By definition, filter strips are areas or strips of land maintained in permanent vegetation to help control erosion, water pollution and compliance with livestock waste disposal guidelines. Filter strips can also reduce noise and odor as well as be the primary source of food, nesting cover or shelter for many wildlife species. Wallace says that the construction of a filter strip may vary depending on the environmental circumstance, but most are usually 15 to 100 feet in width. They are used most along the edge of streams and fields as well as waterways or drainage areas within a field. Sometimes a legume such as lespedeza or ladino clover is added to the grass to enhance the establishment and quality of the filter strip.
Filter strips work best when they are part of an overall conservation plan.
They are not a conservation cure-all. For instance, if filter strips and grassed waterways are used on land that does not have adequate erosion protection, they will quickly fill or be covered with sediment. Placing filter strips along the ends and edges of your fields is just another way to manage your farm even better. You may lose a few acres, but filter strips can serve as turn rows helping reduce compaction in a field. Even though there are cost-share funds available, filter strips will cost money to establish and they must be maintained to function as designed.