By Andi Anderson
A group of conservation professionals, including members from non-profits, government agencies, and the tile drainage industry, meet every quarter to discuss updates and share resources that promote better soil health and water quality.
These 2-hour meetings, hosted by the Wetlands Initiative and led by Wes Lehman of Springfield Plastics, Inc., began in 2024 and have expanded in 2025 to include more structured sessions and growing participation.
Wes Lehman started these meetings to learn about various conservation tools so he could better support farmers, contractors, and landowners. His goal was to promote practices that help grow better crops, protect downstream water, and support long-term soil health.
Each meeting begins with a “Let’s Hear It” session, where participants talk about their ongoing projects, education events, and funding opportunities. They also discuss important topics like government programs, conservation policies, and tools created by organizations like ISAP.
The second hour is called the “Spotlight Discussion,” which features guest speakers. In the second quarter of 2025, Dr. Ehsan Ghane from Michigan State University shared his research on agricultural drainage systems.
He introduced an online drain spacing calculator that helps farmers and tile contractors choose the right spacing for drainage pipes by considering local weather and economic conditions.
Dr. Ghane is also working on new tools to help with the design of saturated buffers, which use soil to filter drainage water before it reaches streams. These tools aim to reduce nitrate runoff and improve water quality. He also highlighted other useful tools like the drain sedimentation tool, sizing main, and drainage coefficient to help make better decisions.
These meetings continue to build a strong conservation network focused on sustainable farming.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zoran-zeremski
Categories: Illinois, General