The Franklin Research and Demonstration Farm project is a model of sustainable agriculture that demonstrates first-hand how nature and agriculture can coexist to produce benefits for crop production, water quality, scientific research, and habitat preservation.
In 2019, soil scientists from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published their findings from a 2017 collection of soil samples from the constructed wetlands, floodplain wetlands, and surrounding agricultural fields to evaluate phosphorus sorption capacity of wetland sediments. In 2019, seven tours of the Franklin Farm were conducted for members of the public and other stakeholders.
No tours were conducted in 2020, due to COVID-19 restrictions; however, monitoring of cover crops and constructed wetlands continued. A publication describing experiences drawn from the Franklin Farm and other constructed wetland implementation was produced by The Nature Conservancy and partners.
For more information, see nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/the-mackinaw-riverwatershed/.
VanZomeren, C.M., J.F. Berkowitz, A.M. Lemke and K.G. Kirkham. 2019. Soil P storage capacity in agricultural treatment wetlands: can a system designed for N reduction also retain P? Wetlands. doi.org/10.1007/s13157-019-01205-3. Research at Franklin Research and Demonstration Farm.
Lemke, A. M., Kirkham, K. G., Marino, A. L., Wallace, M. P., Kovacic, D. A., Bohnhoff, K. L., Kraft, J. R., Linsenbigler, M., & Noto, T. S. (2020). Accelerating implementation of constructed wetlands on tiled agricultural lands in Illinois, United States. In J. A. Delgado, C. J. Gantzer & G. F. Sassenrath (Eds.), Soil and Water Conservation: A Celebration of 75 Years (pp. 172-178). Ankeny, IA: The Soil and Water Conservation Society.
