Welcoming New Staff Member Em Whalen
Join us in giving Sustainable Conservation’s newest staff member, Em Whalen, a warm welcome!
Tag Archives: Solutions in our Soil
Sustainable Conservation Celebrates Healthy Soils Week 2026
Each year, the California Department of Food and Agriculture hosts Healthy Soils Week to spotlight the state’s sustainable farming efforts and demonstrate how focusing on soil health fosters long-term land stewardship.
A Snapshot of California’s First Nature-Based Solutions Summit
On January 29, 2026, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) hosted California’s first Nature-Based Solutions Summit, bringing together a diverse group of leaders to share experiences, offer insights, and discuss next steps. Nature-based solutions are not a side dish; they are the full meal. They are investments in public safety, economic resilience, workforce development, and cultural restoration.
Soil Health Meets Recharge: Lessons from the Field
Cover crops are a known practice in California agriculture for reducing water runoff, increasing the amount of water that can infiltrate and stay in the soil, improving biodiversity, limiting groundwater pollution, and supporting better air quality, among other benefits. But under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), concerns persist about whether cover crops “count against” growers’ limited water budgets and begs the question, is cover cropping worth the risk?
Welcoming New Staff Members Wendy Rash and Kristen Murphy
Join us in giving Sustainable Conservation’s newest staff members, Wendy Rash and Kristen Murphy, a warm welcome!
2024 Annual Report
Read our 2024 annual report to learn what your generosity made possible last year.
Improving Recharge Outcomes and Soil Health: Combining Cover Cropping and On-Farm Recharge in California Pistachio Orchards
What if we could make OFR even better? What if we could enhance water infiltration, reduce nutrient leaching, and improve soil health all at the same time? That’s exactly what we’re exploring through this Specialty Crop Block Grant Program project combining cover cropping with on-farm recharge in California pistachio orchards.
New Guidance Released to Help California Growers Maximize Water Benefits of Cover Crops
Sustainable Conservation and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), along with UC ANR and other partners, have released a new guidance document — Cover Cropping in California’s Water Scarce Environments — to help growers harness the many benefits of cool-season cover crops while reducing water use. As farmers adapt to a changing water supply, this guide provides practical considerations about cover crop species, timing, and management to reduce runoff, increase infiltration and water retention, and bolster overall soil health.
2025 Burroughs Family Farms Regenerative Tree Nut Field Day Recap
On January 21st, growers agriculture professionals, and sustainability nuts (pun intended) converged on Burroughs Family Farms for their 4th Annual Regenerative Tree Nut Field Day!
Gratitude.
Thank you for your support in 2024! Read what you helped make possible this past year with Sustainable Conservation.
Healthy Soils Week 2024: How Sustainable Conservation Leverages Circularity for Soil Health and Water Security
Celebrate circularity for Healthy Soils Week 2024 with Sustainable Conservation!
Solutions in our Soil
John Chacon / California Department of Water Resources Sustainable Conservation recognizes that healthy soil is foundational to the state’s water system, agricultural production, and human health. Agriculture is the backbone of our state’s rural communities, food supply, and economy. However, California’s farming future and our collective health hinge on how we steward our precious water…