Conservation INsight
June 24, 2020
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VirTuesdays: Training for Indiana District Staff and Supervisors
ISDA and IASWCD are hosting three Virtual Trainings on Tuesday evenings beginning August 25 for Indiana District Staff and Supervisors.
Three Tuesdays, three topics. Attend one, two or all three! Registration is required and will open in a few weeks.
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EPA Administrator Wheeler Appoints Crowder to Advisory Committee
Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler appointed NACD President-elect Michael Crowder to EPA's Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC). Established in 2008, the FRRCC provides independent policy advice, information and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities.
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Submit Your Ideas:
NACD 2021 Annual Meeting Theme
NACD's 75th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La., is scheduled to take place Feb. 6-10, 2021. Submit your theme ideas as they celebrate 75 years of NACD!
The winning submission will earn you a complimentary full registration to the 2021 Annual Meeting.
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Hoosier Riverwatch - Riffles & Pools,
Read about Hoosier Riverwatch, Watershed Success Stories and more in this edition of Riffles & Pools.
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USDA Expands Farmers.gov Features to Help Manage Conservation Activities
Indianapolis, Indiana, June 10, 2020
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New self-service features on farmers.gov will help Indiana farmers and forestland owners manage their conservation activities online and request assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). “These conservation features join a number of others already available through farmers.gov, including the ability to view farm loan information,” said Jerry Raynor, State Conservationist in Indiana. “As more content and capabilities are added, farmers.gov is quickly becoming the online hub for producers to find resources, submit applications, request assistance and make connections. Now, amid this pandemic, we recognize the importance of online options for producers to manage their USDA business.”
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Op-Ed: Conservation Efforts Provide a Win-Win for Natural Resources and Pollinators
By Jerry Raynor, Indiana NRCS State Conservationist
It’s finally summer and the sounds of nature are in full force. Waking up to birds chirping and listening to butterflies fluttering and bees buzzing while enjoying the patio is something we’ve all been looking forward to since winter. But these animals are bringing more than just music to our ears – they’re also bringing food.
It’s estimated that about three-fourths of the world’s flowering plants and about 35 percent of the world’s food crops depend on pollinators to reproduce. Some scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists because of pollinators like bees, butterflies and moths, birds and bats, and beetles and other insects.
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Past Projects Driving Future Innovation
(from
Conservation Innovation in the News, June 12 edition)
Check out the latest updates from our partners and the media on how RCPP and CIG projects are advancing innovative conservation approaches and technologies.
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Conservation Agricultural Mentoring Program
The Conservation Agricultural Mentoring Program (CAMP) is a state-driven program that matches an experienced producer who is passionate about conservation with an NRCS field employee that is new to the job or new to the area. Our goal through the program is to grow critical relationships with the producers we serve, while at the same time advancing employee knowledge of production agriculture and natural resources in their local area, ultimately enhancing our ability to provide excellent customer service.
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Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Open June 15
WASHINGTON, June 10, 2020 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin accepting nominations for county committee members on Monday, June 15, 2020. Elections will occur in certain Local Administrative Areas (LAA) for these members who make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. All nomination forms for the 2020 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2020.
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Spring 2020 Edition
The latest edition of
Wings
, a magazine produced by Xerces Society for over 30 years, is now available online to read and download.
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Webinar -
From Good to Great Grant Writing: Templates to Improve Your Process
(GrantSpace offering discounted webinars during this time.)
Thursday, July 16, 2020
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm (EST)
Cost: $25
Are you a “newbie” in the grant writing world, or are you an experienced grant writer seeking tips to streamline your process so that you can save time while raising more money? Join us to learn key components of grant proposals, time-saving tips, and best practices to ensure that you're submitting proposals that pack a punch. The webinar will help you write grants more efficiently, which will be useful if you’re trying to meet a tight deadline or juggle multiple tasks during a time of crisis.
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The Birds and the Bees
What's the buzz about pollinators?
Who can forget that awkward moment when your mom or dad sat you down to have a talk about
the birds and the bees
? Beyond helping anxious parents explain where babies come from, birds, bees and other pollinators play another key role in the cycle of life. No one knows this better than Chris Helzer, TNC’s director of science for Nebraska.
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NCF and NARD Announce Nebraska as Host of the 2020 NCF-Envirothon
WASHINGTON (June 11, 2020)
– Today, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) announced that Nebraska will be the host of the 2021 NCF-Envirothon, slated for July 25-31, 2021. Nebraska was slated to host the 2020 NCF-Envirothon competition, but due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the 2020 competition was canceled to protect the health and safety of the general public and participants and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Pollinator Week 2020
Check out this week's edition for more information on . . .
- Looking for a Pollinator Habitat sign?
- Want to learn more about pollinators?
- Pollinator Week Blogs
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The Importance of Pollinator Habitat Management:
In this presentation Pete Berthelsen walks you through management practices needed to produce high quality monarch and pollinator habitat. He explains the benefits of employing various approaches to habitat management, from establishment to long-term maintenance.
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Job Postings
:
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities are now posted on the
IASWCD website.
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.
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Upcoming Conservation Events
:
*
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, events are changing daily. Please check the individual hosting organization's website and/or Facebook page for the latest information on cancellations and reschedule dates. Thank you.
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