Conservation Posters Due Today

Don't forget 2008 conservation posters are due today, Friday, October 31, 2008.

The office will be open until 6:00 p.m. to accept posters with this year's theme "Water is Life" .

All 1st Place posters will be sent on to the State-wide contest. Dugdemona Soil & Water Conservation Poster winners will be announced Wednesday, November 19, 2008 and be poster here shortly thereafter.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

2009 Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Farmers, livestock producers and other landowners can now take advantage of the conservation practices available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) by applying for the program at their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office, but they must do so by Friday October 31, 2008 to be considered in the first ranking pool. The deadline for the second ranking pool will be announced soon, however applications will be taken on a continuous basis.

EQIP is a cost-share program that helps landowners and operators install conservation practices on cropland, grazing lands and forested lands. Practices available for cost-share that you may be interested in include:

Pasture/Grazingland -
Fence
Heavy Use Area Protection
Pasture & Hay Planting
Watering Facility
Legume planting in pasture
Pipeline

Forestry -
Firebreak
Forest Stand Improvement
Conversions to forest
Prescribed Burning
Pre-commercial Thinning
Reforestation

Poultry -
Composting Facility
Waste Storage Facility
Waste Utilization
CNMP Development

On a statewide basis, we have over 50 conservation practices that agricultural producers can sign up for right now. We have cost sharing assistance for practices from fencing to pipedrops and from ag waste facilities to underground irrigation pipelines. EQIP offers many practices to help farmers and livestock producers install conservation on farms. We are encouraging applicants to come by our offices, the USDA Field Offices which serve the Dugdemona SWCD are located in either Ruston, Columbia, or Natchitoches Louisiana. Please come by for more detailed information on the program in Caldwell, Jackson and Winn Parishes.

Every application will be ranked according to total environmental benefits derived from the implementation of conservation practices and the best will be funded. NRCS evaluates each application using a state and locally developed evaluation process. High priorities are given to applications that encourage the use of cost-effective conservation practices, address state and national conservation priorities and optimize environmental benefits.

EQIP helps producers through cost sharing and incentive payments for the implementation of conservation practices. All EQIP activities must be carried out according to a conservation plan of operations developed by the producer, NRCS and in cooperation with the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District.

The supervisors of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts realize that EQIP, and the cost sharing that goes along with it, can make a big difference for producers in Caldwell, Jackson and Winn Parishes and we want to help them as much as possible. EQIP has the potential of making a great impact on our local natural resources and we want all producers to take a good look at this opportunity.

Individuals qualifying as beginning farmers or limited-resource farmers may be eligible for a greater payment rate than other producers.

Incentive payments may be made to encourage a producer to adopt land management practices such as nutrient management, manure management, integrated pest management, irrigation water management and shallow water management for wildlife, or to develop a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan.

New practices offered this year include protection for animal feeding areas and reforestation in addition to other beneficial land practices. For more information on the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and how it may help you and your operation, call

(318) 649-2651 ext. 3 for Caldwell Parish
(318) 255-3136 ext. 3 for Jackson Parish
(318) 357-8366 ext. 3 for Winn Parish

or the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District Office at

(318) 628-4438

All programs and services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or disability.

2008 Conservation Essay Contest Rules

2008

Conservation Essay Contest

Rules

1. The student must be in the 8th or 9th grade to be eligible.
2. The Essay must be the original work of the student. Teacher counseling is permitted. No more than 20% may be direct copy from other sources and directly quoted material must be credited to the author. Paraphrasing is permitted.
3. Resource conservation material may be obtained from the Soil and Water Conservation District in your parish, or any other sources with material pertaining to this year’s theme.
4. The essay must be typed and double-spaced.
5. The essay will consist of a minimum of 300 words and a maximum of 500 words. A single character word or a hyphened word constitutes one word.
6. The number of words contained in the essay must be written in the upper right-hand corner of page 1 in the essay (NOT THE TITLE PAGE).
7. Each essay will be on the basis of 50% for content, 35%for composition, and 15% for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness.
8. Then information should be factually correct and should depict the theme.
9. The title page of the essay must include the following:
· The student’s name and home address.
· Grade the student is in.
· The name and address of the school.
· The teacher’s name.
· The name of the sponsoring Soil and Water Conservation District
· The theme title.
· The date.
10. Entries must be received by The Dugdemona Soil and Water

Conservation District office

by Friday, December 12, 2008.

More Pictures from the NACD South Central Meeting

2008 NACD South Central Rgional Meeting in Hot Springs, Arkansas

The Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts served as hosts of the 2008 NACD South Central Region at the historic Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Ark. Conference attendees received updates on a variety of conservation topics, including 2008 Farm Bill implementation and the importance of locally-led Conservation, as well as many beneficial presentations on conservation district operations. Providing an update on NACD's many activities was NACD's Second Vice President Bob Cordova.

More than 200 conservation district officials and conservation leaders from across the South Central Region gathered to discuss issues facing conservation districts in the coming year. South Central Region Chair Sonny Jones of Arkansas called the meeting to order. Jones presented three goals for the meeting 1) improving the use of our conservation resources 2) growing the conservation community and 3) strengthening the conservation partnership. NACD Second Vice President Bob Cordova addressed the group, as well as other members of the conservation partnership. The focus of the presentations was on the future of conservation and meeting new challenges in the future.

One highlight of the conference was Susan Schultz, NACD Stewardship & Education, for two separate sessions. Ms. Schultz spoke to NCDEA South central Region employees on the topic of “How to Get Your District Noticed”. Ms. Schultz also gave a “Capacity Building Workshop” emphasizing Grant Proposal Writing. Cynthia Rhoads, Auditor for Arkansas Conservation Districts gave an excellent presentation to the group on Financial Management for Districts, highlighting policies and procedures for fiscal responsibility and way to reduce misuse and theft of district funds.
NCDEA Officers are as follows:
President- Carolann Corado
Vice-President- Vikkie Lafollette
Treasurer- Sharon Underwood
Secretary- Ruth Cunningham
South Central Region Representative- Sharon Underwood

Also at the meeting, Rick Jeans of Oklahoma was elected as the new South Central Region Chair. He will begin his term in at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Louisiana will host the 2009 South Central Regional meeting.

Conservation Essay Contest

Join the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District as we celebrate conservation by participating in the Conservation Essay Contest, with the theme “Water is Life.”

The contest will have two categories: 8th Grade and 9th Grade.

The winners will be awarded with cash prizes of: $100.00, $50.00, and $25.00.

This year we will reward the teacher whose student wins first place, by giving them a cash award of $100.00.

The Essay must be the original work of the student. Teacher counseling is permitted. No more than 20% may be direct copy from other sources and directly quoted material must be credited to the author. Paraphrasing is permitted. Resource conservation material may be obtained from the Soil and Water Conservation District in your parish, or any other sources with material pertaining to this year’s theme. The essay must be typed and double-spaced and will consist of a minimum of 300 words and a maximum of 500 words. Each essay will be on the basis of 50% for content, 35%for composition, and 15% for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and neatness. Then information should be factually correct and should depict the theme.

This year’s theme, “Water is Life” focuses on water– a non renewable natural resource and how this precious resource may become increasingly scarce as we place more demands on fresh water supplies. The water on Earth has been here since the beginning of time, it contains all the water we will ever have. Earth's waters are constantly in motion in a process known as the hydrologic cycle. The hydrologic cycle has no beginning and no end. No water is gained or lost in the cycle, but the fresh water available to users can fluctuate due to cycles in the weather and changes in water quality. Throughout time, the same water has been transferred from the oceans into the Earth's atmosphere and dropped on land again. That means the water we use today is the same water that was here when dinosaurs roamed the land. Less than 1 percent of all the water on Earth is fresh water that we can actually use. How do we conserve it? Participating in this contest will teach your students just how big of an impact one person can make through conservation.

For information about the conservation essay contest and conservation, contact the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District office by calling (318) 628-4438 or visit the office at 301 West Main Street, Suite 207, Winnfield, Louisiana 71483 (We are located in Room 207 above the Winn Parish Health Unit.)

Learn about the many reasons we should all “celebrate conservation.” We are looking forward to working with our schools in Caldwell, Jackson and Winn Parish and receiving our student’s entries for this essay contest and other projects we have planned for the 2008-2009 school year.

Join the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District as we celebrate conservation by participating in the Conservation Poster Contest. Any student in grades K-12 in the schools located in the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District is eligible to enter the poster contest. The District includes Caldwell, Jackson and Winn parishes. There are five categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.

The Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District will award the following prizes in each category: 1st Place- $25.00, 2nd Place - $15.00 and 3rd Place 10.00

The 18th annual Conservation Poster Contest provides kindergarten through twelfth grade students with an opportunity to share their thoughts about soil, water and related natural resource issues. “This year’s theme is “Water is life”.
This year’s theme, “Water is life” focuses on water – a non renewable natural resource and how this precious resource may become increasingly scarce as we place more demands on fresh water supplies.

Any media may be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect (paint, crayon, colored pencil, charcoal, paper, or other material). All posters must have completed entry forms attached to the back of the poster. The poster must depict the conservation theme, “Water is life”. The poster size must be between 8.5” X 11” and 22” X 28”. All posters should be submitted to the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District by Friday, October 31, 2008. For information about the contest or conservation, contact the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District office by calling (318) 628-4438 or visit the office at 301 West Main Street, Suite 207, Winnfield, Louisiana 71483 (We are located in Room 207 above the Winn Parish Health Unit.) Learn about the many reasons “water is life.” We are looking forward to working with our schools in Caldwell, Jackson and Winn Parish and receiving our student’s entries for this poster contest and other projects we have planned for this school year.

Poster Pick Up Schedule:

Caldwell Parish: Posters should be turned in to the school office by Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. for pick up or brought to the Dugdemona SWCD office by Friday, October 31, 2008 no later than 5:00 p.m.

Jackson Parish: Poster should be turned in to the school office by Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. for pick up or brought to the Dugdemona SWCD office by Friday, October 31, 2008 no later than 5:00 p.m.

Winn Parish: Posters should be turned into the school office by Friday, October 31, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. for pick up or should be brought to the Dugdemona SWCD office by Friday, October 31, 2008 no later than 5:00 o.m.