This course is the second module in the ATN 31 series, and it describes the different methods for seedbed preparation and seeding and covers seeding equipment, seeder calibration, herbicide considerations, and planting dates. This course also discusses the concepts of Pure Live Seed (PLS) and Seeds Per Square Foot (seeds/sq. ft.).
Agronomy Technical Note #31 (ATN31) is used as a guide for the establishment of native and introduced plantings of herbaceous vegetation for the following practices:
Gary Wyatt (UMN Extension) provides an overview of Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (CPS380) practice and the windbreak design elements: height, density, and length. This session provides many examples of applications of windbreaks/shelterbelts as well as considerations for placement and design.
Stacy Cushenbery and Leif Fixen of The Nature Conservancy provided an overview of the science and economics surrounding the rapidly evolving world of agricultural ecosystem services, followed by an in depth look at central Minnesota’s Ecosystem Services Marketplace Consortium (ESMC) pilot project from ESMC’s project manager, Stacy Cushenbery.
Patrick Schultz, TTCP Training Engineer, will go through some basic planning and design elements of using roof gutters as a conservation practice. This session will also discuss terminology needed for understanding roof gutter components and the building components they attach to.
Kelly Voigt, TTCP Training Conservationist, demonstrates how to design and evaluate wetland restoration seed mixes using the latest version of the NRCS seeding and certification calculator.
When working through engineering projects, there are a number of resources available to reference and guide you. But how do you know which practice to start with, or which document applies? Trouble finding NEH or EFH or NEM (or other acronyms!) online? And is that specific to engineering in MN? Lea Holter (NRCS) and Aaron Peter (BWSR) will help you navigate the many options and make sense of how they all connect.
Karin Jokela, Xerces Society Partner Biologist, demonstrates how to design and evaluate pollinator seed mixes using the latest version of the NRCS seeding and certification calculator. Minnesota's native bees and butterflies are diverse, and supporting them with high quality conservation plantings can sometimes be a complicated endeavor. This training provides an overview of the unique considerations that should be factored into pollinator seed mix designs, as well as ample opportunities to practice inputting and evaluating various seed mixes within the NRCS calculator.
Area Technical Training Team 7 hosted a GNSS training with instructor Dylan Jones of Frontier Precision. The recording of this training is available. However, because this was a paid presentation, staff within the Technical Training and Certification Program partnership should request a link to this video from any of the TTCP Training Engineers. The topics covered are listed below. Using the Table of Contents within the video, viewers can skip to sections they wish to watch.
Eric Anderson, NRCS Area Resource Conservationist demonstrates how to use the Conservation Seeding Calculator workbook to either develop a seeding plan or complete a checkout on a planting. He also shows new updates that have been made to the workbook including corrections to errors on the 342 Critical Area Planting tab and the new functionality to do seeding checkouts that document whether an applied seeding meets or does not meet practice specifications.