IASWCD logo transparent
Conservation INsight
November 21, 2018
thanksgiving-pie-header.jpg
IASWCD News
2019 Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown Grab & Go Snack Shop with coffee bar and Indiana products (top). New hotel restaurant and bar, Conner's (R).
January 14-15, 2019
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
The hotel has been renovated and is done! It's gorgeous and you will enjoy the new restaurant, Conner's, the Grab & Go snack shop stocked with Indiana products and coffee! We also want to welcome Chad Pregracke (pictured) from Living Lands and Waters, as this year's Keynote Speaker.  Breakout sessions and the agenda are now posted online on the  IASWCD website/Annual Conference page  in the  Conference Draft Brochure . Early bird rates end December 1.
Chad Pregracke, Keynote Speaker
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown renovated lobby
Hotel lobby and bar
SWCD Delegates for the Annual Business Meeting at Conference
Each Soil and Water Conservation District in good standing (fully paid annual dues) with the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Inc. will have the opportunity to send one SWCD Supervisor delegate to the Annual Conference business meeting. The vote of the district will be cast by the delegate or the alternate at the meeting.  Registration for the delegates is required and must be received by January 4, 2019.
District Delegates registered from these 24 counties:
Bartholomew County
Clark County
Clay County
Daviess County
Gibson County
Hamilton County
Hancock County
Hendricks County
Henry County
Jay County
Jennings County
Kosciusko County
Marion County
Newton County
Noble County
Pike County
Porter County
Posey County
Ripley County 
Steuben County
Vermillion County
Wayne County
Wells County
Whitley County
IASWCD Resolution Submission
To: Districts - Five resolutions have been submitted and may be viewed on the IASWCD website .
megaphone_icon_vector.jpg

Shout out to the Owen County SWCD as a recipient of a Duke Energy Foundation Grant
for their part in the MYPath ecological
restoration project!
NACD News
Reminder: NACD Annual District Survey
Each year, NACD conducts an annual survey of district boards to gather information about the policy positions, natural resource challenges and administrative issues impacting districts across the country. On October 3, NACD emailed every conservation district with a link to complete the survey, which takes about 30 minutes to complete. Only one completed survey will be accepted per district, so district board of directors should complete the survey together. Completed surveys must be submitted by Monday, December 3.
NACD Announces Urban Ag Conservation Funding
NACD announced a  Request for Proposal marking its third year in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help districts provide conservation technical assistance for urban agriculture. add to the calendar. Events can range from local field tours to state, regional and national conferences.
NACD Seeking Internship Applicants
Seeking interns for the Spring 2019 session (January – May) to assist the government affairs and communications staff with advancing the association’s legislative agenda.
NACD 2019 Annual Conference
Early-bird registration ends Friday, December 14, to register for the meeting at discounted prices  -  register online  to save an additional $15. Seats for the  eight tours and events  hosted during the meeting are quickly filling up, so complete your registration to reserve a spot.
ISDA News
Two Leadership Institute
Workshops Planned


Leadership in Change
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
8121 Park Rd, Marshall, IN 47859
Impacting Community
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
813 E Main St, Albion, IN 46701
USDA-NRCS News
National Water and Climate Center
The Natural Resources Conservation Service produces a weekly report using data and products from the  National Water and Climate Center  and other agencies. The report focuses on seasonal snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and drought conditions in the U.S. Release 5.0 of the  Interactive Map  is now available.
Indiana NRCS Announces EQIP Application Deadline
Indiana’s agricultural producers who want to improve natural resources and address resource concerns on their land are encouraged to sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) through the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  Jerry Raynor, NRCS State Conservationist, announced that December 21, 2018 will be the EQIP application deadline in Indiana. “While we take EQIP applications throughout the year, applications received after December 21 will be considered in future announced application rounds.  I encourage producers with resource concerns on their land to submit an application by the deadline,” Raynor explains.
S cience and Technology Training Library: Webinar Portal for Conservation of Natural Resources
Nov 28, 2018 2:00 pm US/Eastern
Soil Colors - A Mosaic of Stories Told in Color
When was the last time you took in a great story but didn’t read a word? Soil Survey Division staff have recently created a series of maps and images turning 100+ years of soil survey into maps and images communicating stories that vary in space and depth. Sound interesting?  Take a look.  
USDA-FSA News
USDA Reminds Producers of Disaster Program Deadlines
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Nov. 13, 2018 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Steven Brown reminds Indiana producers who experienced losses from natural disasters during the 2017 and 2018 calendar years that they may be eligible for assistance through the Tree Assistance Program (TAP), Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). “We want to ensure that all eligible agricultural producers who experienced losses from natural disasters get the assistance they need,” said Brown. 
IDNR News
Indiana DNR Grassland Habitat Workshops - Free Admission and Tour

November 28
2 pm to 5 pm (CST)
9522 N State Road 245 Lamar, IN 47550 
(Spencer County)

November 29
3 pm to 6 pm (ET)
2750 S Pleasant Grove Lyons, IN 46443

Register by calling Emily Jacob, DNR, by calling 812-699-0264 or by contacting your local SWCD office.
Other News
Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM)
The Invasive Species Informer:
Brown Bag Lunch
January 10 @ 11:30 am
Nina Mason Pulliam Ecolab,  Marian University. 
Join others interested in getting children outdoors even in winter!
North Central Region One Water Action Forum
Only two weeks left to register!
The Action Forum, taking place December 11-13 in Indianapolis, will bring together researchers, educators, practitioners, and policy-makers to advance more connected and cohesive approaches to water and watershed management in the North Central Region.
Ceres Solutions Announces 2019 Scholarships
Morning Ag Clips
WABASH, Ind. — In its continuing effort to support youth pursuing careers in agriculture, Ceres Solutions will offer $25,000 through scholarships to high school seniors and college students this spring. Students receiving the scholarships are selected based on their commitment to agricultural youth programs and their desire to pursue higher education.
“Our employee group and our Board of Directors strongly believe in investing in education, and in particular, it is a privilege to support students from the local farm families we serve,” said Jeff Troike, Ceres Solutions Cooperative CEO. 
Indiana Native Plant and Wildlife Society (INPAWS) getting a NEW NAME
INPAWS will soon be known as the  Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) . The change will become official January 1, 2019. Along with the new name, they will have a new web address,  IndianaNativePlants.org . At this time, please continue to use  inpaws.org .
INPAWS 2018 Annual Conference Recap
If you could not attend the annual conference, the presentations were videotaped and are accessible here:
join_our_team_sign.jpg
Job Postings  :
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities now posted on the  IASWCD website.
  • Fourteen Mile Creek/Goose Creek-OH River Watersheds Coordinator, Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Resource Specialist-Solid Waste Specialist, Tippecanoe Solid Waste District & Wabash River Enhancement Corporation
  • Watershed Coordinator, Washington County SWCD
  • TMDL Writer, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Watershed Planning and Restoration Section
  • Pacific Region Representative, NACD
  • Urban Conservationist, Warrick County Soil and Water Conservation District
Note: Job Postings can be submitted to Amy Work at:  amy-work@iaswcd.org .  Please include job description and deadline to apply in a single PDF file or with a link.
Upcoming Conservation Events  :
November 22 - Thanksgiving Day
November 28 - Grassland Habitat Workshop
November 29 - Grassland Habitat Workshop
November 30 - Leadership Institute, Noble County
November 30 - Leadership Institute, Turkey Run
December 12 - SWCD Financial Workshop
2019:
January 14-15 - Indiana SWCD Annual Conference
February 2-6 - NACD Annual Meeting

For a complete list of upcoming conservation events,  go to the Events Calendar on the IASWCD website .