Conservation INsight
August 4, 2021
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Deadline Extended for District Showcase Applications! |
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Indiana District Showcase Award Now Accepting Online Applications through August 13
Indiana’s District Showcase Award is designed to highlight the success of up to four local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) in the Hoosier state. The award focus allows Districts the opportunity to share new project ideas or better ways to design and implement existing conservation projects, etc. The award is sponsored by the Indiana Conservation Partnership. 2021 District Showcase Award applications are now being accepted online and are due Friday, August 13.
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Register Now for the Three Remaining VirTuesday Trainings
Each date/topic below will link you to the description and registration site:
These trainings are being recorded
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IASWCD Resolution Submission
Districts - if you would like to submit a resolution for consideration,
please fill out this Google Form. Resolutions are due by Friday, September 17, 2021.
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District Leveraging Sheet and Making the Case for Financial Support
Date & Time: Aug 17, 2021 @ 12:00 PM (Eastern)
Speakers: Laura Fribley, ISDA District Support Specialist; Joe Schmees, IASWCD Executive Director
Summary: The ISDA District Support Specialists have an available tool for districts that can aid in making the case to elected officials for financial support by demonstrating return on investment. Districts provide technical assistance and lead grants and programs that bring additional resources into the community, and the leveraging sheet can help define those resources. This webinar will cover the basics of the district leveraging sheet, how to complete it and examples, and then will conclude with a discussion on how to use the information when talking with elected officials.
Zoom Meeting: Register in advance at link below.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
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Urban Soil Health Program |
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Urban Updates – Monthly Q&A Virtual Calls
Save the date on the 2nd Tuesday of each month for virtual call-in updates! This is a time for our Urban Soil Health team to give a quick update, and then an informal format for you to ask your questions, and let us know what’s happening in your area. All are welcome.
Save The Date: August 10th
9:00 - 9:45am EDT Northeast Area
10:00 - 10:45am EDT Southeast Area
11:00 - 11:45am EDT Northwest Area
You must register in advance to receive the Zoom link:
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Perkins Good Earth Farm Field Day
The Urban Soil Health Program will host a field day at Perkins Good Earth Farm on August 25th from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm Central Time.
This event will be an opportunity to learn about vegetable production, soil health, cover crops, equipment used on the farm, etc. In addition, it will provide an open space to directly ask questions to the farmer, Dan Perkins, a previous SWCD employee. Register in advance.
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Special thanks to the 32 Indiana Soil & Water Conservation Districts who have paid their annual membership dues to IASWCD (as of 7/26/21)
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Benton
Crawford
Dearborn
Delaware
Fulton
Grant
Greene
Harrison
Jasper
Jennings
Knox
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Kosciusko
LaGrange
Lawrence
Marshall
Monroe
Newton
Pike
Porter
Pulaski
Ripley
St. Joseph
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Steuben
Sullivan
Vanderburgh
Vermillion
Vigo
Warrick
Washington
Wayne
White
Whitley
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NACD, AISWCD Announce 2020 STAR Award Recipients
On Monday, July 26, NACD and the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) announced the winners of the 2020 STAR awards. The Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR) Initiative was created by two concerned farmers in Illinois as a voluntary solution to local natural resources concerns. STAR has since expanded to Iowa, Missouri and Colorado.
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NACD Announces $2.1 Million in 2021 Technical Assistance
On July 27, NACD announced the award of $2.1 million in new technical assistance (TA) grants to nearly 60 conservation districts in 23 states and territories. These grants, made possible through an agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), complement the $13 million in technical assistance grants awarded to previous grantees in April of this year.
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eResource is an electronic collection of weekly news briefs sent to our members and partners every Tuesday. You can read eResources online or subscribe to receive eResource by clicking here.
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NCF Opens Applications for the 2022 NGLI Cohort
During the 2021 NACD Summer Meeting, National Conservation Foundation (NCF) Chair Brent Van Dyke announced the opening of the application period for the 2022 cohort of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI). NGLI, a program of the NCF, will train seven applicants over the course of 2022, with the goal to select one participant from each of the National Association of Conservation Districts’ (NACD) regions.
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New York Named 2021 NCF-Envirothon Champions
WASHINGTON – On July 28, the New York team from Esopus, New York, was named the champion of the 2021 National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources education competition for high schoolers.
“I’d like to congratulate New York and all of the teams for their hard work and dedication,” NCF Chair Brent Van Dyke said. “Their knowledge about environmental and natural resource issues, as well as their commitment to these areas, have shown me that the future of conservation is in good hands.”
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Register by Friday!
IDEA Fall Conference
October 5-7
Muncie, IN
Registration deadline is August 6.
See website for more details.
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ISDA Events
at the Great Indiana State Fair
Normandy Barn
Building hours: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET everyday
FFA Pavilion
Building hours: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET everyday
Indiana Grown Marketplace
Building: Ag/Hort
Building hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET everyday
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Indiana SWCDs: Save the Date!
State Board of Accounts Training
December 1, 2021
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USDA Announces $16.6 Million in Funding Opportunities to Support Socially Disadvantaged and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers
WASHINGTON, July 26, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced approximately $16.6 million in available funding to community-based and nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and Tribal entities that help socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers own and operate successful farms. Funding is made through the USDA’s Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (also known as the 2501 Program). The 2501 program is administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).
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Conservation Planning Survey Results
The National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) administered an online survey in early spring 2021 to gather feedback from producers on how NCPP could improve conservation planning. The survey was comprised of 22 questions concerning producer satisfaction, knowledge, and their values regarding their conservation plan. Information gathered from this survey was shared with the NCPP Leadership Team in May 2021 and will be shared with NRCS leadership to guide changes to conservation planning in the future.
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Indiana Land Use Summit to Highlight Innovations in Land Use Planning
The virtual workshop will meet 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 8-9. A policy update panel with the American Planning Association-Indiana chapter, Indiana Farm Bureau, The Nature Conservancy and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture kicks off the workshop with an overview of the key legislative outcomes impacting land use decision-making from the 2021 legislative session.
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FREE WEBINAR
Clear Choices Clean Water: Make a Difference
August 17, 2021
12:00 PM EST
Presented by:
Kelly Brown, The White River Alliance
Clear Choices Clean Water is a program designed to increase awareness about the choices we make and the impacts they have on our streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. By educating individuals on these actions and giving them the tools this program empowers everyone to do their part for water quality and conservation.
If you can’t view the webinar live, please consider registering to receive a link to the recording.
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Women in Ag Lunch 'n Learns
The Purdue Extension Women in Ag Team has seven Lunch n’ Learn sessions planned for August and September. Each session will offer an enlightening educational program, meal, and networking opportunity. There is no charge for these sessions due to the generous support of Farm Credit Mid-America, the Indiana Soybean Alliance, and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.
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Spotted Lanternfly Found in Indiana
Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) was found in Indiana, late July, in Switzerland County, the farthest west the insect has been found. This federally regulated invasive species has a detrimental impact upon plant growth and fruit production, especially in vineyards and orchards. A homeowner in Vevay contacted DNR’s Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology (DEPP) with a picture that was taken outside his home of a fourth instar, or developmental stage, larvae.
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MyDNR: Indiana's Outdoor News |
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2021 Indiana CISMA Conference: Why do We Manage Invasive Species?
August 4-7
The 2021 Indiana CISMA Conference will take place as a multi-format event with a combination of virtual and in person opportunities. The conference will offer continuing education credits via pre-recorded presentations from conference speakers, to be made available to registrants only. A live virtual meeting will take place the morning on Thursday, August 5. This year there will also be a virtual networking session on Wednesday, August 4.
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Now Hiring! SICIM Executive Director: Position Outreach
SICIM is looking to employ a dynamic leader in the conservation community to assist SICIM as an Executive Director. The specific duties of the position, along with hours and pay rate, will be developed around the person selected for the position. We will consider part-time employment for this position. In general, the Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the administration and strategic plan of SICIM. Other key duties include fundraising, grant writing and marketing. The position reports directly to the Board of Directors.
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Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds
Mark your calendars for the 13th gathering of the Leadership for Midwestern Watersheds network – returning in-person Nov 3-4 in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Since 2011, leaders and supporters of agricultural water quality improvement efforts in the Midwest have gathered to learn and connect around a range of themes to advance watershed project success.
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University of Illinois Extension: Japanese Chaff Flower Summit
August 12-13
The University of Illinois Extension, River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area, Southern Illinois University, and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge are working with many other partners to host this two-day event to learn more about the ecology, impacts, and management of the invasive plant, Japanese Chaff Flower (Achyranthes japonica).
The summit includes both virtual presentations from experienced researchers and managers on August 12 and field tours to see infestations in-person and learn from professionals actively engaged in managing this species on August 13.
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Grant Funds
The Indiana Forestry Educational Foundation (IFEF) is pleased to announce the availability of competitive grant funds to help educate and inform woodland owners and/or the public about forestry, woodland management and other Indiana forestry related topics, with a special interest in young forest projects.
If you have an education product or event for 2022, please consider submitting an application. The opportunity for award of IFEF grants, which are available up to $500.00 grant awards, and up to $1000 awards for young forest projects, are available for application through September 12. Awards will be announced in November.
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Pollinator Partnership Newsletter |
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Hoosier SWCS Award Nominees
The Hoosier Chapter has four awards that are presented every year at their Fall Annual Meeting. They are now taking nominations for these awards through October 15, 2021 . If you know of an individual, group or an SWCD that has made an impact on conservation in Indiana, please consider nominating them. Eligibility requirements at link in button below.
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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 :
August 4-7 - CISMA Conference
August 9 - W4L: Pond Management Series
August 14 - Pollinator Field Day, Dearborn Co.
August 24 - VirTuesday: Human Resource Management 101, Contract Employee vs. District Employee
September 21 - VirTuesday: Records Retention
September 21 - State Soil Conservation Board Mtg
October 5-7 - IDEA Conference for Indiana SWCD Staff
October 19 - VirTuesday: Turning Data into Action
December 1 - State Board of Accounts Training
*As more events begin to take place in person, please check the individual hosting organization's website and/or Facebook page for the latest information on locations, guidelines and details. Thank you.
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