30
conserve water. “Over the years we have
increased our soil organic matter and that
in turn has increased our water holding
capacity,” says Mattson. “More water di-
rectly translates to more wheat.”
30
From his own experience, Mattson
has found that the ecological benefits of
no-till farming are many, as well as cumu-
lative. Not tilling the fields, for example,
has led to an abundance of earthworms.
The worms tunnel into the soil, which al-
lows deeper percolation of water. The layer of plant residue that
is left on the soil surface helps reduce evaporation. “Water and
soil erosion are all but eliminated thus preserving the valuable nu-
trients residing in the precious top soil,” says Mattson. Habitat
has most certainly benefited from Mattson’s no-till approach. “All
wildlife has flourished,” he says, “but especially the birds choose
to populate the standing stubble.”
31
Research reinforces what Scott and Mattson have experienced
on their farms. A 2014 study by researchers from the University of
Illinois found that no-till farming significantly benefits bird habitats.
The study, which involved farms in Illinois, determined that birds
were more likely to nest in non-tilled fields than in tilled fields. That
in itself was not surprising, as previous surveys have shown similar
results. What did surprise the Illinois researchers was the large
number of birds that flocked to the non-tilled fields, as well as the
wide species diversity. Robins, vesper sparrows, and mourning
doves were the most common birds found to be nesting in the
non-tilled fields. But there were also less common types such as
eastern meadowlark and upland sandpiper, among others.
The Natural Lands Project
Farmers throughout the United States are favoring environmen-
tally sound agriculture practices, with many making an effort to
protect and preserve wildlife habitats. This is true in a region of
Maryland located on the Chesapeake Bay, which is known as
the Eastern Shore. Longtime residents of Eastern Shore towns
WORDS IN
CONTEXT
tilling
The process of me-
chanically digging
up the soil in prepa-
ration for planting.
