2) Determine C, N, and P fluxes and associated
microbial ecology characteristics in upland cropping and
restored riparian buffer subsystems in controlled experimental
watersheds. 3) Develop quantitative models for examining the
potential for improving water quality at the landscape scale by
implementing sustainable agroecosystem management systems.
Farmer involvement in both research and outreach activities is
greatly increasing the probability of achieving our goal of
catalyzing substantive management changes that enhance water
quality.
Contact Deb Stinner
stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Development of Geographical
Information Systems Capability
Since
its beginning, AMP has relied
heavily on mapping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
for research and education projects. Applications have included
numerous research surveys, land use planning, watershed research
and outreach activities, in-depth analyses of nutrient and
carbon cycling at landscape levels, and education tools for K-12
projects. During the past year AMP has continued to increase
it’s Geographic Information Systems capabilities. We are
currently in the process of obtaining base data from the USDA
NRCS Geospatial Data Gateway for all 88
counties in Ohio. This will allow us to provided researchers and
collaborators
with a view of transportation, hydrologic, land use,
governmental units, census, elevation, topographic, and orthophoto data for any location in the state. This later
activity should significantly increase are capability to apply
our models of agroecosystems management throughout the State.
Data for individual counties can be obtained on CD by contacting
Deana Hudgins at the email listed below. Additionally, we are working on analytical and remote sensing
techniques for projects at regional and national scales.
Contact Deana Hudgins
hudgins.5@osu.edu for more information.
OSU’s John
E. Hirzel Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Site
This demonstration and research site
was established in partnership with The Agricultural
Incubator Foundation of Bowling Green to promote, through
research, demonstration, and education, vital agricultural
systems in northwest Ohio, that are economically, ecologically
and socially sustainable. Two projects are underway at the
site. One is the establishment of a replicated farming systems
experiment that demonstrates different options in sustainable
crop production and marketing and creates a foundation and
framework for long-term agronomic, environmental and
socioeconomic research. The other creates opportunities for
young agricultural entrepreneurs from the region to experiment
with and demonstrate creative sustainable agriculture ideas to
gain a better understanding of what occurs with crop production
and soil changes when farmers transition from one management
system to another. The treatments chosen for this experiment
represent a range of conditions experienced by farmers
transitioning either to organic or other more diversified crop
management systems. Overall, the experiment is addressing ways
to maintain production and economic viability while building
soil quality. Farmers (including the Hirzel family), in this
region have been working with these types of management systems,
in some case for many years. With this experiment, we are
gaining a more detailed understanding of the changes occurring
under controlled conditions, with the objective of using this
information to help farmers with transition in their operations.
Contact Deb Stinner
stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Countryside Initiative
Cuyahoga Valley National Park was
founded “for preserving and protecting for public use and
enjoyment, the historic, scenic, natural and recreational values
of the Cuyahoga River and the adjacent lands of the Cuyahoga
Valley.” The Countryside Initiative will preserve the
agricultural heritage of the Valley where historically 80% of
the land was once farmed. Thirty to thirty five farmsteads
within the Park boundaries will be offered for 60-year leases to
farmers who propose development of farms to be managed according
to principles of ecological sustainability. To our knowledge
this effort is the first ti me a national park has incorporated
working agriculture into their management programs. This
initiative will serve as a major educational program for the
over 3 million annual visitors to the Park. The first of these
farms have been restored by the U.S. Park Service and have been
leased through a competitive proposal process. AMP members have
worked with the Countryside Initiative in defining and
developing information for the guidelines for farm restoration
and the request for proposals and have representation on the
Board of Directors. Also, we have provided technical assistance
for ecological assessment of this project.
Contact
Deb Stinner
stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Mellinger Farm
In 2002,
the Board of Trustees accepted the donation of The Mellinger
Farm from Patricia Miller Quinby and the estate of Virginia
Miller Reed. One half interest in the property now belongs to
OARDC; of the remaining interest, one quarter will be donated in
2005 and the remainder donated in 2008. While the property
remains in partnership, the Farm will continue to be managed by
the private farm management company that has been overseeing
management of the farm for Mrs. Quinby. The Killbuck Land Trust
now holds a conservation easement that ensures the Farm will
remain in agricultural use.
During the past year the
following concepts and approaches have emerged from faculty,
students, staff and stakeholders as objectives for the Mellinger
Farm.
·
Develop the site
as a research, education and demonstration facility for
integrated systems of crops and livestock that emphasize the
linkages among production, environmental quality, economic
feasibility and social acceptability.
- The site will serve as a teaching
facility for undergraduates as well as for graduate research
projects.
- The Mellinger Farm could serve to help
inform the general public, including school programs, about
the importance of agriculture to the economic and
environmental well being of the community.
Contact Ken Scaife
scaife.1@osu.edu for more information.
Collaboration with the USDA – North Appalachian Experimental
Watershed Research Facility at Coshocton, Ohio
The North
Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) is a unique outdoor
laboratory that develops innovative farming practices and tests
their effects on soil, water, and air. The research location
was established as a conservation station in the late 1930’s to
study the effects of soils, land management, geology, and
climate on hydrology, soil erosion, and sediment production.
Data from Coshocton represent one of the two longest continuous
hydrologic record for watersheds of this size in the world, and
have been used in the development of most of the soil and water
resource management systems in use today. During the past two
years, AMP has been collaborating with ARS and stakeholders to
develop new initiatives addressing soil and water research
opportunities, both on site and within surrounding watersheds.
At Coshocton there are plans for a new dairy grazing research
facility that is being sponsored by a national consortium of
producers, ARS scientists and administrators. This effort will
be accomplished collaboratively with OSU and OARDC as well as
the large grazing producer community in southeastern Ohio, and
surrounding areas and states. In addition, ARS scientists at
Coshocton have been participating in watershed research
sponsored by AMP and are active in extramural funding efforts
from the National Science Foundation, EPA and USDA-NRI.
Contact Leah Miller
leah@smalfarminstitute.org for more information.
Application of Ecological Approaches to
Crop and Livestock Production
Development of a Multi-State
Consortium Directed Toward Organic Agriculture Research and
Education
The Ohio State University
has led an effort to create the Organic Agriculture
Consortium (OAC) with the goal of catalyzing new
opportunities for small and mid-sized farm families through
integrating
multidisciplinary research, education, and extension of
organic agriculture, a rapidly growing sector of the US food
industry. Major support is being provided by a USDA Integrated
Food and Farming Systems grant. Four universities and over 20
research and extension faculty participate in this project.
Collaborative work builds capacity beyond what one organization
could do and is organized around three objectives.
1) Facilitate
collection, integration and dissemination of existing and
consortium-generated production, environmental, and economic
information on organic agriculture.
These are being
accomplished through the following activities i) training
manuals, ii) website, iii) webcast course, iv) lender
institution education, v) Scientific Congress on Organic
Agricultural Research, and vi) whole farm planning workshops for
transitional and organic farm families.
2) Conduct production
research that will support transitioning and existing organic
farmers’ at the component, system, and whole farm levels.
We are conducting on-station and on-farm studies directed to
increasing whole-farm efficiency, reducing
economic risk, and enhancing profitability in organic
production. 3)
Facilitate the development of local, regional and
international market opportunities for organic farmers.
Four activities are being
carried out: i) international marketing manual; ii) new
community-based marketing initiatives; iii) consumer research
and iv) scientific review of nutritional value of organic
produce.
Contact Deb Stinner
stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Landscape Ecology of Invasive Weeds
A
survey of invasive plants in the Apple Creek Watershed, has been
completed. This sampling survey focused on garlic mustard (Alliaria
petiolata) as a model for understanding the movement of a
relatively rapidly spreading invasive plant species and compared
two sampling methods - a roadside survey and a random sampling
of 100 1-ha sites. The occurrence of this plant based on each
sampling method and using both methods combined was mapped.
Results suggest that there is significant influence of differing
cultural and accompanying landscape patterns, with very few
occurrences of the invasive plant in the eastern part of the
sampling area that is dominated by Amish inhabitants, and many
occurrences in the western, non-Amish, part of the watershed.
This work was extended to examine the feasibility of using
Landsat images for detection and mapping of invasive plants.
Even though this type of study has been done elsewhere (mostly
western rangeland), this work is unique in detecting small
patches of several invasive species that must be distinguished
from surrounding species.
Contact John Cardina
cardina.2@osu.edu for
more information.
Carbon Cycling and Sequestration in Conventional and Organic
Cropping Systems
Agricultural soils may help decrease the
threat of global warming by removing greenhouse gases from the
atmosphere and using the carbon (C) in those gases to build soil
organic matter in the process of carbon sequestration. Our
research is investigating this mechanism in detail and is based
on the following objectives: 1) Quantify and compare the
magnitudes and temporal changes of C and N pools and cycling
processes in organic, transitional organic and conventional
agricultural systems in research station farming system
experiments. 2) Quantify magnitudes of C and N pools in a
geographic range of case study organic farms representative of
long-term organic management.3) Quantify impacts of organic
management practices on C and N dynamics at a landscape level
using GIS, remote sensing and the CENTURY model.
Contact Deb Stinner
stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Linking Soil Management, Pest Management and Crop Health
This project is providing
agroecosystem management strategies to optimize management of
soil organic matter, nutrient cycling processes, pest management
and crop health. In previous work, it has been shown that, under
controlled situations, crops grown under long term organic
management had resistance to certain insect pests, and that this
finding was related to soil biological and chemical
characteristics. This process was described in terms of
biological buffering by Dr. Larry Phelan and indicates that a
sustained influx of organic matter to soils provides a resource
base for soil biological communities that then regulate the
balance of plant available nutrients in ways that optimize
between plant growth and quality, and defense against pests. In
order to extend on this concept, we are investigating the
relationships between soil organic matter quantity and quality,
soil nutrient availability, insect pests and weed ecology on a
range of farms with varying soil management histories,
replicated field experiments with differing crop rotation
patterns and a series of greenhouse experiments. In a similar
and related study, and as an example of collaboration between a
department wide and interdisciplinary program effort, The
Department of Entomology at OARDCis developing an initiative
that is investigating the impacts of soil management on crop
growth and quality, and susceptibility to insect pests. This
project represents a novel and comprehensive approach to
understanding the ecology of plant health. The work will connect
the ecology of soils, plants and insect physiology, using
molecular level analyses. As an initial experiment, we are
using the responses of tomato to growth under organic and
conventional soil management conditions.
Contact Larry Phelan
phelan.2@osu.edu for more information.
Soil Ecology Applied to Research in Turf and Ornamental
Plantings
During the past four years, very
significant collaborations have been established with the
research programs of Dr. Parwinder Grewal and Dr. Dan Herms in
the Department of Entomology. These two programs are attracting
national recognition and significant competitive funding for
their ecological approaches to pest and plant health care. Dr.
Grewal has developed a major initiative toward biologically
based management of turf grass ecosystems with emphasis on the
role of soil inhabiting nematodes and the associated soil food
webs. Dr. Herms has established a very innovative research
program investigating the influence of soil management on
ornamental tree growth and interactions
with insect herbivory. These two
are excellent examples of the application of ecosystem level
management to urban situations.
Contact Parwinder Grewal
grewal.4@osu.edu or Dan Herms
herms.2@osu.edu for more information.
Sustainable Land-Use, Economic Development and Regional Food
Systems
Land
Use Changes and Exurban Studies
Drs. Jeff
Sharp and Elena Erwin in collaboration with Swank Program
developed the Exurban Change
Project with the objective of analyzing economic, social,
agricultural and land use change throughout Ohio’s townships,
regions, and rural areas. The overall goal of the project
is to perform applied research on these topics and to
disseminate data and research results to local officials,
professionals, and interested citizens to support their planning
and decision making. AMP helped support the initial phases of
this work. In addition, support was provided to the Rural
Sociology Summit, which was focused on the results of a
major Ohio survey, conducted by Sharp and others on the role and
perceptions of agriculture in the State.
Contact Jeff Sharp
sharp.123@osu.edu for more information.
Farmland Preservation, Land Use and Economic Development
Activities in Northeast Ohio
AMP helped established a group of
community leaders from the agricultural communities of Wayne and
Holmes Counties to serve as a sounding board and advisory
council for our explorations of the local agroecosystem. This
group has grown to include twelve members and includes those
from county government, an agricultural service agency,
financial and agricultural businesses as well as farmers. Major
initiatives have developed from the participants in this
activity.
Contact Lois Grant
grant.47@osu.edu for more information.
Wayne
County Agricultural Survey and Economic Development
Collaboration
The Wayne County agricultural
economic development project was initiated as a partnership
among Wayne County Commissioners, agricultural businesses,
farmers, non-profit organizations and the Ohio State University
with the goal of providing a new support structure for farmers
in the County and surrounding Region. Our efforts focus on
increased opportunities for innovation and increased
profitability for farmers. These activities led to the formation
of the Agricultural Success Team. Phase one of the
project, being carried out in collaboration with OSU’s
Agricultural Business Retention and Expansion Program,
consists of a comprehensive survey of farmers in the area to
assess their goals and plans for agriculture in the future and
their needs to accomplish these goals. Follow up surveys will
assess agricultural businesses and their capacity to serve the
farm community, and assess consumer demand for agricultural
products. Phase two will establish a new position with the
Wayne Economic Development Council that will lead and coordinate
long-term programming and support for farmers and related
businesses. Long-term objectives will include adding
conservation and planning components to our project.
Contact Lois Grant
grant.47@osu.edu for more information.
Contact Richard Moore
moore.11@osu.edu for more information.
Collaboration with the Small Farm Institute
AMP has had extensive collaboration with
the Small Farm Institute, a non-profit organization that
is the result of a partnership with the Ohio Governor’s Office
of Appalachia, Ohio State University/Ohio Agriculture Research
and Development Center and North Appalachian Experimental
Watershed Station at the Coshocton Agriculture Research Service,
United States Department of Agriculture. Small Farm Institute
connects resources, research, and people with economic,
environmental and community needs of farmers and landowners in
the Appalachian Region of Ohio. The Institute has partnerships
with over 20 organizations and agencies in the Region. Current
projects include establishment of the North Central Grazing
Council, which engages over 300 producers from Ohio and
surrounding states, development of agricultural economic
development activities around local marketing and value-added
enterprises, and coordination of water quality and conservation
projects within the Muskingum River Watershed Basin. The Small
Farm Institute works to help evaluate farming practices to
improve water quality and to connect diverse volunteer and
agency groups involved in water quality issues within the Basin.
Contact Leah Miller
leah@smallfarminstitute.org for mare information.
Curriculum Development
K-12
Curriculum Development and the Jason Project
During
the past several years, AMP has participated in several
statewide initiatives to include agriculture into general K-12
curricula for Ohio. Mapping lessons were created to support the
JASON Project in 1999. These lessons are currently available as
an Internet mapping program offered statewide so that schools
can access the lessons with widely available web browsers. The
lessons can be viewed at
http://amp.oardc.ohio-state.edu/
Contact Casey Hoy
hoy.1@osu.edu for more information.
Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Minor in Ecology
During the past year, AMP has
been working on developing an Undergraduate Minor in Ecology for
the College of FAES. This curriculum development effort has at
the input of over 30 faculty representing 6 academic units in
the College of FAES as well as from units outside the College
who are interested in participating. Most importantly there has
been very significant input from students and stakeholders.
During the Fall of 2004, students in Agriculture 100,
representing all incoming freshman were surveyed for their
interests, and as a follow up we are working with a core group
of students in the Living Learning Center, through a series of
field trips throughout Ohio to interact with stakeholders and
focus groups sessions, to develop this minor.
Contact Denny Hall
hall.16@osu.edu for more information.
Collaborations and Projects Directed Toward Outreach
Partnerships and
Projects with Extension’s Sustainable Agricultural Team
The
Agroecosystems Management Program has had close association with
the Sustainable Agriculture Team. This multidisciplinary
Extension group has the charge of promoting sustainable
production practices and innovative marketing programs for
Ohio. Collaborative projects include fact sheets and bulletins
on sustainable agriculture, field days and workshops
highlighting farmer and farmer/researcher, a travel/internship
program for extension agents, development of new approaches to
crop and livestock production, and direct marketing, and
numerous professional development activities for extension
agents directed at sustainability issues in agriculture.
Contact
Deb Stinner stinner.2@osu.edu for more information.
Collaboration with the Innovative
Farmers of Ohio
The
Agroecosystems Management Program has had numerous projects and
shared activities with the Innovative Farmers of Ohio (IFO), a
non-profit, state-wide organization dedicated to sustainable
agriculture. This organization has had major leadership for
sustainable agriculture in Ohio, and serves as a primary forum
and information sharing role, bridging many individuals,
organizations and projects throughout Ohio. Some examples of
our collaboration with IFO include workshops and training for
agents and farmers on whole-farm planning, on-farm research, and
ecology and soil management. AMP participated in several major
grant funded projects emphasizing farmer –farmer focus groups
addressing ecological approaches to agriculture. More recently,
our activities with IFO have focused on regional food systems.
Contact
Sylvia Zimmerman at
sez@midohio.net for more information.
Communities of Excellence
in Ohio Initiative
AMP is a partner is OSU Extension
Community Development’s Communities of Excellence in Ohio
Initiative (CEO) is a comprehensive community development
program of capacity building for Ohio communities. Its purpose
is to foster and sustain community excellence through capacity
building programs that reach out to Ohio communities through
elected and appointed officials, community opinion leaders and
active citizens. This is a holistic program that builds a
community’s capacity for strategic planning and action through
activities based on the principles and methodology of
comprehensive community development.
Contact Joe Konen
konen.2@osu.edu for more information.
Battele BETHA Website Project
This project is an on-line database for the
Sugar Creek Watershed in the State of Ohio with the goal of
promoting local watershed visions through community
participation. The url is
http://amp.oardc.ohio-state.edu/betha/index.html. It is
hoped that the resulting watershed visions and increased local
involvement by people in their own watershed will improve water
quality as well as create a better quality of life. Through
working together to improve their shared watershed, people will
also learn about each other - their common efforts to improve
life and how ethnic diversity is itself a resource.
Contact Richard Moore
moore.11@osu.edu for more information.
Sustainable Agriculture to a Wider
Audience: Developing a Model Project with the Springfield
Symphony Orchestra in Clark County Ohio
This project addresses the
long-term outcome of bringing the story of sustainable
agriculture to wider audiences of both farm and non-farm
backgrounds. This goal is being accomplished through
collaboration between agriculture and the arts professionals
employing the unique communication capabilities of music
combined with photography to promote sustainable agriculture.
This effort emphasizes the themes of the best in agricultural
practices, ecology and esthetics of the land, and farming as a
culture and way of life. The outcomes of this project exist on
three different scales. The first will be the performance of two
new photochoreographed productions performed live by a symphony
orchestra. These two pieces have working titles of “Our Fields,
Farms, and Families” describing the Food and Agricultural System
of Clark County, Ohio and a “Kids, Cameras, and Classics”
featuring the images submitted by 4-H and FFA members and other
youth related to a local theme of food, agriculture, and the
environment. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra and James
Westwater have scheduled a 2005 Debut Performance of this
production. In addition, they are making plans to take this
production on tour across Ohio and other Midwest locations. A
second set of outcomes exists at a more personal level among the
collaborators of this project. This project engages audiences
from two different worlds within a community to explore the
meaning of sustainable agriculture.
Contact Denny Hall
hall.16@osu.edu for more information.
Contributions to Urban Programs
and Audiences
Ohio People and the Land Project
Under the
leadership of the Northeast OSUE District, this effort will
provide
citizens in Ohio information about the way
land is used in Ohio. Citizens will be able to understand the
many key issues that relate to various land use decisions in
Ohio and they will be prepared to understand the public policy
choices that are before them.
A significant aspect of this project will be to develop
the citizen distance education 24/7 website: Ohio
People and the Land, which will be launched during
the Fall of 2004 and supplemented and updated during the first
half of 2005. This project is incorporating the themes of Land
Use in Ohio, The Sugar Creek Method for Restoration and
Improving Water Quality, and Urban Landscape Ecology.
The premise for the Ohio People and Land project is that
good public policy decisions require informed citizens. Issues
of land use and growth management continue to be current issues
and updates as matters of public policy decision. Citizen
education around this topic will lead to better decisions and
changes in law or policy as needed.
Contact Joe Konen
konen.2@osu.edu for more information.
Demonstrating Ecological Based Management for Research and
Education on the OARDC Campus at Wooster
During the last year and under the
leadership of the Secrest Arboretum, a number of projects are
under development that will demonstrate the benefits of
ecological approaches to managing landscapes. Participants
in AMP have been involved in some of these planning activities.
The goal of this effort is to outline a comprehensive ecological
approach to the OARDC campus landscape planning. This
approach captures the essence of the Arboretum Strategic Plan
and provides a framework for expansion of the existing
facilities and grounds to the entire OARDC Campus by creating
new themes within the landscape, and is being developed as part
of the larger Master Plan for OARDC. The long-term vision
is that the OARDC Campus serves as a model system for research
and education in urban landscapes locally, nationally, and
internationally. At present, there are a number of
projects underway. The overall objective is to highlight current
research projects aimed specifically at improving environmental
quality and construct a series of new projects, such as stream
corridor restorations, that will demonstrate the contributions
of the OARDC to its local watershed. It is the intent that
these efforts serve a dual role as sites for long-term research
and as educational pieces for both the agricultural and general
public. Contact Ken Cochran
cochran.7@osu.edu
for more information.
Contributions to Urban
Landscape Ecology Project
The green industry has grown tremendously
during the past few decades. According to PLACA, homeowners in
the US alone spent $17.4 billion on professional lawn care,
landscape, and tree care services in 2000. However, banning of
highly effective products, stringent regulations by local
governments on the use of chemical pesticides and inorganic
fertilizers, chemical and nutrient run-off issues, and changing
public perception about the safety of chemical pesticides to the
environment and human health, have created new challenges for
the continued growth of the lawn and landscape industry. To
address these emerging urban landscape needs, the Ohio State
University has established a new interdisciplinary research,
education, and outreach initiative, the Urban Landscape Ecology
Program. This program builds on the strength of the Ohio State
University in turfgrass, ornamentals, and landscape research and
extension programs and aims to capture the essence of changing
public attitudes to develop new technologies and build a
comprehensive approach to urban landscape planning,
establishment and maintenance.
Contact Parwinder Grewal
grewal.4@osu.edu for more information.
Contributions
to National Initiatives
- AMP along with OFFER, OCAMM and ULEP
and representing OARDC, participated and made a presentation
(January 2004) at the National Academy of Science
sponsored Convocation on Facilitating Interdisciplinary
Research and Education. This event was part of a major
initiative by the Academy to help develop more capacity at a
national level around interdisciplinary research and
education. Several outcomes were notable. First,
clearly the major research challenge identified was the
importance of finding the means to integrate between the
social and natural sciences, and secondly, to accomplish
this synthesis while addressing complex societal issues.
Interestingly, we had the only presentation that was about
agriculture and food issues. Our work was well received and
generated considerable discussions about the central role
agriculture could play in developing both new research and
curriculum initiatives, particularly because we in
agriculture have social, natural and engineering science
within our Colleges, and by the very nature of the Land
Grant System, has the mission to bring science into the
service of addressing practical problems. Thus, we believe
that there is a very significant opportunity to bring
agriculture, to the forefront of a national dialogue on
developing new interdisciplinary science approaches to
research and education.
- During
March 2004, Richard Moore and Ben Stinner were asked to
participate in a review of USDA – CSREES (Cooperative
States Research Education Extension Service) programs in
Washington with the specific intent of incorporating new
objectives and strategies for science in the service of
sustainability. There has been an inter-program working
group formed on Science for Sustainability. Our
charge was to advise them on approaches to further their
goals of having interdisciplinary, especially the
integration of social and natural science in service of
addressing complex issues, approaches to research, education
and outreach woven throughout the Agency. Although our
immediate focus was primarily on NRI Programs, the long-term
goal is to have other Programs within CSREES participating
as well in this initiative. We expect that much of what was
discussed will end in RFP’s in one way or another. We see
this event as important happening for several reasons, not
the least of which is an increased effort to move
sustainability forward as a more mainstream approach. One
of the most immediate outcomes will be the development of a
new Agricultural Systems Program within NRI. We have
been asked to help design this Program as well and we will
be working with Program Managers and others in the near
future on this initiative. We also have been discussing
with the CSREES Managers and other USDA administrators
opportunities to connect their programs with activities at
the National Academy of Science on interdisciplinary
research and education, and the NSF Biocomplexity
Program. We believe OSU in collaboration with our
stakeholders has a very major opportunity for leadership in
further demonstrating innovative approaches to research and
education.
Future Directions
The Agroecosystems Management Program has major opportunities to
expand its activities at two levels: extending current projects
and examples to wider audiences and applications, and engaging
wider collaborations with other programs, individuals and
organizations within OSU, Ohio and beyond.
Extending Current Projects to Wider
Audiences and Applications
- The Sugar Creek Watershed Project is
becoming well recognized as an excellent example of
proactively addressing complex environmental problems as a
synthesis of science and community level participation,
where social issues are overriding influences. In this
context, the Project is demonstrating the feasibility of
having a wide range of farm types and scale – from small
Amish to large large farms, municipalities, and businesses
working toward a common goal improving environmental quality
within the entire watershed. With Dr. Richard Moore’s
leadership, in addition to attracting increased
collaboration from both scientists with OSU and other
institutions within Ohio and other states, the Project is
playing a central role in integrating watershed activities
within the entire Muskingum Watershed, the largest basin in
Ohio, representing one-fifth of the State in area. The
Project also is serving as a model for groups in neighboring
watersheds, who are forming their own teams. Finally, we
are being asked to participate in efforts involving
watershed research, education and restoration efforts in
relation to Lake Erie and its tributaries.
- Our project on evaluating
agroecosystem health is attracting considerable attention as
an important new means of analyzing and predicting changes
in land use and its impacts economically, socially and
environmentally. Current efforts are underway to apply this
approach at increasingly larger scales – county, regional,
and above, so that applications will extend beyond rural
areas to include urban concerns and use in larger watershed
planning and management.
- Increasingly AMP is being asked to
participate in initiatives involving the development of more
local and regional food systems. This Ohio stakeholder led
interest reflects a national interest in this topic as a
major mechanism to support the economic viability of small
and mid size producers by developing new marketing
opportunities and connections to consumers. Many see these
types of initiatives as excellent opportunities for Ohio
that is both a major agricultural producer and has large
urban and suburban consumer populations. There are some
outstanding examples of community and regional based food
system projects and networks in Ohio. We see our role as
providing support to these efforts in the form of research
and educational activities. To this end, we recently helped
convene OSU extension, research and teaching faculty,
students and key stakeholders in order to direct and
coordinate our efforts around this topic of regional food
systems.
- The initiatives on linking economic
development to agricultural viability at the local level is
gaining considerable attention at regional and state levels
as a model for sustainable development. In particular,
within Northeast Ohio, the efforts in Wayne County to
assemble a support team for agriculture, assess needs and
develop programs to ensure the future success of agriculture
as a directed economic development activity is being viewed
as model system to eventually be extended throughout the
Region. Most significantly, there is a new regional
economic development initiative supported by a consortium of
major foundations, which for the first time is including
agriculture as an area of emphasis for its contribution to
the regional economy. We are capitalizing on this
opportunity by working with leaders in the Region,
representing agricultural, urban, business and environmental
interests to develop a more comprehensive perspective and
approach to land use at a regional scale.
- There are many opportunities to
continue and expand our interaction with and support of
urban activities, projects and programs. AMP is providing
examples of organization, as well as more specific
informational and technical support. Very importantly, the
linkages between AMP and these urban oriented programming is
opportunity to bridge between urban and more traditional
agricultural audiences, including stakeholders, faculty and
students. In this regards, with urban audiences, outreach
activities such as the arts initiative should be very
applicable.
- We believe that increased emphasis on
curriculum development and student engagement is essential.
To this end, we are moving forward on the activities
described above in our summary of curriculum activities and
as a larger collaborative effort among other
interdisciplinary programs to build a concentrated effort
with graduate student training.
Increased Collaboration with Other
Interdisciplinary Programs
It is becoming
increasingly clear that an overarching question for Ohio is how
to have viable, expanding agriculture and rural communities
within an increasingly urban and suburban state. The issues of
rapid development of agricultural land, the social acceptability
of consolidation within the livestock industry, increasing
concerns over agriculture’s impact on water and air quality, and
decline in the number of young people pursuing careers in
agriculture all indicate the challenges to agricultural
sustainability. At the same time, there are major, emerging
opportunities pointing in the direction where Ohio can
demonstrate leadership in keeping agriculture a strong part of
our future. Key among these, as far as AMP is concerned, is the
convergence of awareness that interdisciplinary collaboration is
now a widely recognized strength of OARDC and the College of
FAES, and that we have the opportunity to capitalize on this
strength, demonstrating increasing levels of leadership within
OSU, the State of Ohio and beyond. As a next step, AMP in
collaboration with the Ohio Composting and Manure Management
Program (OCAMM), the Organic Food Education and Research Program
(OFEER), and the newly formed Urban Landscape Ecology Program (ULEP)
have been collectively assessing their progress with the intent
of developing new joint initiatives. Major accomplishments of
these programs during the past five years include:
- Increased the culture of collaboration
and providing models for the development of new
interdisciplinary initiatives.
- Wide engagement of diverse stakeholder
groups throughout Ohio and beyond.
- Development of national level networks
and projects that have attracted large extramural funding.
- Development of new undergraduate and
graduate curriculum and programs.
- Collectively generated over
$14,000,000 in grants and contracts.
- Created innovative approaches for
addressing complex issues facing agriculture and society.
In order to
capitalize on these achievements and capture synergies among
these programs and other similar efforts at The Ohio State
University and beyond, our next phase of development is focused
on working collaboratively with other Programs and Departments,
to engage faculty, students and stakeholders around major topics
facing society including: agriculture and sustainable energy
development, biosecurity, food systems and health, land use,
water and air quality, and global warming. Our goal with this
initiative is to create College wide forums that ultimately will
increase our capacity to address these complex societal issues
and serving the needs of our students stakeholders. In
addition, there will be considerable effort given to engaging
faculty and students from other Colleges within OSU around these
issues. As an initial step in this direction, we are pursuing
an Integrative Graduate Education Traineeship (IGERT)
grant with the National Science Foundation during the next
several months. Developing this proposal will serve as a
planning process, emphasizing the engagement of students in
interdisciplinary research that links the social and biophysical
sciences with their application to stakeholder needs. |
rds, and
2). Target the Japan Consumer Cooperatives as a potential
partner based on a new trade and distribution system related to
environmental improvement and mutual social concerns of people
over food health and safety. Trips were taken by R. Moore in
2000 before the grant and 2001 by himself and then with several
farmers and a representative of an environmental group in 2002,
and 2003. The main meetings were with the Saitama Prefectural
Government, Saitama Consumer Cooperative, Tokyo Net—the
collective buying consumer cooperative for the greater Tokyo
consumer cooperatives, and the Miyagi Consumer Cooperatives.