Browse our Introductory Articles

Ethanol Offers Growing Environmental Benefits

By: National Corn Growers Assn.
Ethanol and petroleum are compared in a side by side scientific evaluation for environmental impacts.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Ethanol-Offers-Growing-Environmental-Benefits/967/

 

Wetlands clean water, provide homes for wildlife across the nation

By: Michelle Banks; NRCS
Wetlands play a crucial role in the world’s ecosystem by protecting and improving water quality, filtering surface water, storing floodwater and creating or enhancing wildlife habitat.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Wetlands-clean-water-provide-homes-for-wildlife-across-the-nation/1103/

 

Cover crops making a difference at Alabama’s Dee River Ranch

By: Paul Hollis
Annie Dee, an Alabama ranch owner, believes fervently that if her family doesn’t practice sustainability, they won’t stay in the business of farming.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Cover-crops-making-a-difference-at-Alabamas-Dee-River-Ranch/1015/

 

The Rise of Natural Capitalism and the New Frontier of the Restoration Economy

By: Chandler Van Voorhis
With GreenTrees, participating landowners now have the potential to sit back and watch their forest grow while revenues increase.
https://www.landcan.org/article/The-Rise-of-Natural-Capitalism-and-the-New-Frontier-of-the-Restoration-Economy/1019/

 

Water Issues Drive Precision Agriculture Solutions in Specialty Crops

By: Cary Blake
Researchers at variety of universities are working on the Western State Precision Agriculture Water Research Project, which uses drone and other technologies to determine how to use less water to produce more crops.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Water-Issues-Drive-Precision-Agriculture-Solutions-in-Specialty-Crops/918/

 

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options and Costs for Agricultural Land and Animal Production within the United States

By: ICF International
U.S. agriculture consists of more than 2 million farms that collectively manage more than 922 million acres of cropland, grassland pasture, and range.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Greenhouse-Gas-Mitigation-Options-and-Costs-for-Agricultural-Land-and-Animal-Production-within-the-United-States/933/

 

Turning Wine Waste into Profit

By: Daniel Robison
The US wine industry creates an enormous amount of waste from processing more than 4 million tons of grapes a year. Chemists have been working on turning this waste, called pomace, into edible and inedible products.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Turning-Wine-Waste-into-Profit/890/

 

Energy Beets for Biofuel Could be Winter Cash Crop for Southeast Growers

By: Clint Thompson, University of Georgia
Beets are producing “sweet” results with researchers at the University of Georgia.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Energy-Beets-for-Biofuel-Could-be-Winter-Cash-Crop-for-Southeast-Growers/891/

 

Agricultural Act of 2014

By: Breana Behrens
The Farm Bill was signed by the President and became law the first week in February, 2014. This law will provide certainty for producers and Americans through 2018.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Agricultural-Act-of-2014/1999/

 

Massachusetts Court Clarifies Forest Property Tax Exemption

By: Breana Behrens
In the Massachusetts Supreme Court case New England Forestry Foundation v. Board of Assessors of Hawley the Court found that a parcel of forestland NEFF owns is eligible for a full exemption from property taxes.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Massachusetts-Court-Clarifies-Forest-Property-Tax-Exemption/2202/

 

Tools For Reducing High Property Taxes in Maine.

By: Andrew A. Cadot
Many owners of real estate in coastal Maine are facing dramatic increases in their property taxes as a result of municipal revaluations, especially those with shorefront or a water view.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Tools-For-Reducing-High-Property-Taxes-in-Maine/120/

 

Tara Wildlife Doing Business as a Sustainable Recreation Destination

By: K Gregg Elliott
Renowned for its hunting, Tara Wildlife also offers birding, hiking and a well-equipped conference and recreation facility.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Tara-Wildlife-Doing-Business-as-a-Sustainable-Recreation-Destination/207/

 

Forever Donation

By: Resources First Foundation - RFF
A landowner recently asked us: What is the best way to ensure that the land I donate is not sold? We put the question to the land trust community and it generated quite a bit of activity on the land trust listserv.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Forever-Donation/192/

 

The Texas Wildlife Action Plan

Excerpts from the Texas Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) applicable to private landowners.
https://www.landcan.org/article/The-Texas-Wildlife-Action-Plan/153/

 

The Challenge of Maintaining Working Forests in 21st Century America

By: Amos Eno
Recently I made a presentation to the Society of American Foresters (SAF) at their annual conference. My overall theme was that working forests, not wilderness areas and parks, are the prospective foundations of our prosperity in the 21st century.
https://www.landcan.org/article/The-Challenge-of-Maintaining-Working-Forests-in-21st-Century-America/427/

 

Bundle Of Rights Approach To Value

By: Gerald R. Barber
The bundle of rights theory maintains that ownership of a parcel of real estate may embrace a great many rights, such as the right to its occupancy and use; the right to sell it in whole or in part; the right to bequeath; the right to transfer by contract for specified periods of time, the benefits to be derived by occupancy and use of the real estate.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Bundle-Of-Rights-Approach-To-Value/117/

 

James Garner, NC State Forester, 2002 address on threats to state forests

A message from the North Carolina State Forester in December 11, 2002, James W. Garner, still prescient today. 
https://www.landcan.org/article/James-Garner-NC-State-Forester-2002-address-on-threats-to-state-forests/154/

 

Innovative Bill Passed in Maryland

By: National Woodland Owners Association
On April 5th, 2013 the Maryland General Assembly passed the Forest Preservation Act of 2013; HB 706, stating Maryland will have to maintain its current 40% of the state covered by tree canopy.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Innovative-Bill-Passed-in-Maryland/984/

 

Water Resources - Not Just Water Quality – Gains Attention of Opponents to Hydraulic Fracturing

By: Adam Orford
  Hydraulic fracturing (commonly called “fracking”) is perhaps the single most controversial environmental issue of the day.
https://www.landcan.org/article/Water-Resources--Not-Just-Water-Quality--Gains-Attention-of-Opponents-to-Hydraulic-Fracturing/1000/

 

USDA Online Energy Estimator Tools

USDA provides tools online for estimating energy and potential savings from Tillage Nitrogen Irrigation Animal Housing
https://www.landcan.org/article/USDA-Online-Energy-Estimator-Tools/155/