Yahara Lakes 101 Science Cafe

About the talk

Sara Walling will give an overview of what nutrient management planning is and why it’s so important for soil and watershed health.

She’ll explain how this type of plan can help farmers better assess their fertilizer application program. Nutrient Management is much more than “how much fertilizer or manure should I apply,” but drills down into the details of how a farmer’s decisions on fertilizer use and crop management affect the soil and the water.

Nutrient management planning can help assess how various conservation practices can reduce nutrient losses from fields and the delivery of sediment and nutrients to streams. Sara will cover aspects of Nutrient Management planning in Wisconsin and more specifically in Dane County over time. We’ll touch on who has to do nutrient management and how DATCP supports nutrient management in the state.

About our speaker

Sara Walling
Nutrient Management and Water Quality Section Chief
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

Sara Walling is the Chief of the Nutrient Management and Water Quality Section at DATCP. In this role, Sara directs the department’s soil and water conservation programs programs and regulations, including the current revision to ATCP 50, the new Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program and the Wisconsin Manure Management Advisory System’s Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast. Sara was involved in the efforts to revise the NRCS 590 Nutrient Management Standard and currently sits on the DNR’s NR 151 Technical Advisory Committee and the Discovery Farm’s Steering Committee. Sara actively represents the department on national, regional and state technical and policy committees related to nonpoint pollution reduction programs, strategy and policy development, including Adaptive Management, Nutrient Trading, and related topics.

About the series

Yahara Lakes 101 is a series of educational events open to the public and a great chance for residents to learn more about the science behind the issues that affect our lakes. Each month we feature a different expert to make the science accessible and interesting to non-technical audiences. Yahara Lakes 101 is produced in partnership with the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, with hosting sponsor The Edgewater, presenting sponsor First Weber Group, supporting sponsor The Evjue Foundation, and media sponsor The Isthmus.

Yahara 101 is held both indoors and outdoors (weather permitting) at The Edgewater. Come at 7:30 a.m. for a meet-and-greet and to enjoy your coffee, pastries, and fruit. The program begins at 8 a.m., and class is dismissed by 9 a.m.

If you already are a Friend of Clean Lakes (minimum $35 donation/year), then admission is free. Become a Friend today. If you are not a Friend yet, admission is $10 per event. Registration for each event is requested for all attendees. Special event parking will be available at The Edgewater.