Conservation Clip List for Friday April 1, 2022

NACD Blog: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funding Opportunities: Wildfire and Forestry

03/28/22

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes $3.3 billion for wildfire risk reduction efforts and $2 billion for the USDA and DOI to carry out ecological restoration projects on public and private lands. The bill enhances funding streams to mitigate wildfire risks.

NACD Blog: GACD Partners with Georgia DOT for Pollinators

03/29/22

The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD) supports pollinators through their Pollinator Initiative.

NACD Blog: Forestry Notes Q&A: Mark Megalos

03/29/22

Megalos recently shared time with NACD to discuss his role and some of the challenges and opportunities facing private forest landowners.

NACD Blog: President Biden Releases FY23 Budget Proposal

03/31/22

The White House officially released their fiscal year 2023 (FY23) budget request on March 28, 2022.  The release of the President’s budget proposal which outlines the administration’s spending priorities, is the first step in the FY23 appropriations process.

Hillsdale Collegian: Local Farm Bureau, Conservation District celebrate National Agriculture Week

By Michael Bachmann | Hillsdale, MI | North Central Region 
03/24/22

The Hillsdale County Farm Bureau and Hillsdale Conservation District partnered on March 22 to inform shoppers at the Market House Supermarket about local produce, dairy and meat products. The event kicked off their celebration of National Agriculture Week.

Iroquois Country’s Times-Republic: Iroquois SWCD taking applications for Conservation Practices Program
Watseka, IL | North Central Region
03/28/22

The Iroquois SWCD will be taking applications for its’ Conservation Practices Program (CPP) during the month of April, according to information provided. Land must physically lie in Iroquois County to be eligible.

The Courier: Cost share program for conservation practices
Lincoln, IL | North Central Region
03/27/22

The Logan County Soil and Water Conservation District is anticipating receiving cost share funds from the Illinois Department of Agriculture later this year. Once those funds are received the District will offer a cost share program for conservation practices for the fall of 2022.

Farm and Dairy: Ohio hosting international Envirothon competition
By Katie Nainiger | Salem, OH | North Central Region
03/31/22

The Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Ohio Envirothon Committee are excited to be hosting the 2022 NCF-Envirothon annual international competition this summer. It has been over 30 years since Ohio hosted this international competition.

USDA: Statement by Secretary Vilsack on the President’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget

Washington, DC | Northeast Region
03/28/22

“The President’s budget provides USDA with the tools needed to support a vibrant, revitalized, and prosperous rural America.”

High Plains Journal: Integrating soil health with an open attitude pays off, two advocates say
By Dave Bergmeier | Dodge City, KS | Northern Plains Region 
03/26/22

Two soil health advocates say regardless of what direction a producer goes he needs to make sure he stays profitable and think long term while making improvements each year.

Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education: 2021–2022 Report from the Field
College Park, MD | Northeast Region
March 2022

Whether grazing hay bales in the cold environs of North Dakota or growing breadfruit in Hawaii, identifying key strategies for proactively mitigating the effects of climate change in Vermont, or giving South Carolina farmers better access to wholesale markets, SARE projects are having a positive impact on agriculture throughout the United States.

Sand County Foundation: Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award Seeks Nominees
Madison, WI | North Central Region
03/28/22

Know an Oklahoma rancher, farmer or forestland owner who goes above and beyond in the care and management of natural resources? Nominate them for the 2022 Oklahoma Leopold Conservation Award.

Wilmington News Journal: Sound soil health and better production
By Tony Nye | OH | North Central Region
03/25/22

Sound soil management is required to meet essential plant needs for water, nutrients, oxygen, and a medium to hold their roots with as little management as possible.

AgriNews: Farmer shares ‘shocking’ soil health progress

By Tom Doran | Fairbury, IL | North Central Region

03/24/22

“We’re committed. We like it. We love what it’s doing to our soil. We feel it’s helped our profitability, plus all the other benefits of reducing erosion, improving water quality and all of those issues,” said Jim Ifft.

Sand County Foundation: Colorado Leopold Conservation Award Finalists Selected
Madison, WI | North Central Region
03/28/22

Finalists have been selected for the prestigious 2022 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award

Civil Eats: A Regenerative Grazing Revolution Is Taking Root in the Mid-Atlantic
By Lisa Held | Northeast Region 
03/30/22

Farmers are scaling up the practice in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and beyond—and it could simultaneously help clean up the Chesapeake Bay, mitigate climate change, and save small family farms.

No-Till Farmer: Transitioning a No-Till Legacy
By Martha Mintz | Brookfield, WI | North Central Region 
03/30/22

Slashing fuel, doubling soil organic matter, and retiring with pride were rewards for forging on in fringe no-till country.

Successful Farming: USDA Encourages Enrollment of Grassland into Working Land Conservation
03/30/22

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers and landowners to enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) starting next week through May 13, 2022.

My Journal Courier: Advocates push for greater awareness of soil health

By Jonah Chester | IL | North Central Region

03/26/22

Illinois environmental advocates are pushing lawmakers in Springfield to recognize the importance of soil health..

CNN: As drought pushes east, more intense wildfires are sparking in new areas
By Rachel Ramirez
03/29/22

Only a few months into 2022 and it’s already a dreadful year for wildfires. More than 14,781 separate wildfires have scorched over half a million acres as of this week, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, the largest number of fires year-to-date the agency has recorded in the past decade.

ScienceDaily: New estimation strategy improves soil carbon sampling in agricultural fields

Champaign, IL | North Central Region
03/23/22

The research team found that in a typical Midwestern agricultural field, public soil surveys and satellite imagery can be leveraged to efficiently select sample locations. This may reduce the number of samples needed to achieve a given precision (compared to random sampling).

AgInfo: New Legislation Would Improve Grazing and Wildlife Habitat Potential of Conservation Reserve Program
Walla Walla, WA | Pacific Region
03/28/22

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, have introduced the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Improvement Act.

AgWeek: North Dakota’s first woman FSA executive director talks labels and agriculture common ground
By Mikkel Pates | Fargo, ND | Northern Plains Region 
03/28/22

Marcy hopes people will realize she has a strong agriculture background. She said she’ll be “an advocate for all producers in North Dakota, not just 30 percent of the producers. I want all of the producers in North Dakota to succeed, to access USDA programs.”

Associated Press: Firefighters increase containment on Colorado wildfire
Boulder, CO | Southwest Region
03/27/22

A wildfire south of Boulder that forced nearly 20,000 people to flee was listed at 35 percent contained by Sunday afternoon and most evacuations had been lifted, officials with Boulder Fire-Rescue said.

Spectrum News 1: Sowing seeds of health at Hope Farm in Loch Sheldrake
By Olivia Leach | Albany, NY | Northeast Region 
03/28/22

“One of my favorite things is seeing the confidence that it gives people to learn how to grow their own food, and also just the joy of eating something that you grew yourself,” said Megan Greene, New Hope Community’s farm manager.

The Augusta Chronicle: Volunteers sought to help protect watershed

By Parish Howard | Augusta, GA | Southeast Region 
03/28/22

The Riverkeeper is looking for around 30 volunteers from the Louisville area and another 10 to 15 from the Mitchell-Sparta area to help cleanup popular sections of the upper Ogeechee watershed.

National Geographic: Earthworms are invasive—and likely hurting insects—in much of North America

By Alex Fox

03/29/22

Often considered a gardener’s best friend, earthworms are harming native species in forests where they don’t belong.

Natural Awakenings: Why We Need Wild Places: How to Invite Nature Back into Our Lives and Landscapes

By Sheryl DeVore | Irving, TX | South Central Region

03/31/22

“We need these places to save ourselves,” says Tallamy, who heads the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware.

St. George News: A thriving garden begins with a healthy foundation. Here’s what you should know about testing soil
By Melinda Myers | St. George, UT | Southwest Region 
03/26/22

Growing a beautiful landscape starts with the soil under your feet. The best place to start building a healthy soil foundation is with a soil test.

The Durango Herald: As drought outlook takes shape, preparations begin for wildfire season in Southwest Colorado
By Aedan Hannon | Durango, CO | Pacific Region 
03/28/22

Another dry summer with significant fire risk could be in order for Southwest Colorado as snow accumulation sits roughly a week away from its peak.

KERA News: Wildfires burning across Texas hurt rural areas that depend on agriculture
By Sascha Cordner | Dallas, TX |South Central Region 
03/29/22

Wildfires burning across Texas are not only devastating homes, they’re also negatively affecting agriculture, particularly in rural areas.

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