Recent News
Recapping Modern Approaches to Conservation Drainage Design
Expanding the adoption of edge of field (EoF) conservation drainage practices, including saturated buffers, bioreactors, drainage water management systems, and constructed wetlands, depends heavily on having trained professionals who can design and deliver them to interested landowners. To help build this crucial technical capacity, ISAP hosted a two-day workshop, Modern Approaches to Conservation Drainage Design, in Danville, IL in early...
Communicating Edge-of-Field Practices: Turning Awareness into Action
Communicating Edge-of-Field Practices: Turning Awareness into Action The Illinois Conservation On-Farm Network (ICON) hosted Dr. Jacqueline Comito from Iowa State University and Scott James from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the final webinar of 2025. Guest speakers shared research and practical tips for effectively communicating about edge-of-field (EoF) practices. Edge of Field Practices – Essential, but Under-utilized Across...
Return on Investment for Conservation Drainage
On November 12, the Illinois Conservation On-Farm Network (ICON) hosted Isaac Ferrie of Crop Tech Consulting and Ben Reinhart of Ecosystem Services Exchange for a discussion on conservation drainage practices that deliver multiple benefits for producers. While several options exist for tile-drained landscapes, such as saturated buffers and bioreactors, the spotlight for this webinar was on controlled drainage, also known...
Using ACPF Output Maps to Foster More Impactful Conservation Conversations
By: Adrienne Marino and Jill Kostel Effective communication is essential to advancing the adoption of agricultural conservation practices. One powerful tool that supports these efforts is the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF)—a science-based, data-driven approach to watershed planning that helps stakeholders visualize conservation opportunities and better understand the landscape. Recent and current ISAP efforts are utilizing ACPF tools, and ISAP members...
From Farm to Filtration: A Tour of Conservation in Action
By Chloe Chiles Troutman On April 3rd, Illinois farmers, agriculture professionals, water treatment experts, and the newly elected Mayor of Bloomington came together bright and early at Davis Lodge in Hudson, IL, for a day-long event entitled “From Farm to Filtration: A Tour of Conservation in Action.” The event was hosted by Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP), Illinois Nutrient Research...
Edge-of-Field Practices Take Center Stage at ISAP Training
The Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) gathered experienced drainage engineers and technical service providers to offer A Practitioner's Guide to Advancing Conservation Drainage Practices. The half-day training was held Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in conjunction with the Conservation Drainage Network's 2025 Annual Meeting at the Illini Union Hotel on the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois. The focus of...