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College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Environmental & Natural Resource Research & Education Programs

• Water Quality Projects
• Agriculture Production Systems
• Aquaculture & Pond Management
• Chesapeake Bay Programs
• Dairy & Equine
• Environmenatal & Resource Economics
• Forest/Wildlife Management & Environmental Education
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) & Pesticide Safety
• Land Use & Watershed Protection
• Maryland 4-H Environmental Sciences Program
• Nursery & Greenhouse Nutrient Management
• Nutrient Management Software Development
• Phosphorous/Nitrogen Management & Planning
• Poultry Litter & Nutrients
• Residential
• Riparian Forest Buffers & Tree Growth
• Sea Grant Extension
• Soil Chemistry Interactions

The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has engaged in numerous research & extension activities to address the intent of the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1997.  The follow is a synopsis of these activities:

Agriculture Production Systems

(Reduction of nutrients & pesticides)

• Reduction of Excess Nutrients and Pesticides in Vegetable Production Systems
  
• Response to Emerging Threat: Soybean Rust
  
• Weed Management Systems for Agronomic Crops
  

Aquaculture & Pond Management

• Developing Sustainable Aquaculture in Maryland
  
• Stormwater Pond Management Verification Project
  
• Nutrients and Harmful Algae in the Chesapeake and Aquaculture Systems
  
• Anammox Technology in High School Science Research Education
  
• Plant Mitigation of Nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay
  

Chesapeake Bay Programs

• Chesapeake Bay Program
  
• Regional Agricultural Coordination
  
• Nonpoint Source Analysis in Support of the Chesapeake Bay Program
  
• Chesapeake Bay Agricultural Technical Coordination
  
• Refinement and Revision of Chesapeake Bay Program Best Management Practice (BMP) Efficiency Estimates
  
• Mid Atlantic Water Program
  
• Agricultural Drainage Ditch Water Treatment to Remove Nutrients and Other Pollutants.
  
• Utilization of Variable Rate Nitrogen Application in The Mid-Atlantic to Increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency
  
• Algae—Cleaning the Bay and Producing Bio-fuels
  
• Poultry Litter Subsurfer
  

Dairy & Equine

• Whole Farm Strategies to Balance Nitrogen and Minimize Ammonia Emission on Dairy Farms
  
• Cost Effective Strategy to Reduce Nitrogen Loss from Land Application of Dairy Manure
  
• Nutrient Management for Emerging Animal Species
  
• Reducing Nutrient Pollution from Animal Agriculture
  

Environmenatal & Resource Economics

• Biases in Nutrient Management Planning – Land Economics
  
• Economic Analysis of Poultry Litter Supplies
  
• Evaluation of Costs and Cost Effectiveness of Agricultural BMPs
  

Forest/Wildlife Management & Environmental Education

• Natural Resources Professional Training
  
• Woods in Your Backyard
  
• Wildlife Damage Control
  
• Maryland Master Woodland Stewards Program (formerly Coverts Project)
  
• Gypsy Moth Spraying Cost Share Program and Education
  
• Maryland and Delaware Master Logger Program
  
• Forestry Correspondence Course
  
• Maryland Master Naturalist Program
  

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) & Pesticide Safety

• Integrated Pest Management Coordination and Support Program (EIPM-CS)
  
• Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP)
  
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
  

Land Use & Watershed Protection

• Land Use Education
  
• Chesapeake Bay Policy and Economics Technical Support
  
• Sea Grant Regional Watershed Restoration Specialists
  

Maryland 4-H Environmental Sciences Program

(Educating Youth through Outdoor Experiences)

• Highlights of the Maryland 4-H Environmental Sciences Program
  

Nursery & Greenhouse Nutrient Management

• Water and Nutrient Management for the Nursery and Greenhouse Industries
  

Nutrient Management Software Development

• P Index Software for P Loading Risk Assessment
  
• Phosphorus and Nitrogen Loss Efficiencies Based on Nutrient Management Planning
  
• Nutrient Management Software
  

Phosphorous/Nitrogen Management & Planning

• Regional Meetings to Share Most Current Research Base on Phosphorus Site Index Development (Mule Barn)
  
• Coordinating Regional Efforts Involving Manure Management in Reduced Tillage and Pasture Systems
  
• Development of a Reliable Phosphorus Site Index for Assessing the Potential for Phosphorus Losses from Agricultural Lands
  
• Immobilization of Soluble Phosphorus in Animal Waste with SWAN-Gypsum and Iron Oxide Filter Cake Co-Products
  
• Agricultural Nutrient Management Program (funded by 3 separate contracts with Maryland Department of Agriculture)
  
• Using Plant Petiole Nitrate Testing to Reduce Nitrogen Applications in Vegetables
  
• Facilitating Communication between “Farm” and “Environmental” Communities in Talbot County
  
• Phosphorus Site Index Training Program
  
• Nutrient Management Activities at County Level
  

Poultry Litter & Nutrients

• Poultry Litter Management and Transport
  
• Farmers Willingness to Substitute Poultry Litter for Commercial Fertilizer
  
• Utilizing Conservation Tillage to Minimize Nutrient Losses from Poultry Litter Applied in Grain Production Systems
  
• Sustainable Use of Pelletized Broiler Litter in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
  
• Reducing the Environmental Impact of Poultry Production in Delmarva
  
• Alternative Containment Structures for Stockpiling Poultry Litter
  
• Nutrient Fate & Transport Associated with Poultry Litter Stock Piles
  
• Phosphorus Removal from Animal Waste with SWAN-Gypsum
  

Residential

(Water Quality, Nutrient Management & Air Quality)

• Bay-Wise Landscape Management
  
• Master Gardener Composting Program-Howard County
  
• Anne Arundel Central Elementary Rain Garden Program
  
• Master Gardener Program
  
• Healthy Homes
  
• Corporate Engagement
  
• Evaluation of the Impact of Residential Fertilizer Application and Use in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
  
• Working with the DIY Fertilizer industry through the Scotts MiracleGro Company
  
• Well and Septic Programming
  
• Homeowner Awareness of Water Quality Issues
  

Riparian Forest Buffers & Tree Growth

• Determination of Optimum Tree Density and Biosolid Application Rate and the Effect on Water Quality and Tree Growth Using the Deep Row Biosolids Incorporation Method
  
• Environmental Benefits and Costs of a Voluntary Riparian Forest Buffer Program in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
  

Sea Grant Extension

• The Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program
  

Soil Chemistry Interactions

• Soil Chemistry–Environmental Quality Research Nexis
  

For more information, contact Bob Tjaden

Last updated: 04/23/2009

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The University of Maryland Extension is offering Beginner GPS Training workshops on how to use GPS handheld receivers with a computer, with specific applications to forestry and logging uses. - posted Oct 9, 2009

Mid-Atlantic Water Program announces nutrient budget tool
To help officials address water quality impairments stemming from agricultural production, the Mid-Atlantic Water Program, in partnership with the Chesapeake Research Consortium, has developed regional nutrient budgets that indicate possible excesses in available nitrogen and phosphorus across a five-state region. - posted Sep 1, 2009

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