Conservation of Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes
The majority of land is under private ownership, and the majority of private land is in some form of production for food, fiber and fuel. Our lab is examining ways to improve conservation in landscapes dominated by landuse change. Our current area of investigation examines conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. We are specifically working with an eco-friendly sustainable standard for growing potatoes. Although we focus on the Wisconsin eco-potato, the implications are much broader.
The Wisconsin Healthy Grown potato ecolabel: Since 1996, this science-based approach to wildlife friendly sustainable farming has helped potato growers take a whole-farm approach to sustainability in food production. Standards used included a reduced use of crop protection inputs such as nutrients, pesticides and other additives, by adopting integrated pest management (IPM) alternatives (biologically based pest management systems that do not harm the environment), water contamination reduction, erosion control, restoration and conservation of native ecosystem, and increase productivity without genetic modification of the produce.
This program grew out of a partnership between the University of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), and the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF). The International Crane Foundation and the Defenders of Wildlife are also part of the partnership. In 2001 an ecolabel was established, The Healthy Grown® eco-label. It is meant to convey to consumers the high standards in farming practices that farmers employ in growing these potatoes.
Research in the lab covers both the supply side and demand side of the equation. There is hope that ecolabels will assist in the financing and promotion of the practices necessary for biodiversity conservation in working landscapes. To make this happen, it will be necessary for the promoters of ecolabels to improve their knowledge of what motivates consumers. Our research focuses on questions such as "Can labeling provide information that will guide consumers to make choices that are better for the environment?" and "Can these choices provide positive feedback to sustainably produced crops?"