Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts
December 7, 2016
Conservation Update

November 24 - December 7, 2016
 

IASWCD News
2017 Annual SWCD Conference 
Monday and Tuesday, January 23-24
Indianapolis Marriott Downtown - Rooms are filling fast!

Early Bird Rate Expires Thursday, December 15 

Registration page and information can be found on the IASWCD website .  

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Special THANKS to the 
GOLD Sponsors
for this year's SWCD Conference!
Agri Drain Corp. prides itself on being a partner in water management. They are a manufacturer and supplier of products for drainage water management, sub-irrigation, wetlands, ponds, lakes and erosion control and land improvement products including structures, valves, gates, survey and safety equipment.

AND

Clark Farm Drainage is a tiling business that specializes in large-scale pattern tile projects.Committed to protecting and preserving the environment and the land, this third-generation owned company is dedicated to helping design and implement the most environmentally sustainable projects, while helping boost customer profits.  


2017 IASWCD Business Meeting - January 24, 2017
~Resolution
This business meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 24 at 9:00 a.m. (EST). One resolution has been submitted and can be viewed on the IASWCD website.

~Slate of IASWCD Officers
District Delegates will vote on the election of officers at the IASWCD Business Meeting on Tuesday, January 24, 2017 The slate of officers may be  viewed on the Annual Conference page of the IASWCD website

~Delegates for the 2017 IASWCD Business Meeting
Delegate forms due January 14
For more details and to access the delegate form, please visit the  IASWCD website.

2017 Indiana Legislative Session Statehouse Visits
IASWCD is offering to coordinate visits to the Indiana Statehouse during February and March. These visits will provide an overview of the legislative process, a tour as well as a meet and greet time with your legislators.  Dates, details and registration information can be found   here .
NACD News  
Annual Conference Registration 
Early Bird Registration Deadline: December 16
NACD's 2017 Annual Meeting will be held in Denver, Colorado, at the  Sheraton -  Dow ntown Denver  from January 28 to February 1, 2017. View more d etails and register here .

Already registered? Click here for transportation details to make traveling around Denver easier! Or, click here for conference agenda highlights!

GET YOUR T-SHIRT!
The Denver conference meeting logo is now on t-shirts! You can buy these super comfortable, cotton t-shirts in any adult size from NACD's Marketplace. These  limited edition t-shirts  can be purchased for just $15 each, but only until  December 30, 2016
USDA-NRCS News
World Soil Day celebrated on December 5
Resources, including videos, are available to help understan d the basics and  benefits of soil health. Check out the resources on the soil health section of the NRCS website .


Indiana NRCS Announces Applications Available for Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Indianapolis, IN November 29, 2016 - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Jane Hardisty announced that Indiana is now accepting applications for enrollment in the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the nation's largest conservation program.  NRCS has made several revisions to the program this year to help producers better evaluate their conservation options and the benefits to their operations and natural resources. New methods and software for evaluating applications will help producers see up front why they are or are not meeting stewardship thresholds, and allow them to pick practices and enhancements that work for their conservation objectives.  These new tools also allow producers to see potential payment scenarios for conservation early in the process. Read more...

Information Security Awareness (ISA) Training
Deadline to complete training: February 1, 2017
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. Those who do not complete the training by this deadline will have their access to USDA computer systems suspended until the training is complete.  

News Release: NRCS Conservation Funds Available for Western Lake Erie Basin
Indianapolis, IN, November 30, 2016- Farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin have another opportunity to obtain conservation financial assistance.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications until January 20th for funding through the Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basin Phosphorus Reduction Initiative. Read more . . . 

2017 Soils Planner Now Available!
The new 2017 Soils Planner titled "Soils Have Memory" is now available online at the NRCS Soils website. You will also find all Soils Planners published since 1999, providing a valuable educational resource.  Past Soils Planners have covered a wide range of topics including: soil biology, State soils, hydric soils, Lewis and Clark Bicentennial (Soil Paintings), International Year of Soils, and many others.

January 10, 2017
2:00 p.m. (EST)
This webinar will teach strategies for improving soil function on range and pastures, including an emphasis on management of livestock like large migratory herds in natural systems for proper herd impact and increased nutrient and water cycling in grass ecosystems. Learn more >

Science and Technology Conservation Webinars 2017 Schedule  Now Available !
Other News
National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)
The NWTF has officially initiated their Indiana NWTF 2017 Request for Proposals. The FY 17 Super Fund Application Form can be found here. The Indiana NWTF State Board of Directors will utilize these to score and rank the proposals they receive. The Final Date they will be accepting proposals for this annual cycle is February 24th, 2017. Questions? Contact: 
Ryan Boyer rboyer@nwtf.net
National Wild Turkey Federation
4833 N. U.S. Hwy 31  |  Scottville, MI 49454
231-878-5131- Direct line  |  www.nwtf.org

Purdue Extension
Tips on Building an Effective Education and Outreach Campaign
Check out this publication on designing an effective education and outreach campaign. This article provides steps to building a campaign and provides conservation examples of effective campaigns. Read more >

Soil and Water Conservation Society

SWCS is now accepting abstracts for their 72nd International Annual Conference. 
To view the full Call for Presentations and instructions on how to submit your proposal, click here.  

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: January 9, 2017
POSTER DEADLINE: March 10, 2017
For more information regarding the conference click here.

CONFERENCE SUBMISSION TRACKS
This year's conference includes four tracks for submission. Special consideration will be given to proposals addressing new insights, techniques, and/or advancements in the eight traditional areas of focus outlined under general conference submissions. 

Seeking Abstracts for Presentations
All Lake Enthusiasts and Natural Resources/Water Quality Professionals:
The Indiana Lakes Management Society is seeking abstracts for presentations at the 29th Annual Indiana Lakes Management Annual Conference.  The conference will be held March 2 and 3, 2017 at Four Winds Lakeside Inn and Marina, Bloomington Indiana. The deadline to submit an abstract is Friday, December 2, 2016.  If your abstract is accepted, you will be notified no later than December 16.
They are looking for presentations covering any of the following topics:
  •          Water Quality
  •          Fish
  •          Drawdown Logistics and Effects
  •          Grants and Fundraising
  •          Nuisance Flora and Fauna
  •          Partnerships
  •          Increasing Community Involvement
  •          Legislation
If you are involved in water quality assessment, lake community development, best management practice implementation, community water body monitoring, simply enjoy working with your lake association and/or community then consider sharing your experience and expertise at the 29th annual Indiana Lakes Management Conference.  
They invite presentations that deal with all aspects of the management, protection, and restoration of lakes, reservoirs and watersheds.  All formats (oral or poster) are welcome with oral presentations being accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation, if possible. Please submit abstracts electronically via email to Elizabeth Tompkins at elizabeth.tompkins@indianalakes.org  For more details regarding submission, click here
Resources
Ron Culberson - author of Do it Well. Make it Fun.
Article: "Making Processes Work...Without Them Feeling Like Work"
In this insightful article, Ron Culberson, MSW, CSP and Power of Us May conference speaker, shares how having clear processes on projects saves time, increases enjoyment and leads to appreciation for a job well done. Read his full article  here.
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In This Issue
Quick Links
Upcoming Events
Please refer to the IASWCD Events and CCSI Soil Health Events calendars for a full list of upcoming events and more details regarding these events below: 

December 7 - Fall Region Meeting (IASWCD) for N-Northeast/S-Northeast

December 7 - NRCS NW Area Meeting

December 13-14 - Indiana Certified Crop Advisers Conference

December 14 - NRCS SE Area Meeting

December 15 - NRCS SW Area Meeting

December 15 - DEADLINE for Early Bird price for SWCD Annual Conference

December 16 - DEADLINE for Early Bird price for NACD National Conference

January 10-13 - National No-Till Conference

January 18-19, April 5-6, May 24 - Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy, Purdue University

January 23-24 - SWCD Annual Conference, Indianapolis

January 28-February 2 - NACD Annual Meeting

January 31 - Annual Southern Regional Soil Health Workshop

February 1 - DEADLINE: Internet Security Awareness Training

March 2-4 - Small Farm Conference

March 2-3 - Indiana Lakes Management Society conference

July 30-August 2 - SWCS Annual Conference
Current Job Openings *

See Job Descriptions and/or Applications at www.IASWCD.org 

Office Administration/Education Coordinator - Cass County SWCD 

Urban Conservationist - Marion County SWCD

Watershed Technician - Macon County SWCD, Illinois 

Assistant Director/Education Coordinator - Johnson County SWCD 

Engineering Technician (Civil) - NRCS, Greensburg, IN

Assistant Director/Education Coordinator, Johnson County SWCD 

Resource Specialist, Dubois County SWCD
 
*(Note: please submit job openings to: 
amy-work@iaswcd.org 
and include instructions for applying, deadline and job description in a single PDF file. Thank you.)
Thank You! Delegate Forms have been received from these SWCDs:
Allen County
Bartholomew County
Boone County
Carroll County
Clay County
Clinton County
Daviess County
Floyd County
Fulton County
Gibson County
Greene County
Hancock County
Henry County
Howard County
Jay County
Jefferson County
Jennings County
Knox County
Knox County
Kosciusko County
La Porte County
Lake County 
Marshall County
Morgan County
Newton County
Parke County 
Pike County 
Porter County 
Scott County 
Starke County 
Steuben County 
Tipton County
Vermillion County
Vigo County
Wabash County 
Warrick County
Wells County
White County