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 Conservatio
n/ 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 M
orocco Tanzania Mali Uganda Burkino Faso South
Africa France Austria Italy China India Japan Thai
land Australia
11
/

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