Planting thin strips of native grasses and flowers at the edges of cropland delivers a broad range of conservation benefits— from reducing soil loss and runoff to attracting pollinators — according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“The premise of prairie strips is that by planting these diverse mixes of native plants on slightly sloping areas, water flowing by will be slowed, preventing soil and nutrients from washing away,” says Harvest Public Media in its report on the study.
“We’re basically treating every single drop of water that’s coming across their farm field,” says Iowa State University professor Lisa Schulte Moore, the lead author on the study, “while also being attentive to areas that may be lower-producing to begin with.”
Schulte Moore says prairie strips work better than other so-called buffer strips, including “single-species, cool season grass buffers or waterways that are common on Midwest crop fields.”