Conservation INsight
July 8, 2020
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VirTuesdays: Training for Indiana District Staff and Supervisors - REGISTRATION OPEN!
ISDA and IASWCD are hosting three Virtual Trainings on Tuesday evenings beginning August 25 for Indiana District Staff and Supervisors.
Three Tuesdays, three topics:
August 25 - Succession Planning
September 1 - Effective Board Meetings
September 8 - Roles and Responsibilities of District Staff and Supervisors
Attend one, two or all three! Registration is required and open now!
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Video: NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training Program overview
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NCF Needs Your Feedback
The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is seeking input from the public on its existing programs and work through its 2020 NCF Survey. Help NCF continue to deliver conservation solutions, as it supports future conservation leaders! This survey should take around 10 minutes to complete. Please fill out the survey by July 10, 2020.
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NACD National Conservation Awards
Do you have an outstanding conservation leader in your community? Take this opportunity to show your appreciation for their work and dedication by sending in a nomination for one of NACD’s national conservation awards.
The
NACD Friend of Conservation Award
recognizes an individual, business, organization or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources.
The
NACD Distinguished Service Award
honors an individual within the association, a conservation district or a state association that has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources.
Nominations are due
Monday, Aug. 31
.
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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.
Help us come up with a theme to celebrate 75 years of NACD! As we honor our past, reflect on our legacy, and plan for the future, we hope to have a meeting theme that embodies it all. To submit your theme idea, please fill out the form
here
.
The winning submission will earn you a complimentary full registration to the 2021 Annual Meeting.
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2021 Stewardship Week Resources
NACD’s 2021 Stewardship and Education materials, celebrating the theme “Healthy Forests = Healthy Communities,” are now available for free download through
NACD's Conservation Education Hub
.
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Soil Conservation Remains Strong in Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS, IN, July 2, 2020 — According to a recent survey, Indiana farmers planted 950,000 acres of cover crops in 2019. Cover crops are known for their environmental benefits and, with the exception of corn and soybeans, are planted on more acres than any other commodity crop in Indiana. They are typically planted in the fall after harvest and designed to keep roots in the ground throughout the winter, which improves soil health and helps filter water off of the farm.
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Indiana Grown Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
INDIANAPOLIS (July 7, 2020) — Indiana Grown reached an exciting milestone today as they celebrate five years of supporting Indiana agriculture. The initiative officially launched on July 7, 2015, and has continued to grow each year in both membership numbers and consumer awareness.
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Purdue and NRCS seeking interviews with producers on EQIP cover crops experience
In partnership with NRCS, researchers at Purdue University are seeking phone interviews with producers whose EQIP contracts for cover crops have ended in the last three years. They want to understand if money spent to promote cover crops leads to long-term use. They are seeking your thoughts about cover crops and your decision to continue or discontinue using cover crops after payments ended. Phone interviews will last around 30 minutes to an hour and can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you. Your input will help NRCS understand the role of these programs in supporting long-term cover crop use and will help in making these programs better suited to farmers’ needs.
They are seeking row-crop producers from the following counties: Adams, Benton, Blackford, Boone, DeKalb, Delaware, Grant, Knox, Madison, Pike, Randolph, Tipton, and Warren. Eligible producers will receive a letter from NRCS in July.
To participate in this study, please call or text Michelle Hemler, Research Associate, at 765-771-0100 or you may fill out a 5-question survey at
https://tinyurl.com/covercrops2020
.
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FPAC: Cooperative Agreement Funding Available
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center (FPAC) is announcing the availability of cooperative agreement funding to collect, analyze, and use soil health and grassland stand data from CRP-enrolled fields to estimate the relationship between soil health and the quality of the cover. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and academic institutions are eligible to apply for the $500,000 of available funding.
Applications are due July 28, 11:59 pm Eastern Time.
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Conservation At Work
: New Video Series
Earlier this year, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) unveiled a new video series, Conservation at Work, which currently consists of 30 short, 90-to-120 second videos that highlight common conservation practices.
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Annual Data Refresh of Soil Survey Database Completed July 2020
In order to provide updated official soils information, the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) soil survey database was refreshed on July 1, 2020. This date reflects a change in the annual soil database refresh cycle from the previous date of October 1st. Going forward, the USDA-NRCS will continue to refresh soils data on July 1 and will no longer use October 1.
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Great Lakes Region Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET)
Funding Opportunities
The
NOAA Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program
offers competitive grants to support existing environmental education programs, foster the growth of new programs, and encourage development of partnerships among environmental education programs within watershed systems. The criteria for these awards emphasize Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs): sustained, hands-on, environmental activities that are aligned with academic learning standards.
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INPS Biodiversity Grants
INPS biodiversity grant awards range from $400-$1,500 for projects to be completed in 2021.
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Monarch Sustainer of the Year Award
The Monarch Sustainer of the Year award
recognizes a US business that has shown exceptional leadership and action in providing habitat and awareness for monarchs along their migratory corridors. The fifth annual award will be given in January of 2021. Applications are due December 1st, 2020 to
info@pollinator.org
.
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2020 Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2020
This year’s conference theme, “Expanding Horizons: Where Conservation Meets Innovation,” evokes images of the expansive views of the region and the deep and varied soil horizons that make Iowa’s farmland some of the most productive in the world. This year’s theme also speaks to the broadening of individual perceptions and experiences as attendees discover new concepts, partners, and advancements in soil and water research.
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Soil Health Institute 5th Annual Meeting
July 30-31, 2020
Soil Health: The Foundation for Regenerative Agriculture is a free, 2-day virtual event. Join to advance the opportunity that improving soil health offers to address climate change, water quality, food production, biodiversity, and many other pressing issues.
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Job Postings
:
Current list of Conservation Job Opportunities are 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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