Farmers' discovery has major implications for all of America's cornfields: 'It's wonderful to see'

Key Takeaways

Farmers' discovery has significant implications for all of America's cornfields: 'It's wonderful to see.'

• Planting prairie strips alongside crops can reduce soil erosion by 95% and fertilizer runoff by 90%.

• Prairie strips protect the environment and provide habitats for pollinators and bird species.

• The vibrant blooms of prairie strips in Iowa have become a popular backdrop for high school senior photos, sparking interest in sustainable farming practices.

A surprising discovery reveals a sustainable and effective way to reduce soil erosion. According to Environment America, planting prairie strips alongside crops can significantly reduce soil erosion, promoting the health of the local ecosystem.

Iowa State University professor Lisa Schulte Moore told NBC News that planting prairie strips alongside corn, wheat, soybeans, and other crops can reduce soil erosion by 95%.

Prairie strips are planted with native grasses, legumes, and sedges, such as Indian grass, bush clover, coneflower, goldenrod, and native sunflower. Planting prairie strips is a conservation strategy that uses native plants in crop fields to nourish the soil.

Prairie strips do more than help with soil erosion, however. According to Environment America, they also reduce fertilizer runoff by 90%. As a result, planting prairie strips protects the surrounding environment and the landscape downstream, where runoff can harm plants and wildlife.

Moreover, prairie strips provide habitats and foraging sites for essential pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and bird species. Pollinators protect our food supply, while birds help promote local biodiversity.

Across Iowa, however, the prairie strips have surprisingly affected the surrounding communities. The vibrant and colorful blooms have sparked a buzz among young people looking to take their high school photos outside.

Farmers shared their favorable experiences with NBC News, as students were asked to take their senior pictures with the beautiful native plants as a backdrop.

"It's wonderful to see Iowa farmers planting prairie," Environment America wrote. "Let's get to the point where planting prairie is common across the Midwest (even if in strips), where more bees are buzzing, and monarchs are floating on the breeze, where the soil is rich and healthy."