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Soil and Water Management in the Northeast for a Climate-Resilient Agriculture
(Seminar/Conference)
Dr. Joshua Faulkner
Farming and Climate Change Program Coordinator - Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Adjunct Assistant Professor - Department of Plant and Soil Science
University of Vermont
Abstract
Climate projections indicate the Northeast will experience increased precipitation and more frequent and intense storms and flooding, as well as drought periods of greater severity. These changing, and uncertain, moisture patterns and hydrologic occurrences will undoubtedly create conditions that are economically challenging for agriculture, but will also increase the likelihood of nutrient and soil loss and resulting water quality impairment. Agriculture will be, and is being, forced to adapt. Soil and water resource outreach, education, and applied research will be critical components of a successful agricultural climate adaptation approach. With improved management and innovative solutions, our agricultural landscapes can help capture excess moisture, reducing peak flows and nutrient and sediment loss, and increase water retention for use in dry periods.
Dr. Faulkner is the Farming and Climate Change Program Coordinator at the University of Vermont's Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Science. His experience lies in agricultural hydrology and the processes by which agricultural systems impact water quality and the surrounding environment. He obtained a B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering from Virginia Tech, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University in Biological and Environmental Engineering, all of which had a concentration in Soil and Water Resources. During his time in New York State, he studied alternative vegetative treatment systems for dairy wastewater, as well as small reservoir vegetable-irrigation systems in West Africa. Most recently he was agricultural engineering extension faculty at West Virginia University, working with farmers and agencies on a variety of issues, including the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, innovative best management practices for crop and livestock producers, revising the Phosphorus Index, and a diversity of other agricultural engineering-related projects.
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(540) 231-0680