Conservation

All Conservation Content

A large monarch caterpillar exploring the flowers of a swamp milkweed plant (Asclepias incarnata) in a field plot.

Range Roundup: SDSU Native Plant Initiative Strengthens Conservation and Supply of Native Plants

SDSU’s Native Plant Initiative has been hard at work on research that focuses on the conservation and supply of native plants.

Two young woman inspecting plants growing on a vast, open range.

Range Roundup: South Dakota Women on the Range

With the percentage of women in agriculture expected to grow over the next few years, SDSU Extension will be launching a new program called South Dakota Women on the Range. The program will educate women about the importance of range management, while also empowering them to become leaders in the agriculture industry.

Two headwater prairie streams in Butte County.

Ranching and Prairie Streams: What Healthy Riparian Areas Mean for Your Ranch

Prairie streams and their associated riparian areas can provide numerous ecosystem services to a ranching operation.

Cottonwood Creek on the SDSU Cottonwood Field Station.

Ranching and Prairie Streams: Why Riparian Areas Matter

For many producers, riparian pastures are essential to their operations. However, land managers need to balance grazing and utilization needs with riparian health for the long-term benefit of their operation.

Canada thistle growing in a pasture.

Current State of Noxious Weed Management in South Dakota

Results of an online survey to determine how South Dakota stakeholders are currently managing noxious weeds.

Tractor planting seed in a no-till field.

Conservation Practices Increasing in South Dakota

The recently released Agricultural Census data of 2022 shows that the share of cropland acres under conservation practices has continued to increase in South Dakota.

Aerial view of a cattle operation.

Carbon Markets and Beef Production: Overview

Learn about the Carbon Markets and Beef Production program, which aims to demystify many of the aspects of greenhouse gas emissions, climate-smart agriculture practices, and carbon markets for producers and landowners.

Farmer standing in a no-till field.

Farming Practice Comparisons in South Dakota: A case study across the fence and implications for the future

This extension study intends to provide some new insights on the financial and carbon storage comparisons between neighboring farms using conventional farming versus conservation practices (mainly no-till and cover crops).

Sushant Mehan smiles at the camera. He is wearing a black suit and striped tie

SDSU Extension welcomes new water specialist

November 28, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Sushant Mehan as a new Water Resource Engineer Specialist and assistant professor.

Numerous winter-killed fish along the shoreline of a lake.

The Most-Common Cause of Fish Kills in South Dakota

There are many ways for fish kills to occur in freshwater lakes, but the most-common cause by far is dissolved oxygen depletion. Learn about some of the seasonal and environmental factors that can lead to oxygen depletion.