There are so many benefits to cover crops that it can be hard to keep track of them all. In addition to reducing costs and boosting crop yieds, cover crops yield a host of environmental benefits, both on the farm and off.
SARE has released a new series of cover crop fact sheets exploring these ecosystem services more deeply, one by one, from carbon sequestration to water quality.
“These free, downloadable and printable fact sheets are an excellent resource for educators, extension service providers, farmers hosting field days, and others,” reads SARE’s press release.
“A great overview fact sheet is ‘10 Ways Cover Crops Enhance Soil Health,’ which addresses the four basic principles for maintaining and improving soil – and how cover crops support those principles.”
Each fact sheet synthesizes the scientific literature documenting a different ecosystem service provided by cover crops:
Cover Crops Improve Soil Conditions and Prevent Pollution
Cover Crops at Work: Covering the Soil to Prevent Erosion
Cover Crops at Work: Increasing Infiltration
Cover Crops at Work: Keeping Nutrients Out of Waterways
Cover Crops at Work: Increasing Soil Organic Matter
Cover Crops and Carbon Sequestration
Impact of Cover Crops on Natural Enemies and Pests
Cover Crop Impacts on Soil Invertebrates
Cover Crop Impacts on Pollinators
