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Develop Integrated Landscape Management for Watershed Protection

Agricultural landscapes affect entire watersheds through water quality, flood control, and habitat connectivity, yet management decisions are typically made at individual farm levels. The challenge is coordinating landscape-scale management that optimizes both agricultural production and watershed services. Barriers include landowner coordination, conflicting objectives, and lack of payment mechanisms for watershed services. Without landscape-scale management, agricultural areas continue degrading watershed functions while missing opportunities for ecosystem service payments. Successful integrated management could improve water quality while maintaining agricultural production, potentially benefiting millions of people downstream while providing farmers with additional income.

Applied Sciences, Sustainable Farming, Regenerative Agriculture