..Longview Farm is Conservation Pioneer in Coweta County

David Brown, owner of Longview Farm is a conservation pioneer in the Senoia community of Coweta County. Brown’s property contains over 400 acres, mainly consisting of hayland, pastureland, and cattle. A conservation goal of Brown’s was to improve water quality and benefit fish and wildlife resources in the watershed and improve habitat conditions for several federally listed threatened and endangered mussels found in Coweta County. “I consider the wildlife on my farm to be a great value,” said Brown.

Brown and his wife Rita purchased the Longview Farm in 1991. The farm was eroded badly due to improper timber management. A retired District Conservationist with the USDA- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Brown sought funding through the Fish and Wildlife Partners Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).

The project involved the installation of nearly one mile of fence to exclude Brown’s 125 cows from streams and a lake on Longview Farm. In addition to the fencing, controlled access watering ramps were installed to allow the cattle to continue to utilize water from the streams and lake while protecting these waters from further degradation. A 35 feet riparian buffer of natural regeneration and native vegetation was restored along each side of the Little White Oak Creek and associated wetland areas.

Within a year, Brown had almost half of the acreage cleared, fenced and planted to prevent further erosion. Brown continues to thin timber on the farm every 5 years. Longview Farm has been toured by conservation officials and other farmers in the area who are seeking to incorporate similar practices on their farms. A farmer for 60 years, Brown’s credits the conservation knowledge gained over many years in giving him the ability to recognize the numerous benefits this project presented. “My greatest accomplishment has been using the knowledge I gained to establish a self-supporting farm from over 400 acres of cut-over timberland,” said Brown.

Brown credits NRCS, the Georgia Soil and Water Commission, West Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District and the Georgia Forestry Commission for partnering to complete this project. For more information about these conservation programs and what you can do to help conserve our natural resources, visit www.ga.nrcs.usda.gov or stop by any USDA-NRCS field office at the local USDA Service Center. NRCS helps people help the land. 

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