Conservation INsight
November 2, 2022
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IASWCD: Executive Director Search
With gratitude for Joe Schmees' service and leadership of IASWCD the past four years and his end of November departure, we are announcing the search effort for the next Executive Director.
The Executive Director represents the organization, maintains and cultivates relationships with Indiana districts and community partners, under the supervision of the IASWCD Board of Directors. Resumes and cover letters are now being accepted through November 18 (or until the position is filled).
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Early Bird Rates available
for the
2023 Annual SWCD Conference through November 16
2023 Annual Conference
of Indiana SWCDs
"Celebrating Our Conservation Community"
January 9-10, 2023
(with a few Sunday afternoon and evening activities on January 8)
The Westin
in downtown Indianapolis
Registration rates, breakout session topics, a link to hotel reservations, the conference agenda and more can be found on the registration site!
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State and Territory Associations' Executive Directors Met for Annual Conference and Establish Association of Conservation Executive Directors
Last month, the State/Territory Associations’ Executive Directors held their annual conference in Lewes, DE. At the meeting the Association of Conservation Executive Directors (ACED) was formally created as an NACD Affiliated Organization and passed their bylaws by unanimous consensus.
The conference was attended (in person and virtually) by nearly two dozen Executive Directors, including Joe Schmees, IASWCD; as well as, the NACD liaison and NACD Projects and Partnerships Coordinator, Meg Leader.
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Joe Schmees. Executive Director, IASWCD (4th from R) |
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Scholarships Available
for Indiana District Supervisors
to Attend the
2023 Annual Conference of SWCDs
Scholarships for SWCD Supervisors are available through IASWCD for attending the 2023 Annual Conference in January. Applications must be completed and submitted online or via email by November 11. Note this scholarship is for Supervisors only. Please read the scholarship guidelines included in the application. Questions? Contact Joe Schmees or Amy Work.
Two Ways to Apply:
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Urban Soil Health Program News |
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Nurturing City Soils for Healthy Organic Vegetables Webinar Series
Join eOrganic in Fall 2022 for a webinar series: Nurturing City Soils for Healthy Organic Vegetables! Urban farming can bring lots of benefits, but soils in cities can be degraded and, in some cases, contaminated. This can make vegetable crops more susceptible to pests and put farmers and consumers at risk. During this webinar series, participants will learn how to determine if their soils are contaminated and what they can do to minimize risks while producing healthy and nutritious organic vegetable crops.
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Lunch ‘N Learn: Take-Aways from No-Till Vegetable Production Training
with Jesse Frost
November 15
12-1pm Eastern
Our Urban Soil Health team had the opportunity to attend a 3-Day Intensive training with Farmer Jesse Frost. Join this Lunch ‘N Learn to hear highlights of what we learned on these topics:
- Science of soil health and soil health indicators
- Breaking new ground and transplanting with soil blocks
- No-till systems and bed flips
- Composting
- Cover Crops
Virtual – Zoom *Must register to get link to join
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The IASWCD’s Urban Soil Health Program is looking for an urban and small farm enthusiast to join our team! The position is for the Urban Soil Health Specialist in the Southeast Region.
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2023 NACD Annual Conference Registration Open
Registration for The National Association of Conservation Districts' (NACD) 77th Annual Meeting is now open! Hosted in partnership with the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts, the 2023 Annual Meeting will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana from February 11-15 at the New Orleans Marriott. Early bird registration for the discounted price of $575 will be open through December 23, 2022.
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NACD Announces Launch of District Grants Application Period
WASHINGTON, DC (October 17, 2022) – Today, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the launch of its application period for the 2023 Friends of NACD District Grants Program.
Now in its fourth round of funding, the Friends of NACD District Grants Program is an initiative of the NACD District Operations and Member Services (DOMS) Committee. The 2023 program will award eight grants, up to $2,500 each, to conservation districts to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations.
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Newsletter: Forestry Notes
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National Conservation Foundation Launches Fall Fundraiser
NACD's sister organization, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is asking for your support in the development of the next generation of conservation leaders. Last week, they launched their annual fall fundraiser with a goal of raising $75,000 by the end of 2022! NCF programs and partnerships advance locally-led conservation and work to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Their two flagship programs, the NCF-Envirothon and Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) help deliver those results.
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NACD Seeks Feedback on Urban Webinar Series
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Upcoming Deadlines for Indiana Soil & Water Conservation Districts |
- November 1: Election Committee Appointment
- November 1: Recommendations for Supervisor Appointment
- December 1: Nominees for Election
- January 1: District Annual Meeting Information
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District Support Specialist Update |
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Indiana landowner utilizes CRP, WRE to restore cropland into native wetland
By Brandon O'Connor, Public Affairs Specialist, USDA-NRCS, Indianapolis
As the sweltering summer heat inches toward 100 degrees, John Bellman dons his work boots, grabs a cold drink and heads out into the prairie behind his house in Bremen, Indiana.
Knee high grasses and native plants stretch for nearly 80 acres as Bellman leads Troy Manges, a district conservationist with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and other NRCS representatives on a tour of his property. They start along a mowed grass path that allows easy access to the back of the property before turning left and hiking through the grass to reach a wetland pond that serves as the center piece for the transformed property.
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State Programs and Initiatives
NRCS offers voluntary programs to eligible landowners and agricultural producers to provide financial and technical assistance to help manage natural resources in a sustainable manner.
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USDA Provides Payments of nearly $800 Million in Assistance to Help Keep Farmers Farming
WASHINGTON, October 18, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that distressed borrowers with qualifying USDA farm loans have already received nearly $800 million in assistance, as part of the $3.1 billion in assistance for distressed farm loan borrowers provided through Section 22006 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The IRA directed USDA to expedite assistance to distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) whose operations face financial risk.
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Literary Leaders in Ag Book Club
Join the Purdue Women in Agriculture Team for their first Literary Leaders Book Club. Literary Leaders Book Club is designed to inspire you to be a leader within the agriculture community while networking with others over an intriguing book.
Our First Book:
The Queen of American Agriculture: A Biography of Virginia Claypool Meredith
“The most remarkable woman in Indiana”
November 18—Kickoff Event
January 20—Discussion Session
March 17—Capnote Discussion with Author- Dr. Fred Whitford
All sessions will be via Zoom and be held at 12:00 pm Eastern.
Register & Pay by November 7, 2022
Or complete the paper registration form.
Return registration form and program fee to
Miami County Extension Office
1029 W 200 N, Peru, IN 46970
Cost is $15.
Please make checks payable to Purdue CES ED Fund.
NOTE: If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, please contact Courtney Schmidt at 765-472-1921 or e-mail schmi163@purdue.edu by November 7, 2022.
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Save the Date
Ferdinand, Indiana
February 20-21, 2023
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Purdue Extension to Host Workshop for Next Generation of Farmland Seekers (Virtual)
4 Sessions on the following dates:
November 7th, 2022 6:30 - 8:30pm Eastern
November 14th, 2022 6:30 - 8:30pm Eastern
November 21st, 2022 6:30 - 8:30pm Eastern
November 28th, 2022 6:30 - 8:30pm Eastern
Farmland for the Next Generation is an interactive program series that addresses three paths to land access: leasing, purchasing, and receiving land through inheritance or gift. It utilizes a skills-based approached that focuses on what people need to be able to do, not just on what they need to know.
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Indiana Watershed Leadership Program:
Learn to be a Leader in Conservation and Watershed Management
Sign up now to improve your engagement and management skills! If you are interested in water quality, soil health, education, outreach, conservation and/or watersheds, consider applying for the 2023 Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy. The 17th Annual Academy will include both virtual and in-person workshops to learn watershed and leadership skills. This format will include in two in person, two-day sessions January 4-5 and March 29- 30 followed by a one-day graduation session on May 24, 2023. Additionally, six virtual one-hour sessions will occur from January to May 2023 allow you to take advantage of Indiana’s watershed experts from the comfort of your home or office. Enrollment deadline: Nov 4
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Sand County Foundation is pleased to announce our latest Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds gathering, presented for the first time in Indiana! We hope you can join us November 3-4 in Fort Wayne.
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Brighter Future Fund 2022-23 Grant Cycle
American Farmland Trust will begin accepting applications for the Brighter Future Fund 2022-23 grant cycle Nov. 1 at 8 a.m. EST! Applications for grants up to $5,000 funding farm projects building resilience and displaying innovation are encouraged. Examples of past funded projects can be found on the Brighter Future Fund website and include hoop house installation, soil health improvements, and mobile farmers markets, just to name a few!
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NCR-SARE Grants
North Central Region SARE administers several grant programs, each with specific priorities, audiences, and timelines. Two upcoming grant possibilities are listed below.
Youth Educator Grant
grants for youth educators to encourage youth to try sustainable practices
Deadline: Nov 10, 2022 4:00 PM (Central Time)
Farmer Rancher Grant
grants for farmers and ranchers to explore sustainable solutions to problems
Deadline: Dec 1, 2022 4:00 PM (Central Time)
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The Garden Club of America Board
of Associates Centennial
Pollinator Fellowship
The 2023 grant cycle is now open!
Award: $4,000
Deadline: January 15, 2023
The Garden Club of America (GCA) Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship provides funding to a current graduate student to study the causes of pollinator decline, in particular bees, bats, butterflies and moths, which could lead to potential solutions for their conservation and sustainability. The selection criteria are based on the technical merit of the proposed work and the degree to which the work is relevant to this objective. The GCA Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship was established in spring 2013 to facilitate independent research in this field.
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Biden-Harris Administration signs $50 Million Agreement with National Wild Turkey Federation for Innovative, Long-Term National Master Stewardship Agreement
20-Year Agreement Paves Way for National Wild Turkey Federation to help Reduce Wildfire Risk, Promote Healthy Forests and Wildlife Habitat
WASHINGTON Oct. 28, 2022 – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) have signed a landmark 20-year national master stewardship agreement. This first-of-its-kind agreement paves the way for these partner organizations to work together to address the wildfire crisis in the West and promote healthy forests across the U.S. It also includes an initial $50 million commitment from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as well as regular agency appropriations and other sources.
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Job Postings :
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities 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:
Nov 3-4 - Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds
Nov 4 - Conservation Tillage Meeting, Dearborn Co
Nov 11 - Supervisor Scholarship Applications due
Nov 16 - Early Bird rates end for 2023 Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs
Jan 9-10, 2023 - Annual Conf of Indiana SWCDs
*This is just a brief list of some of the events IASWCD is aware of happening throughout the state. IASWCD Conservation Events Calendar can be viewed here. As events sometimes have to pivot from in-person to virtual, we encourage you to please check the individual hosting organization's website and/or Facebook page for the latest information on locations, guidelines and details.
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