The Impact of Management of Marginal Field Areas with Dr. Christy Morrissey

Dr. Christy Morrissey is a Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on issues related to agricultural pesticides and other chemicals and the use of birds and insects as indicators of ecosystem health. 

Dr. Morrissey has published over 95 highly cited journal articles and book chapters and in 2020 was named to the Royal Society College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Her work has also been featured broadly in the national and international media and documentaries (CBC, BBC, National Geographic, Nature of Things, and The Messenger film). 

She is currently co-leading the NSERC funded Prairie Precision Sustainability Network Marginal Land Solutions project and the Bridge to Land Water Sky Living Lab to implement Nature-based solutions to improve sustainable agricultural production.

To start off today, Christy shares a bit about her background and her interest in agricultural pesticides and the impact of environmental contaminants on birds and insects.

We chat about her work with the Prairie Precision Sustainability Network and how they are looking at the the environmental and ecological threats to cultivating marginal farm land, and solutions to reducing these through the seeding of marginal areas.

She also talks about the challenges does that cultivation of this land offers to producers/farmers, both ecologically and economically.

If listeners are interested in finding out more or want to become involved in this project, please visit https://www.prairiepsn.ca/.

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: information@mbfi.ca 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011