Spotted Lanternfly, Zebra Mussels, Garlic Mustard, Feral Hogs -- These have been seen in the news and are unfortunately only just a few of the plants and animals that are causing North America problems as invasive species. USDA lists more than 6,500 organisms that are now established in the United States, posing risks to native plants, animals, microorganisms, valued ecosystems, and human and wildlife health. North American Invasive Species Awareness Week, held February 28 - March 4, is a time each year to remember that invasive species are a problem for everyone and to highlight what we can do to fight the spread of harmful invasives.
The USDA National Invasive Species Information Center defines an invasive species as plants, animals, or pathogens that are non-native to the ecosystem under consideration, and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause harm. Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions. Plants such as Brazilian Waterweed, Water Hyacinth, and Common Reed are not native to the U.S. and will crowd out native plants. Plants such as Eastern Red Cedar are native but are encroaching on grass- and grazing lands due to a lack of prescribed fire and may be made worse by changing climate conditions. A complete listing of invasive species can be found on the National Invasive Species Information Center website at https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/.
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The economic and social impacts of invasive species include both direct effects of a species on property values, agricultural productivity, public utility operations, native fisheries, tourism, and outdoor recreation, as well as costs associated with invasive species control efforts. A 2021 study estimated that invasive species have cost North America $2 billion per year in the early 1960s to more than $26 billion per year since 2010 (Crystal-Ornela, R. et al. 2021). Globally, it is estimated that the economic cost of invasive species has been $1.288 trillion over the past 50 years (Zenni, R.D. et al. 2021).
The NACD Invasive Species: Resource Policy Group works to increase the awareness of the invasive species problem and has compiled a list of Invasive Species Curricula for use in the classroom or at other conservation education events. The list and other resources can be found on the NACD Conservation Education Hub at https://www.nacdnet.org/conservation-education-hub/. |
NCF-ENVIROTHON PARTNERS WITH UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER SHOWCASE |
Each year thousands of students from across the U.S., Canada, and China participate in the National Conservation Foundation's (NCF) Envirothon program. Students can be found getting their hands dirty in a soil pit, measuring the basal area of a tree, collecting macroinvertebrates in a stream to determine water quality, identifying wildlife signs, and many other activities used by natural resource professionals every day. Through NCF-Envirothon, students are introduced to a wide array of career opportunities in environmental, natural resource, and conservation fields – finding a passion they want to turn into a career.
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In this virtual showcase, students will hear from professors and students from three UD departments — Plant and Soil Sciences, Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, and Applied Economics and Statistics. They will discuss how UD majors like wildlife ecology and conservation, sustainable food systems, environmental and resource economics, and many others align with the values and goals of Envirothon. Students will hear from past Envirothon participants who are current students or faculty of UD, learning about their Envirothon experience and the road that lead them to find their passion in a career in the environment and natural resources.
All high school students are invited to attend to learn how to turn their passion for the environment and natural resources into action, education, and employment opportunities!
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SOUTH CAROLINA HOSTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
FOR SCACD DISTRICTS
AND PARTNERS
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Last week, South Carolina’s conservation district commissioners, employees, and partners convened in Charleston for the 80th Annual South Carolina Conservation Partnership Conference. The conference was hosted by the South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts (SCACD), South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
On the first day of the event, SCACD held policy committee meetings and a new commissioner orientation, and the South Carolina Conservation District Employees Association (SCCDEA) held an employee training session and business meeting. The second day featured an opening ceremony, a keynote by the Peterson Farm Brothers, who are famous on YouTube for their music videos about farming, and a general session on conservation then, now, and in the future, where SCDNR presented their three-year strategic plan. Afternoon sessions focused on watershed districts and water conservation, legislative advocacy, defining resource concerns, education and outreach, and more. Participants enjoyed the presentation of awards and more entertainment from the Peterson Farm Brothers (pictured below) at the evening’s award dinner. |
NACD Southeast Region Vice Chair and South Carolina NACD board member Kenny Mullis and NACD Southeast Region Representative Candice Abinanti shared an NACD update with attendees on the final day of the meeting. The conference closed with an SCACD business session where presiding SCACD president Jeff Wilson was re-elected. Mullis was also re-elected to be South Carolina’s NACD board member, with Mike Stewart, an area director on SCACD’s board of directors serving as South Carolina’s NACD alternate board member. |
Michael Taylor, Jr. and his wife Laura Taylor farm approximately 4,000 acres of row crops on the Long Lake Plantation in Helena, AR. In recent years, Taylor’s father, Mike, retired from the operation, but they have traveled this soil health journey together. A sign in their shop reads, “You do not inherit the land from your ancestors, you borrow it from your children.” And now it is Taylor who is looking towards the future with his children in mind. |
Taylor’s operation was strictly cotton-only, but today they’ve moved to a more diverse operation which includes corn, soybeans, peanuts and cows. While the cotton soil was very productive, continuous cotton production and the tilling practices and the recommended amount of fertilizer for that time began to break down their soils, becoming thin and highly erosive. The winter rains and spring winds resulted in erosion and gullies appeared throughout the fields.
As a means to battle widespread erosion, in the early 1990s, the Taylors began exploring the use of cover crops – keeping a living root in the soil year-round to hold the soil in place. They found that cover crops had additional soil health benefits such as increased water infiltration and retention, and the nutrients didn’t runoff. When incorporating cover crops, the Taylors began decreasing their tillage to very limited and no-till in most areas. Cover crops are now on approximately 90 percent of their acreage.
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If you or someone you know would like to join the NACD Soil Health Champions Network, please visit the NACD website or contact NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason, at beth-mason@nacdnet.org, for more information. |
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Take the Annual Meeting Survey |
Did you attend NACD’s 76th Annual Meeting in Orlando? If so, we’d love your feedback!
Please take our 2022 Annual Meeting Survey here. Your feedback helps us gain insight on what you liked about this year’s meeting and how we can make improvements in the future. |
Join Us For NACD's
Virtual Fly-In and Advocacy Trainings
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NACD’s 2022 Fly-In will be held virtually on March 22. NACD’s Government Affairs team will be hosting an advocacy training via Zoom at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on March 8 and March 10 for members and partners participating in the Virtual Fly-In. In addition to a review of the issue papers, the advocacy training will review what to expect when meeting with legislators, how to prepare, and the basics of connecting with policymakers. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask any questions about the upcoming meetings or NACD’s available resources.
Please contact NACD Director of Government Affairs Chris Young at chris-young@nacdnet.org if you have any qu estions about NACD’s Virtual Fly-In, the Zoom training, or if you need additional information. Stay tuned to future eResource editions for updates and more information. |
Congressman Bishop Recognizes GA Conservation Leaders |
At the Lower Chattahoochee Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual awards banquet on Tuesday, February 22, Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) honored Georgia's conservation leaders. In addition to recognizing all the county-level awardees for their conservation efforts, Congressman Bishop gave special recognition to Mark Masters and Robbie Faust. Masters currently serves as president of the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts and was a recent graduate of NCF’s Next Generation Leadership Institute. Faust and his family, agricultural producers from Terrell County, were awarded the national Friend of Conservation Award by NACD at the annual meeting last month in Orlando, FL.
Congressman Bishop thanked them for their leadership and strong representation of Southwest Georgia and reminded the audience of the importance of conserving our natural resources. Bishop represents Georgia’s Second Congressional District and currently serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and as Chair of the Agricultural Appropriations Subcommittee.
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USDA to Host Webinar on Climate-Smart Commodities Funding Opportunity |
USDA recently launched the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities opportunity, which provides $1 billion for pilot projects that create market opportunities for U.S. agricultural and forestry products that use climate-smart practices and include innovative, cost-effective ways to measure and verify greenhouse gas benefits. Equity is central to this effort, and USDA is seeking a diverse set of applications for this funding with meaningful involvement of small and historically underserved producers.
On March 3, USDA is hosting a webinar to go over the funding opportunity and answer questions. This webinar will focus on the second funding pool, which is limited to particularly innovative pilot projects, with an emphasis on enrollment of small and/or underserved producers and/or monitoring, reporting, and verification activities developed at minority-serving institutions. The equity and outreach criteria will also be weighted more heavily for this funding pool.
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NASCA Seeks Executive Director |
The National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA) seeks an outstanding individual with experience in organizational leadership to serve as Executive Director. They must possess excellent communication skills, with the ability to develop meaningful working relationships with a wide array of partnering organizations and individuals.
The role is responsible for implementing the strategic plan for the organization. While the Board of Directors sets strategic priorities for the organization, it is the responsibility of the Executive Director to direct all operations, manage all contracts and contractors, oversee all fiscal management, develop and maintain partnerships, and manage all internal and external communications on behalf of NASCA.
Statements of proposal will be received until 4:00 p.m. EDT on April 1, 2022. These materials should be sent electronically via e-mail to Bill Smith, NASCA President, at bill.smith@nascanet.org.
More information about the request for proposals can be found here.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events!
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