Soil Health Research - Crowdfunding Campaign
NZ$10.00
NZ$10.00
per item
The goal of this study is to investigate how regenerative farming practices impact the health of the soil. In order to provide the background science to support and guide farmers in adopting practices that have the most beneficial impact on their landscape.
This study is based upon a correlation between variables of farm management (such as pasture diversity, incorporating tree cover, stock density, grazing duration and pasture recovery between grazing) and how these variable relate to measures of soil health (such as the proportion of soil formed into aggregates, abundance of earthworms and diversity of terrestrial insect predators).
From this correlation it is expected that a series of farm management practices that have the most beneficial impact on soil health can be recommended to farmers.
In addition, the study will explore the novel use of collecting predatory terrestrial insects using pitfall traps as a bioindicator of soil health. It is anticipated that this bioindicator could serve as a useful tool for farmers wishing to monitor changes in the health of their soil over time – as they adapt and refine regenerative farming practices.
This study addresses a major limitation in adopting regenerative farming practices more widely around the world – the lack of good science to support these practices. This is largely due to traditional measures of agriculture not focusing upon measures of the diversity and abundance of living things associated with the soil. These living things build healthy soil that then supports the healthy growth of pastures, crops, livestock and the people that consume them.
To make this study possible we need to raise research funds to support this project. Please provide your support with a small NZ$10 donation to our crowdfunding campaign. Our goal is to raise NZ$40,000 to support phase 1 of the project.
This study is based upon a correlation between variables of farm management (such as pasture diversity, incorporating tree cover, stock density, grazing duration and pasture recovery between grazing) and how these variable relate to measures of soil health (such as the proportion of soil formed into aggregates, abundance of earthworms and diversity of terrestrial insect predators).
From this correlation it is expected that a series of farm management practices that have the most beneficial impact on soil health can be recommended to farmers.
In addition, the study will explore the novel use of collecting predatory terrestrial insects using pitfall traps as a bioindicator of soil health. It is anticipated that this bioindicator could serve as a useful tool for farmers wishing to monitor changes in the health of their soil over time – as they adapt and refine regenerative farming practices.
This study addresses a major limitation in adopting regenerative farming practices more widely around the world – the lack of good science to support these practices. This is largely due to traditional measures of agriculture not focusing upon measures of the diversity and abundance of living things associated with the soil. These living things build healthy soil that then supports the healthy growth of pastures, crops, livestock and the people that consume them.
To make this study possible we need to raise research funds to support this project. Please provide your support with a small NZ$10 donation to our crowdfunding campaign. Our goal is to raise NZ$40,000 to support phase 1 of the project.