The VUJC Land Stewardship Initiative is a partnership between the SWCD and Vincennes University Jasper Campus. It demonstrates sustainable land use across the university's cropland, prairies, forests, and streams.
The SWCD formed a steering committee to manage this extensive project. Members include SWCD Supervisors and staff, NRCS and DNR staff, VU faculty, staff, and students and interested landowners. The varied skills of this diverse group steer the initiative towards achieving its goals.
The top goal is the improvement of the campus' natural resources. Soil health is the focus on the cropland, and the soil is treated as a living ecosystem. Microbes, invertebrates, and fungi living beneath the soil's surface develop the characteristics leading to a healthy soil. To that end, using no-till practices minimizes soil disturbance and leads to soil that is more resistant to drought, erosion, and compaction. Cover crops are used to provide food year around for the biological community which reduces chemical inputs plus reduces soil erosion. All this ultimately increases the "bottom line" for the farm.
Significant investments have been made in drainage and erosion control on the cropland. Five water and sediment control basins, three grassed waterways, and over a mile of tile have been installed.
Forest health is addressed by removing invasive plants. These non-native species have few natural predators and overwhelm native plans if left unchecked. In 2013, volunteers applied herbicide to invasive plants growing along 1.6 miles of forest edge.
As improvements are made to the cropland and forests, VUJC's streams benefit as well. Grassed buffers planted around each cropfield provide habitat for birds, insects, and small mammals, and reduce sediment and nutrient run-off from crop fields. 13.5 acres of prairie, planted with a mixture of native grasses and flowering plants, provides habitat for many plant and animal species.
Another goal is to develop a respected research and education center. The Initiative hosted a cover crop field day in 2013, an open house in 2013, and is planning a fall 2014 field event featuring cover crop test plots and an innovative tile system.
The Initiative is attracting the attention of individuals and companies. Several have made contributions to specific activities. This community support will allow the Initiative to make larger investments in implementing and promoting sustainable land management.