TWF Watershed Conservationists are Here to Help

How TWF Watershed conservationists assist local land owners, farmers and municipal partners

TWF’s team of watershed conservationists works to help land owners and farmers achieve practices that benefit both the land and the water. Roughly 75 percent of the 236 square mile Tippecanoe River Watershed is agricultural land, and protecting our watershed begins by containing the amount of land-based pollution that enters the water in the first place.

TWF’s Watershed Conservationists work with local farmers to get to know the current situation of the land, help them increase yield, decrease overhead prices, and protect natural resources that are abundant in the watershed. These projects have ranged from restoring wetlands, to adding water and sediment control basins, planting grassed waterways, creating grade stabilization structures, and installing fencing to keep livestock off of streams to name a few.

Both healthy soils and clean water are important to our community! TWF’s Soil Health Initiative and Technical Assistance Programs aim to increase land productivity, decrease production costs, and keep nutrients where they belong – on the land, not in the water.

Soil Health Initiative

The best results come from collaboration. Along with education of community members and lakeside landowners, we want to work with you. Our conservationists will help improve your soil health, your land’s profitability, as well as water quality through adoption of conservation systems and permanent projects. Soil Health Initiative focuses on a complete conservation system that including these core practices:  Continuous no-till planting – Cover crops after grain crops – Advanced chemical management – Conservation buffer practices – Engineering permanent projects

Technical Assistance

TWF has three experienced conservationists available to visit properties with landowners to look at any resource concerns or problems and evaluate soil health and the conditions of all natural resources. These visits are free of charge, informal, and will result in no commitment from the landowner unless you wish to enter into an agreement for cost-share assistance with TWF.

Project funding is available at up to 80% cost-share, with at least 20% of cost provided by the landowner or other private, non-federal source. In order to be eligible for funding assistance the land must be located in the Tippecanoe River Watershed and the landowner must agree to maintain practice according to a contract agreement.