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For the Week of August 4 - August 8, 2008
In This Week’s Edition . . .
A Report from the Executive Director, Jennifer Boyle
Plan to attend the River Friendly Farmer Ceremony Aug. 13. Congratulations to the 2008 River Friendly Farmer Award recipients who will be honored at the Indiana State Fair next week on Wednesday, August 13, at the Indiana State Fair. Sixty-five farmers from 40 counties will receive the River Friendly Farmer Award for 2008 during a statewide ceremony. We’re expecting 40 of our 65 recipients to attend the festivities. The day will begin with many of the honorees joining us in the morning to ride in the Farmers’ Day parade that begins at 10 a.m. in the Grandstands (#39 on the map). The ceremony itself will be take place at 2 p.m. in the 4-H Exhibit Hall auditorium (building #3 on the map) on the second floor. The 4-H Exhibit Hall is located in the Northwest corner of the fairgrounds in the Farm Bureau Celebration Park area. SWCD supervisors, staff and other supporters are invited and encouraged to attend to support and cheer for your District recipient.
Conservation Education Resources. SWCD conservation educators may be interested in the attached fact sheet listing materials available through the NRCS LANDCARE program.
District Exchange. Martha Miller, Monroe County SWCD, is compiling a reference sheet for her group's presentation on building District capacity at the 2009 Annual Conference. Prior to the conference, she is asking if you are willing to serve as a mentor/contact for other SWCD employees to click on the form, complete it and email it to her at Martha.miller@in.nacdnet.net. If you have questions, contact Martha at 812.349.2046.
Leadership Institute Workshops. There are two more leadership development training workshops on the horizon for SWCD supervisors and staff. A Leadership in Change workshop will be held at the Muncie Horizon Convention Center on Aug. 22-23. Click here for details. This workshop is the first of the four-part series, Cornerstones of Leadership. This program has been tailored specifically to SWCD supervisors and their key staff. The workshop is aimed at helping supervisors understand leadership within SWCDs, matching skills and abilities with your position and responsibilities and how to best serve your organization. The registration deadline for this event is Friday, August 8. Registration can be completed by clicking here and more information on this program can be found here. A Communication seminar in Ft. Wayne will be held Sept. 5-6. Click here for the details. You can register for these and all workshops in the Leadership Institute series by clicking here.
No Weekly Update Aug. 13. We will be at the Indiana State Fair next week involved with the River Friendly Farmer Awards. The next weekly update will be August 20. If you need to reach us on Wed., Aug. 13, call me at 317.502.7273 or DeeDee at 317.431.6098.
And finally, 2008 IASWCD Dues. A special thanks to Districts that have supported the IASWCD with payment of their 2008 dues: Adams, Allen, Bartholomew, Blackford, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, DeKalb, Dubois, Elkhart, Fayette, Floyd, Fountain, Franklin, Fulton, Gibson, Grant, Green, Hamilton, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jasper, Jay, Jennings, Kosciusko, Knox, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Noble, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Porter, Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Scott, Spencer, St. Joseph, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Union, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, Warrick, Washington, Wayne, White and Whitley. Please take the time to read over the important information in the dues brochure on how your dues support SWCD activities in the state.
Have a good week,
Jennifer
Hoosiers Encouraged to Participate in GOING LOCAL Week
An increasing number of individuals are rejecting well traveled food items in favor of more locally grown and produced ones. They call themselves “locavores.” The term refers to individuals who choose only to eat foods that have been grown and/or raised within 100 miles of their homes.
Locavores pride themselves on finding and using ingredients that are locally available and in season. While few can realistically adhere to the extreme “rules” of a locavore diet, more and more individuals are expressing a desire to eat fresh, local and in season food. In fact, the trend toward eating local food is the number one culinary trend in the United States. The supporters of GOING LOCAL Week, August 31 to September 6, in Indiana hope to encourage Hoosiers to follow that trend and eat more locally grown and produced food for a number of reasons. >> Click here for the rest of the news release announcing Going Local Week.
IDEM helps fund watershed projects statewide
Seven Indiana organizations have big plans for improving Indiana water quality, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is helping to bring those plans to fruition.
IDEM has distributed grants totaling nearly $3 million to watershed groups, Resource Conservation and Development councils, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts for work in eight watersheds in Indiana.
Projects to be funded by the grants will include the development and implementation of cost-share programs for best management practices, which are strategies that address and improve local water quality. Additional projects will include water quality monitoring and outreach to reduce nonpoint source pollution such as fertilizer and road grime in storm water runoff from fields and roads.
With roughly 30 percent of Indiana streams known to be affected by pollution or contaminants, the need for change is great. “The dedication of local water quality groups is admirable,” said Bruno Pigott, IDEM assistant commissioner of the Office of Water Quality. “The work these organizations do is vital, and their call for change is inspirational.” The entire news release can be found by clicking here (use the arrow to go to the July 24 release) .
Best Practices for Field Days
A three-day workshop is being sponsored to help event organizers improve their field days, workshops and water festivals. This multi-day workshop September 15-17 will occur at Camp Campy in Camby, Ind. Participants will learn how to help students learn and retain important concepts, planning a comfortable and memorable setting, creating more useful evaluations and connecting programs to academic settings. Everyone will receive the Best Practices for Field Days manual with a companion CD. More information can be found by clicking here. Call or email Nathan Meyer with any questions regarding this program at 888.241.0724.
Watershed Moment
A reminder about two excellent upcoming training opportunities . . .
Two Stage Ditch Field Day, Wednesday, August 13th: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Join The Nature Conservancy (TNC) on a visit to the Tippecanoe River 2-Stage Ditch demonstration site. The day will feature various speakers representing Kosciusko County, NRCS, TNC, University of Notre Dame, Commonwealth Biomonitoring, and also Ronsbottom Excavating who constructed the ditch. We look forward to your attendance at this event which will give you a first- hand look at a 2-Stage Ditch and what it may mean to our water quality issues. Please RSVP to Kent Wamsley by August 5.
Don’t Forget to Sign up for the Summer Watershed Networking Sessions
Complete information (including registration forms and agendas) are available online at: http://www.iaswcd.org/watershed/networking_summer2008.html
- Thursday, August 14: Michigan City’s Trail Creek and Green Infrastructure Projects
10 a.m. – 3 p.m. (local time)
Registration requested on or before Thursday, August 7
- Wednesday, August 20: Indianapolis Cultural Trail and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Facility
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (local time)
Registration requested on or before Wednesday, August 13
Water Quality Credit Trading Workshop Deadline Extended
The deadline for registration for the Water Quality Credit Trading Workshop has been extended to this Friday, Aug. 8. Register today to make sure you can attend this valuable two-day training.
NEW! Certified crop advisers will earn 12 Soil and Water Management CEU credits when they complete the workshop. Remember, the workshop is August 19 and 20, 2008, at the Troy-Hayner Cultural Center in Troy, Ohio. It is offered by the Conservation Technology Information Center, in partnership with the Environmental Trading Network (ETN), the Water Environment Federation (WEF) and Certified Crop Advisers.
Water quality credit trading programs bring together agriculture and utilities to solve difficult water quality issues. This detailed, intensive training program on water quality trading for agricultural operators, ag advisors, potential water quality trading aggregators and municipal wastewater facilities. Expert speakers will introduce the concepts, benefits and challenges of trading and the steps involved in developing a trading program. The training will include interactive breakout sessions to give participants specific skills to develop or participate in a trading program. Case studies will be highlighted so participants can learn from existing programs.
Farmers, agricultural advisors, wastewater utilities and power companies are invited to attend the two-day workshop. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with each other at a social event the evening of August 19.
For more information or to register for the workshop, please CLICK HERE or contact CTIC at 765.494.9555 or ctic@conservationinformation.org.
NRCS Providing Guidance to Restore Flooded Fields
The Indiana NRCS is providing guidance to producers trying to rebuild their soil after the floods. NRCS State Agronomist Barry Fisher recommends putting down manure and a cover crop where lands have lost topsoil. “Not only have you lost the soil, but you’ve lost all the biology in that soil that makes it productive for growing crops. Your earthworms, the microorganisms… everything was washed away,” he said. “You’ve got to get some soil biology back into the land.” Fisher explains that the floodwaters also caused compaction in fields, and cover crop roots can start to loosen up these areas.
NRCS has produced two Guide Sheets that lay out the recommendations for reclaiming flood damaged fields. Titled, “Soil Quality Reclamation for Spring Flood Damaged Fields” and “Cover Crops to Reclaim Soil Quality in Flood Damaged Fields,” both are available on the NRCS Web site at http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/EWP/EWPhomepage.html.
“Millions of tons of topsoil have been lost, and while we can work to reclaim some areas, others may never be productive lands again,” said NRCS State Conservationist Jane Hardisty. Hardisty is hopeful that the Floodplain Easement Program will receive funds to purchase these severely damaged areas and place them in permanent easements. “Floodplain easements provide flood retention areas, protect and maintain the functions of the floodplain, and ultimately safeguard lives and property from future flooding,” said Hardisty. “At the same time, this program provides some compensation to the producer for their lost land.”
The entire press release can be found by clicking here. For more information on reclaiming damaged soils, contact NRCS at your nearest USDA Service Center. Locations can be found at by clicking here.
Tree Planting Grant Opportunity
The Indiana DNR Division of Forestry and ExactTarget© have formed a community tree
planting partnership to assist with small to medium communities, neighborhoods and
not-for-profit organizations in purchasing and planting trees on public property. Grants will be available for community tree planting partnerships and will be made on a matching basis to fund tree-planting projects throughout the Hoosier state. This is in response to Indiana’s urban tree cover that is in decline. Currently there is the threat of insects and diseases that can cause further decline and loss of that all-important green canopy cover.
Urban forests provide many benefits. Trees in cities, towns, suburbs and sprawl areas help to clean the air of pollution and provide oxygen. While helping to control erosion by reducing storm water runoff, urban forest also keep our urban watersheds clean. When located properly they can even lower heating and cooling costs.
Although the benefits from a healthy urban forest are clear, many communities in Indiana have not
had the means to purchase and plant trees. However, due to a generous grant from ExactTarget,
Indiana communities will have an opportunity to increase their tree cover, give their community a
sense of place, and enhance environmental health. This is a great opportunity for small to medium municipalities or nonprofits who are interested in sprucing up specific neighborhoods with a few trees. Organizations are encouraged to look at wholesale tree costs, discounts, etc. when seeking quotes from potential vendors. All trees must be planted on public property. Volunteer involvement would be an excellent fit for these tree planting projects.
The guidelines for this grant can be found by clicking here and the application can be found by clicking here. Questions regarding the grant can be directed to IDNR Community & Urban Forestry Coordinator Pam Louks at 317.915.9390
Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
OFFICERS:
 President: Jim Droege, Posey Co.
Vice President: Paula Baldwin, Marion Co.
Secretary: Ray McCormick: Knox Co.
Treasurer: Jeff Meinders, Ripley 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: Ray Chattin, Knox 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
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