Agricultural Beneficial Insect Habitat
Agriculture dominates the landscape in Indiana, and how these lands are managed has a significant impact on insect populations – including pollinators and other beneficials. Many farmers in Indiana are managing their land for soil Health which involves a system of never-till, cover crops, advanced nutrient and pest management, and buffers where appropriate. This management approach builds organic matter, improves nutrient use efficiency, mitigates the effects of flood and drought, increases biological activity and populations, and reduces nutrient and sediment loading to streams and rivers. The proposed presentation will demonstrate how increasing soil health can lead to significant improvements in a variety of habitat components beneficial to pollinators and other beneficial organisms.
Speaker
Shannon Zezula
Shannon Zezula is the State Resource Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Indiana. In this position, he and his staff of technical experts provide the technical standards to help the local NRCS experts and partners help farmers address their environmental resource concerns. Shannon is a graduate of Purdue and The Ohio State University, and is a native of Wells Co, Indiana. He currently resides in Brownsburg, Indiana, where he enjoys spending time with his wife, 2 kids, and 2 vizslas and rooting on the Colts and Boilers and hunting, trapping, and fishing when he can.