Using Native Forb Species to Enhance Forage Diversity for Livestock and Pollinators

Commodities

• Agronomic: grass (misc. perennial), hay

Practices

• Crop Production: pollinator habitat
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement

The intensification of agriculture has led to the loss of habitat
for pollinators. Producers using innovative strategies to meet
production needs are finding ways to reduce environmental
impacts. Organic production methods have reduced the use of
pesticides but often do not directly address the loss of habitat
for wild pollinators on which both crops and ecosystem services
depend. Current efforts introducing pollinator habitat into
agricultural production directly address these needs by enhancing
forage production with pollinator habitat while emphasizing the
social-ecological benefits of sustainable agriculture.

The proposed project explores establishing native prairie plants
in grassed systems for organic producers. We seek to expand a
project that began in the fall of 2022 to characterize the
establishment of native forbs within the herbaceous layer of
livestock forage. Farmers in western Washington state in the San
Juan Islands recognize the need to conserve pollinator habitat
and have demonstrated a need for technical assistance regarding
regenerative pasture management and no-till methods to grow and
sustain viable businesses. If funded, this project will provide
evidence-based technical assistance for professionals and
producers to address these needs by managing pastures for forage
production and biological diversity of pollinators.

By providing education for producers, research findings from this
project will help to determine best management practices
available to organic farmers for the introduction of prairie
plants into forage production systems. Producers will gain
knowledge of appropriate methods to be able to integrate
management of regenerative forage production with pollinator
habitat enhancement practices.

Project objectives to characterize the establishment of native
pollinator habitat using native forbs to enhance livestock forage
production and provide education using our research findings:

• Test seeding methodology to determine if there is a
  difference in outcome between no-till and broadcast seeding;
• Test the effects of tilling during site preparation on native
  pollinator plant establishment; 
• Test early-season mowing to determine if increased mowing in
  the spring over multiple years can influence forb establishment
  among competitive pasture grasses;
• Host field days for producers to discuss the research results
  informing best management practices;
• Present project findings at the San Juan County Agricultural
  Summit;
• Work with Master Gardeners to distribute findings via
  peer-to-peer educators;
• Present project results at a professional conference; and
• Publish a peer-reviewed journal article