The Richland Resiliency Project

A Richland Resiliency Project Report on Land Use was shared with members of the Richland County Board of Supervisors at Tuesday night’s board meeting. The Richland Resilience Group is a coalition of local leaders working on projects to build resilient people, infrastructure, businesses, and environment in Richland County.

The Resilient Land Use workgroup has come up with some recommendations based on its 2024 project outcomes:

The first is to update and fairly administer the zoning code. With new leadership in the Zoning Department, the opportunity for fair and active administration is critical. The recommendations to achieve this is to address existing noncompliant parcels; updating the zoning code; and ensureing fair enforcement going forward.

To implement the 2022 Richland County Land and Water Resource Management Plan, emphasising on the following points: encouraging producers to use cover crops after harvest and reduce tillage frequency or intensity; implementing the NR 151 performance standards of farming all cropland to tolerable soil loss rates and having a NRCS 590 nutrient management plan on priority farms/cropland, collaborating with the DNR; assisting landowners and producers in converting marginal crop fields to rotational grazing; conducting a follow up drinking water well study; and updating the manure storage ordinance.

To activate Townships. Townships need to work together to access resources and education for effective stewardship of land.

To grow County-Wide Resilient Land Use Initiatives. Combining the Richland Resilience Group’s advocacy with Richland County departments’ leadership.

And to empower farmers to lead resilient land use practices in Richland County by providing education and opportunities for farmer-led watershed groups; ensuring compliance with nutrient management plans; offering educational opportunities for practices and cost-effectiveness of regenerative practices such as cover crops and no tilling; promoting the use of farming practices which reduce the amount and velocity of runoff, and promote soil health and water quality, such as retention areas and buffer strips that utilize native vegetation to remove sediment and contaminants prior to discharge or absorption; and to pursue private and public funding for programs that pay producers to adopt resilient land use practices.

This report was informational only.