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Publications | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project, CEAP, provides a suite of publications highlighting the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation’s working lands. 

Click below to access publications including reports and articles, bibliographies, fact sheets, webinars and other videos, blogs, survey documents, and modeling documents. Publications are organized by CEAP assessment focus area. 

Visit the Conservation Assessment and Tools webpage to access CEAP-supported tools that may strengthen conservation assessment and planning efforts for your geographic area, land use, and management goals of interest. 

CEAP Cropland Assessments

Articles and Reports
Corn in the foreground, with trees and a barn in the background and cloudy blue skies above.
The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across croplands at both national and regional scales. Categories including national reports, regional reports, and other articles. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

National Reports

Regional Reports

Other Articles

Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights
Specialty crops grow in a field, with trees and blue skies in the background.
The below includes Conservation Insight fact sheets on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's cropland. 

Conservation Insights

Webinars and Blogs
A tractor planting into green cover crops in the foreground, with grain bins and cloudy blue skies in the background.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's croplands. Blogs related to CEAP croplands assessments are also included. Both webinars and blogs are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars, including a 2023 calendar of events.

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

  • April 29, 2021 – NRCS Conservation Practices Delivering Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Carbon Sequestration Benefits: Webinar Recording 
  • June 25, 2020 – Tillage Management and Structural Conservation Practices: CEAP II Report on Changes in Adoption Rates: Webinar Recording

Blogs

Farmer Survey Documents
Soybeans are planted into corn residue and wild mustard, with trees to the left and cloudy blue skies above.
The below documents provide farmer questionnaires and respondent booklets, in descending chronological order, for farmer surveys conducted by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in support of CEAP cropland assessments.
Croplands Modeling Documentation
Aerial view of cropland fields, with grain bins near the center of the photo and stands of trees in the foreground and background.
The below publications provide documentation of Agricultural Policy Extender (APEX) model calibration and validation, as well as processes for preparing data for modeling and criteria for determining thresholds used in reporting for CEAP cropland assessments.

CEAP Cropland Survey Data

APEX Model Use and Improvements

APEX Model Calibration and Validation

SWAT and HUMUS Model Development, Use, Calibration, and Validation

Historical Model Development

Pest Management and Pesticides

Select APEX Related Publications

Select HUMUS Related Publications

CEAP Grazing Land Assessments

Bibliographies, Articles, and Reports
Rangeland with vegetation in the foreground, and mountains with cloudy skies in the background.
The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's grazing land. Categories include bibliographies and reports and articles. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

Bibliographies

Articles and Reports

Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes
Three black cows grazing on rangeland.
The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and Science Notes on the effects of voluntary conservation on grazing land. Fact sheets within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

Conservation Insights

Science Notes

Webinars
An aerial view of cows on rangeland walking towards a water source.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's grazing land. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars, including a 2023 calendar of events. 

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

  • February 25, 2021 – Rangeland Analysis Platform: Integrating Production and Economics into Area-Wide Planning: Webinar Recording
  • November 12, 2020 – Linking Ecosystem Service Values to Rangeland Practices in the Central Great Plains: Webinar Recording
  • July 23, 2020 – Quantifying Restoration Outcomes in Frequent-Fire Forests: Webinar Recording
  • April 23, 2020 – Conservation Outcomes on America’s Western Grazing Lands with NRCS’s Working Lands for Wildlife: Webinar Recording

CEAP Wetland Assessments

Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies
Wetlands in the foreground, with a tree line and light blue skies in the background.
The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Categories include articles and reports and bibliographies. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

Articles and Reports

Bibliographies

Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes
Wetlands, with blooming plants in the foreground and tress below blue skies in the background.
The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and Science Notes on the effects of voluntary conservation on wetlands. Fact sheets within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

Conservation Insights

Science Notes

Webinars and Blogs
Wetlands with a bird box, with cloudy blue skies above.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation across the nation's wetlands. Blogs related to CEAP wetland assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars, including a 2023 calendar of events.

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

  • March 25, 2021 – Quantifying Ecosystem Functions to Facilitate Wetland Monitoring and Assessment: Webinar Recording
  • October 22, 2020 – Quantifying Conservation Effects on Multiple Wetland Ecosystem Services: Understanding Tradeoffs is the Name of the Game: Webinar Recording

Blogs

CEAP Wildlife Assessments

Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies
A golden-winged warbler perched on a tree limb.
The below publications provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation on wildlife. Categories include articles and reports and, separately, bibliographies. As applicable, publications within each category are organized by land use or conservation focus. Publications within a given category are organized in descending chronological order.

Articles and Reports

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Croplands

Forests, Eastern

Forests, Western

Grasslands, Great Plains

Pasturelands, Eastern

Rangelands, Sagebrush

Rangelands, Southwestern

Stream Biota

Wetlands

Bibliographies

Fact Sheets: Conservation Insights and Science Notes
A gopher tortoise in vegetation.
The below fact sheets include Conservation Insights and a Science Note on the effects of voluntary conservation on select wildlife species. Conservation Insights are organized by land use or conservation focus. As applicable, fact sheets within a given category are organized in descending chronological order.

Conservation Insights

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Croplands

Forests, Eastern

Grasslands, Great Plains

Rangelands, Sagebrush

Stream Biota

Wetlands

Science Note

Webinars and Blogs
Mature monarch butterfly on plant with small purple flowers.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation on wildlife. Blogs related to CEAP wildlife assessments are also included. Webinar recordings are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars, including a 2023 calendar of events.

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

Blogs

CEAP Watershed Assessments

Articles, Reports, and Bibliographies
An aerial view of a river running through agricultural land, with wooded mountains and cloudy blue skies in the background.
The below journal articles, reports, and bibliography provide data and associated insights on the effects of voluntary conservation in select watersheds. Publications within each category are organized in descending chronological order.

Publications and Journal Special Issues

Individual Watershed Reports

Individual Watershed Summaries

Other Journal Articles

Fact Sheets: Science Notes
An edge-of-field research station for water quality testing in the foreground, with a cropland field in the background and gray skies above.
The below includes a Science Note fact sheet on the effects of voluntary conservation within a specific watershed.

Science Note

Webinars, Blogs, and Videos
Green vegetation grows on both sides of a stream.
The below Conservation Outcomes Webinar recordings feature scientists and other subject matter experts speaking on the effects of voluntary conservation for watersheds. Webinars are organized in descending chronological order. Visit the Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series webpage to access information on upcoming webinars, including a 2023 calendar of events. Blogs and videos related to CEAP watershed assessments are also included below. 

Conservation Outcomes Webinars

  • January 28, 2021 – Development of the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework and Use by NRCS for Watershed Planning: Webinar Recording
  • May 28, 2020 – Measuring and Understanding the Effects of Conservation within Watersheds: Webinar Recording

Blog

Video

Phosphorus Modeling Documents
Location of an edge-of-field sampling site for water quality, with a small amount of water visible along the side of cropland growing corn, trees in the background, in blue skies above.
Below are phosphorus modeling documents and associated resources related to CEAP Watershed Studies.

Additional Resources

Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP)

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to quantify the effects of conservation practices across the nation’s working lands.

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Conservation Assessment and Planning Tools

USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) collaborates with partners to deliver tools that support conservation assessment and planning for diverse land uses and management goals.

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Frequently Asked Questions | Conservation Effects Assessment Project

This webpage provides answers to frequently asked questions about the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP).

Last Updated: June 9, 2023

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Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series

The Conservation Outcomes Webinar Series provides key findings, data, and tools to support producers and partners in pursuing voluntary conservation efforts across the nation's working lands. 

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Contacts

Name Position Phone Number Email
Chris Lester
Acting Modeling Team Lead and Cropland Assessments Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project
Carrie-Ann Houdeshell
Acting Grazing Land Assessments Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project
Joe Prenger
Wetland Assessments Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project
Charlie Rewa
Wildlife Assessments Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project
Lisa Duriancik
Watershed Assessments Lead, Conservation Effects Assessment Project