Sustainability College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

1. Sustainability College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Presented by Susan Varlamoff, Director, Office of Environmental Sciences UGA Sustainability Working Group

2. Water Quantity - agriculture • Breeding and genomic work - produces drought tolerant crops • Conservation tillage – reduces evaporation of water from soils • Precision agriculture - uses wireless network, GPS, aerial maps, • low pressure valves, soil moisture meters • Recycling water on dairy farms, greenhouses, poultry processing plants

3. Water Quantity – urban landscapes Golf course BMPs for water conservation – 1st in the world Seashore paspalum grass – uses 50% less water than Bermuda Xeriscape landscape – uses 50% less water Breeding drought tolerant ornamental plants Irrigation system improvements – drip, timers, rain shut off valves Water collection devices - cisterns, rain barrels etc.

4. Water Quality Stream buffer & wetland studies – to reduce nonpoint source pollution Low dissolved O2 in S. Georgia streams – naturally occurring Ag P2 – practices for land application of manure & chicken litter Migration of contaminants in soil Method to track fecal coliform and sediment source in streams BMPs for Georgia Gardeners to reduce nonpoint source pollution Watershed modeling

5. Sustainable Farming Sustainable Farming Powered by solar, wind, biogas and biofuels Uses pest resistant &drought tolerant crops Minimize fertilizer and pesticide use Organic agriculture Integrated pest management Conservation/ no till agriculture Precision Irrigation Restores soil fertility – biochar

6. Sustainable Gardening Pest resistant and drought tolerant ornamentals & turfgrass Integrated pest management BMPs for home gardeners to reduce nonpoint source pollution Rain barrels, cisterns – collect rain water Rain gardens, swales - manage storm water Irrigation improvements - rainfall shutoffs, drip etc.

7. Ecosystem Services Determine value of ecosystem services - water purification, waste degradation, nutrient cycling Assess land needed to maintain ecosystem services in Georgia Use of buffers and wetlands to mitigate nonpoint source pollution

8. Bioenergy • Integrated biorefinery – full carbon cycling – end product biochar used to restore soil fertility • Breeding and genetic modifying crops for bioenergy • Biogas on dairy farms • Ag waste - chicken litter, wood chips, peanut and pecan shells, etc. as feedstocks • Life cycle analysis and sustainability studies. • Member of National BioEnergy Science Center • Winner of Grand Challenge competition

9. Climate forecasting/change Carbon sequestration in forests Carbon sequestration in soils Envirotron Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network Southeastern Climate Consortium

10. Global Programs Ecuador Honduras Mexico Costa Rica Chile Brazil Morocco Tanzania Mali Uganda Burkino Faso South Africa France Austria Italy China India Japan Thailand Australia

11. For more information: CAES Office of Environmental Sciences http://www.caes.uga.edu/unit/oes /