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Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
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September 14, 2016 |
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September 1 - September 14, 2016
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IASWCD News
Jamie Scott Named Acting President
of the
IASWCD Board of Directors
Indianapolis, IN (September 12, 2016) - The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) has accepted board President Mike Starkey's resignation effective immediately. Jamie Scott, Vice President of the IASWCD board, will be acting president through the current term ending January 24, 2017.
Jamie expressed, "We appreciate Mike's dedication to the board over the past one and a half years as President. The association has a good deal of work ahead of us and I am happy to take the helm and lead the board forward."
"We are confident that Jamie's leadership will provide a positive forward direction
for the IASWCD board and organization," states Amy Work, Communications & Member Programs Manager of IASWCD. "We are expecting this transition to be straightforward."
The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI) appreciates the support of all concerning partners including ISDA, NRCS, Purdue University, and the State Soil Conservation Board. "We value the work that our partners execute, along with us, in order to preserve and sustain Indiana's natural resources," states Jennifer Boyle Warner, IASWCD Executive Director. "Our relationship with our partners, sponsors and the 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) is of utmost importance as we stay focused on our mission of improving the environment and quality of life through conservation in Indiana." As always, IASWCD will continue their work through legislative advocacy, public outreach, and supporting their 92-member SWCDs in their local work.
Conservation Award applications now due September 16
The deadline has been extended for anyone who still would like to turn in an application for any of the
three awards granted at the 2017 SWCD Annual Conference: Friend of Conservation, Conservation Farmer of the Year or Supervisor of the Year.
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NACD News
Indiana Envirothon
The Indiana Envirothon Committee will be meeting on Monday, September 19th
beginning at
10:30 EST
at The Nature Conservancy building in downtown Indianapolis. The Committee will be reviewing new rules and regulations for the Regional contests as well as the State contest and preparing for the new year. All are invited to attend. Any questions can be directed to Darci Zolman, President, at
574-267-7445
or Ann Ice, Vice President at
812-385-5033, ext. 101
.
September Urban and Community Conservation Webinar
The next monthly NACD Urban and Community Conservation Webinar, scheduled for
September 15 at 12:00noon-1:00pm Eastern time, will feature the online U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit as presented by NOAA Liaison Ned Gardiner.
Building climate resilience begins with understanding climate threats and ends with taking action to protect valued assets. Anticipating climate-related events, communities and businesses can prepare and respond to minimize or prevent disruptions to services, damage to property, or even loss of life. From this perspective, taking a climate-smart approach to protecting people and valued assets can boost economies, create jobs, and improve the health of local ecosystems. The U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit provides tools, data, case studies, access to expertise at a national scale, and a framework to guide individuals, districts and others to becoming climate-smart.
These popular webinars, held on the third Thursday of each month, are sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in partnership with the NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group. There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. To register, email Debra Bogar at
[email protected] with your name, title, district or business name, state and email address. Information to access the webinar will then be sent by email.
Survey for District Board Members
The National Association of Conservation Districts, as part of the National Conservation Planning Partnership, is working with NRCS, NASCA, NARC&DC, and NCDEA to request feedback on how they can improve the delivery of conservation planning assistance to farmers and ranchers. They are seeking informed opinions from each of the district board members on their views and experiences regarding the conservation planning process. Elected and appointed district officials can be part of this effort by individually taking a brief online survey. They will not be identified as individuals, and the data will be compiled from all district officials who respond to the survey. The survey is fairly short and can be completed in 8-10 minutes. A few (258) district officials responded to a more limited pilot mailing in May. If board members responded then, they do not need to respond a second time.
Please have district board members respond
by Tuesday, September 27, 2016.
Access the survey by
clicking here
.
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NRCS News
Information Security Awareness (ISA) Training
All USDA employees, partners, TSPs, volunteers and contractors who have access to a CCE compliant computer must complete the mandatory annual information security awareness (ISA) training. This training is required by law and is an essential part of keeping the information systems secure. The FY17 ISA course will be assigned to AgLearn user accounts on October 1, 2016. The NRCS deadline for completing this training is February 1, 2017. Those who do not complete the training by this deadline will have their access to USDA computer systems suspended until the training is complete.
See more . . .
Science and Technology Training Library: Webinar Portal
Through this webinar portal you can stay up-to-date with the latest research and industry practices in forestry, conservation, bioenergy, climate change and natural resources. These user-friendly webinars provide the opportunity to accrue continuing education credits, from professional accrediting organizations such as Society of American Foresters, International Society of Arboriculture, The Wildlife Society, Certified Crop Advisors, and others. You can receive continuing education credits for select live and on-demand webinars, which makes refreshing your knowledge on natural resource topics from your desktop fast, economical, and easy.
This webinar portal is a service of the
Southern Regional Extension Forestry
Office,
North Carolina State University's Extension Forest Resources
,
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
, other participating land-grant universities, the
USDA
, the
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
, the
USDA Forest Service
, and the
USDA Northeast Climate Hub
.
Below is a list of upcoming webinars. See a complete list of upcoming, planned and recently posted webinars here.
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ISDA News
Spring Region Training Dates Announced - SAVE THE DATE!
March 7: SE March 23: NE
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Partner News
Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy
If you are interested in water quality and watersheds, consider applying for the 2017 Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy. Learn to be a Leader in Watershed Management.
Enroll now to improve your watershed management skills.
Applications now being accepted online for the academy
.
The Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy, organized by Purdue University with support from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other Indiana conservation agencies and organizations, gives participants the chance to:
- Engage in basic and advanced level watershed topics covering leadership principles, watershed science, organization and communication, technology and GIS, stakeholder involvement techniques and policy skills
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Meet, learn from, and build a network of peers
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Interact with topic experts
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Gain strategies, skills, and resources for successful watershed management
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Earn a Professional Certificate in Watershed Management
Enrollment deadline: November 4, 2016
Academy Fee: $700, due on December 16, 2016 (includes lodging and food for overnight and one-day workshops, plus all course materials).
Training includes three face-to-face group sessions and distance learning, online (approximately 3-4 hrs/week). The Academy runs from January to May, 2017. Specific workshop dates are January 18-19, April 5-6, and May 24, 2017.
Participants who complete all requirements earn a Purdue University Professional Certificate in Watershed Management. Purdue Continuing Education Units are also available for an additional $15 fee.
For more information and to fill out the application, please contact Sara Peel,
[email protected]
or see the
Academy Web Page.
Soil, Water and Cropping Systems Forum:
How Purdue is Moving Ag Forward in Sustainable Ways
Interactive program on Friday, November 18 (Eastern time) with Purdue Extension educators, campus specialists, and Extension partners from throughout the state informing partners of the
work Purdue is doing in soil health, ag water management, cropping systems, and nutrient management.
Lunch will be provided.
Indiana Conservation Alliance (INCA)
INCA's Conservation Congress
Cost: $25 per person
When: Friday, September 30
Where: Abe Martin Lodge, Brown County State Park
Registration Deadline: September 20
You must be registered to attend.
CLICK HERE
t
o register for the Congress now.
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
Partners in Community Forestry Conference
November 16-17
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Conference details including the agenda,
click here
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Ot
her News
Bicentennial Commission 
Bicentennial Visioning Report Released
INDIANAPOLIS - On September 7, Congressman Lee Hamilton and Ivy Tech President Dr. Sue Ellspermann officially presented the Bicentennial Visioning report to Becky Skillman, former Lt. Governor and co-chair of the Bicentennial Commission, in ceremonies at the State Capitol. The report documents 50 recommendations distilled from approximately 1,300 ideas raised during the Visioning Sessions. Over
150 statewide thought leaders attended these visioning sessions encompassing the eleven broad subject areas of life in Indiana. This report is to
encourage all Hoosiers, particularly decision-makers, to improve the economic, social, and cultural well-being of the state in order to make Indiana's third century its best.
Topics include Agriculture and Rural Affairs; Arts, Leisure, and Entertainment; Business, Industry, and Economy; Children; Civic Engagement and Philanthropy; Education and Career Development; Environment and Conservation; Governance and Infrastructure; Health and Welfare; Public Safety and Homeland Security; and Religion. Read the full report
Clear Choices, Clean Water
Important Input Needed! Clear Choices Clean Water, in cooperation with the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and the Purdue Pesticides Program, is conducting a survey to guide state-wide pollinator protection efforts. More than 1/3 of all plants or plant products consumed by humans are dependent on insects for pollination. Please help impact future protection efforts by
participating
today. The first 500 respondents get a FREE 2-ounce bottle of local honey! Survey here.
 IFEF is pleased to announce the availability of competitive grant funds to help educate and inform the public about forestry and Indiana forestry related topics. Details regarding these IFEF grants can be found on the
IASWCD website. Deadline October 1.
Farmers Needed! Seeking Indiana farmers to be part of a study of the economic costs and benefits of cover crops. Farm Foundation and Purdue University are collaborating on this three-year study, which is targeting farms in 37 counties of Indiana.
"Farmers tell us that one of the biggest reasons why they don't adopt conservation practices is the lack of credible information about the economics of these practices," states Purdue University Economist Wally Tyner, who is leading the three-year project. "We are seeking farmers to help us gather the data needed so we can compare economics of systems with and without cover crops," he adds.
To participate, a farming operation must be in one of the following 37 Central or Northeast Indiana counties: Adams, Allen (western), Benton, Blackford, Boone, Carroll, Clinton, Decatur, DeKalb, Delaware, Fayette, Grant, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jay, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Miami, Montgomery, Morgan, Noble, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Shelby, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Union, Wabash, Wayne, Wells, and Whitley.
For more details and contact information,
click here.
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