Conservation INsight
April 27, 2022
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Happy 67th Stewardship Week! |
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2022 ISDA/NRCS/SWCD
Partnership Meeting for Staff
Save the Date! July 28 in Hendricks County
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Six Weeks Left to Nominate a River Friendly Farmer!
Annually, each Indiana county Soil and Water Conservation District may nominate up to two farmers for the River Friendly Farmer Award. Nominate those who do an outstanding job of protecting their rivers, lakes and streams through their every day conservation management practices on the farm. Nominations are open now through June 8. A link to the online nomination form and more information can be found on the IASWCD RFF Award webpage. (Note: a guidance page is provided in order to view the nomination form questions prior to filling out the online form.) Please contact Amy Work (amy-work@iaswcd.org) with any questions. Deadline to nominate is June 8.
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Calling All District Staff and Supervisors!
Summer District Meetings in August!
SAVE THE DATE!
Four Meetings held throughout the State
Choose your date and location
August 23 - White County
August 25 - Decatur County
August 29 - Daviess County
August 31 - Huntington County
5:00 - 8:30 pm (EST)
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Indiana Envirothon: Regional Winners Competing at State
The 2022 Regional Envirothon Competition Season has come to a close and winners will now compete on the state level at Connor Prairie in Hamilton County on April 27. Click the link below to view the winning teams from the Regional Competitions.
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What Can Districts Find in the Annual "Delegate Notebook"?
The Delegate Notebook is a bound book that is given to voting district delegates (one per district) at the Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs each January. The Annual Business Meeting agenda and past year's meeting minutes are in the notebook and it is used at the current year Annual Business Meeting on the last day of the conference. Additional information can also be found in this notebook for districts including:
- List of Indiana General Assembly Representatives (map and contact information)
- Resolutions Considered at the Business Meeting
- IASWCD Financial Statements
- IASWCD By-Laws
- Indiana District Law
- IASWCD Organizational Structure
- IASWCD Policy Manual
- List of Past IASWCD Presidents
To view the current Delegate Notebook online, click on the button below.
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Indiana Conservation Partnership
2021 Accomplishments Report
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Pathway to Water Quality (PWQ) is a conservation exhibit sponsored by the Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP). The exhibit is located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Every year, PWQ hosts approximately 60,000 visitors who visit our premiere conservation exhibit during the 18-day Indiana State Fair. Part of what makes the exhibit successful are all of the ICP staff who volunteer at Pathway.
This year, volunteer sign-up for staffing Pathway to Water Quality at the 2022 Indiana State Fair will open at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 1st. The state fair will run from July 29th to August 21st with the fairgrounds closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
As you promote volunteer sign-up to your staff and volunteers, please let them know that we are offering an opportunity to volunteer for “a day at Pathway.” If a group from the same area, region, or multi-county area registers for a day at Pathway, they would be responsible for filling all of the volunteer positions for that day (9-14 positions in total). The advantage of group registration is that it holds the day your group prefers to work at the Indiana State Fair. We will offer this ahead of the official opening of registration to ensure that you can reserve the date that your group prefers. To reserve your group day at pathway, simply email Sara Peel at pathwaytowaterquality@gmail.com by May 20th. Registration for a day at pathway occurs on a first-come-first-serve basis. Once your day is reserved, one person from each team is responsible for gathering contact information (name, email and cell phone number) for all volunteer positions for your desired date and sending that to Sara no later than July 1st. Please visit http://pathwaytowaterquality.org for an overview of the positions in the training video and information about the pathway. Tickets and parking passes are expected to be delivered in digital format again this year.
Volunteer positions include four positions: a greeter, education area volunteers, counters and PWQ Ambassadors. There will be a total of 9 to 14 positions each day. There are three shifts each day of the Indiana State Fair as follows:
- 9 am to 12:30 pm: One greeter
- 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm: One greeter, one-two education area volunteers and one-two ambassadors
- 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm: One greeter, one-two education area volunteers and one-two ambassadors
- All shifts: one counter per shift
The soil health area is staffed separately and is not included in the day at pathway volunteer responsibilities.
Thank you for all you do to promote soil and water conservation and the Pathway to Water Quality exhibit. If you have any questions about the sign-up, don’t hesitate to contact Sara Peel, PWQ Coordinator at pathwaytowaterquality@gmail.com.
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Urban Soil Health Program News |
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Indiana Black Loam Conference
Keynote: NRCS Chief Terry Cosby
WHO: Legacy Taste of the Garden in partnership with Center for Africana Studies & Culture IUPUI, Lawrence Community Gardens, Moore Heritage Project, and other Conservation and Agricultural organizations.
WHEN: Friday, May 13: 6pm - 9pm - BIPOC Producer reception and network
Saturday, May 14: 9am - 4 pm Conference
WHERE: Madam C. J. Walker Building, 617 Indiana Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46202
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NACD Summer Meeting
This year’s meeting will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from July 16-19! Hosted in partnership with the Puerto Rico Association of Soil Conservation Districts, the Summer Meeting is packed with opportunities for participants to network, hear from a variety of conservation speakers, and to explore the island through various group tours. The deadline for pre-registration discounts is Friday, June 24.
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Poster Contest Sponsored by IDEA and Local SWCDs
June 3 is this year's deadline for Poster Contest Submissions. Click on the button below for all rules and information.
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Indiana NRCS Great Lakes Invasive Species Project: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO)
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing availability of funding to assess the impact of prior invasive species funding on agriculture and forested lands, and develop workplans for continued control if needed. This work will be conducted in the Indiana portion of the Great Lakes watersheds.
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Showcase Your Season: #Plant2022
This planting season let’s highlight the innovation and leadership demonstrated by conservation-minded farmers in our #Plant2022 campaign on Farmers.gov. We’ll share your photos and stories on @FarmersGov on social media, our blog, and a nationwide storymap.
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April 18, 2022 - During National Volunteer Week, April 17-23, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Indiana would like to thank its Earth Team volunteers for their dedicated efforts amidst a challenging year.
The Earth Team is NRCS’ volunteer workforce. This past fiscal year, more than 600 people donated an estimated 3,600 hours of service to NRCS in Indiana. Volunteers worked alongside NRCS to provide resources to farmers and landowners to aid them with conservation — a service value of close to $103,000* in Indiana.
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USDA Offers CLEAR30 Option for Producers to Enroll Land with Expiring Conservation Contracts
Water Quality-Focused Program Builds Upon CRP Contracts
Indiana, April 4, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing the signup period for its Clean Lakes, Estuaries, And Rivers initiative (CLEAR30) — a nationwide opportunity for certain landowners and agricultural producers currently implementing water quality practices through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to enroll in 30-year contracts, extending the lifespan and strengthening the benefits of important water quality practices on their land.
Producers may apply for CLEAR30, a voluntary, incentive-based conservation program, from April 1, 2022, through Aug. 5, 2022.
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By Jerry Raynor, Indiana NRCS State Conservationist (April 22, 2022)
Farmers, are you all in? We are at a tipping point in history. Weather patterns are changing, the population is growing, and the challenges faced by farmers in Indiana and throughout the country are as great as they’ve ever been.
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April 26, 2022 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will invest $420 million in 132 infrastructure projects in 31 states, including a $205,000 investment in Indiana. These projects include rehabilitating dams, flood prevention, and watershed restoration projects, and they are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), building on a $166 million nationwide investment announced earlier this year.
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Wickard Appointed as FSA State Executive Director
Indiana Farm Service Agency has announced the appointment of Julia A. Wickard as State Executive Director as of April 11, 2022. Wickard served in this same position from 2009 to 2017.
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USDA Accepting New or Modified Proposals for Its State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Program
WASHINGTON, April 18, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is welcoming new and modified proposals from conservation partners for the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) initiative, a part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) focused on effectively managing wildlife habitat. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has expanded available practices under this initiative in response to feedback from partners.
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced three new series of webinars for grant applicants and recipients. EPA staff will discuss key aspects of the grant process and participants will have the opportunity to submit questions. Additional information on each webinar and registration information can be found on the EPA website. Advance registration is required.
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On-demand, self-paced training
Estimated time to complete this course:
8–12 hours
Price: $200 $100 with promo code SPRING50 (code good through April 30)
Learn how to write a compelling grant proposal from experts on our staff in our Online Proposal Writing Course. Fifteen interactive lessons will teach you how to create effective grant proposals using our proven proposal writing blueprint.
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Climate Intersections Conference: Taking Care of People, Water, and the Land
July 12-14, 2022 in Duluth, Minnesota
How can water professionals work with local communities effectively to foster resilience and equity in a changing climate?
Join us to explore this important question with fellow water professionals from land grant universities, nonprofits, government agencies, tribes, and the private sector across the North Central Region and beyond.
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77th SWCS International
Annual Conference
July 31-August 3, 2022
Denver, Colorado
After two years of virtual conferences, this stunning conference location offers an opportunity for the global conservation community to come together and collectively share solutions, combat obstacles, and accelerate conservation efforts.
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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:
April 27 - IASWCD Lunch 'n Learn
April 28 - Grant Opportunities for Districts
May 5 - Grant Opportunities for Districts
May 30 - Memorial Day
June 2 - Get the Dirt: Soil Conference
June 8 - RFF nominations due
June 14 - ICP annual webinar
June 20-26 - Pollinator Week
July 28 - ISDA/NRCS/SWCD Partnership Meeting
July 29 - District Showcase Award applications due
*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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