Youth get their hands dirty learning about groundcover

Sydney Peterson Iowa State University

From environmental science classes to Girl Scout troop meetings, more than 2,000 Iowa youth have had the chance to participate in “Where the Grass Is Greener.” The statewide program, from Iowa 4-H and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Agriculture and Natural Resources program unit, provides youth with hands-on educational experiences demonstrating the benefits of perennial groundcover.

Iowans can experience the program at the Iowa State Fair Aug. 9 at the Bruce L. Rastetter 4-H Exhibits Building.

“Where the Grass Is Greener” showcases Iowa agriculture, Iowa State University science and innovative conservation practices. Activities include erosion simulations, observation of soil microbes, identification of insects and games about weed suppression. The programs have been funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture project RegenPGC.

RegenPGC stands for Regenerating America’s Working Landscapes to Enhance Natural Resources and Public Goods through Perennial Groundcover. The initiative is led by a transdisciplinary team of scientists and engineers who share a vision of making year-round groundcover on working lands the norm, rather than the exception, for Midwestern U.S. agriculture and beyond.

Central to the approach is developing and de-risking perennial groundcover systems, where a perennial cover crop is planted once and then persists for multiple years alongside annual crops such as corn and soybean. By providing year-round groundcover, perennial groundcover can deliver numerous ecosystem services, including conserving soil resources, reducing nutrient export, enhancing carbon sequestration and suppressing weeds, thereby reducing herbicide requirements. Compared to conventional cover cropping, a perennial groundcover approach has lesser management requirements, which could facilitate widespread adoption of cover cropping systems critical to achieving measurable differences in large-scale environmental issues.

“Four new lesson plans were created to demonstrate the benefits of perennial groundcover,” said Maya Hayslett, Integrated Pest Management and 4-H crop sciences specialist, leading the 4-H youth outreach component of the project. “Using best practices in teaching, lesson plans were developed with hands-on experiential learning activities that allow youth to explore the different topics. We are emphasizing the potential benefits of this agricultural innovation but also the role of science in developing solutions.”

The lessons have been implemented in Iowa with youth in grades kindergarten through 12. In those activities, youth learn about perennial groundcover for reducing soil erosion, increasing weed control, enhancing insect communities for improved insect pest management, and promoting soil microbial diversity for better soil health.

In post-lesson surveys, youth reported a better understanding of how different crop management practices, like perennial groundcover, affect the environment, and a better understanding of how science can help solve real-world problems.

Kendra Crooks, 4-H youth program specialist, said, “Today, our youth, as well as many families, are getting further removed from living on the farm themselves, so it helps having the opportunity to learn about land stewardship and understand where our fuel, our food and our fibers come from. As consumers on this earth, we are also land stewards, and so we are helping future generations understand the importance of caring for the soil through the use of cover crops.”

"Where the Grass is Greener" lesson plans are available for any Iowa educator. Email hayslett@iastate.edu for more information..