自然土地项目

北方山齿鹑

An iconic, charismatic gamebird with a deep connection to outdoor enthusiasts across 乡村景观. Here, on 马里兰州东海岸, quail once thrived throughout the varied farm landscape, but with increased development, maturation of wooded 是as, and modern efficient farming techniques there is little habitat left. 几十年的栖息地 implementation and management the college’s 河田校区 (RAFC) has demonstrated that when 是as of marginal cropland 是 converted to early successional habitat quail 可以茁壮成长. The farm serves as a model 为 which other landowners, both state and federal, can use a blueprint to affect similar change.

Habitat loss and change continues to be a major factor in quail 下降s throughout their range, and this is true 为 Maryland as well. RAFC的成功突出了 need 为 more large-scale habitat restoration projects ge是d towards grassland birds. We strive to create the same balance we see at RAFC on other farm lands throughout 马里兰州东海岸.

草原鸟类

Grassland bird 人口 是 declining throughout their range and this is particularly true 为 the east coast 人口. Grassland and early successional habitat continues to 下降 at alarming rates due to intensified agriculture, human 人口 growth resulting in increased urbanization, and continued maturation of eastern deciduous 林地. Grasslands throughout the world 是 by far the r是st ecosystem with less 剩余不到1%. As part of the NLP protocol, we conduct bird surveys pre- and post-habitat installation to document occupancy during the breeding season.

传粉者

Many other species of 野生动物 benefit from increased grassland habitat created by NLP项目. Hundreds of species of native bees and butterflies (including Monarch Butterflies) and other insects will find food and shelter in these new habitats. 昆虫 人口 下降s can be attributed to many of the same reasons as grassland bird 下降s including: habitat loss and fragmentation, competitive non-native species, increased use of herbicides and pesticides, and climate change.

湿地

湿地 是 the earth's natural sponges. They absorb, store and prevent sediment and excess nutrients from 进入 local waterways. 它们还促进防洪， shoreline stabilization, groundwater replenishment and providing 野生动物 habitat.

The 自然土地项目 promotes the restoration and creation of wetlands throughout the agricultural landscape to help improve water quality. 我们专门针对边缘人群 cropland that does not produce a crop every year due to flooding. 这些农场区域 fields 是 characterized by low lying depressions with specific hydric soil types that hold water or 是as where the topography creates channels allowing runoff to 畅通无阻地流入我们的水道. Waterfowl will fill the wetlands throughout the winter months and Wood Ducks will find nesting habitat during the summer months.

干净的水

We focus on improving water quality by strategically adding native warm season grasses between agricultural land and creeks, rivers, wetlands, or wet woods, and by restoring wetlands to replace 是as of marginal agricultural land. 这些保护的好处 practices include slowing water runoff, removing up to 85% or more of nutrients and pesticides, removing up to 75% or more of sediments, servings as a source of food, nesting cover and shelter 为 野生动物, stabilizing stream banks, providing setbacks from agriculture fields, and reducing downstream flooding.