Ecological Outcome Verification On Your Land Base
What is Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV)?
Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) is an empirically based data collection protocol for grassland environments, including:
- natural and seeded grasslands
- grazed orchards
- silvopastoral systems
- mixed livestock/soil-based cropping systems
- amixed livestock/forest areas (pure cropping systems are not currently included, except for pilot projects).
It is a practical and scalable soil and landscape assessment methodology that tracks regenerative outcomes in biodiversity, soil health, and ecosystem function (water cycle, mineral cycle, energy flow and community dynamics).
EOV comprises short-term monitoring, which occurs annually, and long-term monitoring every five years. Short-term monitoring (STM) collects qualitative data that provide leading indicators for land management decisions. Long-term monitoring (LTM) collects quantitative data and provides lagging indicators for soil health, carbon, water, and biodiversity.
EOV is valuable for informing land management decisions. It is also a prerequisite for the Land to Market program (L2M). Land to Market is a sourcing solution that connects conscientious buyers, brands and retailers to farms and ranches that are verified to be regenerating their land.
What Types of Landscapes Can EOV Measure? Does EOV Work on Rangeland, Croplands, Forests, etc.?
EOV is a data collection protocol for grassland environments, including natural and seeded grasslands, grazed orchards, silvopastoral systems, mixed livestock/soil-based cropping systems, and mixed livestock/forest areas (pure cropping systems are not currently included, except for pilot projects). Cropping systems will be considered in future evolutions of the protocol.
What Does EOV Measure? Is EOV The Same As The HM Ecological Monitoring Protocol?
Short-term monitoring (STM) collects qualitative data that evaluates leading indicators of ecosystem function (examples include assessing bare soil, litter decomposition and plant functional groups). Leading indicator data is useful for land management decisions and is assessed using an Ecological Health Matrix that is calibrated for each unique ecoregion and compared to local reference areas and exemplary land bases in the ecoregion. Long-term monitoring (LTM) collects quantitative data and assesses lagging indicators for soil health, carbon, water, and biodiversity (examples include laboratory soil tests and water infiltration rates). EOV is similar to HM ecological monitoring but not the same. EOV is more scientifically robust and goes through a verification process that includes data collection by trained monitors and a quality assurance review of the data.
Can you share more specifics about how EOV works?
An initial baseline of data is collected in the first year, including defining land strata, setting data collection sites, and conducting long and short-term monitoring. Long-term monitoring is repeated every five years, and short-term monitoring is repeated annually. Data from every monitoring event (STM and LTM) is entered into our data platform, reviewed for accuracy, local calibration, and context by a hub verifier, and then sent to global quality assurance for final review and approval. At least two sets of data showing positive trends are required for land to be verified.
I have received the EOV verification. Now what?
You’ve made an awesome step in monitoring and understanding the change in your land base over time! This information should provide crucial insight when planning your land management and grazing.
Can EOV data be used in carbon markets?
No. EOV is not designed to act as a carbon market program.
How is the EOV program going to scale to have a meaningful impact?
We use our ethos of Farmer First and Outcome Based to guide our growth. Allowing quick, affordable feedback loops through short-term monitoring helps land managers see outcomes on their land, based on the management and practices they choose to utilize, in a cost-effective way and minimizes paperwork and reporting burden to the land manager. We balance this with comprehensive, empirical data collection in long-term monitoring. We utilize a combination of online prerequisite training courses and a distributed team of qualified Master Verifiers (MV) who teach in the field to train new Hub Verifiers and Monitors. MVs provide a diverse pool of trainers who can teach in various languages and contexts.
EOV Protocol
How much impact does the climate have on the data collected?
What is more important, the short-term vs the long-term results?
Is EOV peer-reviewed?
While the entire EOV protocol has not yet been included in peer-reviewed literature, the Ecological Health Index (EHI) was evaluated in a 2019 paper titled Ecological Health Index: A Short-Term Monitoring Method for Land Managers to Assess Grazing Lands Ecological Health. Strong correlations demonstrated that EHI could be a useful methodology for measuring the ecosystem function of grazing lands.
We are aware of other papers currently underway that will be presenting EOV data, but those are not yet published.
What is the process for updating the EOV protocol?
EOV protocol is reviewed bi-annually by the Savory Institute, Master Verifiers, and our scientific advisors.
The process of getting set up with EOV:
- The first step is to assess if EOV will be solely used for management decisions or market claims.
- Next, monitoring needs to be scheduled during the growing season. Land managers can work with Ecosystem Hub to schedule.
- The designated monitor and verifier will work with the land managers to determine the verifiable acreage, define strata on the land, and set the short-term monitoring locations.
- Short-term monitoring is done. Short-term monitoring will help determine the most suitable areas for long-term monitoring, and LTM sites are set.
- Long-term monitoring is done.
- Data is reviewed by the Hub Verifier and, if approved, submitted to Global QA for review.
- Once Global QA has confirmed at least two sets of monitoring data with an upward trend, verification is issued. Monitoring events should be scheduled 11-13 months after the previous monitoring.
EOV Offerings
Now that you’ve learned about the benefits of EOV on your land base,
we have 3 programs available to purchase.
Short-Term Ecological Monitoring by Ecosystem Hub
Price: $2500
Duration: During the growing season, May to November
Baseline Ecological Monitoring by Ecosystem Hub
Includes the initial setup, the Short Term Monitoring and the Long Term monitoring for the first year.
Price: $9500
Duration: During the growing season, May to November
Long-Term Ecological Monitoring by Ecosystem Hub
Price: $5500
Duration: During the growing season, May to November
Resources
Holistic Management: A Commonsense Revolution to Restore our Environment
by Allan Savory and Jody Butterfield, Island Press (2016).
Price: $45
Holistic Management Handbook
by Jody Butterfield, Sam Bingham, and Allan Savory, Island Press (2019).
Price: $45