Land Stewardship

We expand conservation practices on public and private lands to preserve both natural and working landscapes throughout the Midwest.

Publications

Conservation in Illinois: Hotspot Analysis and Implications for Program Design

August 9, 2021

Regenerative Agriculture Factsheet for Public Agencies

October 26, 2020

Land Value: Exploring the Current Agricultural Land Valuation System

August 7, 2019

Land Management through Leasing

August 7, 2019

Farmland Leasing Toolkit for Land Managers

August 7, 2019

Advocacy and Action for Incentivizing Conservation

August 7, 2019

State of Land Stewardship in Illinois

July 1, 2019

Land Tenure and Conservation in Agriculture

May 1, 2019

Integrated Strategies to Reduce Nutrient Loss and Regenerate Soils

December 1, 2017

Preparing for Long-Term Stewardship: A Dual Approach for Illinois

November 1, 2016

Projects

Expanding Grass-Fed Beef Market Drivers in the Greater Chicago Foodshed

Expanding Grass-Fed Beef Market Drivers in the Greater Chicago Foodshed

Understanding conservation behavior is one of the key factors in designing effective programs. To assess this factor, Delta Institute and Environmental Working Group identified conservation hotspots and evaluated the impact of relevant factors. The analysis suggests that strategies focused on conservation adoption should be modified to focus on local conditions and concerns, avoiding a state-wide or uniform program design that fails to consider local factors.

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Conservation Hotspot Analysis in Illinois

Conservation Hotspot Analysis in Illinois

Understanding conservation behavior is one of the key factors in designing effective programs. To assess this factor, Delta Institute and Environmental Working Group identified conservation hotspots and evaluated the impact of relevant factors. The analysis suggests that strategies focused on conservation adoption should be modified to focus on local conditions and concerns, avoiding a state-wide or uniform program design that fails to consider local factors.

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Land Stewardship in Southeast Michigan

Land Stewardship in Southeast Michigan

To better understand the socioeconomic, environmental, and political dynamics that impact the success of agricultural conservation programs in Southeast Michigan, Delta Institute compiled and summarized data on producer demographics, land use, cropping area, tenure status, conservation practices, and conservation program participation and outcomes.

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Phosphorus Reduction in the Kalamazoo River Watershed

Phosphorus Reduction in the Kalamazoo River Watershed

This project aims to reduce excessive phosphorus loading in the Kalamazoo River Watershed associated with agricultural sources through a market and performance-based agricultural incentive program. Performance-based programs can provide a more targeted approach to investing in conservation when program funding is limited.

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Pay-for-Performance Agricultural Conservation: Rabbit River Watershed

Pay-for-Performance Agricultural Conservation: Rabbit River Watershed

This project addressed sediment loading associated with agricultural sources, such as cropland erosion, livestock access, and road/bridge crossings that impacts habitat and water quality in the Rabbit River through a performance-based program for implementing agricultural best management practices. In addition to targeting sedimentation, the project also provided co-benefits of addressing other pollutants such as nutrients and pathogens, largely stemming from livestock access, and pesticides/chemicals, resulting from cropland erosion.

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Examining the State of Land Stewardship in Illinois

Examining the State of Land Stewardship in Illinois

Roughly 50,000 acres of the 1.5 million total acres of conserved land in Illinois are owned by non-governmental conservation groups, also known as conservation land trusts. Traditionally, conservation land trusts have protected land, often restored it, and later transferred it to government entities for long-term ownership, which effectively transfers the responsibility of land stewardship to those governmental entities.

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Land Tenure and Conservation in Agriculture

Land Tenure and Conservation in Agriculture

Agricultural land management decisions are situated within a complex and interconnected system, influenced by a suite of social and economic factors, many of which are difficult to control. Landowners can, but often don’t, take it upon themselves to drive stewardship of their land. This report focuses on land ownership and tenure as levers to increase conservation and rebuild soil health in the Midwest, where over 50% of the agricultural land is leased. 

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