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(Time: 1:07:49)   Plants are of central importance to natural resource conservation. Thus, the ability to identify species or species groups is an essential skill for USDA NRCS field staffs. The goal of this webinar is to provide participants with a basic understanding of plant ecology and a framework for determining the identity of plants. Participants will learn about the major groups of plants, traits that they should be looking for to distinguish plant groups, when to look for distinguishing traits, how to collect and preserve plant specimens, resources available to determine plant identification, operation of a simple plant key, and limits on the precision of plant identification. This webinar will also identify additional resources/training available to further develop skills.

Join us for this webinar during which soil health techniques such as cover crops, crop rotations, pest management, nutrient management, cash crop establishment, and water management will be discussed.

Participants will be able to ask questions for a round table on several soil health topics. These include:
• Cover Crop selection, seeding, termination and benefits
• Benefits to soil health by using crop rotations and crop rotations to avoid.
• Pest Management techniques including scouting and monitoring of pests, beneficial insects, pesticide carry-over and breaking the cycle of non-essential pesticide use.
• The 4-Rs in soil health system concerning nutrient management techniques.
• Cash crop establishment techniques in cover crop systems. Discuss benefits of planting green or planting after chemical termination.
• Benefits of soil health systems on water management. Specifically reductions in irrigation amounts and management techniques.

Drought is continuing to intensify across portions of the Midwest this year, and over the past several years severe drought has plagued much of the upper Midwest and northern Plains. This edition of The Current Webinar Series discusses water management during drought – from the latest irrigation technologies to livestock water management.

(Time: 23:28)  Water Erosion Prediction Project

The agronomic benefits of improving soil health are well known, but when it comes to the specific impacts on water quality off field, many questions remain. This edition of The Current webinar series features three researchers who share their work examining how on-field soil health practices affect water quality off field.

We all deserve to have safe clean drinking water that we can trust. In order to do that, we need to ensure we are protecting water at the source – whether that is groundwater or surface water. This edition of The Current Webinar focuses on this important topic. We hear about the Source Water Collaborative, learn how Kansas is working to protect drinking water through improved soil health, and hear how extension is working with communities on source water protection planning.

(Time: 54:35)

What makes a natural resource and water professional a great communicator? What can we learn from researchers and fellow practitioners to enhance the way we communicate with producers and non-operating landowners? This edition of The Current webinar series focuses on communicating conservation.

While winter manure application can be beneficial for producers from a logistical, financial, and soil compaction standpoint, it has traditionally been discouraged due to concerns over runoff during spring thaws. Are there ways to spread manure in the winter months without jeopardizing water quality? This edition of The Current Webinar Series features experts from across the region discussing their research on the water quality impacts and winter manure application.