www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches managing-for-climate-resilience managing-natural-resources Managing Natural Resources for Climate Resilience Practices that Brendon Rockey uses on his Colorado farm to build soil health include intercropping fava beans and other cover crop species with potatoes. Photo by Laura Lengnick. A healthy natural resource base contributes to the climate resilience of your operation by buffering the effects of greater weather variability and extremes. Healthy soils, an adequate […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches managing-for-climate-resilience Managing Farm Resources for Climate Resilience The owners of Full Belly Farm in Guinda, Calif., employ a range of practices that strengthen the resilience of their business, from community engagement to a highly diversified production system, including multi-species grazing of cover crops in orchards. Photo by Laura Lengnick. Farmers and ranchers are experienced managers accustomed to making tradeoffs between goals and available […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-resilience cover-crop-cocktails Cover Crop Cocktails: A Tool for Climate Resilience Colorado potato grower Brendon Rockey rotates fields to highly diverse cover crop mixtures to enhance the soil and his management of water. Photo by Laura Lengnick. Cover crops are planted to provide many important benefits, such as supplying crop nutrients; suppressing weeds, insects or diseases; building soil health; protecting soil nutrients from loss; providing forages; and improving farm income. Sustainable farmers are increasingly turning to […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-resilience Understanding Climate Resilience Mark Frasier uses planned grazing practices to improve the health of the soil and grasslands on his Colorado ranch, and to enhance biodiversity. Photo by Laura Lengnick. As weather-related disruptions become more frequent and intense, climate resilience has become a new goal of businesses, organizations and communities around the world. Many farmers and ranchers are thinking about […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk whole-farm-management-and-climate-resilience Enhancing Climate Resilience with Whole-Farm Management Julia Davis Stafford records data from a rain gauge on her family’s New Mexico ranch. Stafford uses holistic strategies to manage rangelands and adapt to periods of low rainfall and drought. Photo by Laura Lengnick. Managing a farm or ranch to enhance adaptive capacity, or resilience, is admittedly complex. It requires thinking through your production system in terms of component parts and how […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk adaptive-capacity-and-climate-resilience Adaptive Capacity and Climate Resilience Steve Ela grows a diversity of fruit varieties on his Colorado farm and direct markets them, two strategies that improve the resilience of his operation and help him maintain profitability. Photo by Laura Lengnick. Because your operation is located in a specific place, it is subject to a unique set of ecological, social and economic conditions, all of which influence your management decisions. For example, […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk soil-water-and-other-sensitivities Soil, Water and Other Sensitivities to a Changing Climate Soil and Water Resources Many producers are turning to efficient systems like subsurface drip irrigation as they adapt to having less available water. Courtesy USDA. Soil health and the quantity and quality of water resources are extremely sensitive to climatic changes, particularly given more frequent and intense weather extremes. Wind and water erosion degrade soil health. As more […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk changing-patterns-for-weeds-insects-and-diseases Changing Patterns for Weeds, Insects and Diseases Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, coupled with increased levels of atmospheric CO2, also change the incidence, population levels and competitive ability of weeds, insect pests and diseases. Changes that favor pests and diseases can increase production risks and often require modifications to management practices to maintain crop and livestock yields and quality. Complicating matters […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk crop-and-livestock-sensitivity-to-a-changing-climate Crop and Livestock Sensitivity to a Changing Climate Sensitivity refers to how the individual elements of the production system—crops, livestock, pests and diseases, land, infrastructure and people—respond to climate-related events. Because the sensitivity of your operation is a result of the interaction between the elements of your operation and the local climate challenges you may face, it is very place-based and farm specific. […]
www.sare.org publications climate-risk-management-and-resilience-on-farms-and-ranches understanding-climate-risk understanding-exposure Understanding Your Farm's Exposure to a Changing Climate Is climate change likely to affect weather patterns in your region? What does this mean for your farm or ranch? Understanding how the climate is already affecting the weather in your region, or is likely to affect it, gives you some of the information you need to estimate the climate risk to your operation. Exposure […]