Managing Agricultural Landscapes For Environmental Quality

Successful management of agricultural landscapes depends on the recognition of the relationships between the processes and the structures that maintain the system. The rapidly growing science of Landscape Ecology quantifies the ways these ecosystems interact and establishes a link between the activities in one region and repercussions in another. A

Nutrient enrichment of water resources by inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus, which can lead to eutrophication is still a water quality problem in agriculturally dominated watersheds around the world. Internationally, wetlands both constructed and natural are increasingly being used to help reduce both point and non-point source nutrient and contaminant loss from agricultural practices. This publication contains papers presented at the international symposium on "Nutrient Management in Agricultural Watersheds: A Wetlands Solution," which was held during May, 2004 in Wexford, Ireland. The symposium was the result of an international collaboration between the Teagasc Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Ireland, National Parks and Wildlife, Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Ireland and the Soil and Water Science Department at the University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. These proceedings cover aspects of water quality within agricultural watersheds; management practices to mitigate contaminant and nutrient loss from agriculture; wetland biogeochemistry; wetland functions and values within agricultural dominated landscapes; case studies of wetlands used to retain nutrient and contaminant loss from agriculture; and finally some management and policy issues concerning wetlands are presented. This book provides a good interdisciplinary synthesis of international experiences both in Europe and the USA on the use of wetlands within agricultural watersheds.

This book investigates new agricultural systems such as organic and green manuring, as well as integrated pest management practices, and looks at how they can improve farm productivity against the enhancements for the environment. Much of the information presented focuses on microinvestigation of the soil, and on the effects of soil variability within fields on yields and nutrient flows.

Soil quality is threatened by many human-induced activities, but can also be improved by good land management. In the relatively short history of mankind on earth, the landscape and soils of the world have been drastically modified from their "natural " state. Landscapes altered by man's activities are termed "Anthroscapes" which are inextricably linked to culture and history. The challenges for today's scientists are to devise and implement sustainable land management strategies in order to preserve the land for the benefit of future generations. This book is a valuable compendium of the research experiences so far gained in studies of the context and concept of the "Anthroscape" and highlights the potential future contributions of such research to sustainable development.

How can cultural forms motivate people to care about their environment? While important scientific data about ecosystems is mushrooming, E. N. Anderson argues in this powerful new book that putting effective conservation into practice depends primarily on social solidarity and emotional factors. Marshaling decades of research on cultures across several continents, he shows how societies have been more or less successful in sustainably managing their environments based on collective engagements such as religion, art, song, myth, and story. This provocative and deeply felt book by a leading writer and scholar in human ecology and anthropology will be read and debated widely for years to come.

A growing body of evidence shows that agricultural landscapes can be managed not only to produce crops but also to support biodiversity and promote ecosystem health. Innovative farmers and scientists, as well as indigenous land managers, are developing diverse types of “ecoagriculture” landscapes to generate cobenefits for production, biodiversity, and local people. Farming with Nature offers a synthesis of the state of knowledge of key topics in ecoagriculture. The book is a unique collaboration among renowned agricultural and ecological scientists, leading field conservationists, and farm and community leaders to synthesize knowledge and experience across sectors. The book examines: the knowledge base for ecoagriculture as well as barriers, gaps, and opportunities for developing improved ecoagriculture systems what we have learned about managing landscapes to achieve multiple objectives at a landscape scale existing incentives for farmers, other land managers, and investors to develop and invest in ecoagriculture systems pathways to develop, implement, manage, and scale up successful ecoagriculture Insights are drawn from around the world, in tropical, Mediterranean, and temperate environments, from farming systems that range from highly commercialized to semi-subsistence. Farming with Nature is an important new work that can serve as a foundation document for planners, farm organizations, researchers, project developers, and policy makers to develop strategies for promoting and sustaining ecoagriculture landscapes. Replete with valuable best practice guidelines, it is a critical resource for both practitioners and researchers in the field.