National Association of Conservation Districts

Addendum to The Resource:
Winter 2011-2012

What does the word "diversity" mean to you? For districts across the country, diversity takes on a variety of forms. But whether it's diversity of funding, programs, boards, or partners, districts are finding that diversity is a key component to building, and sustaining, a successful future for local conservation. The stories below highlight a number of creative ways in which districts have successfully incorporated diversity into their daily operations.

Vanderburgh Co. Soil and Water Conservation District (Indiana)

The Eagle Slough Natural Area is a 127 acre wetland conservation and education project in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, near the City of Evansville, in the flood plain of the Ohio River immediately north of the Ellis Park horse racing track.

All of the Eagle Slough property is forested except the northern most part which consists of various lakes appropriate for migrating waterfowl. A new Observation Deck overlooks one of these lakes, providing birding and educational opportunities year-round. To date, over one hundred fifty species of birds and waterfowl have been sited at Eagle Slough. The vegetation is varied but typical for an Ohio River wetland. Biologically significant, however, is the existence of bald cypress trees which are not typically found north of the Ohio River.

A distinctive manmade feature of Eagle Slough is an old abandoned railroad bed that bisects the property from north to south. This railroad bed is of such an elevation that it does not usually flood, even when the rest of the Slough is under water during seasonal flooding. Prior to the Great Flood of 1937, a wooden trestle carried passenger trains from Evansville across Eagle Slough to a railroad ferry depot near the existing Ohio River bridge for Highway 41.

Eagle Slough Natural Area exists for public hiking, wildlife viewing and environmental education. The main trail has been improved and is handicap-accessible, all the way to and including the Observation Deck. An information kiosk has been built for visitors. Along the trail, an outdoor classroom has been built for schools and youth groups, and educational signage has been created to highlight the unique aspects of Eagle Slough.

For a visual representation of the Eagle Slough Natural Area, view the following video link for the documentary WHERE WATERS WED, SOUTHWEST INDIANA.

Contact: Bonnie Bittner
Vanderburgh Co. SWCD
Inglefield, IN
(812) 897-2840 Ext. 6

Suwannee County Conservation District (Florida)

The Suwannee County Conservation District (SCCD) sponsored its' 3rd Annual Wildlife Food Plot Field Day and Archery Tournament at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch near Live Oak, Florida.

The participants were treated to guest speakers Steve Shea, of Shea Wildlife and Environmental Services, INC, and Chris Vann, (Lafayette County Extension Agent). Mr. Shea has managed white-tailed deer in Florida for more than 25 years, and Mr. Vann has extensive experience in wildlife forage crops and is knowledgeable of soils in North Florida.

The Food Plot Tour was hosted by Garrett McCray, (SCCD), and Joel Love (Environmental Field Representative, Florida Department of Agriculture). The participants were shown 15 different forage crops that many species in North Florida could thrive on during the winter months when food is scarce.

Following the Food Plot Demonstration, a lunch was provided by SCCD.

The afternoon was the time for the 16 participants in the Archery Tournament. They had hoped for 25-30, but other obligations limited the field to 16 shooters in youth and adult classes. Good weather and the realistic 3-D targets provided a challenge for all the archers, and prizes were provided for 3 places in each division.

The Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch received $500.00 from SCCD and from registration fees for hosting the event. Ranch boys helped with set-up and were a large part of making the day a success.

For further information on hosting a similar event, you may contact the SCCD at: 386-362-2622 ext: 3 or by email: brownma55@rocketmail.com.

LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District (Indiana)

During the 2010-2011 school year, the LaPorte County SWCD partnered with a local environmental group, Save the Dunes to pilot a yearlong education program focused on the Great Lakes. The SWCD and Save the Dunes visited 4th graders at a local elementary school once a month to implement topical programming. This school, Lake Hills Elementary, is located less than a mile from the shores of Lake Michigan, yet many of the students had never visited the beach and knew very little about this precious source of fresh water. During the course of the year, the students learned about wetlands, birds, non-point source pollution, fish, invasive species, and many other topics. The students' enthusiasm even led to a storm-drain stenciling project in their neighborhood!

Due to the overwhelming success of the program, the partners wanted to roll it out in a big way for the 2011-2012 school year. We planned to kick it off during Coastal Awareness Month, which was in September. The SWCD applied for and received a grant from the Lake Michigan DNR Coastal Program. For an event this large, many partners would be necessary, so the SWCD invited the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association, the Fisheries Biologists at the DNR, Save the Dunes, the Lubeznik Center for the Arts and Grand Valley State University.

The staff of the Annis Water Resources Institute at Grand Valley State University in Muskegon, MI brought the W.G. Jackson Research vessel to the port in Michigan City, IN. Students were able to board the vessel and utilize tools and techniques to assess the quality of the water in Lake Michigan. They did plankton counts, clarity tests, water chemistry tests and looked for aquatic insects. This reinforced the programming they'd received the year before, where we'd told them about how what we do on the land has an impact on the quality of the water in our Great Lake.

The Northwest Indiana Paddling Association taught the students the proper way to wear a flotation device, how to get into and out of a kayak, and how to hold and use their paddle. They also exposed the students to another way to use our Lake; to play!

The Fisheries Biologists taught the students about the use of electro-fishing as a tool to do an inventory of the fish in the Lake. They also showed the students some examples of some beautiful native fish species as well as some invasive species of fish. The students were able to learn about the fresh water food web and how delicate the balance is.

Finally, the Lubeznik Center for the Arts staff taught the students the art of Gyotaku-Japanese fish printing. The students learned about the history of this art as a way to document prize catches. They then got to try their hand by using rubber fish to make their own prints. The students' work was then displayed at the Art Center gallery for several weeks after the event so that the students could show off to their families.

The SWCD assisted the students in pulling together all of the information and will continue to visit them throughout the school year. The partnerships have been a very valuable way for the SWCD to expand its capacity and continue to get out the conservation message. After all, we all live in a watershed! It is our firm belief that unless a student has been exposed to something first hand, we cannot expect them to be moved to action to protect it. These students have now been given the experiences that will motivate them to make responsible choices in the future.

Contact: Nicole Messacar
219.326.6808, ext. 2115
2857 W St. Rd 2, Suite B, LaPorte, IN 46350

Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (Minnesota)

On Saturday, August 13, 2011 the Stearns County SWCD in Minnesota teamed up with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Stearns and Benton Counties, St. Cloud State University, local sportsman's clubs, businesses and others to host a day of family fun.

The event marked the third consecutive year of hosting the "Take a Day *OFF (Outdoor Family Fun) on the Mississippi River" event with an estimated 1,300 participants taking part in the day's activities. Attendees had the opportunity to take part in over 30 instructional hands-on activities, including make-n-take bird houses, canoeing, archery, and a special performance challenging the audience to evaluate their personal use of water asking "Are You Thirsty?"

One of the goals of the day was to offer youth and families, who traditionally do not have environmental mentors an opportunity to receive free hands on instruction in a variety of outdoor activities. To do this, free transportation was offered between the park and several St. Cloud Boys and Girls Club locations removing the transportation barrier for the underserved. The hope was that this experience would encourage natural resource recreation and stewardship across all social economic status groups in Central Minnesota.

In addition to offering hands-on instruction, the Stearns County SWCD's Mississippi River Renaissance Project wanted to highlight the Mississippi River. "Central MN residents do not realize how privileged they are to live, work, and drive along the banks of one of the world's most famous rivers, it has become too common in their everyday lives, almost completely forgotten," commented Kimberly Thielen Cremers, Central MN Mississippi River Renaissance Coordinator, "we are working to change those sentiments, by offering community awareness events and working closely with local leaders to develop long term stewardship plans to protect and preserve this River for future generations."

For more information on the Mississippi River Renaissance Project or the "Take a Day OFF..." event visit www.stearnscountyswcd.net or call 320-251-7800 ext 3.

Vinton Soil and Water Conservation District (Ohio)

The Vinton SWCD is located in Vinton County Ohio. The county has a population of approximately 13,000 and about 20% of the 263,000 acres within the county is owned by the state or federal government. Vinton County is one of two counties in Ohio that is over 70% wooded.

Due to limited funding, the SWCD has tried to find ways of bringing revenue and/or support to the district to keep it operating. The Vinton SWCD has partnered with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Divisions of Wildlife and Soil and Water Resources, the Vinton County Auditor and the Senior Employment Program as a means to bring funding and/or staffing to the office.

The district also partners with neighboring SWCD offices, US Forest Service, Vinton County Health Department, Raccoon Creek Partnership, Raccoon Creek Water Trail Association, Hocking College, ODNR-Division of Forestry, Natural Resource Conservation Service and OSU Extension to be able to provide a wide variety of programs in the county.

In summary what the Vinton SWCD has found is rather than trying to find just one partnership that serves as the answer to the districts dilemmas that we have worked to diversify our partnerships. Even though a partnership may not provide direct revenue the more the public is aware of what our district can provide the more valuable we become to the residents in our county and state.

Contact: Cody Hacker
31935 St. Rt. 93
McArthur, OH 45651
(740) 596-5676
cody.hacker@oh.nacdnet.net

Weiser River Soil Conservation District (Idaho)

The Weiser River SCD's plan is to inventory where and how much Jointed Goat-grass there actually is in the West Central Sage Grouse Planning Area and then begin eradication. We have begun the inventory work this past spring. Sharona Olsen used a Global Positioning System (GPS unit) to track the areas it is found and will download that information onto a map that partnering agencies can use. We have hired a contractor to spray the problem areas. Spring inventory was completed on August 8, 2011. There were approximately 427 road miles inventoried. The different roads inventoried were assigned a color based on the degree of jointed goat-grass infestation. There were several other layers added to the map that included the sage-grouse telemetry and known leks of sage-grouse.

Jointed goatgrass was found on every road that was traveled for this inventory. In many areas, the infestation was considered thick. A thick infestation label was given to areas where only jointed goatgrass was growing, with no bare ground and no other vegetation. There were a few areas in the county where jointed goatgrass was easily seen 100s of feet into the rangeland. It is impossible to say that the areas of thick infestation did not start out with only a few isolated plants and then spread to a thick cover of solely jointed goatgrass in a matter of only a few years.

This completed inventory will serve as a monitoring tool for watching the spread and or maintenance of this invasive weed. Priority will be given to the roads that were in close proximity to lek/nesting areas and the roads leading to the forest. The following groups or agencies have teamed up to fund this project: Natural Resources Conservation Service, South West Idaho Resource Advisory Committee, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Bureau of Land Management, Lower Weiser River CWMA, West Central Highlands Resource Conservation & Development, Adams County CWMA, Washington County Farm Bureau and Friends of the Weiser River Trail.

Contact:
Vicki Lukehart
Weiser River SCD
Weiser, Idaho
(208)549-4250

Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (Minnesota)

Since 2003, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has partnered with theBoard of Water & Soil Resources (BWSR) and Pheasants Forever Inc. to administer a Farm Bill Assistance grant program to help implement the USDA Farm Bill. The purpose of the grant is to promote and implement conservation programs that result in more grassland and wetland acres for water quality and wildlife habitat. BWSR has awarded several grants to Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) to hire staff for the promotion and implementation of the USDA Farm Bill conservation programs.

"Pheasants Forever applauds the MNDNR and BWSR for their leadership to help put sound conservation practices on the ground within the pheasant range." said Matt Holland, Pheasants Forever, Sr. Field Coordinator. "USDA farm programs help shape the landscape for pheasants, ducks, deer, and other wildlife found in agricultural areas. By restoring wetlands and grasslands and providing buffer strips, we can improve water quality, reduce erosion, and increase the abundance of fish and wildlife," added Holland.

In 2004, the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) initiated CRP promotion partnerships with several local groups. The Stearns SWCD and Pheasants Forever Inc. started working with the Sauk River Watershed District, Clearwater River Watershed District, Stearns County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency to help promote and implement the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

"These partnerships allow us to identify high priority areas of the county," said Jason Selvog, Farm Bill Biologist for Pheasants Forever Inc. "Working with these local groups is a great benefit because they have knowledge of where these programs are needed within their areas, and in many cases, have names of landowners that have expressed interest," said Selvog.

Since 2004, the Stearns SWCD partnerships have helped enroll over 20,000 acres of land into the CRP. Dennis Fuchs, administrator of the Stearns County SWCD, can attribute their success to the SWCD's ability to employ a Farm Bill Biologist to help market USDA Farm Bill programs. "This opportunity gives us the ability to reach more people and implement more conservation," said Fuchs.

Approximately 22 Soil and Water Conservation Districts are involved in the state's Farm Bill Assistance program and they are seeing an increased enrollment in conservation practices such as filter strips, riparian buffers, wetland restorations and living snow fences. These conservation practices help improve water quality and wildlife habitat. To date the Farm Bill Assistance program has helped enroll over 340,000 acres into conservation programs throughout Minnesota.

The Farm Bill Assistance program is funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, MN Department of Natural Resources, Board of Soil and Water Resources, Pheasants Forever and Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

All programs and services of the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District are available without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and marital or familial status.

Contacts:

Jason C. Selvog
Pheasants Forever, 320-251-7800 Ext. 3
Jason.Selvog@mn.nacdnet.net

Dennis Fuchs, Stearns County SWCD
320-251-7800 Ext. 3