Karst | Soil | Streams | Riparian Buffers | Habitat | Landcare Farming | Forest Landcare | Whole Property Planning & Agroforestry | Cost Share Programs

Karst

• Virginia Natural Heritage Karst Program (VA Dept of Conservation & Recreation — VA DCR)
• Virginia Speleological Survey
• Karst Waters Institute

Cave Conservation & Ecology

• Virginia Cave Protection Act
• Bats of Virginia
• Bat Disease — White-Nose Syndrome Factsheet (US Fish & Wildlife) (PDF)
• Bat Disease – White-Nose Syndrome Updates & Alerts (US Fish & Wildlife)
• Bat Disease — White-Nose Syndrome in Virginia (VA Dept of Game & Inland Fisheries — VA DGIF)

Cave & Sinkhole Management

• Karst & Sinkhole Terrain (VA Dept. of Mines Minerals & Energy — VA DMME)
• Living with Sinkholes (Cave Conservancy of the Virginias)
• Cave Owners Survival Guide (VA DCR)

Soil

• Blue Ridge Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)
• Overview of Virginia Soils (VA Dept. of Environmental Quality — VA DEQ)

Soil Data

• Web Soil Survey (USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service — NRCS)

Soil Testing & Management

• Virginia Tech Soil Testing Laboratory (VT)
• Explanation of Soil Tests (Virginia Cooperative Extension — VCE)
• Soil Sampling for the Home Gardener (VCE)
• Compost — What Is It and What’s It To You (VCE)

Managing Soil Erosion

• Reducing Erosion & Runoff (VCE)

Creeks & Streams

Stream Management

• Landowner’s Guide to Managing Streams in the Eastern US (VCE) (PDF)
• The Virginia Stream Restoration & Stabilization: Best Management Practices Guide (VA DCR; VA DEQ; NOAA) (PDF)

Livestock Exclusion

• Streamside Livestock Exclusion: A tool for increasing farm income and improving water quality (VCE) (PDF)

Riparian Buffers

• Science Behind Forest Buffers (series by Klapproth & Johnson – VCE)
• Riparian Buffer Systems – tons of information and links (University of Maryland)
• Virginia’s Forest Buffers (VA Dept. of Forestry)
• Buffer Strips – Common Sense Conservation (USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS))

Wildlife Habitat

Habitat Management

• Native Warm Season Grass management (VA DGIF)
• Managing for specific species – VA DGIF guide to managing land for various wildlife or plant species.
• Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) – cost share program offered by VA Dept. of Forestry

Pollinators

• Selecting Plants for Pollinators (Pollinator Partnership/ North American Pollinator Protection Campaign)
• Pollination Partners – an overview of pollinators in Virginia (Carol Heiser; VA DGIF)
• Agroforestry and Pollinators (USDA National Agroforestry Center)

Wildlife

• Living with the Coyote in Virginia (VA DGIF)

Landcare Farming

• What is Sustainable Agriculture? (USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education SARE))
• Extending your Growing Season with Low Tunnels (proceedings from 2011 Landcare Learning Series workshop)

Forest Landcare

• State of Chesapeake Forests (US Forest Service)
• Tree Planting Guide – Digging a $10 hole for a $1 tree – produced by VT graduate student Katie Trozzo (download)
• Tree Resource Guide for Arborists & Gardeners (WesSpur Tree Equipment)

Forest Management:

• Prescribed Fire and Smoke Management (VA DOF)

Whole Property Planning & Agroforestry

• Guide to Native and Edible Trees and Shrubs of Virginia – guide to those planted at the Catawba Sustainability Center produced by VT graduate student Katie Trozzo (download)
• Whole Farm Planning Guide – produced by the Land Conservancy of British Columbia (PDF)
• Whole Farm Planning Model: Building for the Successful Transition of Your Agricultural Business – produced by Ohio Extension (PDF)
• Holistic Management: A whole-farm decision making framework – produced by AATRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) (download)
• Holistic Management International – site provides lots off information and tools to implement whole farm planning.
• Healthy Profits: Holistic Management® Financial Planning Manual – produced by Holistic Management International (big file – download)

Cost Share Programs

• Forest Stewardship Program – offered by VA Dept. of Forestry to help landowners manage their forests
• Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) – offered by VA Dept. of Forestry to conserve wildlife habitat
• Landowner Incentive Program - offered by VA Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries to conserve aquatic habitat
• Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP)