Conservation
All Conservation Content
Water Quality Standards in South Dakota
Fact sheet to raise awareness among citizens of South Dakota about the Water Quality Standards in the state.
Permitting Considerations for Riparian Areas
Streams and riparian areas are a valued resource to ranchers, providing, among other things, forage, water, and shelter for livestock. Unfortunately, their relatively low prevalence on the landscape and livestock’s heavy reliance on them has led to widespread degradation to many streams and riparian environments in rangelands worldwide.
Understanding Grassland Terminology
Before learning the best practices of grassland management, it's important to know some of the common terminology used in the land management and conservation arena.
Using Prairie Strips To Protect South Dakota Water
Prairie strips are a new continuous Conservation Reserve Program practice that integrates native prairie plantings oriented linearly within a row crop field to reduce soil erosion and runoff.
The Importance of Riparian Areas
Riparian areas occur along streams, rivers, wetlands, lakes, and shorelines and can be considered the last line of defense before pollutants enter a body of water. Learn about the many benefits these areas offer and the programs available to support their conservation.
Aquatic Invertebrate Sampling: Teaching an old dog old tricks
Sampling aquatic macroinvertebrates is an important aspect of assessing surface water quality. Their presence, absence, and abundance give us an indication of the condition of the waterbody.
Range Roundup: SDSU’s Native Plant Initiative
The SDSU Native Plant Initiative aims to improve our understanding of South Dakota’s native plants, including which ones are best-suited for restoration and production. This information will help guide stakeholders in matching native species to desired restoration outcomes.
Getting Ready for Winter on the Range
During periods of summer and fall drought, winter grazing opportunities may be limited or not available at all. Ranch managers must ensure that enough residual plant height and vegetation cover of the soil surface is available through the winter to aid in recovery of the rangeland.
Grassland Management Do’s and Don’ts
This article is intended to address the variety of questions we receive related to establishing, re-establishing and maintaining grass-based plantings for grazing, hay, wildlife and recreation.
Haying and Mowing/Clipping
While grazing is the primary means of harvesting the majority of South Dakota’s native grasslands, haying also plays an important role in native and tame grassland management.