2020 Iowa Enhancement Activity Guide Sheets | NRCS Iowa
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2020 Iowa Enhancement Activity Guide Sheets

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2020 Iowa Enhancement Activity Guide Sheets

Enhancements

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is for producers who want to take their conservation efforts to the next level. Most CSP applicants have already been applying conservation practices to their land. Through CSP, they have the opportunity to give those practices a boost with conservation activities called "enhancements." Enhancements take conservation practices to a higher level of stewardship. CSP applicants work on-one-one with their NRCS conservation planner to select enhancements that best fit their management goals and that will address resource concerns on the enrolled operation.

Through CSP, producers can choose from over 200 enhancements to address resource concerns on their operation. Conservation practice standards and quality criteria for resource concerns can be found in sections II and III of the Field Office Technical Guide.

CSP FY2020 Conservation Enhancement Activity

Soil

  • E328C Conservation crop rotation on recently converted CRP grass/legume cover
  • E328E Soil health crop rotation
  • E328F Modifications to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter
  • E328G Crop rotation on recently converted CRP grass/legume cover for soil organic matter improvement
  • E329A No till to reduce soil erosion
  • E329D No till system to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
  • E340A Cover crop to reduce soil erosion 
  • E340B Intensive cover cropping to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
  • E340C Use of multi-species cover crops to improve soil health and increase soil organic matter
  • E340D Intensive orchard/vineyard floor cover cropping to increase soil health
  • E340E Use of soil health assessment to assist with development of cover crop mix to improve soil health
  • E340F Cover crop to minimize soil compaction
  • E340I Using cover crops for biological strip till
  • E345A Reduced tillage to reduce soil erosion
  • E345D Reduced tillage to increase soil health and soil organic matter content
  • E382B Installing electrical fence offsets and wire for cross-fencing to improve grazing management
  • E386A Enhanced field borders to reduce soil erosion along the edge(s) of a field
  • E386B Enhanced field borders to increase carbon storage along the edge(s) of the field
  • E484A Mulching to improve soil health
  • E512A Cropland conversion to grass-based agriculture to reduce soil erosion
  • E512B Forage plantings that help increase organic matter in depleted soils
  • E512C Cropland conversion to grass for soil organic matter improvement 
  • E512D Forage plantings that help increase organic matter in depleted soils
  • E528K Improved grazing management for soil compaction on pasture through monitoring activities
  • E528L Prescribed grazing that improves or maintains riparian and watershed function-erosion
  • E528M Grazing management that protects sensitive areas from gully erosion
  • E580A Stream corridor bank stability improvement

Water

  • E328I Forage harvest to reduce water quality impacts by utilization of excess soil nutrients
  • E329C No till to increase plant-available moisture
  • E340G Cover crop to reduce water quality degradation by utilizing excess soil nutrients
  • E345C Reduced tillage to increase plant-available moisture
  • E390A Increase riparian herbaceous cover width for sediment and nutrient reduction
  • E391A Increase riparian forest buffer width for sediment and nutrient reduction
  • E391B Increase stream shading for stream temperature reduction
  • E393A Extend existing filter strip to reduce water quality impacts
  • E449C Advanced Automated IWM - Year 2-5, soil moisture monitoring
  • E449D Advanced Automated IWM - Year 1, Equipment and soil moisture or water level monitoring
  • E449F Intermediate IWM- Year 1, Equipment with Soil or Water Level monitoring
  • E449G Intermediate IWM- Years 2-5, Soil or Water Level monitoring
  • E472A Manage livestock access to waterbodies to reduce nutrients or pathogens to surface water
  • E528I Grazing management that protects sensitive areas -surface or ground water from nutrients
  • E528J Prescribed grazing on pastureland that improves riparian and watershed function.
  • E590B Reduce risks of nutrient loss to surface water by utilizing precision agriculture technologies
  • E590C Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses on pasture
  • E595A Reduce risk of pesticides in surface water by utilizing precision pesticide application techniques
  • E612A Cropland conversion to trees or shrubs for long term improvement of water quality

Air

  • E329B No till to reduce tillage induced particulate matter
  • E345B Reduced tillage to reduce tillage induced particulate matter
  • E376A Modify field operations to reduce particulate matter
  • E386C Enhanced field borders to decrease particulate emissions along the edge(s) of a field
  • E484B Reduce particulate matter emissions by using orchard or vineyard generated woody material as mulch
  • E612B Planting for high carbon sequestration rate

Plants

  • E315A Herbaceous weed treatment to create desired plant communities consistent with the ecological site
  • E338A Strategically planned, patch burning for grazing distribution and wildlife habitat
  • E340H Cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles
  • E484C Mulching with natural materials in specialty crops for weed control
  • E512E Forage and biomass planting that produces feedstock for biofuels or energy production.
  • E528E Improved grazing management for enhanced plant structure and composition for wildlife
  • E528F Stockpiling cool season forage to improve structure and composition or plant productivity and health
  • E528G Improved grazing management on pasture for plant productivity and health with monitoring activities
  • E528R Management Intensive Rotational Grazing
  • E612D Adding food-producing trees and shrubs to existing plantings
  • E612E Cultural plantings
  • E612F Sugarbush management

Animals

  • E327A Conservation cover for pollinators and beneficial insects
  • E327B Establish Monarch butterfly habitat
  • E328D Leave standing grain crops unharvested to benefit wildlife
  • E328J Improved crop rotation to provide benefits to pollinators
  • E328K Multiple crop types to benefit wildlife
  • E338B Short-interval burns to promote a healthy herbaceous plant community
  • E382A Incorporating "wildlife friendly" fencing for connectivity of wildlife food resources
  • E386D Enhanced field borders to increase food for pollinators along the edge(s) of a field
  • E386E Enhanced field borders to increase wildlife food and habitat along the edge(s) of a field
  • E390B Increase riparian herbaceous cover width to enhance wildlife habitat
  • E391C Increase riparian forest buffer width to enhance wildlife habitat
  • E395A Stream habitat improvement through placement of woody biomass
  • E399A Fishpond management for native aquatic and terrestrial species
  • E511A Harvest of crops (hay or small grains) using measures that allow desired species to flush or escape
  • E511B Forage harvest management that helps maintain wildlife habitat cover, shelter or continuity
  • E512G Native grasses or legumes in forage base
  • E512I Establish pollinator and/or beneficial insect and/or monarch habitat
  • E512J Establish wildlife corridors to provide habitat continuity or access to water
  • E528A Maintaining quantity and quality of forage for animal health and productivity
  • E528C Incorporating wildlife refuge areas in contingency plans for wildlife.
  • E528D Grazing management for improving quantity and quality of food or cover and shelter for wildlife
  • E528Q Use of body condition scoring for livestock on a monthly basis to keep track of herd health
  • E578A Stream crossing elimination
  • E580B Stream corridor bank vegetation improvement
  • E595D Increase the size requirement of refuges planted to slow pest resistance to Bt crops
  • E595E Eliminate use of chemical treatments to control pests and to increase the presence of dung beetles
  • E612G Tree/shrub planting for wildlife food
  • E643B Restoration and management of rare or declining habitat
  • E644A Managing Flood-Irrigated Landscapes for Wildlife
  • E645A Reduction of attractants to human-subsidized predators in sensitive wildlife species habitat
  • E645B Manage existing shrub thickets to provide adequate shelter for wildlife
  • E645C Edge feathering for wildlife cover
  • E646A Close structures to capture and retain rainfall for waterfowl and wading bird winter habitat
  • E646C Manipulate vegetation and maintain closed structures for shorebirds mid-summer habitat
  • E646D Manipulate vegetation and maintain closed structures for shorebird late summer habitat
  • E647C Maintain most soil vegetation on cropland edges to enhance waterfowl and shorebird habitat
  • E647D Establish and maintain early successional habitat in ditches and bank borders
  • E666O Snags, den trees, and coarse woody debris for wildlife habitat
  • E666P Summer roosting habitat for native forest-dwelling bat species
  • E666R Forest songbird habitat maintenance

Energy

  • E329E No till to reduce energy
  • E345E Reduced tillage to reduce energy use
  • E374A Install variable frequency drive(s) on pump(s)
  • E374B Switch fuel source for pump motor(s)
  • E533B Complete pumping plant evaluation for energy savings

Plant/Animal

  • E314A Brush management to improve wildlife habitat
  • E381A Silvopasture to improve wildlife habitat
  • E512F Establishing native grass or legumes in forage base to improve the plant community
  • E512H Forage plantings that enhance bird habitat cover and shelter or structure and composition
  • E528O Clipping mature forages to set back vegetative growth for improved forage quality
  • E612C Establishing tree/shrub species to restore native plant communities
  • E666F Reduce forest stand density to create open stand structure
  • E666I Crop tree management for mast production
  • E666J Facilitating oak forest regeneration
  • E666K Creating structural diversity with patch openings
  • E666L Forest Stand Improvement to rehabilitate degraded hardwood stands
  • E666Q Increase diversity in pine plantation monocultures

Plants/Soils

  • E328A Resource conserving crop rotation
  • E328B Improved resource conserving crop rotation

Plant/Animal/Water

  • E666D Forest management to enhance understory vegetation

Soil/Air

  • E666H Increase on-site carbon storage

Soil/Water

  • E528P Implementing Bale or Swath Grazing to increase organic matter and reduce nutrients in surface water

Water/Air

  • E590A Improving nutrient uptake efficiency and reducing risk of nutrient losses
  • E595B Reduce risk of pesticides in surface water and air by utilizing IPM PAMS techniques

Water/Energy

  • E449A Complete pumping plant evaluation for water savings

Bundles

CSP applicants that want to take their conservation efforts even further may consider "bundles" of enhancement activities. Some enhancements work together to provide increased conservation benefits when they are implemented as a group. Producers may consider adopting these enhancement groups or "bundles" on their operation.

Each bundle has three or more required enhancements, and for some bundles, the applicant has the option to pick additional enhancements from a select list that addresses specific resource concerns.

Bundles have enhancements grouped according to land use - crop, pasture, range and forest. Bundles receive a higher level of financial assistance to encourage the holistic approach to generate additional conservation benefits.

Click any of the links below to view the bundle(s) associated with each land use:

The following are pdf documents that require Adobe Acrobat.

Buffer Bundles

  • Buffer Bundle 1

Cropland Bundles

  • Cropland Bundle 10 (MRBI - YEAR 1 Irrigated Cropland)
  • Cropland Bundle 11 (MRBI - YEAR 2+ Irrigated Cropland)
  • Cropland Bundle 12 (MRBI - Non-Irrigated Precision Ag)
  • Cropland Bundle 13 (MRBI - Non-Irrigated Cropland)
  • Cropland Bundle 14 (MRBI - YEAR 1 Irrigated Precision Ag Cropland)
  • Cropland Bundle 15 (MRBI - YEAR 2+ Irrigated Precision Ag Cropland)
  • Cropland Bundle 16 (MRBI - Non-Irrigated Cropland with Water Bodies)
  • Cropland Bundle 17 (MRBI - Non-Irrigated Cropland with Water Bodies Riparian Forest Buffer)
  • Cropland Bundle 18 (Precision Ag)
  • Cropland Bundle 19 (Soil Health Precision Ag)
  • Cropland Bundle 20 (Soil Health Assessment)
  • Cropland Bundle 21 (Crop Bundle - Organic)
  • Cropland Bundle 22 (Erosion Bundle - Organic)

Forest Bundle

  • Forest Bundle 1

Grazing Bundles

  • Grazing Bundle 1
  • Grazing Bundle 2
  • Grazing Bundle 3
  • Grazing Bundle 4
  • Grazing Bundle 5

Pasture Bundle

  • Pasture Bundle 5

Advanced Grazing Management Supplemental Payment

  • AGM

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