Conservation INsight
April 13, 2022
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IASWCD April Lunch 'n Learns |
Training for Indiana Soil & Water
Conservation Districts
Three remaining Wednesdays in April at 12 noon (EDT), these one-hour Zoom sessions will include a presentation and time for discussion and Q&A.
Please register for each session individually to receive the Zoom link. (These sessions will be recorded and posted on the IASWCD website.)
April 13: Work Smarter Not Harder: Planning & Prioritizing Invasive Management - Presenter: Emily Finch, SWCD Invasive Species Specialist, Dubois, Martin and Daviess.
April 20: Conservation 101 - Presenter: Chris Lee, Tech Team Leader, USDA-NRCS.
April 27: Optimizing Field Day Impact and Attendee Experience - Presenters: Leslie Fisher, Resource Conservation Specialist, Benton County SWCD and Seth Harden, Upper Wabash River Project Director, TNC.
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2022 ISDA/NRCS/SWCD
Partnership Meeting
Save the Date! July 28 in Hendricks County
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River Friendly Farmer Award Nominations Now Open
Annually, each Indiana county Soil and Water Conservation District may nominate up to two farmers 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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Indiana Districts - Let Us Help You Share Your Success with a District Showcase Award!
So many Indiana Districts are doing Great Work and sharing it with others is important!
It's early springtime and a good time to prepare and think about applying for the Indiana District Showcase Award. This award gives Districts the opportunity to share project ideas and ways to design and implement existing conservation programs. Please consider applying for this award and prepare now with photos of your projects. Deadline to apply is July 29.
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Urban Soil Health Program News |
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SPRING SERIES - Learn about soil health in high tunnels
April - Earth Week - regional in-person sessions to learn from growers in the field. These are geared towards conservation professionals, and is open to growers. See capacity limits below.
- April 18 – SOUTHWEST – 1-4pm – Mike and Rosie Sill’s Farm (Greene Co) – 20 people (carpool from Church parking)
- April 20 – NORTHEAST – 1-4pm - Joseph Decuis Farm (Huntington Co)- 20 people
- April 22 – NORTHWEST – 10-12pm - Porter Farm (Hendricks Co) – 40 people (carpool)
- April 26 – SOUTHEAST – 1-3pm - Bedford Garden Park (Lawrence Co) – 40 people (carpool)
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Northwest In-Person Soil Health in High Tunnel Workshop
Date: April 22nd, 2022 @ 10:00 am - 12pm
Location: 4680 US 36, Danville, IN
Agenda:
10:00 am-10:15 am - Soil Health in High Tunnel Challenges
10:15 am - 11:00 am - Construction and Crop Rotations
11:00 am -11:30 am - Cover Crop Management
11:30 am - 12:00pm - Porter Farm Tour
Speakers:
Sarah Creech, Blue Yonder Organic Farm
Bree Ollier, Hendricks Co SWCD
Marian M. Rodriguez Soto, IASWCD
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2021 NACD Annual Report
This past year, NACD, conservation districts, state + territory associations, and conservation officials across the U.S. continued to deliver natural resource and conservation management for working lands everywhere. In this edition of the Annual Report you'll find updates on:
- NACD's 2021 finances
- Friends of NACD District Grants Program 2022 recipients
- NACD's Technical Assistance grant program
- Activities across NACD's seven regions
- NACD's celebration of its 75th anniversary
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts
- And more!
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Forestry Notes Special Reports for Conservation Districts
NACD's Forestry Notes Special Reports cover a range of topics relevant to conservation district audiences, including:
- The (true) cost of wildfires;
- Engaging female forest landowners;
- How to assist in succession planning;
- How conservation districts are helping enhance wildlife habitat;
- Growing opportunities in urban forestry;
- And much more!
Reports are available to download and share. To learn more and view the reports, click the button below.
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Are You Ready for Stewardship Week?
NACD’s 67th Annual Stewardship Week will be celebrated from April 24 to May 1! Are you prepared? It’s not too late to download our free “Healthy Soil, Healthy Life" materials to distribute and share in your district. Visit the NACD Marketplace to access free, downloadable educational materials on a range of topics. And don’t forget, Stewardship Week is a great time to complete your photo and poster contest submissions!
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Videos from NACD's 2022 Annual Meeting Now Available
Missed NACD's 2022 Annual Meeting, or want to re-watch your favorite session or speaker? All of the videos from the meeting are now available to view on YouTube! Check out this playlist to see addresses from our organization's leadership, keynote speakers, and partners, as well as award presentations, panels, and general sessions.
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Grant & Funding Opportunities for SWCDs
A virtual grant and funding training series geared towards SWCDs
Thursdays at 12PM EDT
April 14 – May 5
Highlighted programs include:
- April 14: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)- Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, National Water Quality Initiative, Regional Conservation Partnership Program, & Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
- April 21: National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)- Grants & Resources From NACD
- April 28: Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM)- 319 & 205j Nonpoint Source Grants
- May 5: Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)- Lake & River Enhancement Program
Recordings will be posted on ISDA’s Conservation Link. Links to join each meeting are located on the flyer (see below).
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Internal Controls and Preventing Sexual Harassment Trainings
A reminder that all new staff and supervisors must complete the internal control training video, found on the State Board of Accounts webpage. Please see the link below for the internal controls training. Contact your District Support Specialist for the Preventing Sexual Harassment training video.
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Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Application Solicitation
IDEM accepts grant applications for Section 319(h) funds only during certain specific time periods each year. Their webpage is updated when new funds become available from U.S. EPA and grant funding priorities have been set by IDEM. Please note that applications submitted outside of the grant solicitation time period will not be considered for funding. Competition for grant funds is high and funds available are limited. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to work with IDEM staff before submitting any grant application.
Section 319(h) Solicitation
The solicitation for projects for FFY 2023 Section 319 grant funds begins April 1, 2022. Notice of Intent (NOI) emails for the FFY 2023 grant solicitation are due June 1, 2022. The NOI is a formal notification of the intent to submit an application and includes a brief description of the project.
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Diversity Day Presentation for Indiana Conservation Partnership Staff
NRCS and Partners will be hosting a virtual Diversity Day on May 12 from 9 am to 12 pm. More details coming soon.
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The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing availability of funds to assess the impact of prior invasive species control funded through NRCS on agriculture and forested lands. Funding is also available to help develop workplans for continued control if needed. This work will be conducted in the Indiana portion of the Great Lakes watersheds. Funding for this project is through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Conservation Technical Assistance.
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USDA Encourages Producers to Enroll Grasslands into Working Land Conservation
WASHINGTON, March 30, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers and landowners to enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting next week through May 13, 2022.
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Women in Agriculture:
Know your Numbers, Know Your Options
Using Financial records for Farm Women
Virtual Program
April 26th, May 3rd, 10th & 17th
10:00 – 12:00 pm Eastern
Cost is $20
Registration Deadline: April 19
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Pollinator Action Team Update |
Indiana's NRCS Pollinator Liaison
Meet Joanna Scott! She is Indiana's Pollinator Liaison. She is available to provide technical assistance related to pollinator habitat throughout the State.
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River Voices (newsletter)
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Women4theLand: Check out the events happening throughout the State! |
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THE DROP
A monthly e-newsletter from the North Central Region Water Network
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One scheduled each month now through February 2023!
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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 13 - IASWCD Lunch 'n Learn
April 14 - Grant Opportunities for Districts
April 20 - IASWCD Lunch 'n Learn
April 21 - Grant Opportunities for Districts
April 22 - Earth Day
April 24 to May 1 - NACD Stewardship Week
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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