Conservation Update  
 
July 18 - 31, 2013 
Executive Director's Report

Pathway to Water Quality Volunteers Still Needed

We still have slots open for Pathway to Water Quality. Sign up here! If you are willing to work a shift, contact DeeDee Sigler. Thanks for supporting conservation!

 

Celebrate PWQ's 20th Anniversary

Join us on Wednesday, August 14, at 9:30 a.m. at the front of Pathway to Water Quality. We'll rededicate the Indiana Conservation Partnership's premiere soil health and water quality exhibit. Join Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann and our conservation leaders, along with Pathway committee members past and present and those who have made the pond restoration for this 20th anniversary possible! 


ICP's Training and Certification Program Update 
Read the report here. The Indiana Conservation Partnership's (ICP) Training and Certification Program (TCP) strives to improve efficiency in training amongst all technical employees, resulting in a more highly skilled workforce and seamless delivery to customers. The joint move towards a more standardized training, certification and development program was formalized by an ICP Agreement in September 2010. The program's Summer 2013 report is now available for review. It lists upcoming training dates and shares the current progress of the training program.

River Friendly Farmer logoCongratulations, 2013 River Friendly Farmers! 

Join us on Wednesday, August 14 at 1 p.m. in the 4-H Exhibit Hall Auditorium (2nd floor) for the 2013 River Friendly Farmer Awards Ceremony! We will honor 46 recipients for their outstanding conservation management practices on the farm.  

 

Supervisor Summit: August 27 

Join other SWCD chairs and vice chairs at a workshop geared specifically towards the leadership roles of these important positions. Register online or download a flyer.


Thank You, Districts! 

Thank you to the Districts who have submitted their 2013 dues. View the list of Districts who have paid their dues here.

 

Have a great week!
Jennifer Boyle Warner, IASWCD Executive Director
CCSI News  oilseed radish in the field

Conservation in Action 

Reading an article about conservation practices doesn't quite have the same impact as seeing it in action. Check out and share these videos for more information on how to choose and plant cover crops, how to judge soil texture by feel, how to adjust a no-till planter, and more. 


We Have a Ton of Events to Share!
CCSI events are going on all over the state, and we are particularly excited to begin showcasing a couple events that focus on specific aspects of conservation management practices. Upcoming CCSI events and links to an agenda and registration are all in the green box to the right. We hope to see you and farmers from your region at an event soon!

  

Keep updated with CCSI events on Facebook and Twitter  

71st Annual Conference of Indiana SWCDs: January 6 - 8

As we head into fall, we will be sharing more information about this exciting annual conference in this newsletter section. Keep an eye on your mailbox as well for updates!

 

IASWCD Annual Awards are all due September 9. Application links are below. Please email [email protected] with any questions.

Also, please submit Resolutions for annual IASWCD Business Meeting by September 20. You can read more about the resolutions process here, or download the resolution form here

Get In Touch

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Upcoming Events

 
August 14:
River Friendly Farmer Awards Ceremony

August 14:
Pathway to Water Quality 20th Anniversary Celebration

August 27:
SWCD Supervisor Summit

 

September 24 - 25:

Indiana District Employees' Association Annual Conference

 

January 6-8:

Annual Conference  

of Indiana SWCDs 


CCSI Events

Upcoming Deadlines

 

Ongoing:

 Awesome Food 

Each month, Awesome Food will give one applicant $1,000 to help pull off an awesome idea involving food. Anyone is eligible to apply.

 

October 1:

Indiana Forestry Education Foundation Small Grants

Maximum $500 per request for projects. Email [email protected] to request an application.

 

October 15: 

 Wild Ones Invites Applications for Native Plant Education Projects: Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to schools, nonprofits, and other nonprofit places of learning working on projects that use native plants to develop an appreciation for nature among students. 

 

   

Other News
Web Soil Survey Tool Upgrade 
Web Soil Survey, managed by the NRCS, is an important tool used by many landowners throughout the state to assist in making conservation-minded land use decisions. The latest, upgraded version can be accessed at http://websoilsurvey. nrcs.usda.gov. The web-based application provides anyone with computer access a wealth of free soils information along with soil maps, properties and interpretations aimed at helping with land use decisions. Notable changes to the Web Soil Survey include improved map appearance, increased Area of Interest acreage and upgraded options for changing map properties to include: soil boundary color; soil boundary thickness; soil label size and background image shading. 

 

10,400 Acres Accepted Into CRP 

The USDA will accept almost 10,400 acres into the Conservation Reserve Program this year. CRP is a voluntary program that allows eligible landowners to receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving covers on eligible farmland throughout the duration of their 10 to 15 year contracts. Under CRP, farmers plant grasses and trees in fields and along streams or rivers. Read the full news release here.