Strips of prairie alongside crops can save the soil

As Dr. Lisa Schulte Moore said in an NBC News story, the simple act of planting strips of prairie alongside corn, wheat, soybeans and more can reduce soil erosion by 95%.

Not only can prairie roots protect the soil, they also reduce fertilizer runoff by 90%. Plus, bees and butterflies flourish, buzzing among the prairie flowers. Pheasants and other birds enjoy their new habitat.

High school seniors want their photos taken among the pretty flowers.

It’s wonderful to see Iowa farmers planting prairie. Let’s get to the point where planting prairie is common across the Midwest (even if in strips), where more bees are buzzing and monarchs are floating on the breeze, where the soil is rich and healthy.

Let’s encourage more of this and, when needed, incentivize prairie strips and other effective, popular conservation practices.