Indiana makes conservation, water quality strides

INDIANAPOLIS — Landowners installed more than 31,500 new conservation practices last year, according to the Indiana Conservation Partnership.

Last year, landowners helped prevent nearly 1 million tons of sediment, over 1.9 million pounds of nitrogen and 991,446 pounds of phosphorus from entering Indiana waterways.

Cover crops and no-till practices implemented with ICP’s assistance sequestered an estimated 42,000 tons of soil organic carbon, which is the equivalent to the carbon emissions of more than 30,000 cars.

“Despite the ongoing challenges we are facing with extreme weather patterns, a growing population and natural resource concerns, our farmers were still able to implement an impressive 31,000-plus conservation practices throughout Indiana with the assistance of our conservation team,” said Jerry Raynor, Indiana Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist.

Learn more about ICP at icp.iaswcd.org/.