Insights from Farmers: Biodiversity Stories from the Field

Three farmers share the art and science of producing food in balance with nature. One farmer could almost drink the water that leaves his land, since he makes sure it is clean enough to support rare fish in his creek. Another farmer manages production fields through a system of rotating “walking wetlands.” The beauty of this is that flooding a field for a year or two vastly improves soil nutrients, serves as wetland habitat, suppresses pests, and eliminates the need for fumigants and fertilizer. Besides using biodynamic practices for the soil and land, the third farmer seeks to increase biodiversity by building ponds, making culverts salmon-safe, and planting native trees and beneficial insect habitat.