Managing Fragile Lands

Consideration should be given to permanently retiring fragile land from agricultural production and devoting the area to more appropriate use.  It may be fragile due to its susceptibility to erosion or flooding. It rarely makes the landowner money, and is likely costing someone else money downstream.

Stream bottomlands and drainage ditchbanks may seem to be good grazing and watering sites. However, the compaction and slumping of banks caused by hooves adds unwanted soil to streams and ditches. Unrestricted livestock access in intensively grazed areas, exercise yards and dry lots often means poorer drinking water for users downstream.

Unmanaged access to streams by livestock can lead to faecal coliform and sediment pollution of watercourses.

For intensively grazed areas, permanent or temporary fencing can be erected at a reasonable cost. It will keep livestock out of the water while allowing them to graze on bottomlands. Livestock crossings allow access to lands on both sides of the watercourse. These structures must keep livestock out of the water and not restrict the normal flow in the watercourse. A wide range of watering devices are available at moderate cost. Options range from mechanical nose-pumps to solar powered pumps and fencing units. Restricted cattle access is the most cost-effective way to reduce livestock-related pollution of ditches and creeks.

Fencing cattle out of streams will prevent water pollution. Watering devices meet livestock needs.

Getting the most from cropland is important to your bottom line. However, doing it at the expense of soil and water quality in the long term, may be wasteful. The use of tillage and other heavy equipment near streams places excessive loads on the banks. This causes slumping, streambank erosion and could be a major safety hazard. Also, the closer producers work to the bank, the more likely it is that topsoil and fertilizer will run off into waterways.

Growing crops too close to ditchbanks will accelerate streambank erosion.

Severely eroded lands have low potential yields due to their lack of topsoil and organic matter. Sub-soils are less fertile and more prone to drought. Research conducted by the University of Guelph estimates that 16 percent of the cropland in one county of Ontario was eroded enough to lower corn yields by 30 to 40 percent.

The exposure of light-coloured soil is evidence of past erosion. Severely eroded fields are fragile and it just
doesn't pay to farm this land.

It is far better to do a good job on your best acres and retire fragile land: crop yields from these areas generally pull down field averages.

An easily-maintained grass buffer strip will keep tillage equipment away from fragile lands and filter run-off during storms. Buffer strips are also excellent sites for growing valuable hardwood trees and shrubs. Vegetation that provides shade gives life to streams because cool, clean water is ideal for fish habitat. If municipal drains are located on the farm, the buffer allows easy equipment access. Be sure to inform local township officials prior to planting.

Ditchbanks and watercourses can be protected by planting permanent grass buffer strips.

Retirement of fragile and bottom lands is a best management practice. The practice directly benefits producers and society. To assist producers, there is help available from government and non-government agencies.

Block plantings of conifer, hardwood or shrub seedlings are the beginnings of future farm forests. At first, an improvement in the range and numbers of birds and wildlife are noticeable. In time, the field that was once an eyesore will become beautiful. As the trees mature, they will become valuable for wood products and real estate.

Fragile lands can be retired at low cost by planting tree and shrub seedlings.