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In This Week’s Edition . . .

• Executive Director's Report
  • Reminder: 2009 Annual Conference
  • 2010 Annual Conference Planning Committee Callout
  • Stewardship Week 2009
  • River Friendly Farmer 2009
  • Envirothon SE Regional Meeting Cancelled
  • SWCD Annual Meetings
• New NRCS Indiana Publications on the Web
• New Farm Bill Display Available
• 2009 "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil" Poster Contest
• Indiana Wildlife Federation Poster and Photo Contest
• Workshop to Focus on Land Use for Plan Commission Members
• AgLearn Information
• Upcoming Workshops / Seminars
• Your IASWCD Officers, Board and Staff

A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle

Reminder: 2009 Annual Conference. You will find a recap of the 2009 conference on our Web site >>click here that contains the speaker PowerPoint presentations we have permission to post. The presentations are in PDF form so they are easy to download. The recap page also contains:

• Conference Program
• 2009 IASWCD Officers Elected
• 2008 Master Farm Conservationists and Conservation Farmer of the Year Award Winners
• Four SWCD Staff Receive District Employee of the Year Honors
• Knox County conservationist receives IASWCD President's Award
• Summary of Resolutions Passed by Delegates
• 2009 Annual Business Meeting Agenda

2010 SWCD Annual Conference planning committee callout!  We are looking for a few good folks to help plan the 2010 SWCD Annual Conference. This committee is vital to the success of the conference. We will have at least one face-to-face meeting and then most of the work will be done in subcommittees. We try to use email and teleconferences as much as possible to make the planning easy for everyone. If you are interested in helping out this year, please visit this link: http://www.doodle.com/phwp53dpcxey3ivk and fill in your name and availability.
We welcome SWCD staff, supervisors and Partners to participate on the committee.

Stewardship Week 2009. The 2009 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Stewardship theme is: “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil.” Stewardship Week will be officially celebrated April 26 to May 3, 2009. This year, the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) is challenging Districts to dig a hole and plant a tree during Stewardship Week in memory of NACD’s past president Olin Sims. >> Click here to read the information sent out yesterday on the Association’s proposal to SWCDs to dig a hole/plant a tree and celebrate Stewardship Week 2009! If you have any questions, contact DeeDee or myself.  We’d like to see all SWCDs involved this year!

River Friendly Farmer 2009. Over the past 10 years over 400 farmers have been publicly honored for their stewardship. As a Soil and Water Conservation District, you may nominate up to two farmers from your county for the 2009 River Friendly Farmer Award. Nominations are due to our office by June 16, 2009. River Friendly Farmer Award winners will be honored at the Indiana State Fair in a statewide ceremony in August.

• >> Click here for the River Friendly Farmer application
  
• >>Click here for the RFF brochure

Envirothon SE Regional Contest Cancelled. The Southeast Regional Envirothon Contest scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, at the St. Paul Lutheran Church Olean (Versailles) has been cancelled. If you have questions, contact Rebecca Lauster, 812.358.2367, ext. 3.

Reminder: SWCD Annual Meetings. Changes and updates have been made to the list of SWCD Annual Meetings that can be found by clicking here.

Have a good week,
Jennifer

New NRCS Indiana Publications on the Web

NRCS in Indiana is developing new publications for field use. Currently, three of these new publications have been completed and posted to the Indiana NRCS Web site.

From the homepage, go to Info for Indiana NRCS Employees and click on the 'Publications (Indiana)' link. The new publications include:

• 2008 Farm Bill—EQIP and Organic Agriculture
• 2008 Farm Bill—How to Apply for Programs
• So You Inherited the Farm...Now What?

New Farm Bill Display Available

A new 2008 Farm Bill tabletop display is now available for use. Eight copies of the display are located at the eight Tech Team offices. A list of these offices can be found by clicking here.

An additional display, located at the state office, can be requested through Pam Davidson, NRCS Public Affairs, 317.290.3200, ext. 322.

2009 "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil" Poster Contest

The 2009 National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Poster Contest theme is "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil." NACD is using the Dig It! theme in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Soil Science Society of America.

This collaboration will complement the Smithsonian "Dig It! The Secrets of Soil," exhibition, which runs through January 3, 2010, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. and travels to museums across the United States May 2010 to September 2013.

Each entry must have the 2009 Contest Entry Form filled out and signed by a guardian or parent to be judged. All local contests must fill out the Local Contest Posters to State Contest Form and include it with entries to area or state contests. Please note: Only posters judged at the local and state level are eligible for the national contest.

The state deadline for entries is July 1 to the IASWCD office (225 S. East St. St. 740, Indianapolis, IN, 46202). Contest rules are on the NACD Web site. 

• Each entry must have the 2009 Contest Entry Form filled out and signed by a guardian or parent to be judged.
• All local contests must fill out the Local Contest Posters to State Contest Form.
• NACD 2009 Poster Contest

Links and information for this contest is also on the IASWCD Web site.

Indiana Wildlife Federation Poster and Photo Contest

The Indiana Wildlife Federation is once again holding their poster contests for grades Kindergarten through 5 and photo contest for grades 6 through 12. 

This year’s contest is a little different as there will not be an essay contest. Instead all middle school students are invited to submit photos. The photo contest allows students in grades 6 through 12 to express their devotion to wildlife with a camera. The poster contest is open to grades kindergarten through five. This should make it fun for all ages. The IWF has chosen a theme guaranteed to stir creativity --- Live Green and Prosper.

There will be more time this year to complete the contest by getting the information out early and making the deadline April 15th. Realizing that poignant images can be found year round, the IWF encourages young photographers to start snapping pictures now. Entries can come from any season of the year and should be taken in Indiana. Posters can also be created at any time. Teachers are encouraged to work these into lesson plans when appropriate for meeting academic standards. Drawing posters can also be a great fill in, or “just before vacation,” activity. Creating the entries can be a year round effort, just be sure to submit them to IWF by mid April.

Winning entries will be recognized at the Earth Day Celebration downtown Indianapolis in April and on display at the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis during the month of June.
Working together we can generate a care and concern for the earth and the creatures living on Rules and submission information can be found on the links below:

Poster Contest Information for Grades K-5
Photo Contest Information for Grades 6-12

Workshop to focus on land use for plan commission members

The Land Use Update video seminar, sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, will take place at 18 locations around Indiana from 7-9 p.m. March 2.

"Participants who are interested in land-use decisions can learn how to effectively participate in the planning process," said Mike Ferree, Purdue Extension educator. "The program will cover the responsibilities and ethics of plan commission members and steps to making decisions that will stand up in court and in the court of public opinion."

During the program participants will discuss how to make legal and defensible decisions, see examples of delicate situations plan commission members face on a daily basis, get information on how to uphold high ethical standards in performing public duties and discuss issues plan commissions face.

A list of locations and contact information for the Land Use Update video seminars can be found by clicking here.

Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts

OFFICERS:

President: Paula Baldwin, Marion Co.
Vice President: Ray McCormick: Knox Co.
Secretary: Jeff Meinders, Ripley Co.
Treasurer: Brian Campbell, Elkhart Co.

REGION DIRECTORS:

Board Roster / Region Map
North-Northwest: Larry Strole, Newton Co.
South-Northwest: Kenny Cain, Montgomery Co.
North-Northeast: Tom Crowe, Allen Co.
South-Northeast: Bobby Hettmansperger, Wabash Co.
North-Southwest: Bob Weaver, Johnson Co.
South-Southwest: Alan Weyer, Dubois Co.
North-Southeast: Brad Dawson, Dearborn Co.
South-Southeast: Brad Ponsler, Jennings Co.

IASWCD STAFF:

Executive Director: Jennifer Boyle, 317.692.7519
Watershed Information Specialist: Elizabeth Trybula, 317.692.7514
Communications Manager: DeeDee Sigler, 317.692.7374
Project Assistant: Jaclyn Casale, 317.692.7325