Stewardship Is Rewarded Through The Conservation Security Program (CSP) Program

It started with water quality issues…

In 1969 Mr. Thornton Stanley purchased a farm that is nestled against Brindley Mountain in Morgan County, Alabama. The acreage had been neglected, but Mr. Stanley saw potential and determined, “This is where I need to be.” For many years, Mr. Stanley’s operation consisted of cattle in huge pastures with open access to streams and little wildlife habitat.  With assistance from NRCS, erosion, nutrient, and bacteria loading concerns were addressed in his five-year conservation plan to reduce non-point source pollution for a 303d segment of Cotaco Creek that flows through the 380-acre farm.

Today, the pastures have been completely renovated to install an intensive grazing system.  Each paddock has a heavy use area. The cattle have been fenced out of the stream, and multiple stream crossings have been installed.  Riparian forest buffers have been planted which not only improve the water quality but also provide wildlife habitat.

He has a WHIP contract to create a shallow water waterfowl area which captures runoff from cropped land.

With the installation of these best management practices, the water that now flows into the Cotaco Creek segment from his farm is clean water.  With all these changes, his property is used as the Cotaco Creek demonstration site.

From land to productive land made possible by implementing best management practices—these improvements merit recognition by the Conservation Security Program.