There are several hundred acres of CRP filter strips and 70 to 85 contracts. In DeKalb County, Jack Ruger is one of the St. Joseph watershed farmers Hines has been assisting. Ruger raises no-till corn, soybeans, and wheat on about 300 acres. Ruger has planted trees, native prairie grass, and shrubs on the filter strip, and restored a small wetland. It would help Fort Wayne as far as flooding is concerned, and it helps cleanse the water.
Wetlands are good for holding water and protecting groundwater, and they benefit wildlife.
In terms of my watershed, we need to restore some of the wetlands we've drained, although it's a problem because that's our most productive farm ground. In other words, it's rich. TNC's Fish Creek Coordinator Larry Clemens says their approach is evolving. Strategically, we can buy a few locations, but we must work with landowners. He's been working with farmers on controlling soil erosion, which is the biggest threat to mussels, and restoring the riparian corridor.