Conservation INsight
December 9, 2020
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2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE OF INDIANA SWCDS |
JANUARY 11-13, 2021
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS FRIDAY!
December 11 is the last day to take advantage of the $50/person discounted registration fee for the 2021 Virtual Conference of Indiana Soil & Water Conservation Districts.
Keynote Speaker, Damian Mason, will open the conference on Monday, January 11. A full line-up of speakers for breakout sessions and roundtables coming your way! Check out a few of the featured speakers at the link below.
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Conference Highlights:
- Twelve breakout sessions
- Seven roundtable sessions
- Networking
- Discussion Groups/Chat Rooms
- Author/Speaker Meet and Greet
- Exhibitor Exploration
- Recorded for later viewing
- Closing & Awards Ceremony
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TODAY AND NEXT WEDNESDAY:
Two Lunchtime Legislative Training Sessions for Indiana District Staff and Supervisors
The Legislative Process (December 9, 2020 at 12:00 PM Virtual) This training opportunity will provide an overview of the legislative process, and provide some updates on how things may look differently in 2021 due to COVID. Use this opportunity to be in the know on what’s going on, and prepare yourself to be an effective participant in the legislative process. The speaker will be IASWCD Lobbyist, Cresswell Hizer. You can register for the training here! (Zoom link will be provided upon registration.)
Talking with Legislators (December 16, 2020 at 12:00 PM Virtual) This training opportunity will provide tips and tricks for communicating with legislators and other elected officials. Wondering where to start? This is the opportunity for you to learn new skills, and begin to piece together a game plan for how you can communicate with your elected officials this year. The speaker will be IASWCD Executive Director, Joe Schmees, with help from IASWCD Lobbyist Cresswell Hizer. You can register for the training here! (Zoom link will be provided upon registration.)
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IASWCD Business Meeting Delegates* - Districts, Register Now!
Each Soil and Water Conservation District in good standing (fully paid annual dues) with the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Inc. will have the opportunity to have one SWCD Supervisor delegate participate in the virtual Annual Meeting, January 2021. The vote of the district will be cast by the delegate or the alternate. The delegate will be required to attend the following:
IASWCD Annual Business Meeting on Tuesday, January 12, 2021
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
via the IASWCD virtual meeting link
Deadline to register delegate: January 2, 2021
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IASWCD Business Meeting Delegates*
*The following 38 districts currently have delegates registered for this meeting:
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Boone County
Brown County
Carroll County
Clinton
Crawford County
Dearborn
Elkhart County SWCD
Floyd County
Fulton County
Gibson County SWCD
Grant County SWCD
Harrison County
Hendricks County
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Howard County
Jackson County
Jay County
Jennings County SWCD
Johnson County SWCD
Knox County
Kosciusko Co SWCD
LaPorte County
Lake County
Lawrence County
Madison County
Marshall County
Monroe County
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Morgan County SWCD
Newton County
Perry
Pike
Randolph County
Spencer County
Starke
Sullivan
Vermillion
Wabash County SWCD
Warren County
Warrick County SWCD
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Have You Checked Your District's
Directory Information?
NACD recently updated the conservation district directory maps and contact information on their website. To ensure they have the latest contact information, please check your district's listing on the state webpage and contact NACD Communications Coordinator Lucy Sears at lucy-sears@nacdnet.org with any updates.
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The Fall 2020 edition of The Resource has arrived!
This latest edition includes many new and exciting developments for NACD, as we continue to adapt and update our programs and resources to better serve our nation's conservation districts amidst these uncertain and challenging times.
In light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, this fall's edition includes tips and takeaways from NACD on how to host a successful virtual meeting; updates on NACD's 2021 Annual Meeting, now scheduled to be held virtually from Feb. 1-10, 2021; and an update from NACD's Government Affairs team as they look ahead toward 2021.
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NACD's DC Office Closed Until March 2021
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, NACD’s Washington, D.C. office will be closed with staff teleworking through Feb. 26, 2021. NACD wants to ensure the continuity of normal business operations, and you can reach NACD staff during regular business hours as usual via email or by calling the main line: (202) 547-NACD. We will continue to update our members on any changes during this time.
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Register for NACD's December U&C Webinar
Space is still available for NACD's Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation webinar, scheduled for 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 17, 2020. The webinar will feature the Thurston Conservation District (TCD) and its collaboration efforts with the nonprofit organization Bounty for Families (BFF).
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NACD Announces Keynote Speaker for 2021 Annual Meeting
NACD is excited to announce that we have added a new keynote speaker to NACD's 2021 Annual Meeting! Ebony Webber, chief operating officer for the National Society for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS), brings with her over 17 years of experience in developing young, minority students into future leaders.
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Upcoming DSS Training for Indiana Districts: How to Facilitate a Virtual Meeting
December 17
9 am to 10:30 am (EST)
See flyer for details
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Agriculture Insider
monthly newsletter
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IDEM Public Notice: Construction Stormwater and MS4 Draft General Permits
Official comments can be submitted to Stormwat@idem.in.gov. The public notice period ends January 25.
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Lake Michigan Basin Webinar Series: |
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Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems and Watershed Groups
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Time: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM (CT) / 2:00 PM to 3:30 pm (ET).
Presenter(s): Reggie Korthals, MS4 Specialist at Butler, Fairman & Seufert, Inc.; Staci Goodwin, IDEM MS4 Coordinator and Angie Brown, IDEM Watershed Planning and Restoration Section Chief; Matt Lake and Tim Kingsland, Northwest Indiana Storm Water Advisory Group; Adam Bowden, Michiana Stormwater Partnership
Applicability: Statewide, although portions will be focused on northern Indiana.
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Lake Michigan LAMP and other Lakewide Initiatives
Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Presenter(s): Elizabeth Hinchey Malloy, U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office Lake Michigan LAMP Program Coordinator and Michael Spinar, IDEM LAMP Program Coordinator
Applicability: Northern Indiana / Lake Michigan Basin
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Soil Health “How to” Video Series
Soil Health: How To… is a video series from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and farmers.gov that features producers overcoming big obstacles in the Southwest through better soil health.
Farmers and ranchers in the Southwest have production systems that are especially challenging for soil health management. Both high disturbance and perennial production face high winds, drought, and calcareous soils, but these producers found ways to combat their problems with soil health practices.
Producers explain how they increased the quality of their crops, increased water use efficiency, and reduced expensive inputs.
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Farm Women are Decision Makers – Annie’s Project Prepares Them Well
Farm women are generating a cultural tide in American agriculture that is moving management, assets, and opportunities to a new wave of farmers across the country. During Annie’s Project courses, farm women become empowered to be better business partners or sole operators through networks and by managing and organizing critical information.
Annie’s Project, a six-week course, is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing, and the legal field. There's plenty of time for questions, sharing, reacting, and connecting with presenters and fellow participants. It's a relaxed, fun, and dynamic way to learn, grow, and meet other farm women.
Whether new or experienced, understanding the five areas of agricultural risk, knowing how to analyze agricultural spreadsheets, and other necessary skills are vital. Learning them in a friendly environment where questions and discussion are welcomed, allow the learning process to flourish.
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(cont'd) Annie’s Project courses have successfully reached more than 9,000 farm and ranch women in 33 states. Purdue Extension is pleased to be offering classes beginning February 23, 2021 and ending March 30, 2021. Choose from two virtual offerings: Tuesday mornings from 9:00am – 12:00pm EST or Tuesday afternoons from 1:00 – 4:00pm EST. |
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Indiana Outdoor News
MyDNR newsletter
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December 14, 2020
2 PM (EST)
This webinar will highlight a recent project engaging specialty crop growers in the Midwest to better understand the seasonality of their decisions and drought information needs. The project has resulted in graphical decision calendars for grape, apple, cranberry, and irrigated potato production. Decision calendars describe the timing of management practices and decisions that are made throughout crop planting, growing, harvest, and dormant seasons, along with the climate-related concerns that impact the outcomes of management decisions. Decision calendars can help identify opportunities for inserting climate information into a decision process. We will discuss how decision calendars can be used to communicate and improve the usability of drought/climate monitoring and prediction science.
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The Xerces Society Publication, Wings, Now Available |
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Soil Health Digital Cafe Series:
December 16, 2020
3 PM (EST)
There is a lot of focus on soil organic matter levels, but what if the flow of carbon through the soil is just as important for soil health? What if this flow is more important? Building and maintaining soil organic matter levels can be a long, slow process. Similarly, maintaining a large warehouse inventory is expensive. In manufacturing, a cost-cutting concept called just-in-time production allows smaller inventory levels and has been widely adopted. Could the same concept be applied to soil management for just-in-time soil health? The next Digital Cafe will feature Dr. Andrew McGuire of Washington State University who will discuss this concept.
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Pollinator Action Team Update |
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Job Postings:
A 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:
*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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