Within a single field, some areas may consistently produce strong yields while others are more vulnerable to flooding, erosion or other conditions that make them less productive and, in some cases, more expensive to farm.
What if those differences could become the starting point for decisions that benefit both a farm’s bottom line and the health of the Great Lakes?
A new partnership between The Ohio State University and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will explore that question by bringing together environmental data, economics, behavioral science and the trusted relationships farmers already rely on when making management decisions. In particular, the team wants to explore what happens when farmers and their advisors look at profitability across the entire farm - considering not only what land can produce, but also where conservation practices and associated financial incentives might offer greater economic and environmental benefits.
The three-year project, led by Robyn Wilson, Ohio State professor of risk analysis and decision science (School of Environment and Natural Resources) and a Sustainability Institute affiliate, was awarded $1.52 million from the Great Lakes Protection Fund. Beginning in 2027, the team will work in two Great Lakes watersheds: the Maumee River Basin, which drains to Lake Erie, and Wisconsin’s Fox River Basin, which drains to Lake Michigan.
Source : osu.edu