Quail Forever and Pheaants Forever have unveiled a new partnership with Sustainable Environmental Consultants, powered by EcoPractices, to help producers achieve agricultural resiliency through habitat-based conservation solutions. The trio of organizations are now helping farmers identify, collect, verify, and quantify environmental performance impacts for carbon, soil erosion, and nutrients, while making habitat recommendations for greater efficiency and reduced risk across farming operations.
“Within a field area, each acre serves a role and is important to the ecosystem of the farm. Management of row crops and adjoining habitat plantings contribute to the financial and environmental success of an operation. Through the EcoPractices platform, we’re able to help growers make informed sustainability decisions, including the impacts of edge-of-field perennial vegetation, which is what our partnership has focused on,” said Anne Dinges, lead agronomist for Sustainable Environmental Consultants.
In 2021, the partnership initiated with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever staff working with three different producers in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Utilizing the expertise of Sustainable Environmental Consultants and the EcoPractices platform, the project assessed the environmental impacts of 75 acres of perennial vegetation across 2,401 row cropped acres. In addition to providing valuable habitat for upland birds and other wildlife, the edge-of-field practices resulted in the following impacts:
- 18.3 tons of carbon sequestered
- Soil retention was 3x higher for perennial vegetation borders compared to row cropped acres
- 3,750 lbs. of nitrogen conserved instead of being lost through leaching and runoff
- 600 lbs. of phosphorus saved instead of being lost through runoff
“The statistics generated from this project speak for themselves,” stated Tanner Bruse, ag and conservation programs manager for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. “Strategically implemented conservation practices not only fuel the diversity of wildlife witnessed in the United States, but also the future of agriculture throughout the nation by conserving soil, capturing carbon, holding nutrients, and cleaning our waters for a more efficient and productive farm setting.”
With a vision for agricultural sustainability since its inception in 2008,
Sustainable Environmental Consultants is dedicated to supporting producers, along with food and beverage companies alike. Their strategic, performance-based approach integrates sustainability into clients’ operations, resulting in greater efficiency and reduced risk, regardless of industry or business size. The data provided adds valuable metrics to support client sustainability stories, drive future environmental initiatives, and enhance communication materials. It’s a one-stop shop for independent verification of environmental interventions providing you with effective, quantifiable actions to share your sustainability story with confidence.
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are committed to sustaining a healthy environment, people, and prosperous communities through initiatives that deliver quality upland experiences and habitat. The more than 22 million acres they have impacted through various wildlife conservation programs have provided broad public benefits to climate resiliency, carbon sequestration, soil health, water quality, and economic development. For more information about partnering with Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and Sustainable Environmental Consultants, or to receive a complimentary field visit from a professional biologist, contact Tanner Bruse at
TBruse@Pheasantsforever.org or (507) 865-1163.
About Quail Forever
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever together make up the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. This community of more than 400,000 members, supporters and partners is dedicated to the protection of our uplands through habitat improvement, public access, education and advocacy. A network of 754 local chapters spread across North America determine how 100 percent of their locally raised funds are spent — the only national conservation organization that operates through this grassroots structure. Since its creation in 1982, the organization has dedicated more than $1 billion to 567,500 habitat projects benefiting 22 million acres.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651)-788-3038
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org