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In This Week’s Edition . . .
A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle
District News. Congratulations to the Greene County SWCD. Visit their new Web site at www.gc-swcd.com
Reminder: 2010 SWCD Resolution Request Form. Resolutions will be considered at the 2010 Annual Conference business meeting on January 13, 2010. An update on current resolutions will be sent out in June.
Reminder: 2009 IASWCD Conservation Awards. The IASWCD put together an awards committee this spring to revise and update our conservation awards. Information on these awards and the applications appears on our Web site at http://www.iaswcd.org/district_tools/applications.html. A new “Friend of Conservation” award has been added. This award will recognize those who have made an outstanding contribution to soil and water conservation in Indiana. Up to five individuals, businesses or organizations will be honored at the 2010 Indiana Conservation Awards banquet. The deadline for applications is September 1, 2009.
The “Conservation Farmer of the Year” award has been updated and now also includes a “Career” subcategory. This “Career” award replaces the former “Master Farm Conservationist of the Year” award. Read through the information carefully as changes have taken place. The deadline for applications to be received to the IASWCD is September 1, 2009.
Reminder: Tillage Transect Information. The Indiana Conservation Partnership is committed to completing the Tillage Transect statewide this year. The increase in demand for Indiana’s row crop production, fueled by the broadening bio-fuel initiatives, and the recent reports on agriculture’s role in greenhouse gas emissions and gulf hypoxia, makes tracking trends in conservation tillage, energy consumption, cropping systems and even carbon sequestration an important and valuable activity. The Tillage Transect allows the partnership to track these adoption trends by state, county or watershed.
Click here for the document that provides guidance on the procedures for completing the 2009 Tillage Transect. A sample spreadsheet (not for data entry) can also be found by clicking here and will be referenced during this discussion. In addition to the data that will be gathered, the opportunity for conservation partners to observe and discuss the conditions, needs and accomplishments related to the natural resources in each county is an invaluable effort. We are proud to support this effort, and look forward to utilizing the results to bolster conservation efforts around the state. -- The Indiana Conservation Partnership
Reminder: District Dues. Thank you to all the SWCDs that have submitted 2009 dues. A list of the District dues received can be found here http://www.iaswcd.org/whatsnew/districtdues09.html.
Reminder: 2010 Conference. A notice for the Call for Abstracts has been sent out for the 2010 IASWCD Annual Conference. The theme for this year will be “The Power of Conservation: Investing in Districts.” The deadline to submit abstracts to Jaclyn Casale is June 26. More information regarding abstract submission can be found here.
Have a good week,
Jennifer
Telling the District Story
by DeeDee Sigler, IASWCD communications manager
Elkhart County SWCD building relationships, working hard, creating conservation results in a strong urban/agricultural Indiana region
Elkhart County is a region of great diversity. On one side is strong agricultural production. In fact, the county consistently ranks in the top five in overall cash receipts for Indiana agricultural products. On the other side it is a region with growing urbanized areas encompassing three cities and four towns. Holding the conservation umbrella over this diverse region is the Elkhart County Soil and Water Conservation District.
 Former President Teddy Roosevelt said “Far and away the best prize life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” His words appropriately describe the Elkhart County SWCD's philosophy as they approach the conservation needs of a county comprised of English and Amish farmers, developers and businesses, cities and towns, growth and economic hardship all wrapped up into one.
Right: Jim Hess, Elkhart County SWCD chair of the board of supervisors; Brian Campbell, supervisor; Eric Kurtz, SWCD storm-water coordinator; Nancy Brown, SWCD program manager; Lynette Black, SWCD ag conservationist; and Jason Kauffman, SWCD urban conservationist.
“Our District works well under these diverse demographics because of our business plan,” says Brian Campbell, supervisor. “The plan helps us stay on track and focus. We're all on the same page, working in the same direction. There is not a sense of hierarchy,” Campbell says. “There's diversity among the supervisors and staff, but there are no egos and we don't judge each other.”
>>Click here to read the rest of Elkhart County SWCD’s story.
For other good stories on Indiana SWCDs under the Telling the District Story Web pages, >>click here.
NRCS Extends Organic Initiative Sign-Up
NRCS State Conservationist Jane Hardisty announced yesterday that sign-up for the new Organic Initiative has been extended in Indiana.
The new Organic Initiative, funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), was introduced earlier this month. Organic producers and producers in transition to organic farming were to submit applications to the NRCS by May 29, 2009.
“Because of delays that producers are experiencing in getting into their fields due to the heavy rains, Indiana NRCS is waiving the deadline for Organic Initiative applications,” said Hardisty. “In an effort to give producers time to respond, we are implementing a continuous sign-up for this Initiative.”
Hardisty encouraged organic producers to come in and take advantage of the special funding for organic producers as soon as possible. “While we accept EQIP applications from organic producers at any time, it is important for producers to know that there are certain dates when applications get ranked and funded throughout the year,” said Hardisty. “After August 15, 2009 the dollars that Indiana has not spent on the Organic Initiative may go to other states.”
The 2009 Organic Initiative will be administered by NRCS. Interested producers should contact their NRCS district conservationist at a USDA Service Center to determine eligibility. Click here to find the nearest USDA Service Center. Additional information on the 2009 EQIP Organic Initiative is available online by clicking here.
Agricultural Census Information Summarized By Watershed
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will release the results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture which will be summarized by watershed. The release is scheduled for May 29, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. and will mark the first time the census data will be available at the watershed level.
Data in the 2007 Census of Agriculture Watersheds publication will be available by the 6-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC), or watershed, as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey. Additionally, this publication will include watershed data from the 2002 Census of Agriculture to demonstrate the changes in land use, production practices and livestock distribution in the past five years.
For more information about the Census of Agriculture or to access the watershed publication once it is released, visit http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/
GrantStation Newsletter Funding Opportunity: Indigenous Plant Preservation Projects Supported
The Native Plant Conservation Initiative, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, supports projects that focus on the conservation of native plants and pollinators throughout the United States. In 2009, priority will be given to projects that focus on the effects of climate change as it pertains to the conservation, restoration, and sustainability of North American native plant conservation in the 21st century. Funded projects should benefit multiple species, achieve a variety of resource management objectives, and/or lead to revised management practices that reduce the causes of habitat degradation.
A special emphasis is placed on larger projects that demonstrate a landscape-level approach and produce lasting, broad-based results on the ground. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations and local, state, and federal government agencies. The application deadline is July 1, 2009. The online application guidelines are available on the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Web site.
IDEM To Match Groups With Wetland Restoration Sites
Ron Lauster, Marion County SWCD
A new tool on the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) Web site was unveiled recently. The tool will encourage the restoration and creation of wetlands, a vital part of Indiana’s ecosystem. Wetlands, which store rainwater and slow the movement of floodwater, are often affected by construction and other land disturbing projects. Wetland replacement, which is required by law, is known as mitigation. Finding appropriate mitigation sites often takes a great deal of time.
Organizations that disturb wetlands through construction or other activities are required to restore or create new wetlands to offset the impact. In order to increase the probability that new wetlands will survive and to offset the amount of time it takes for the area to mature, groups must create more wetlands than they disturb. IDEM issues permits and water quality certifications for construction, excavation, and dredging projects in Indiana wetlands, streams and other water bodies. Hoosiers planning a project of this nature that could affect the quality of Indiana waters should call the IDEM Office of Water Quality Wetlands Program at 800.451.6027 or visit the Wetlands Program Web site at wetlands.IN.gov.
IDEM developed the wetland mitigation tool project in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. In recent months, the agencies have been testing a version of the site. “The Volunteer Mitigation site is a revolutionary way to streamline the wetland restoration process,” said Thomas Easterly, IDEM commissioner. “It will allow groups that need locations for wetland restoration to find and work with interested property owners easily and efficiently”. The site will assist in the connection of property owners willing to provide land for mitigation and organizations that must complete mitigation as part of their project. The goal is to easily identify potential sites and streamline wetland restoration and creation. The public portal can be found at IdemMaps.idem.IN.gov/apps/MitigationVolunteer/ and is currently accepting entries from property owners.
IDEM implements federal and state regulations regarding the environment. Through compliance assistance, incentive programs and educational outreach, the agency encourages and aids business and citizens in protecting Hoosiers and our environment.
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