This grassroots site is about management for simultaneous social, financial, and ecological benefit. Our goal is to promote change toward a future that works. More…

Today's featured photo:

This nonbrittle Siberian taiga receives 300-500 mm (11-20") of precipitation, most falling as snow. Low evaporation keeps the soil moist year-round. Article...

Today's featured book:

Beyond the Rangeland Conflict. Dan Dagget explores how ranchers and environmentalists can work together to solve the environmental problems of the American West. Buy at Amazon, Booksense, or Half.com

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Recent additions

Soil Carbon Coalition founded. Enterprise, Oregon, January 2008--The Soil Carbon Coalition, with pending 501c3 nonprofit status, plans to advance the practice of turning atmospheric carbon into soil organic matter, and to advance public awareness of the soil carbon opportunity to enhance biosphere processes and reverse global heating.

Australian author reveals comprehensive solutions to the climate crisis. Enterprise, Oregon, July 2007--Biosphere Media has published a US/UK edition of Allan Yeomans's controversial book Priority One: Together We Can Beat Global Warming.

Allan Yeomans has a background in physics, chemistry, meteorology, and agriculture. He realized that the rapid development of soil organic matter could solve the global warming problem, in combination with a switch to nonfossil energy sources. But most scientists, experts, organizations, and governments are unfamiliar with soil-enhancing farming and grazing methods, or the large and rapid increases in soil organic matter that they were achieving. "The undue influence of the coal, oil, and gas industries on every aspect of American politics has blinded Americans to the opportunities we have to stop global warming," he said. Continue article...

Forestry that Works. 30-minute film about excellent forest stewardship, highlighting the opportunities for public land management, and some observations on fire. Forestry that Works page, with a trailer and ordering info.

Discover the most common cause of droughts and floods worldwide. Viewable as a Flash movie with quiz, HTML slide show, or downloadable Flash and PowerPoint versions for classroom use, presentations, and offline viewing. In 6 languages:

Water cycle basics
水循环常识
Водный цикл
Los principios fundamentales del ciclo del agua
Les principes de base du cycle de l'eau
المبادئ الأساسية لدورة الماء في الطبيعة

Today's featured story

No-till cropping in seasonally dry environments

by Peter Donovan

At the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association's January 2003 conference in Pasco, Washington, no-till farmers shared successes and challenges.

Dwayne Beck, one of the principal founders of the systemic approach to no-till cropping, said, "My goal is not to know anything about diseases, weeds, or insects."

"I'm not a scientist. I'm a systems guy. I throw a bunch of crap up against the wall, and see what sticks. Now a scientist, he will tell us why some of it doesn't stick, or why some that did stick should not have." Read article…

Sample articles

Improving rain absorption and reducing flood damage using good grazing management: Better management replaces annuals like cheatgrass with perennials that help soil absorb water, and whose deep roots hold soil. By Peter Donovan.