Conservation INsight
November 20, 2019
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2020 Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs
Online Registration Open!
January 12-14, 2020
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
Matt Lohr,
Chief USDA-NRCS, will be our Keynote Speaker during the 2020 conference. Breakout sessions, registration link, delegate registration link and the agenda are now posted online on the
IASWCD website/Annual Conference page.
Early bird rates good through December 6.
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STAFF AND SUPERVISORS:
SWCD Legislative Training Session
Monday, December 2
9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Indiana Farm Bureau
225 S. East Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Halls A & B - 1st floor
This one-day training hosted by IASWCD is for all
Indiana Soil and Water Conservation District STAFF and SUPERVISORS. Presentations and on-hands training with Cress Hizer, Indiana Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) Lobbyist; and Joe Schmees, IASWCD, Executive Director. Also featuring a panel of advocacy professionals and partner representatives from The Nature Conservancy, Indiana Farm Bureau and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
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Districts: Schedule Legislative Visits in January, February or March at the Statehouse
IASWCD is offering to help coordinate visits to the Statehouse during the months of January through March. It is important that Districts meet with their local legislators to make our message of conservation heard, and teach them about your great work. A minimum of at least 3 people from a District must be committed to attend (any combination of Supervisors and/or Staff). The visit will include an overview of the legislative process, a quick tour of the Statehouse, and then meeting with your legislators. Click on the link for times, dates available and registration details.
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Shout Out to the
Hamilton County SWCD
for their feature in NACD's Fall 2019 publication,
The Resource
. This SWCD partners with their local parks and recreation department to raise awareness about water quality. The Rain on Main program marries rain barrels with local artists to produce beautiful one-of-a-kind barrels auctioned off to local citizens and educating them on the use of rain barrels and water conservation.
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Districts: Register your SWCD Delegates for the Annual Business Meeting - Due 1/3/20
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Fall 2019, The Resource
With the changing season comes many new and exciting developments for NACD, from a productive fall staff retreat to announcing the fourth round of funding through the Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant Program for fiscal year 2020, to planning for the upcoming 74th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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State Conservation Program Awards More
than $1,000,000 in Funds
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 6, 2019) — The
State Soil Conservation Board
awarded more than $1,000,000 in funds today to the
Clean Water Indiana
Program. This is a conservation match funding program that supports reducing pollutants in Indiana’s waterways through Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Di
stricts and other conservation groups. “The funds provided today for the 14 grant proposals will benefit local farmers in a multitude of ways,” said Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “These funds will directly provide technical assistance, support farmers in improving water quality and, in some cases, create jobs for rural Hoosiers.”
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How Does Indiana Fund Soil and Water Conservation?
Indiana Prairie Farmer article, 11/18/19
Tom Bechman
An interview with ISDA’s Jordan Seger discusses the state’s support of soil and water conservation activities.
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Leadership Institute: Impacting Community
December 6
9 am to 3 pm (EST)
Madison, IN
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Webinar: Using Soil Health Practices to Improve Water Quality
December 10 @ 2pm (EST)
Join to learn how modern agriculture practices can contribute to water quality issues and how soil health management systems can help alleviate water quality concerns.
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USDA Seeks Public Comments on Conservation Practice Standard Updates
Indianapolis, IN, October 31, 2019 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking public comments on 13 conservation practice standards. Per direction from the 2018 Farm Bill, NRCS will gather feedback on 94 practices over the coming months through posting on the Federal Register. Comments on these current 13 practice standards are due by Thursday, November 21.
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Indiana Community Recycling Grant Program - Grant Funds Available
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management has announced the availability of grant funds to assist communities’ efforts to increase recycling and waste reduction. The Community Recycling Grant Program (CRGP) is authorized to provide grants by IC 13-20-22-2. Projects that can be funded under this program include education and promotion of recycling, waste reduction, organics management (including yard waste management and composting), and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Deadline December 20.
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Pledge of the Month:
Adopt Your Storm Drain
What are Storm Drains?
Surely you’ve noticed them! Most communities have storm drains as part of their street or parking lot infrastructure. They collect and redirect excess water from rainfall or flooding (stormwater) into a pipe system below the ground.
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Spring 2020 Weed Wrangle Indiana® Contest
Please join us and host a Weed Wrangle Indiana® in your county. It’s a national event that highlights the necessity to manage invasive species, celebrates our native species and ecosystems, and provides action through hands-on invasive species management in our precious green spaces.
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SPRING 2020: Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) Conference
Save the date!
March 26, 2020
Learn about invasive species' impact on watershed health, forest health, and native species. CEUs will be available! Get updates at
tinyurl.com/CISMA2020
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Call for Research Proposals Related to Honey Bee Health
The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) is seeking proposals for research related to improving the health of honey bees. Due by Friday, January 31, 2020.
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Pollinator Partners Job Advertisement: 2020 “Pollinators, Plants, People, Planet” Poster
Each year, P2, along with a wide range of partners (including federal agencies, non-profits, for-profits, individuals, etc.) design and distribute an educational pollinator poster. About 100,000 posters are distributed throughout the United States each year and the posters are enjoyed and used in a wide variety of venues from classrooms, fairs, conferences, and offices, to homes and educational trainings. Pollinator Partnership is seeking an artist to render the 2020 Pollinator Poster, this year focusing on “Pollinators, Plants, People, Planet.” To apply, please send a one-page narrative concept idea with a draft sketch to Kelly Rourke at
kr@pollinator.org
by Friday, December 13, 2019.
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SWCS-Hoosier Chapter Winter Workshop
Register by 11/28
December 5
9 am to 3 pm (EST)
Lafayette, IN
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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:
November 22- Soil, Water and Cropping Systems Forum
November 22 - Beef Quality Assurance Training, Dearborn Co.
November 28 - Thanksgiving Day
December 2 - Legislative Training for SWCDs
December 5 - SWCS-Hoosier Chapter, Winter Workshop
December 6 - Leadership Institute, Madison, IN
2020:
January 12-14 - Annual Indiana SWCD Conference, Indpls.
February 8-13 - NACD Annual Conference, Las Vegas
March 26 - CISMA Conference
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