This course is the fourth and final module in the ATN 31 series, and it provides instructions on the use of the Seed Calculator Tool for developing seed plans and completing checkouts after plantings.

This course is the third module in the ATN 31 series, and it covers companion crops, temporary cover, weed control, and fertilizer and lime considerations. This course also outlines the procedures for completing stand evaluations.

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.