For the Week of March 31-April 4, 2008 >> click here for the printer friendly version

In This Week's Edition . . .

• Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute
• District News / Exchange
  • Welcome new SWCD staff
  • District Technician Position Open
  • Free display available
  • Laser for sale
  • Tippecanoe County SWCD seeks information
• Watershed Moment
  • Online Form to Inventory Watershed Efforts
  • Cover Crop Article for District and Watershed Use
  • Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2004 Report Released
  • Indiana Lakes Management Society Conference celebrates 20 Years
• EPA's Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox
• River Rally 2008 May 2-5 in NE Ohio
• CTIC Conservation In Action Tour 2008
• Natural Resources Management Workshops for Landowners of Small Acreages
• Upcoming Workshops/Seminars
• Your IASWCD board/staff

A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle

Natural Resources Leadership Development Institute. The goal of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute is to develop leaders within the natural resources communities who can build collaborative relationships with others around contentious issues. NRLDI is sponsored by the Department of Forestry & Natural Resources at Purdue University, in cooperation with the Department of Agricultural Economics.The deadline for submission of applications is August 1, 2008. The first session of the 2008 class is Sept. 10-12. Click here for the program brochure. If you have any questions about the program, contact Dr. Janet Ayres via email or at 765-494-4215. Both Elizabeth Trybula and I also are graduates of this program and would highly recommend it.

District News / Exchange. Welcome to three new District staff:

• Jenna Peck, District Coordinator, Decatur County SWCD

• Meryl Moyer, Administrator, Union County SWCD

• Heather Siesel, Project Manager, Clifty Creek/ Haw Creek Watershed Project, Bartholomew County SWCD

• Decatur County SWCD Seeks District Technician. Responsibilities include: technical assistance to landowners to implement conservation practices; work with other agencies to increase natural resource conservation and water quality; and maintain District operations and educational programs. Submit resumes by April 11 to the Decatur County SWCD, 1333 North Liberty Circle East, Greensburg, IN 47240.

• Free Display Available. The Johnson County SWCD has a display that they used at their county fair a few years ago. It is call “A Worms Eye View.” It is approximately 16’ long by 4’ wide by 4’ tall. It sets up like a tunnel so children can crawl through it and see what a worm would see (i.e. roots, other bugs, etc.). There also is information on the outside about soil. This is available for free to any District that may be able to use it. If you have questions, contact David Harrell at 317.346.6102.
  
  
• Laser for Sale. The Parke County SWCD has a Spectra-Physics Laser Plane 650 laser for sale, with two receivers and a 25-foot Mound City fiberglass survey rod. If anyone is interested, please contact Jaci Witty, Parke County SWCD, 765.569.3551, ext. 3.
  
  
• Tippecanoe County SWCD Seeks Information. The Tippecanoe County SWCD is considering reclassification of their Water Quality Educator position and seeks information relative to salaries of other water quality educators who are working with MS4s. If you or one of your employees are providing education for MS4s and you are comfortable in sharing that information, please drop Chris Remley an email. It would be very much appreciated.

Reminder: Stewardship “Letter to Editor.”Click here to download a letter to the editor that you may customize and submit to your local newspaper for Stewardship Week, April 27-May, 2008. If you have any questions, contact DeeDee at 317.692.7374 or deedee-sigler@iaswcd.org. Remember to submit the letter in time to meet your newspaper’s deadline for Stewardship Week.

Reminder: 2009 Annual Conference – Call for Abstracts. A Call for Abstracts is being distributed around the state to generate renewed interest and expand our pool of speakers for the 2009 Annual Conference for Indiana SWCDs. Districts, individuals, universities, agencies, organizations and others are all eligible to submit an abstract. Most importantly, the deadline to submit an abstract is May 16, 2008. 

Have a good week,
Jennifer

Watershed Moment
by Elizabeth Trybula, IASWCD watershed information specialist

Online Form to Inventory Watershed Efforts
Thank you to those organizations and service providers that completed the quick online form to gather current information on watershed efforts. The information gathered will be released online in late April, and announced in the Weekly Update and across statewide listservs.  

Cover Crop Article for District and Watershed Use content care of the St. Joseph River WI  
The St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative released a great article on cover crops this week for you to review. On top of that, the Initiative has given permission for the article to be used as a template for your District or watershed project efforts. To facilitate this, we’ve posted the original article online here and an MS Word document with template fields online here ready for you to edit and release yourself.  

Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2004 Report Released article care of NACD
Every four years, EPA conducts a survey to determine what resources are needed by local and state governments in order to implement the Clean Water Act. The results of the 2004 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) were released in January 2008 and may be of interest to Districts involved in water quality management. The report, available online, includes information on stormwater management; wastewater treatment, collection and conveyance; water recycling; and small community needs. The Indiana Fact Sheet is located here. The 2008 survey is already underway. For more information about the 2008 survey and how your District can participate, click here, or you may email CWNS coordinator William Tansey.  

Indiana Lakes Management Society Conference celebrates 20 Years
The Indiana Lakes Management Society (ILMS) celebrated the 20th Annual Conference with record attendance and outstanding content. Presentation topics focused predominantly on management efforts to understand and address existing and emerging invasive species including hydrilla and blue green algae. For more information on the organization and conference content, visit the new ILMS Web site. For additional resources, check out the links at the IDNR LARE Web site here. 

EPA's Nonpoint Source Outreach Toolbox

You are encouraged to visit EPA’s NPS Outreach Toolbox. The Nonpoint Source (NPS) Outreach Toolbox is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in educating the public on nonpoint source pollution or stormwater runoff. The Toolbox contains a variety of resources to help develop an effective and targeted outreach campaign. To start, use the sidebar menu to the left, the descriptive links below it, or jump to the navigable toolbox graphic and select any drawer or book.

You can search for PSA’s by state, NPS category or media format (print ad, TV, radio). Even if the specific ad you are looking for isn’t there, you may find an alternative that will fit your needs. Permission information for each product also can be found on the site. The toolbox also is available on CD.

The NPS Toolbox is online at: http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/toolbox/index.htm.

River Rally 2008 May 2-5 in NE Ohio

The River Rally is the most widely anticipated training opportunity for river conservation organizations and watershed partnerships in the nation...make that the galaxy (according to River Rally organizers).

River Network's 9th Annual National River Rally will help grassroots groups harness the power of citizen involvement to protect rivers and build healthier communities and watersheds. The River Rally will bring together hundreds of friends of rivers, water keepers, monitors, watchdogs, stewards, guardians and others involved in watershed protection and restoration. Participants include volunteers, board members, staff members, experienced leaders and new watershed protection enthusiasts. Together, individuals will celebrate rivers, teach and learn from each other and explore the power of citizen action.

To join the trip (and, it is a trip) be sure to register and join River Network and over 500 conservationists at Sawmill Creek Resort for multiple days of education, inspiration and celebration. Registration is Open. The $50 late registration fee goes into effect April 16.

River Network: helping people understand, protect and restore rivers and their watersheds.

CTIC Conservation In Action Tour 2008

The Conservation Technology Information Center is planning a tour of key conservation agriculture sites in Central Indiana this summer. National ag leaders, ag media, researchers, companies and farmers will visit three to five farm and research sites to learn about innovative conservation practices and see first-hand how Indiana farmers are making conservation a successful – and profitable – choice even in today’s market.

Do you know an innovative farmer that CTIC should meet on their tour? Do you have a research or demonstration project that showcases pioneering conservation applications? Share your ideas with them now as they develop and finalize the tour stops.

The tour will take place July 17, 2008. They are targeting counties just north of Indianapolis: Hendricks, Boone, Clinton and Hamilton counties. They welcome your suggestions. Please send ideas to Karen Scanlon via email at by April 4.

Please also plan to join CTIC for the tour. It’s a great opportunity to not only learn about Indiana’s finest conservation agriculture, but also to meet and network with CTIC’s board of directors, members and partners. Formal invitations will be mailed in the coming weeks so please them know if you are interested in attending.