Soil at the Nature Conservancy a Shared Science Agenda: Activities and Priorities Soil Is Intrinsically Connected to the Wellbeing of People and the Environment

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Soil at The Nature Conservancy A shared science agenda: activities and priorities Soil is intrinsically connected to the wellbeing of people and the environment.

2 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Contents

Introduction 4 Importance of soil for conservation 5 Types of soil management practices 6 Biophysical management practices 6 Implementation and outcomes 7 Priorities and practices related to soil 7 Regional distribution of TNC soil projects 9 Ground level: TNC soil projects 12 reThink Soil Roadmap 12 Northern Rangelands Trust partnership 13 Water Funds projects 13 A first soil science agenda for TNC 14 Priority areas for soil science 16 Emerging topics 17 Soil science agenda: impacts 18

This document was prepared by Deborah Bossio and Stephen Wood in collaboration with staff at The Nature Conservancy.

Acknowledgements A large part of the value in this document was the process of preparing it and the conversations focused on soil that it instigated across the Conservancy. We want to acknowledge the contributions of the more than 100 staff who participated in phone calls, surveys and virtual meetings. We also want to thank the Craig and Susan McCaw Foundation for generously supporting soil science at The Nature Conservancy.

October 2018

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 3 Introduction

Centuries of research and direct OVER THE PAST DECADE, soil has gained greater attention in research, experience show that soil is practice and policy arenas. In 2012 the UN Food and Agriculture Organization launched the Global Soil Partnership, and then celebrated intrinsically connected to the the International Year of Soil in 2015. At the 2015 UN Climate Change wellbeing of people and the Conference in Paris we saw national governments engage with soil, as environment. The Sustainable reflected in the 4 per 1000 initiative launched by the French government to build soil carbon for climate and food security. Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by United Nations Member In recognition of the importance of soil for global conservation work, and the need to accelerate progress, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has States in 2015, established a clear decided to invest in soil science to improve how we manage land and mandate to manage the planet for scale up our conservation impact. This work aims to ensure that the best both human and environmental possible soil science is available to TNC and its partners and collaborators. TNC’s audience for this science is TNC conservationists and scientists, wellbeing. This thinking is reflected and external partners in non-profits, government, and private enterprise in The Nature Conservancy’s who look to TNC for guidance on ways to meet their conservation, sustainability, and climate goals. mission—to achieve a world in which “…the diversity of life thrives, Having clear goals and priorities for soil science at the Conservancy is and people act to conserve nature a prerequisite for ensuring that these partnerships achieve the greatest possible impact, and better alignment with broader Conservancy goals for its own sake, and its ability and science. This was the motivation behind developing the shared soil to fulfill our needs and enrich science agenda. our lives.” Any viable approach Here we present this shared soil science agenda. Our agenda is shared to achieving this—and hence because it is the result of months of conversations with TNC staff, achieving the SDGs—requires ranging from property managers to global leads, and therefore rooted in the priorities of staff across the Conservancy. It is built on our existing, addressing soil as the foundation extensive work to manage soils for conservation outcomes. And it is a of both agricultural and healthy, soil science agenda as our priority is to catalyze and carry out science natural ecosystems. that directly and indirectly supports conservation implementation by facilitating and influencing decision-making by practitioners and investors.

We begin with an overview of the importance of soil for conservation and the relationship between soil management and TNC’s conservation agenda. We also introduce current practice, give a snapshot of the regional distribution of soil-related projects at TNC, and summarize the range of conservation outcomes soil management can support going forward.

The final section presents the overarching conservation objectives and the science approach needed. We also lay out the types of actions that will be supported by this science agenda.

The shared soil science agenda provides the ‘what’ and the ‘why’. With this in hand, specific initiatives to address the ‘where’, ‘how’ and ‘with whom’ will be developed moving forward.

4 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Importance of soil for conservation

TNC’s conservation priorities include tackling climate content and flavor of food. In grazing lands, changes in soil change, sustainable food production, and protecting properties—like the dramatic loss of soil carbon or erosion— habitat and biodiversity; soil is critical to all three. can be important indicators of land degradation.

1. Tackle climate change 3. Protect habitat and biodiversity Soil is the largest terrestrial stock of carbon, containing Soils regulate water cycles and control nutrients that pass twice as much carbon as the atmosphere. Current land use through soil en route to water systems. Nutrients leave soil degrades and threatens this important carbon pool, and by leaching through the soil profile and into groundwater future climate change will only amplify this. Retaining and systems, and are lost when water flows on top of the building soil carbon is therefore important to a multi-pronged soil surface, eroding surface soil particles (with nutrients natural climate solution approach to mitigating climate attached), and depositing those sediments and nutrients in change. Sequestering carbon in soils of crop and grazing nearby water systems. Excess nutrients can lead to lower lands, preserving it in peatlands and grasslands, and building aquatic diversity, lower recreational value, and in some cases soil carbon stocks through reforestation are all important impact water quality for human consumption. Sediments can pathways for land-based climate action. Soil is also an also clog components of hydroelectric dams and reduce the important source of methane and nitrous oxide, which are lifespan of reservoirs. Wind loss of soil sediments can create potent greenhouse gases. Reducing these non-CO2 emissions air pollution hazards. is another key aspect of natural climate solutions. Soil is also key to managing lands for biodiversity, which 2. Sustainable food production is core to TNC’s work. Many of the practices that protect Fertile soil is necessary for long-term, productive agriculture. habitat and biodiversity—such as changing vegetation The living ecosystem that is soil provides nutrients to communities and fire regimes—have strong impacts on soil grasslands and crops through the weathering of sediments properties. These changes feedback and impact on habitat and mineralization of organic matter. It retains water, which restoration efforts because many soil microorganisms exist in can support crop yield productivity, resilience, and stability. close association with plants and can give certain species a And the right mix of soil biodiversity is important to avoid leg up by helping with nutrient and water acquisition. damage from pests and pathogens. New science is even showing that soil management can impact the nutritional

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 5 Types of soil management practices

Many management practices have been identified suited to addressing climate change and others to reducing and promoted to improve soil properties. Generally, sedimentation, while many fall into a ‘happy coincidence’ these practices fall into groups that target soil physical category where they impact several outcomes. properties, soil chemical properties, or soil biological properties, bearing in mind that many practices affect Similarly, many outcomes of soil management may multiple types of properties. contribute to multiple conservation priorities. For example, forest restoration contributes to protecting land and water Practices aimed at impacting physical properties, such as at the same time as tackling climate change through carbon terracing, agroforestry windbreaks, or cover cropping, are sequestration. Reduced nutrient loading to waterways can usually designed to reduce erosion. Practices targeting protect important aquatic habitats and improve drinking soil chemical properties could include the adoption of water quality. leguminous crops to increase nitrogen, or the addition of organic amendments to increase carbon and other nutrients. Biophysical management practices Management practices designed to impact the biological In this summary we focus on biophysical management properties are those that are aimed at influencing the biotic practices that impact soil. Therefore Table 1 does not activity of soil, either by promoting organisms regarded as include decision-making practices, which are essential beneficial, such as mycorrhizal fungi, or by reducing the underpinning for many strategies and programs at the effect of harmful organisms, such as root pathogens. Conservancy. Decision-making practices, as embodied in TNC’s Conservation by Design approach, drive planning Different practices—whether physical, chemical, or and change processes in systems and include the concepts biological—can be adopted for different conservation of adaptive management, continuous improvement, action goals (Table 1). Some soil management practices are well planning and landscape planning.

Table 1. Types Practice Conservation outcome of biophysical Climate Food Biodiversity conservation practices that could Agroforestry ✔ ✔ ✔ impact soil. Biochar ✔ Cover cropping ✔ ✔ ✔ This is not an Crop diversification ✔ exhaustive list but a sample of common Fire management ✔ ✔ ✔ types of practices. Grass strips ✔ ✔ Grazing management ✔ ✔ ✔ Intermittent rice flooding ✔ ✔ Mangrove restoration ✔ ✔ Nutrient management ✔ ✔ ✔ Organic matter input to agriculture ✔ ✔ Reduced tillage ✔ ✔ Reforestation ✔ ✔ Terracing ✔ ✔ Vegetation restoration ✔ Wetland and riparian restoration ✔ ✔ ✔ Avoided conversion ✔ ✔

6 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Implementation and outcomes

The Nature Conservancy is already implementing many of the practices highlighted in Table 1, but to date there has been no synthesis regarding where they are being adopted and for what goals. In this section, we capture a snapshot of soil projects and priorities at the Conservancy based on conversations with TNC staff and survey responses from project managers, regional conservation leaders and scientists.

Some Conservancy projects directly target soil outcomes, while others adopt management practices that impact soil outcomes but for non-soil reasons. An example of a direct soil project is the Northern Rangelands Trust partnership in northern Kenya (see soil project, page 13), which is using rangeland management to increase soil carbon, leverage carbon markets, and provide revenue for community rangeland trusts as part of efforts to improve rangeland productivity for both livestock and wildlife. An example of indirect impact the survey of TNC staff, the highest priorities are currently is Matador Ranch in Montana, where TNC is protecting biodiversity restoration and protecting water quality by grassland biodiversity through grassbanks and indirectly reducing nutrient loading and lowering sedimentation. preserving soil carbon by avoiding conversion to wheat Tackling climate change—through sequestering carbon and agriculture. A greater number of TNC project managers reducing greenhouse gases—is the next most important identify as being involved with projects that are indirectly priority area, while agricultural productivity outcomes have impacting soil, rather than directly targeting soil outcomes. a somewhat lower priority. The lower rankings of rangeland and crop productivity do not imply that productivity Priorities and practices related to soil outcomes are not an important component of TNC projects, At the Conservancy, soil management practices are but that productivity outcomes are less often ranked as the implemented to achieve a range of outcomes, including most important. This reflects the mission of the Conservancy, biodiversity restoration, carbon sequestration, crop and the role that agriculture plays as a part of strategies for productivity, and the others listed in Figure 1. According to achieving ecosystem services beyond production of food. Figure 1. Average priority ranking of target outcomes in projects impacting soil; higher numbers indicate higher priority based on survey of TNC sta.

Figure 1. Average Biodiversity restoration Biodiversity restoration priority ranking of LowerReduce nutrient nutrient loading loading target outcomes in projects impacting Carbon sequestration Carbon sequestration soil; higher numbers CropCrop productivity productivity indicate higher priority based on LowerLower sedimentation sedimentation survey of TNC staff. GreenhouseGHG gas avoidance avoidance

RangelandRangeland productivity productivity

10 21 23 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 7

Figure 2. Relative importance of practices used for projects with a particular priority ranked as most important by TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Crop productivity

Reduce sedimentation

Rangeland productivity

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Carbon sequestration

0 20 40 60

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management Grass strips Cover cropping

Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Fire management Reforestation

Figure 3. Proportion of soil projects distributed by TNC region

Asia Paciﬁc 3% Africa 5%

Latin America 11%

Soil activities by region

North America 81%

Figure 4. Conservation goals related to soil distribution by region

20% 20%

Figure 5. Conservation practices related to soil distribution by region.

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management 5% 8% 10% Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management 11% Cover cropping Reforestation Grass strips

Fire management North 31% America 14% 11% 11%

7% 22% 10% Africa 4% 34%

25% 25% 2% 9% 7% 22% 7% Asia Paciﬁc 19% Latin 16% 25% 25% America 5% 5% 7% 23%

Figure 6. Areas of impact in which soil is relevant to conservation objectives going forward, with relative importance based on TNC sta survey.

% 30

■ Soil carbon storage ■ Conservation of soil biodiversity 25 ■ Water quality and nutrient retention ■ Increasing forage productivity ■ Reducing erosion (water and wind) ■ Reducing and understanding eects of invasive earthworms ■ Soil biotic management for restoration ■ Importance of soil for system resilience 20 ■ Increasing water retention ■ Reducing greenhouse gas emissions ■ Fire eects on soil properties ■ Identifying and reducing impacts of invasive species 15 ■ Increasing crop production ■ Restoring degraded lands

0 FigureFigure 1. 1. Average Average priority priority ranking ranking of of target target outcomes outcomes in in projects projects impacting impacting soil; soil; higherhigher numbers numbers indicate indicate higher higher priority priority based based on on survey survey of of TNC TNC sta. sta.

BiodiversityBiodiversity restoration restoration

ReduceReduce nutrient nutrient loading loading

CarbonCarbon sequestration sequestration

CropCrop productivity productivity

LowerLower sedimentation sedimentation

GreenhouseGreenhouse gas gas avoidance avoidance

RangelandRangeland productivity productivity

00 11 22 33 44 55 66 77

FigureFigure 2. 2. Relative Relative importance importance of of practices practices used used for for projects projects with with a a particular particular Figureprioritypriority 2. Relative ranked ranked importance as as most most of important important practices used by by TNC forTNC projects, sta. sta. with a particular priority ranked as most important by TNC staff.

BiodiversityBiodiversity restoration restoration

ReduceReduce nutrient nutrient loading loading

CropCrop productivity productivity

ReduceReduce sedimentation sedimentation

RangelandRangeland productivity productivity

GreenhouseGreenhouse gas gas avoidance avoidance

CarbonCarbon sequestration sequestration

00 2020 4040 6060

WetlandWetland construction construction TerracingTerracing NutrientNutrient management management GrassGrass strips strips CoverCover cropping cropping

VegetationVegetation restoration restoration ReducedReduced tillage tillage GrazingGrazing management management FireFire management management ReforestationReforestation

FigureFigure 3. 3. Proportion Proportion of of soil soil projects projects distributed distributed by by TNC TNC region region

AsiaAsia Paciﬁc Paciﬁc 3%3% AfricaAfrica 5% 5%

LatinLatin America America 11%11%

SoilSoil activities activities byby region region

NorthNorth America America 81%81%

8 Soil at The Nature Conservancy

FigureFigure 4. 4. Conservation Conservation goals goals related related to to soil soil distribution distribution by by region region

3%3% 2%2% ReduceReduce nutrient nutrient loading loading ReduceReduce sedimentation sedimentation 8%8% BiodiversityBiodiversity restoration restoration GreenhouseGreenhouse gas gas avoidance avoidance 25%25% CarbonCarbon sequestration sequestration RangelandRangeland productivity productivity CropCrop productivity productivity 14%14% NorthNorth AmericaAmerica 8%8% 40%40% 40%40% AfricaAfrica 60%60% 33%33% 34%34% 110%0% AsiaAsia 330%0% PaciﬁcPaciﬁc LatinLatin 220%0% AmericaAmerica 33%33%

220%0% 220%0%

FigureFigure 5. 5. Conservation Conservation practices practices related related to to soil soil distribution distribution by by region. region.

WetlandWetland construction construction TerracingTerracing NutrientNutrient management management 5%5% 8%8% 110%0% VegetationVegetation restoration restoration ReducedReduced tillage tillage GrazingGrazing management management 111%1% CoverCover cropping cropping ReforestationReforestation GrassGrass strips strips

FireFire management management NorthNorth 331%1% AmericaAmerica 114%4% 111%1% 111%1%

7%7% 222%2% 110%0% AfricaAfrica 4%4% 334%4%

225%5% 225%5% 2%2% 9%9% 7%7% 222%2% 7%7% AsiaAsia PaciﬁcPaciﬁc 119%9% LatinLatin 116%6% 225%5% 225%5% AmericaAmerica 5%5% 5%5% 7%7% 223%3%

FigureFigure 6. 6. Areas Areas of of impact impact in in which which soil soil is is relevant relevant to to conservation conservation objectives objectives going going forward,forward, with with relative relative importance importance based based on on TNC TNC sta sta survey. survey.

%% 30 30

■■SoilSoil carbon carbon storage storage ■■ConservationConservation of of soil soil biodiversity biodiversity 2525 ■■WaterWater quality quality and and nutrient nutrient retention retention ■■IncreasingIncreasing forage forage productivity productivity ■■ReducingReducing erosion erosion (water (water and and wind) wind) ■■ ReducingReducing and and understanding understanding eects eects of of invasive invasive earthworms earthworms ■■SoilSoil biotic biotic management management for for restoration restoration ■■ImportanceImportance of of soil soil for for system system resilience resilience 2020 ■■IncreasingIncreasing water water retention retention ■■ReducingReducing greenhouse greenhouse gas gas emissions emissions ■■FireFire eects eects on on soil soil properties properties ■■IdentifyingIdentifying and and reducing reducing impacts impacts of of invasive invasive species species 1515 ■■IncreasingIncreasing crop crop production production ■■RestoringRestoring degraded degraded lands lands

1010

00 Asia Pacific TNC has in its toolbox a diverse mix of management practices to achieve conservation priorities and many of 3% these practices will affect the soil (Table 1). We asked TNC Africa staff about which management practice types were used 5% for specific projects. Projects varied both in the number of practices they used and the importance of different Latin America practices for different conservation priorities (Figure 2, 11% page 8). Projects that identified biodiversity restoration as their most important goal used vegetation restoration the most, followed by fire management. Vegetation restoration Soil activities emerged as the most important management practice across by region many conservation outcomes; terracing was the practice used in the smallest number of different projects.

Regional distribution of TNC soil projects The majority of TNC’s soil-related projects are in North North America America (Figure 3), reflecting the fact that North America 81% has been the historical focal area of the Conservancy. However, the ecosystems or habitat types within which Figure 3. soil-related projects are taking place at TNC include forest, Proportion of soil projects grassland, wetlands, and agricultural ecosystems, across distributed by TNC region. all regions.

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 9 Figure 1. Average priority ranking of target outcomes in projects impacting soil; higher numbers indicate higher priority based on survey of TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Carbon sequestration

Crop productivity

Figure 1. Average priority ranking of target outcomes in projects impacting soil; Lower sedimentation higher numbers indicate higher priority based on survey of TNC sta. Greenhouse gas avoidance

Rangeland productivity Biodiversity restoration 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Reduce nutrient loading

Carbon sequestration

Crop productivity

Lower sedimentation Figure 2. Relative importance of practices used for projects with a particular Greenhouse gas avoidance priority ranked as most important by TNC sta. Rangeland productivity

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Crop productivity Figure 2. Relative importance of practices used for projects with a particular priority ranked as most important by TNC sta. Reduce sedimentation

Rangeland productivity

Biodiversity restoration Greenhouse gas avoidance

Reduce nutrient loading Carbon sequestration

Crop productivity 0 20 40 60

Reduce sedimentation Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management Grass strips Cover cropping

Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Fire management Reforestation Rangeland productivity

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Carbon sequestration

0 20 40 60 Figure 3. Proportion of soil projects distributed by TNC region Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management Grass strips Cover cropping

Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Fire management Reforestation Asia Paciﬁc 3% Africa 5%

Latin America Figure 3. Proportion of soil projects distributed by TNC region 11%

Soil activities Asia Paciﬁc by region 3% Africa 5% North America Latin America 81% 11%

Soil activities by region

North America 81% Figure 4. Conservation goals related to soil distribution by region

3% 2% Reduce nutrient loading Reduce sedimentation 8% Biodiversity restoration Greenhouse gas avoidance 25% Carbon sequestration Rangeland productivity Crop productivity 14% North America 8% Figure 4. Conservation goals related to soil distribution by region 40% 40% 3% 2% Africa Reduce nutrient loading Reduce sedimentation 60% Biodiversity restoration Greenhouse gas avoidance 33% 34% 8% 10% Carbon sequestration Rangeland productivity Asia 25% Paciﬁc Crop productivity 30% 14% North America Latin 20% 8% America 33%

40% 20% 20% 40% Africa 60% 33% 34% 10% Asia 30% Paciﬁc Latin 20% Figure 4. America 33% Conservation Figure 5. Conservation practices related to soil distribution by region. goals related to 20% 20% soil distribution by region.

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management 5% 8% 10% Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Figure 5. Conservation practices related to soil distribution by region. 11% Cover cropping Reforestation Grass strips

Fire management North 31% America 14% 11% 11%

7% Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management 22% 10% 5% Africa 8% 10% Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management 4% 34% Cover cropping Reforestation Grass strips 11% 25% 25% Fire management North 2% 9% 7% 22% 31% America 7% Asia 14% 11% 11% Paciﬁc 19% 7% Latin 16% 25% 25% 22% 10% America Africa 4% 34% 5% 5% 25% 25% 7% 23% 2% 9% 7% 22% 7% Asia Paciﬁc 10 Soil at The Nature Conservancy 19% Latin 16% 25% 25% America 5% Figure 6. Areas of impact in which soil is relevant to conservation objectives going 5% forward, with relative importance based on TNC sta survey. 7% 23%

% 30

■ Soil carbon storage ■ Conservation of soil biodiversity 25 ■ Water quality and nutrient retention ■ Increasing forage productivity ■ Reducing erosion (water and wind) ■ Reducing and understanding eects of invasive earthworms ■ Soil biotic management for restoration ■ Importance of soil for system resilience 20 Figure 6. Areas of impact in which soil is relevant to conservation objectives going ■ Increasing water retention ■ Reducing greenhouse gas emissions ■ Fire eects on soil properties ■ Identifying and reducing impacts of invasive species forward, with relative importance based on TNC sta survey. 15 ■ Increasing crop production ■ Restoring degraded lands

% 30 10

■ Soil carbon storage ■ Conservation of soil biodiversity 25 ■ Water quality and nutrient retention ■ Increasing forage productivity 5 ■ Reducing erosion (water and wind) ■ Reducing and understanding eects of invasive earthworms ■ Soil biotic management for restoration ■ Importance of soil for system resilience 20 0 ■ Increasing water retention ■ Reducing greenhouse gas emissions ■ Fire eects on soil properties ■ Identifying and reducing impacts of invasive species 15 ■ Increasing crop production ■ Restoring degraded lands

0 Figure 1. Average priority ranking of target outcomes in projects impacting soil; higher numbers indicate higher priority based on survey of TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Carbon sequestration

Crop productivity

Lower sedimentation

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Rangeland productivity

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Figure 2. Relative importance of practices used for projects with a particular priority ranked as most important by TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Crop productivity

Reduce sedimentation

Rangeland productivity

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Carbon sequestration

0 20 40 60

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management Grass strips Cover cropping

Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Fire management Reforestation

Figure 3. Proportion of soil projects distributed by TNC region

Asia Paciﬁc 3% Africa 5%

Latin America 11%

Soil activities by region

North America 81%

Figure 4. Conservation goals related to soil distribution by region

3% 2% Reduce nutrient loading Reduce sedimentation 8% Biodiversity restoration Greenhouse gas avoidance 25% Carbon sequestration Rangeland productivity Crop productivity 14% North America 8% 40% Although regions outside North America have fewer projects, ecosystems40% around the world, exemplified by the Matador some of their activities align strongly with priorities related to RanchAfrica grassbank project in Montana and the Toson Hulstai soil. For instance, much of the work within the Africa program60% Nature Reserve in Mongolia. Reducing sedimentation in 33% 34% focuses on rangeland and water system1 management,0% which waterways from soil erosion is a priority in upper watersheds are directly related to soil through grazing management and near cities for our Water Funds projectsAsia globally (see soil reducing sedimentation (Figure30% 4, page 10). Projects in Latin project, page 13). An emphasis on reductionPaciﬁc of nutrient America focusing on agricultural supply chains and water loading and crop productivity has the greatest reach in Latin 20% funds all impact soil management practices. agricultural ecosystems in the Corn Belt of the USA, with America 33% its deep, rich soils high in organic matter and intensive Because regions differ in their conservation priorities, they farming systems, including for example in the Mackinaw also differ in the relative importance20% of different20% practices River watershed project in Illinois, and through the reThink (Figure 5). For example, terracing agricultural fields was not Soil Roadmap (see soil project, page 12). The Oregon Forest cited in any North America projects whereas it was promoted program combines fire management and ecological thinning in Latin America and Asia. Some practices, like reforestation, to restore temperate forest habitat, with strong indirect are cross cutting. impacts on soil. Protection of tropical forests and grasslands, and their soil carbon stocks, is at the heart of TNC’s new It is notable that the ecosystems and habitat types within Collaboration for Forest and Agriculture for Brazil, Argentina which soil-related projects are taking place at TNC include and Paraguay. forest, grassland, wetlands, and agricultural ecosystems acrossFigure all regions. 5. Conservation Biodiversity restorationpractices andrelated rangeland to soil distribution by region. productiviy are priorities in temperate grassland and prairie

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management 5% 8% 10% Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management 11% Cover cropping Reforestation Grass strips

Fire management North 31% America 14% 11% 11%

7% 22% 10% Africa 4% 34%

25% 25% 2% 9% 7% 22% 7% Asia Paciﬁc 19% Latin 16% 25% 25% America

Figure 5. 5% Conservation 5% practices related to 7% 23% soil distribution by region.

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 11

Figure 6. Areas of impact in which soil is relevant to conservation objectives going forward, with relative importance based on TNC sta survey.

% 30

0 Ground level: TNC soil projects

reThink Soil Roadmap In 2016 The Nature Conservancy launched its roadmap outlining reforms of United States corn, soy and wheat crops to encourage the adoption of practices that improve environmental and conservation outcomes.

The initiative promotes three practices: reduced tillage; cover cropping; and targeted nutrient use. The aim of the project is for 50 percent of arable land in the US to be under these practices by 2025. To achieve this ‘soil health’ goal, the project is partnering with two other initiatives active in North America—the Soil Health Institute and the Soil Health Partnership. The work blends data collection at around 135 demo sites, the development of new assessment and indicator protocols, communications and outreach, and strategic work with supply chain actors. Though new, the reThink Soil Roadmap is the largest single project related to soil in the Conservancy and is beginning to expand to other regions of TNC’s work.

12 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Northern Rangelands Trust partnership The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) is a community-led, non-governmental organization in northern Kenya set up by a coalition of local leaders, politicians and conservation interests. Its mission is to develop resilient community conservancies, which transform people’s lives, secure peace and conserve natural resources.

NRT includes 14 member conservancies that work across 2.2 million hectares, support and empower communities to develop locally-led governance structures, run peace and security programs, take the lead in natural resource management, and manage sustainable businesses linked to conservation. One aspect of NRT’s rangeland conservation program is to economically incentivize sustainable rangeland practices by tapping into soil carbon market funding and provide conservancies with revenue based on the carbon sequestered. This partnership is one of the most important TNC projects, putting in place long-term efforts to manage ecosystems for soil outcomes, in addition to other aspects of rangeland health.

Water Funds projects Water Funds are projects that use terrestrial conservation to protect aquatic resources. Because terrestrial and aquatic systems are linked, the degradation of terrestrial habitat can lead to erosion and nutrient loss that can lower water quality and aquatic biodiversity, and damage infrastructure like hydro-electric dams.

The Conservancy is involved in dozens of Water Fund projects—from China to Kenya to Minnesota—that share similar broad goals but are being implemented based on geographically-specific needs. Because most of the impacts on aquatic systems are related to agricultural soil management— erosion of sediment, leaching of soluble nutrients—there are growing efforts to couple Water Fund projects with efforts to improve the health of soils in surrounding areas. For example, into the Tana River. By adding a focus on farm-level soil health the Nairobi Water Fund around the Tana River is working through the introduction of climate-smart agriculture closely with farmers to promote soil management practices, practices, Water Funds efforts will also increase agricultural like terracing and agroforestry, that can reduce sedimentation productivity and farmer income.

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 13 A first soil science agenda for TNC

Here we present The Nature Conservancy’s first shared soil We see the need for three broad types of applied science science agenda. It is truly a shared agenda because it is the related to soil (see Box, page 15): i) translational research result of months of dialogue with TNC staff, ranging from that converts fundamental knowledge into actionable property managers to global leads, and therefore rooted knowledge; ii) empirical studies that expand current in the priorities of staff across the Conservancy. It is built knowledge on how to effectively conserve and restore the on the ongoing extensive work being done by TNC on four environment; and iii) tools for measuring and monitoring the continents to manage soils for conservation outcomes, as impact of our work and the work of our partners. described above. It is a soil science agenda and our priority is to catalyze and carry out science that directly and TNC staff have identified a broad range of areas in which soil indirectly supports conservation goals. is important in achieving the Conservancy’s conservation objectives (Figure 6, page 15). This range of impacts Direct support comes through our partnerships with reflects understanding of the important role of soil biota in universities, NGOs, research organizations and institutions ecosystem processes, strong awareness of the role that soil that are the primary vehicle through which we can implement can play in carbon sequestration for climate benefit, and the research work and strengthen our scientific approach. Having emerging emphasis at the Conservancy on natural climate clear goals and priorities for soil science at the Conservancy solutions. These natural climate solutions are defined as will help us make the most of these partnerships for the conservation, restoration, and improved land management greatest impact. Indirect support comes through advancing actions that increase carbon storage and/or avoid global narratives that influence higher-level decision-making greenhouse gas emissions across global forests, wetlands, and investment in conservation. For this we work in coalition grasslands and agricultural lands. with other NGOs, political actors, UN bodies, and public and private entities.

14 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Figure 1. Average priority ranking of target outcomes in projects impacting soil; higher numbers indicate higher priority based on survey of TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Carbon sequestration

Crop productivity

Lower sedimentation

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Rangeland productivity

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Figure 2. Relative importance of practices used for projects with a particular priority ranked as most important by TNC sta.

Biodiversity restoration

Reduce nutrient loading

Crop productivity

Reduce sedimentation

Rangeland productivity

Greenhouse gas avoidance

Carbon sequestration

0 20 40 60

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management Grass strips Cover cropping

Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management Fire management Reforestation

Figure 3. Proportion of soil projects distributed by TNC region

Asia Paciﬁc 3% Africa 5%

Latin America 11%

Soil activities by region

North America 81%

Figure 4. Conservation goals related to soil distribution by region

20% 20%

Figure 5. Conservation practices related to soil distribution by region.

Wetland construction Terracing Nutrient management 5% 8% 10% Vegetation restoration Reduced tillage Grazing management 11% Cover cropping Reforestation Grass strips

Fire management North 31% America 14% 11% 11%

7% 22% 10% Africa 4% 34%

25% 25% 2% 9% 7% 22% 7% Asia Paciﬁc 19% Latin 16% 25% 25% America 5% 5% 7% 23%

Finding ways to increase carbon storage is by far the highest productivity and clean water, or because of interest in priority area for action on soils from TNC’s perspective, whether potentially leveraging carbon markets. Improving water and air that is for strict mitigation reasons, because of co-benefits of quality—through reducing both nutrient loss and sediment loss—are also important. Other interests revolve around promoting biodiversity. In some cases, this means using soil to Figure 6. Areas of impact in which soil is restore degraded lands, in other cases it means leveraging soil relevantFigure to6. conservationAreas of impact objectives in which going soil is relevant to conservationorganisms for improving objectives restoration going success, the conservation forward,forward, with with relative relative importance importance based onbased on TNC staof survey. soil biodiversity itself, or even the management of invasive TNC staff survey. soil biodiversity, such as invasive earthworms.

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Science approaches

Translational research is a systematic effort to convert practices and their impacts. Modeling is often used when basic research knowledge into practical application. It may we want to simplify the complexity of a system to better involve review, synthesis, assessment or meta-analysis of understand, define, quantify, visualize or simulate an existing published research. The products may be papers, aspect of that system. These studies can test hypotheses communication outputs, or policy briefs. A well-recognized around biophysical systems or socio-economic systems. example of this is the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Scores of partnerships are already in place at the Climate Change) Assessment Reports. These reports Conservancy to pursue this model of science, including assess the current state of scientific, technical and socio- the NatureNet Science Fellows Program. economic knowledge on climate change and provide a clear statement of confidence surrounding the estimates. Tools for measurement and monitoring underpin research University partnerships and the Science for Nature and science as well as application. In the last two decades, People Partnership (SNAPP) projects are important tools there has been an explosion of new activity in this arena for translational science. on soils, facilitated by advances in remote sensing, GIS and informatics. Setting goals and monitoring progress Empirical studies requires partnering with universities are vital components of progressing towards conservation and other research partners that are actively engaged in outcomes. Standardized tools and metrics can be a powerful expanding fundamental science. Empirical and modeling accelerator of scientific progress, allowing comparable studies are required when new knowledge or location- data to be collected across space and time, and are crucial specific information is required. It may involve replicated, to aggregating progress toward higher-level goals, such as time series, or ecosystem experiments to generate new TNC’s conservation goals, the SDGs and NDCs (Nationally data on empirical relationships, e.g. between management Determined Contributions to climate mitigation).

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 15 Priority areas for soil science We’ve classified priority soil-related objectives in Table 2, and highlighted the most exciting soil research and information needs for TNC to succeed across all of its activities. How to read these tables? If you are not a soil or conservation scientist, you may want to focus only on the objectives and Table 2. Overall conservation linkages. If you want to delve deeper, explore the specific priorities and needs column. priority areas.

Conservation Science priorities and needs Science approach objectives TR ES MM Build and protect soil Estimate the potential for soil carbon sequestration at various scales, in ✔ ✔ carbon different ecologies and socio/political systems Quantify the effectiveness of various land management practices for building ✔ ✔ ✔ and maintaining soil carbon Develop the value proposition of building soil organic matter for farmers ✔ Develop technical basis for valuing bundled benefits of soil carbon in ✔ ✔ ✔ watershed and landscapes Estimate avoided soil carbon loss from conservation activities such as forest, ✔ grassland, and peatland protection Resolve barriers to soil carbon projects and jurisdictional approaches, e.g. ✔ ✔ permanence, commitment periods, leakage and variability Identify and promote market-based mechanisms to achieve soil carbon ✔ ✔ sequestration Reduce nutrient loss Quantify how on-field practices impact greenhouse gases ✔ ✔ and sedimentation Quantify co-benefits of building soil carbon for nutrient run-off and leaching ✔ ✔ Predict and monitor the effect of land management on reducing soil erosion ✔ ✔ Promote biodiversity What is the impact of microbial management on native species restoration? ✔ What is the impact of efforts to build soil carbon—through compost—on ✔ native biodiversity? Restore and optimize How do agrochemicals impact soil biological and chemical properties? ✔ ✔ soil fertility Quantify the co-benefit of building soil carbon for productivity and resilience ✔ ✔ Quantify the relationship between land management and soil water retention ✔ Achieve What limits adoption of soil management practices? ✔ ✔ implementation at scale Identify rapid and/or low-cost tools for measuring soil fertility, soil carbon and ✔ ✔ other properties What is the needed scale of adoption of on-field practices to have landscape- ✔ scale impact? How do effects of land management depend on contextual factors, like soil ✔ ✔ texture and climate? Advance global Elucidate how soil carbon sequestration benchmarks against other climate ✔ narratives mitigation approaches Recommend how soil health should be defined and measured for croplands, ✔ grazing lands, forests

KEY Science approach TR: Translational research that converts fundamental knowledge into actionable knowledge ES: Empirical studies that expand current knowledge on how to effectively conserve and restore the environment MM: Tools for measuring and monitoring the impact of our work and the work of our partners

16 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Emerging topics The six objectives listed in Table 2 have been established because many people within the Conservancy prioritize them highly. However, other knowledge needs were identified that we find exciting and/or that represent areas of specialized interest to scan forward, and which are presented in Table 3. These are most strongly associated with the conservation strategies of tackling climate Table 3. Emerging change, sustainable food production, and protecting habitats and biodiversity. priority areas.

Conservation Emerging science priorities and needs objectives

Harness soil biology What are the effects of invasive species, loss of canopy trees, conversion of native prairie, and other for habitat restoration disturbances of soil biota and soil function? What are the feedback processes between soil biota, e.g. forest fungal associations, and disturbance through clearing, erosion, fires, and restoration of habitat? How to restore degraded and polluted soils, such as mine reclamation Build soil health for What would be the cascading effects of broad-scale consumer diet or policy change on soil properties? human health What are the strengths of linkages between soil health and human health?

Promote greening of What are the effects of urbanization on soils and urban forests? cities How to engineer or restore urban soils for greening cities

Advance global Articulate connections between soil health, food quality and human health narratives Understand benefits of increased soil biodiversity

Soil at The Nature Conservancy 17 Soil science agenda: impacts

Introducing a clear soil science agenda will strengthen By setting clear goals and priorities for soil science at TNC’s partnerships and help to improve and scale up our the Conservancy, this agenda will allow us to coordinate land management and conservation impact across all our engagement in this crucial field across all of regions and conservation priority areas. Actions that will these diverse actions and to catalyze soil science that be supported by the soil science agenda reflect the high supports TNC’s mission to achieve a world in which the priority TNC places on restoring soil health and increasing diversity of life thrives. carbon storage by soils, and include:

• Land protection efforts that keep carbon in the soil • Habitat restoration efforts • Agricultural practice change that, builds productivity, improves water quality and sequesters carbon • Restoring degraded forest, grasslands and croplands • Agricultural mitigation options through reduced greenhouse gas emissions • Target setting and monitoring at various scales for soil health and soil carbon projects • Developing carbon market projects for conservation activities in agriculture, grasslands and wetlands • Building awareness and partnerships for nature climate solutions.

18 Soil at The Nature Conservancy Photo credits

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