Did you know oysters clean the water they live in? A single oyster can filter more than 50 gallons of water in just one day. They also play a key role in the aquatic food chain, with multiple species depending on them. A thriving population of oysters is a sign of a healthy marine ecosystem.
Maryland farmer Chip Bowling operates in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed—right in the middle of prime oyster habitat. He cares about the oysters, because he knows a flourishing marine ecosystem and a healthy farm are connected.
The health of an ecosystem is often evaluated in terms of its biodiversity—the range of species that inhabit the area. Bowling rattles off an impressive list from memory: Maryland crab, striped bass, perch, eels, soft shell crab, ducks, geese, swans, bald eagles, blue herons, muskrats, beavers, frogs, rabbits, quail, and of course, the oysters.
He sees how biodiversity in the water supports biodiversity on land, which supports biodiversity in his soil, which supports his crops. It’s all connected.
Explore the relationships between the species that promote biodiversity and soil health.
Bowling’s family has been farming in the region for more than 200 years, and he believes he has been entrusted to continue their legacy of resource and habitat preservation. “My grandfather would always have duck ponds in low spots to collect water, and they would provide habitat for ducks, geese, and other migratory bird species. The ospreys, we called them ‘fish hawks,’ would have nests there,” he says. “We also have our land critters, so we leave habitat for rabbit, quail, and deer.”
“We leave field edges behind after harvest for our four-legged friends. We’ve always done that.”
And of course, they did right by the pollinators too, planting wildflower mixtures and allowing grassy fields to reach flowering stage, so the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators would have food and habitat.
And of course, they did right by the pollinators too, planting wildflower mixtures and allowing grassy fields to reach flowering stage, so the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators would have food and habitat.
With their commitment to local wildlife habitat, farmers like the Bowlings provide an example of how to depend on resources while also preserving them.
“From the time I was young, we wanted to be good farmers, but we never just went at it for the yield, or for the best-looking fields,” says Bowling. “We always left something behind for the wildlife, and we always worried about preventing the soil from washing away.”
He emphasizes that he isn’t the only farmer thinking this way or doing these sorts of things. The Chesapeake Bay region is home to plenty of other farmers who care deeply about the surrounding environment and species that share the land.
For Bowling and other farmers, habitat preservation is often made possible by farming more efficiently. Building on the worldview he inherited from his parents and grandparents, Bowling uses modern technologies to reduce his need for resources like energy, water, and soil. These include GPS guidance and auto-steer for tractors, and precision spray applicators for nutrient management and crop protection solutions.
For Bowling and other farmers, habitat preservation is often made possible by farming more efficiently. Building on the worldview he inherited from his parents and grandparents, Bowling uses modern technologies to reduce his need for resources like energy, water, and soil. These include GPS guidance and auto-steer for tractors, and precision spray applicators for nutrient management and crop protection solutions.
He appreciates the value provided by these new tools, and looks forward to the possibilities offered by future innovations.
Among those are a new generation of potential cover crops, which have already made great contributions to soil health efforts for U.S. farmers. Today’s cover crops help reduce soil compaction and erosion, while also contributing improved nutrient levels.
“I’d like to see cover crops that enhance soil health, beyond the old standbys like wheat and rye. Look for new kinds of cover crops that will build nitrogen and stabilize phosphorous,” he says.
Bowling knows that farming starts and ends with soil health. He also knows everything else along the way—the critters, the fish hawks, and even the oysters—plays a role in healthy ecosystems. His approach to fostering ecosystem connections is something everyone can support, because it helps his own operation while delivering societal benefits beyond the farm.
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