Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
May 25, 2016
Conservation Update

May 12 - May 25, 2016
 

IASWCD News
River Friendly Farmer logo
River-Friendly Farmer Awards
Due June 17

Applications and signature pages are due by June 17 . Applications must be submitted online through this  Google Application Form . (Please note: you can download the full list of questions in  word format  to copy/paste from and into the online google form if you prefer.) The  Signature Page  must be mailed or emailed as well. Further details can be found at the  IASWCD website.

Other Upcoming Awards:
  • District Showcase - deadline August 4
  • Conservation Farmer of the Year - deadline September 9
  • Friend of Conservation - deadline September 9
  • Supervisor of the Year - deadline September 9

Pathway to Water Quality
 
NEW THIS YEAR: A "Day at Pathway"
Pathway logo  
A "D ay at Pathway" is being offered to accommodate a group from the same area,  r egion, or multi-county area wanting to register together to volunteer for a day a t P athway to Water Quality at the Indiana State Fair. The group would be responsible for filling the volunteer positions for that day (9-11 positions in total). The a dvantage of this early registration is that this holds that day for you, your area co-workers and conservation partners who prefer to be at the Indiana State Fair together. We are offering this ahead of the official opening of registration to ensure  that you can reserve the date that your area prefers. DEADLINE IS TODAY, MAY 25!  To reserve your day at pathway, simply email Sara Peel at [email protected] by May 25th. Once your day is reserved, one person from each team is responsible for gathering contact information for all volunteer positions for your desired date and sending that to Sara no later than July 1st . This year, the PWQ Steering Committee consolidated the volunteer positions into four positions: a greeter, education area volunteer and two PWQ Ambassadors. There are three shifts each day of the Indiana State Fair.
Ple a se find more details here

Individual volunteer sign-up for staffing  Pathway  to  Water Quality will open at  a.m.  on Wednesday, June 1st. The state fair will run from  August 5th to August 21st

For any questions or to sign up for the "day at Pathway," please contact the PWQ Coordinator, Sara Peel at  pathwaytowaterquality@gmail.com
Training

ICP Training and Certification

Pasture Plant ID & Grazing Management Workshop
Deadline June 21 

Location: Bedford IN, Feldun Purdue Agricultural Center
Date:  June 28, 2016
Time:  9:30AM-2:30PM EDT
Registration and Information:  http://pastureandgrazingworkshop.eventbrite.com

The ICP Training and Certification Training Program Team is planning this workshop.

Hoosier Chapter: Soil and Water Conservation Society

Profes sional Development Workshop
Frid ay, June 3  
Bloomington, IN 
Deadline to register: Friday, May 27 at 4 p.m. EST
Click Here  for more information
Funding

NACD Grant Proposal

NACD has partnered with NRCS to award   $50,000 grants for up to 20 districts. Grant funds are designed   for urban agriculture conservation technical assistance activities in districts with developed or predominantly developing land use along with a special emphasis on underserved communities and food deserts.

The Urban and Community webinar from May 19 which reviewed this initiative and answered questions was recorded and posted at:  www.nacdnet.org/policy/urban/webinars .

More Information provided in the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Deadline: NACD is now accepting project proposals as directed in the RFP through June 30, 2016. 

Please contact Debra Bogar ([email protected]) with any questions.  

Indiana NRCS Accepting Second Round Applications for Two Watersheds in Indiana

Jane Hardisty, State Conservationist for Indiana's USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced that NRCS is accepting applications until June 13 to be considered for second round funding to improve water quality in targeted watersheds throughout Indiana.  Additional dollars are available for the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) and National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI).  These initiatives help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations.  Funding for each of these initiatives comes from the Farm Bill's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). View more details here.
NRCS News

Monarch  Butterfly Habitat Development Project
monarch_in_flight.jpg

This EQIP initiative will allow NRCS to work with partners and clients to increase monarch habitat on private agriculture lands. This effort is focused on planting milkweed and other nectar-rich forbs and reducing pesticide use in proximity to monarch habitat through the EQIP program. All counties in Indiana are eligible for this project. Applications must be received by June 17, 2016 to be considered for current funding. Click here for more information. 
Partner News

Envirothon

Congratulations to the  2016 Envirothon State Winner
KANKAKEE VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
They will be traveling to Ontario to represent Indiana this summer.

Indiana Prairie Farmer

Members of Indiana's soil health teams are working with Tom Bechman and Indiana Prairie Farmer on a monthly section in the magazine and on the Indiana Prairie Farmer web site committed to soil health technical tips for farmers. This section will include quick tips and photos to assist farmers i improving their soil health. Topics include precision messages about erosion, terminating cover crops, fall/spring tillage, pests, side-dress, prevented planting and more. The first edition was launched in the April issue

Indiana District Employees Association (IDEA)

The NACD Poster Contest is underway! This year's theme is "We All Need Trees."  Posters are to be received at the IASWCD Office at 225 S East Street, Ste. 740, Indianapolis, IN 46202 by Friday, June 10 or sent with your IDEA region director for judging. Please see full list of rules here

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In This Issue
Quick Links
Upcoming Events
Please refer to the IASWCD Events and CCSI Soil Health Events calendars for a full list of upcoming events. 

Here are just a few highlighted below:

June 15 - Wildlife Habitat Tour

June 20-26 Pollinator Week

July 21 - Maintaining Right of Ways for Monarch, Pollinators and Safe Energy Delivery 

August 3-4 - North American Manure Expo

August 5-21 - Indiana State Fair

August 17 - Miami Co. SWCD Cover Crop Workshop

August 19 - "Communication" Cornerstone: Leadership Institute Workshop

August 23 - Marshall SWCD field day

August 23 - Supervisor Summit

August 23 - IDEA Staff Summit

August 25 - Wabash SWCD field day

September 7 - Forage Management Workshop
Current Job Openings *

Conservation Administrator  for Hamilton County Soil and Water 
Conservation District  

Assistant Director/Education Coordinator  for Johnson County Soil and Water Conservation District 

*(Note: please submit job openings to 
and include instructions for applying, deadline and job description in a single PDF file. Thank you.)
Upcoming Award Reminders

River Friendly Farmer

-deadline June 17

 

District Showcase

 -deadline August 4

 

Conservation Farmer of the Year - deadline September 9


 

Friend of Conservation

- deadline September 9

 

Supervisor of the Year 

- deadline September 9

 

Special Thank You to the 64 Districts who have Paid Annual Dues as of 5/25/16:
  Adams
Allen
Bartholomew
Benton
Brown
Carroll
Cass
Clark
Clay
Clinton
Crawford
Daviess
Dearborn
Decatur
DeKalb
Delaware
Dubois
Elkhart
Fountain
Franklin
Fulton
Hamilton
Harrison
Howard
Jackson
Jasper
Jay
Jefferson
Jennings
Knox
LaGrange
Lake
LaPorte
Lawrence
Madison
Marshall
Miami
Monroe
Morgan
Newton
Orange
Perry
Pike
Posey
Pulaski
Putnam
Randolph
Ripley
Scott
Shelby
Spencer
St. Joseph
Steuben
Sullivan
Switzerland
Tippecanoe
Tipton
Vanderburgh
Vermilliion
Wabash
Warren
Warrick
White
Whitley