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of perennial biomass and ecosystem services; and (3) Monitor, evaluate, and promote the <br /> development of perennial biomass equipment, supply chains, markets, and enterprises. <br /> Activities related to perennial biomass and watershed management during this period include: <br /> • Steve John continues to serve on the Green Lands Blue Waters (GLBW) steering <br /> committee and Watershed Initiative core group and co-chair the Perennial Biomass <br /> Working Group. GLBW is a multi-state consortium that promotes perennial crops and <br /> cover crops for clean water and other benefits. <br /> • Steve also continues to serve on the Illinois Biomass Working Group and helped organize <br /> the 2015 Illinois Renewable Energy Conference held in Bloomington in July. <br /> • AWI advised entrepreneurs interested in exploring use of grass biomass for heat, <br /> including owners of the new National Foodworks Services food incubator. <br /> � The Lumpkin perennial grass project and the August workshop on Perennial Biomass <br /> Crops and Nutrient Loss Reduction described above are part of the biomass initiative. <br /> � Maintained the Caterpillar—AWI Prairie for Bioenergy demonstration plots. <br /> • Advised and assisted landowners and farmers in the Lake Decatur watershed who have <br /> planted, or may decide to plant,perennial biomass crops in the Lake Decatur watershed. <br /> • Steve gave a presentation titled "Working Prairies in the Emerging Multifunctional <br /> Agriculture Paradigm: Applying Historical Lessons" at the lowa Prairie Conference. <br /> • Staffed displays on biomass heating and prairies for bioenergy at Richland Community <br /> College's Teachers Clean Energy Workshop. <br /> • Staffed a display and gave a presentation on `Biomass Energy and a New Agricultural <br /> Paradigm" at the Illinois Renewable Energy Fair in Oregon, IL. <br /> • Completed planning and plot management and hosted the Energy Grass Education Area <br /> at the 2015 Farm Progress Show, in collaboration with the University of Illinois. By our <br /> count, 714 people visited the exhibit tent and/or the energy grass plots during the Show. <br /> The following article is copied from the Official Program for the Farm Progress Show: <br /> _August 2015 <br /> Get a feei for energy grasses at the show <br /> BVJOSMFLINT r -��������--.. ......---"---"-- -. . . � andwflltulrralebriel�irn�Hk�dlb�xllnG. <br /> �FPSHOW � • j Jolmaddsthatitmukesagreathaycrop. <br /> ENER6V Twu years ago.AWI also introclucecl <br /> VEYfUREnorthaMn theFarm � GRASS:Visitors ' <br /> $ I'n�g l� pralde cnrdyraas to the pIMSJPs a tall(6 <br /> at a past Decatu�, <br /> mss Shnw gmunds In Ikratur,Iil.. ° to tl Iceq na1Wc grass.USUA NRCS says <br /> III.,Farm Pro9r9ss ' <br /> mid ynu Ileventualtycomeacnuea . S�ax examine � . strong rhizomrs with the abillty to gmw <br /> pint that I x�ks Ilkc sommne Iet a paatum �hq Energy Grass . � - to IU feet per year separate[his�(rus <br /> Krowun<heekeclfnranentimyrar EducationArea .� � y f um the other deairable naHve warm- <br /> In ess.nce.tliat's sort oT whnt thr Cheek�t out abnq ¢ 5, �` ��.?�I .rnson grassex. <br /> F�ergy(,rass F.Jucauon Area is it's a the .r�h�,�]q,n� �1, { �r "���� �, I'ralriecorAgraSsisrasy[oi<lentifyby <br /> bunch of grasses that havr been plantnl t� '� ry� Y � �� � ; � �ha <br /> .���+� + A \,.f *� „ . rp.serratM Mges of thc leaf blade. <br /> to demonstratr the properties ol th .;,,, �� \`j� �. ,,� .,md heada are compuseA o(IU to ZII <br /> mont popular biomass grassea un th ��� tti� �{`�� '{��' �� � g : ,pikes attached ro[he maln Mem.Fiu�h <br /> markec.The m ect is a oint dtort with t � ' : �� "r `� <br /> �'�. y <br /> P 1 1 '^`��Y 5 � . 7 ... �+�.', t �� �[ .t>ike ha+up to 40 spiltelels,all powing <br /> fhe Agricultwal Wa[ershed Institute anil �'� ti�'�p� ; '�y t '�{"j �.ii two rows on the slde d the splin away <br /> Unlvenity of Ilifnois Extension. !rom the stem.The sted typically mV urrs <br /> SteveJohn.AWiexecutivedirectnc nung�miriim�..rrl„�.r�:r.uh��rlhis}'��,u�� H��.��i ��•st�ni, v.e�unk�rvvir,�:�strrn witNnawrcJuxtwuMlrtnt.uncllsflatand <br /> expecte the bioenergy plols wW be even The pbts feature the tw�r Mcener�ry kamngrnss Is'a dlstant relative ol com paper-Ilke with barbed awna that anach <br /> more popular this year as farmers con- grass heavy hitters: miscanthus and that ran reaclt up[o A feet In hdght Seed firmty to fur or fabdc"fhere are ly7!NM) <br /> sidef twHer eMpx in an effort to improve swftchF(rass.in rt�crnt years,thr AWI stall heads am fi to 10 fnches fn Iength.Setd secAs per�wund. <br /> wa[erquallty. has aAAed other graxxes to Milater the prcnlucKlun runsfromMaytoJuly.Fastem Quite relevant tliia yeaL prairie rorA- <br /> "Perennlal passes(or lorage or bio- pbts'Wsual ex�erirne�e.Thr newrst aA- k<unn}(rasxisaAapted[oawMevarietyd �assiswell,adaple`Ilollad-proneamaa, <br /> rnergy can pruWde a lot d water quaiity ditWn Is eestr.ni g:uiu�runs.It's a��ative wdl te�nurea and lavors molst sitea that re John iwtea.So,again,a AuHer strip near a <br /> henefits."he ndes."fhis is even mom re!- warm-sr.ason,perennial bunch prase. cMve at Irast 25 in<•My d annual rainfalL I[ s[ream to suck up extra nitrogen Is a Rreat <br /> evantwiththe�wwatervqualirypotec- AccorAing to the USUA Na�urel IxclxwslfieAasafacultaUvewMlandpiant uuolthisgross. <br />