| Conservation Clips is a weekly collection of articles distributed by NACD that provides our members and partners with the latest news in what’s driving conservation. These articles are not indicative of NACD policy and are the opinions of their authors, unless otherwise noted. If you have a relevant submission or need assistance with accessing articles, please contact the NACD Communications Team.
NACD: NACD Awarded Climate Smart Commodities Program Funding Announced Wednesday, The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) has been selected as a partner in USDA’s $2.8 billion Climate Smart Commodities program.
Drainage Contractor: Barriers to Adoption of Conservation Drainage Practices Advances in the science of conservation drainage systems can allow producers to meet their water management needs while delivering on economic, environmental, and sustainability goals. But despite the proven benefits of conservation drainage practices, producers have yet to demand the practices on a wide enough basis to make a meaningful impact. USDA-NRCS: USDA Opens People’s Garden Initiative to Gardens Nationwide The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding its People’s Garden Initiative to include eligible gardens nationwide. School gardens, community gardens, urban farms, and small-scale agriculture projects can be recognized if they register and meet criteria including incorporating conservation practices and educating the public. USDA NRCS: Why “Organic” Matters – Soil Organic Matter, Soil Health and USDA-Certified Organic Farming Join on September 15 at 2:00pm ET to hear discussion of the history of organic farming in parallel to the history of soil conservation with a focus on soil health and soil organic matter, and how organic farming connects with the four NRCS principles of soil health. USDA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Historic Investment in Partnerships for 70 Climate-Smart Commodities and Rural Projects Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the Biden-Harris Administration through the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 selected projects under the first pool of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity, with projects from the second funding pool to be announced later this year.
Farm Forum: Collecting Tree Seeds Can be Rewarding Way to Preserve Local Adaptations Tree seeds serve as a sometimes inconvenient fact of life during the fall. However, collecting these seeds is an excellent way to promote native biodiversity and even make extra cash. Vermont Public Radio: New Program Pays Small Landowners to Let Their Trees Grow Old and Make Their Forests More Resilient to Climate Change A new program from The Nature Conservancy and American Forest Foundation called the Family Forest Carbon Program pays small landowners to manage their forests for climate resilience — as well as for carbon sequestration. WRIC: Organizations Come Together to Tackle Urban Heat Islands in Richmond An urban heat island was torn apart in Richmond, in an effort by The Virginia Department of Forestry, City of Richmond Department of Public Works and Chesapeake Bay Program to improve urban canopies throughout the city. The Maui News: New Training Helps Nurseries be on the Lookout for Invasive Species The Pest Prevention Training Program was created by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The training, offered by the island-based Invasive Species Committees, will feature information about the identification, reporting and best management practices for high-risk pests. Daily Independent: Urban Phoenix Farming Grows with Infusion of City Money The city of Phoenix has allocated more money this year to protect urban farmland from development. In June 2021, the Phoenix City Council approved $1 million for the Farmland Preservation Program, part of its Phoenix Resilient Food System Program. Your Observer: Wild Florida: Invasive Plants Displace Natives, Threaten Biodiversity Many non-native plants have been introduced in the region and unlike native species, they don’t serve a functional ecological role and have minimal wildlife value. With no local predators, some may rapidly reproduce, spreading at the expense of native species. The Corvallis Advocate: Oregon State University Extension Recommends Preparing Soil for Next Year’s Gardens No one wants to think of harvest’s end as the vegetable garden reaches its peak, but now’s the time to plant over-winter cover crops to improve your soil for next season. Lewistown Sentinel: Snyder Co. Offers Cover Crop Program The Snyder County Conservation District (SCCD) is offering a program to encourage county farmers to plant cover crops for the first time within the Middle Creek Watershed. Reimbursements and/or payments can be forwarded to the farmer, the seed dealer, and/or the custom drill operator. The Post-Journal: Many Factors at Play for Harmful Algal Blooms Individual lakes can have traits that make them productive environments for algae. A lot of the ongoing work in this field is aimed at getting a clearer picture of these different recipes, so that we can understand how and why HABs form and what we can do to combat them. AgNet West Radio Network: Pollinator Habitat Program Now Accepting Grant Applications The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting grant applications for the program. Administered by CDFA’s Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation, the PHP is designed to increase pollinator habitat on agricultural lands in California. The Colorado Sun: 100 Years After the Colorado River Compact, the Southwest is Nearing a Crisis Point Pressure has intensified on the river as the driest 22-year stretch in the past 1,200 years has gripped the Southwest. AgWeek: Sugarbeet Grower ‘Trying a Thing,’ with Interseeded Cover Crop Experiment With the calendar turning to September, Vance Johnson was “trying a thing,” as he says, with another cover crop experiment. Johnson, who farms near Breckenridge in the southern Red River Valley of Minnesota, spent part of Sept. 1 interseeding a cover crop mixture between the rows of one of his sugarbeet fields. The Photo News: Invasive Hydrilla found at Harriman State Park Boaters should follow “Clean, Drain, Dry” practices to prevent spread of invasive species. Hydrilla, an aquatic invasive species, was recently identified at Harriman State Park in Lake Sebago during routine surveys by the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. Inside Indiana Business: IU Shares $1.6M Grant to Examine Cover Crops Researchers from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Bloomington will share in a $1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to better understand the usefulness of cover crops. The Sheridan Press: Conservation District Receives Grant from Wyoming Community Foundation The Sheridan County Conservation District was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Wyoming Community Foundation through the Sheridan Area Opportunities Fund and the WYCF Sheridan-Johnson area local board. The grant was used to support outreach and coordination efforts associated with the Acme Power Plant Reclamation Project. They New York Times: ‘Aggressive’ Northern California Wildfire Damages More Buildings The Mosquito fire roaring through the dry Sierra Nevada foothills northeast of Sacramento made an unexpected surge on Tuesday afternoon, hours after firefighters expressed cautious optimism that they were gaining control over the blaze.
|