LANSING, Mich. — An agricultural conservationist in Van Buren County is the recipient of Michigan Farm Bureau’s (MFB) 2014 Ecology Champion Award. Colleen Forestieri, a technician for the Van Buren Conservation District, earned the honor for helping area farmers minimize the impact of their operations on the land they work.

Forestieri said she is “flattered” by the award. “It’s definitely an honor.”

In her role, her “ultimate goal is to work with farmers to improve water quality.” Working primarily in the Paw Paw River watershed, many of her efforts center on reducing the amount of sediment – the Paw Paw’s biggest pollutant – that reaches Lake Michigan.

She accomplishes this by promoting eco-friendly management practices such as no-till, reduced tillage, cover crops and filter strips to help her growers keep their topsoil in place, reducing runoff and protecting water quality. She has been tremendously successful at getting growers in her region enrolled in grant programs that help underwrite conservation practices.

She works directly with growers on cover crop test plots, assisting with the mixes, rates and timing of plantings. To maximize cover crop establishment after corn or soybeans, last year Forestieri developed an aerial seeding co-op for growers, in which aerial seeders drop cover crop seed into standing fields of corn or beans.

“Farmers are harvesting now. After harvest, it’s hard to go back and get a cover crop in” because of weather and various field conditions, she explained.

During its first year, Forestieri said the program was responsible for planting annual ryegrass as a cover crop on about 1,000 acres. This year, the program covered about 3,500 acres. She believes part of the success is the ease of application for farmers.

“They tell me what fields they want to seed, the mix they want and they pay the bill,” she said. Forestieri coordinates the details of the application, taking much of the burden off the producer.

Her work also promotes soil health and stability, demonstrating how both can reduce inputs and increase water and nutrient retention and yields. With her help, conservation practices in the region have increased to 929 no-till acres; 269 reduced-till acres; 1,119 acres of cover crops; 26 filter strips; and more than five miles of grassed waterways.

“By showing growers that conservation practices can be good for their bottom line, Colleen’s efforts in southwestern Michigan are improving both the agricultural economy there and environmental quality there,” said Emily Reinart, agricultural ecology specialist for MFB. “Colleen is truly dedicated to being an effective resource for local growers in her region.”

A native of Berrien County, Forestieri studied environmental biology at Western Michigan University. She had little direct experience with the agricultural industry until after college when she began working with the conservation district in April 2012.

“Colleen’s dedication to understanding farming and incorporating sustainable practices has resulted in her becoming a sought-after resource among local growers,” Reinart said. “She’s always involved with her growers, whether by helping them develop a cover crop plan or by organizing educational workshops for field days.”

Forestieri said much of her success has been possible because of the team she works with at the conservation district. “We work well together, we have similar goals and we’re just a good team,” she added. “I kind of feel like I’m really just doing my job.

“Being recognized in the community as a resource and for our work with the farmers is good for the district.”

Forestieri works with farms of all sizes, and coordinates with other farm groups as well, including the county Farm Bureau and the Two Rivers Coalition Board.

Recipients of MFB’s Ecology Champion Award demonstrate outstanding achievements in helping protect natural resources by addressing potential environmental risks on farms. Nominations come from county Farm Bureaus, but candidates need not belong to the organization.