Dive into Minnesota manure research with these interactive StoryMaps

Extension manure management specialist Melissa Wilson has been busy with several research projects in 2020. Yet she also found time to create three ArcGIS StoryMaps to help Minnesota farmers and ag professionals learn about her research.

Wilson uses photos, videos, maps and other visuals to show how her plots are set up, the equipment she uses, and what her ongoing study results mean.

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   Her first StoryMap covers her project sidedressing swine manure into corn. Being able to sidedress swine manure into corn could open up the window of opportunity to apply manure in Minnesota. In past years, Wilson’s team studied a dragline hose system. In 2020, they began assessing a tanker system.
   
   
2. Wilson’s second StoryMap dives into her research on cover crops and manure for soil health. This study looks at whether cover crops and fall liquid manure application can improve soil health and protect water quality. 
   
   
3. Her third StoryMap is on her study on dairy manure in a sugarbeet rotation. This project explores the potential to use liquid dairy manure in a sugarbeet-soybean-corn rotation. The manure used has gone through a liquid/solid separation process, which reduces the volume of manure that needs to be applied from a barn annually and is easier to pump. 

With the ongoing pandemic and subsequent lack of in-person field days and winter meetings, Wilson turned to ArcGIS StoryMaps as a way to better share her research projects with stakeholders.

"StoryMaps lay out the material in a very visual way, so it seemed like a good method for sharing our work," she said. "I try to design my research around questions or ideas I've gotten from farmers and ag professionals. Since my results will hopefully answer their questions, it's important to get it out there. This is just one tool in my toolbox to do that."

Wilson plans to continue to update these StoryMaps as new data come in, and hopes to create more soon, including one on her manure nitrogen and phosphorus credit study. 

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