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September 20, 2011
Registration Opens for NACD’s 66th Annual Meeting
Registration is now open for NACD’s 66th Annual Meeting,
scheduled for Jan. 29 - Feb. 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nev.!
Based on the theme, "Conservation: We're All In!" the event will
highlight a variety of partners in conservation and projects on the
ground, demonstrating that we can do more for conservation
when we all work together. The conference will offer a wide range
of informative sessions and networking opportunities, in addition
to a Conservation Expo showcasing the latest products and
technologies in conservation from partners across the country.
For more information, visit the Annual Meeting website.
More details will become available as the event draws near, so
be sure to check back for further updates.
We hope to see you in Vegas!
NACD Budget Update
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote this
week on a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government
running through Nov.18. The two-month CR would fund
government at the level agreed upon in the recently-passed
Budget Control Act. This is a 1.5 percent cut from the fiscal year
(FY) 2011 level. The CR also includes $3.65 billion for disaster relief.
Congress has yet to pass any of the twelve appropriations bills.
Due to the time constraints, it’s unlikely they will attempt to pass
the bills individually. Instead, it’s expected they will use the two-month
extension to negotiate an omnibus appropriations package funding
government programs for the remainder of FY 2012.
Yesterday, President Obama unveiled his deficit-reduction plan.
The proposal would cut spending by $3 trillion over 10 years, including
a $2 billion cut to conservation programs. The Administration believes
this cut can be made by “better targeting conservation funding to
the most cost-effective and environmentally-beneficial programs
and practices.”
Congress is scheduled to be in recess next week. Take advantage
of this great opportunity to organize a personal meeting or district
tour to share your success stories and demonstrate the key role
conservation districts play in protecting the nation’s natural resources.
Be sure to check your local newspapers and your member’s
website for local events and town hall meetings in your community.
Forests in the Farm Bill Letter
Last week, NACD offered its support for the Forests in the Farm
Bill Coalition’s (FIFB) 2012 Farm Bill priorities. NACD is one of
70 organizations listed in a letter sent to Congressional leaders.
The FIFB is a diverse group of conservation, forest landowner,
industry, academia, and community organizations that first came
together in preparation for the 2008 Farm Bill.
In its letter to Congress, the Coalition identifies a number of issues
threatening America’s private forestlands, including parcelization,
invasive species, insects and wildfire. The letter states: “As you
may know, the 2008 Farm Bill included significant improvements
for forest owners, supporting more forest conservation and
agroforestry practices and activities across the country. In the
2012 Farm Bill, we hope to build on the success of the 2008
Farm Bill and make further improvements, while respecting the
budget situation.”
The Forests in the Farm Bill Coalition has outlined four priorities
for the 2012 Farm Bill: (1) including strong provisions for forests
in conservation programs, (2) strengthening forestry outreach,
education, research, and inventory programs, (3) combating
forest-related invasive species, and (4) improving forest market
opportunities.
To read the full letter, click here.
National Conservation Partnership meets in Ohio
Last week, the National Conservation Partnership leaders held
their quarterly meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Attendees included
NRCS Chief Dave White, NACD President Gene Schmidt, NACD,
NARC&DC President Jim Sipperly, NCDEA President Connie
Richmeier, and host and chair for this meeting, Don Underwood,
President of NASCA.
A number of agenda items were addressed, including updates
on 2012 Farm Bill hearings, new roles and opportunities for
RC&D Councils, a presentation on a water quality trading project
in the Ohio River Basin, and developing plans for a nationwide
video conference with State Conservation Partnerships in the
early spring of next year. More information will be provided on
this last item as the agenda and timeframes are specified.
Sage Grouse Conservation Grants Available
The Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD)
recently announced another round of mini-grants to help conserve
Sage Grouse in Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota, with
funding provided by the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau
of Land Management.
The Sage Grouse is the largest grouse in North America, and
has been in decline due to loss of habitat. According to MACD
Executive Director Jeff Tiberi, these grants are a great source
of funding for youth groups interested in the outdoors or other
smaller projects that help conserve natural resources.
For questions, or to request a copy of the grant application,
email Jeff Tiberi at jtiberi@macdnet.org. Applications are due
by Wednesday, Nov. 30.
National Soil Project Seeks Donors
Researchers at Northeastern University in Boston are seeking
districts’ help with their National Soil Research Project (NSP).
The project aims to measure the humic acid (HA), fulvic acid
(FA) and humin (HU) contents of the nation’s agricultural topsoils
(0 – 30 cm) with newly-developed, reproducible measurement
methods.
HA, FA and HU represent the sequestered carbon content of a
soil. They are major microbially-resistant organic soil components
that retain water, act as soil buffers, improve soil texture/permeability,
regulate our climate, and support many other healthy soil functions.
According researchers, our HAs and FAs are being depleted over
time, leading to poorer soil quality.
Preliminary results from 680samples from across the nation
indicate wide variation in soil HA and FA contents. The NSP is
requesting 2oz, air-dried agricultural topsoil samples from
American farms and counties. Parcel post will be reimbursed
on request. Please submit a Sample Reply Form
with each sample and provide GPS, etc. on the form.
For more information, email Principal Research Scientist Dr. Elham
Ghabbour at e.ghabbour@neu.edu or Chemistry Professor Geoffrey
Davies at g.davies@neu.edu, or visit the website.
Project results will be shared with soil donors on request.
New RCA Interactive Data Website
The Soil and Water Resources Conservation Act (RCA)
authorizes USDA to report on the condition of natural resources
and to analyze conservation programs and opportunities. In
support of the RCA effort, USDA has launched the RCA Data
Viewer. This website provides data reports at the state, regional
and national levels.
The site contains a wealth of information from Fiscal Years 2005-2010
for both viewing and downloading. Information was gathered from,
the National Conservation planning database, the Natural Resources
Inventory, the Conservation Effects Assessment Project reports,
the Ag Census and the Economic Research Service.
To access the RCA Interactive Data Website, use the following
steps:
- Go to www.nrcs.usda.gov
- On the left side (under ‘Browse by Subject’) click the “Technical
Resources” link.
- On the Technical Resources page, there is a section on the
right labeled “Highlights” click on the “Resources Conservation Act”
link.
- Scroll down the page to “RCA Data Sources.”
- Click on the RCA Interactive Data Viewer Link.
- Read the 4 basic steps and then you’re ready to “start RCA.”
This data viewer will be updated and expanded on a continuing
basis. Questions and suggestions for improvements can be directed
to Dan Mullarkey (SSRA-RAD), NRCS RCA Coordinator, at (301)
504-2344 or Daniel.mullarkey@wdc.usda.gov.
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