A quarter of a century’s worth of work with manure has earned a Lethbridge Research Centre scientist the 1999 Emerald Award.
Investigations by Agriculture Canada’s Chi Chang into environmental concerns about manure from intensive livestock operations has helped prairie provinces improve codes of practice and manure management strategies.
Chang and his colleagues began a long-term research project in 1973 to study the effects of manure applications on crop production and the environment. The only long-term manure study on the Prairies, the project has led to greater use of livestock manure as a nutrient and soil resource while minimizing its potential as an environmental hazard.
More than enough
His research found that heavy repeated manure applications can cause a buildup of nitrates and phosphorus in the soil, which can result in long-term water and soil problems.
The award came from the Alberta Emerald Foundation for Environmental Excellence, a provincial organization founded in 1991 to recognize outstanding environmental achievements by Albertans.
