Join the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District as we celebrate conservation by participating in the Conservation Essay Contest, with the theme “Dig It! Secrets of Soil.” 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.
Essays are due by 5:00 p.m. Friday, December 18, 2009

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, “Dig It! The Secrets of Soil” focuses on soil. There is much to learn about soil. Almost all of the minerals and nutrients we need for life, to nurture us, to help us grow, to give us energy and keep us healthy come from fields, gardens, trees and pastures. Every plant, vegetable, or fruit that we eat gets its nutrients from the soil in which it grows. How much soil do we have on earth to depend on for the world's food supply? Look at the entire earth – 75% of the earth is covered with water in our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. What is left represents land which is about 25%. Over half of that land is desert, polar or mountainous regions where it is too hot, too cold or too high to be productive. That leaves us with 12.5% which includes land that is limited by terrain, fertility or too much rainfall. It could be too rocky, steep, shallow or to wet to sustain food production. It leaves us with a very small fragment of the land area about 10% which represents the soil everyone depends on for the entire world's food supply. This small amount competes with all other soil needs such as, housing, cities, schools, hospitals, shopping centers, landfills and more. Soil is a precious natural resource.

The Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District wants to help people in our community to learn how important it is to help conserve all our natural resources and how easy it can be. 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 210, Winnfield, Louisiana 71483 (We are located in Room 210 above the Winn Parish Health Unit.)

For information about the conservation essay contest contact the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District office by calling (318) 628-4438 or 628-2352 or visit the office at 301 West Main Street, Suite 210 in Winnfield.

Please visit our Conservation Poster & Essay Contest website at http://dugdemonaswcd.shutterfly.com/ for entry forms, contest rules and other information concerning our 2009 contests. 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.

Recovery Act Funding In Louisiana

Recovery Act Funding In Louisiana

$4,470,00 Million from Recovery Act for Rehabilitating of Two Louisiana Watersheds
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on April 16, 2009, that the USDA will be sending $4,470,000 to Louisiana state and local governments to improve water quality, increase water supply, decrease soil erosion, and improve fish and wildlife habitat in rural communities as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Major benefits include improved community safety and health, flood mitigation, sediment control, and enhanced fish and wildlife habitat.

ARRA funds will be used in Red Bayou and Bayou Duralde-Lower Nezpique Watersheds in Louisiana to develop conservation measures such as planting vegetative cover and creating shallow water ponds to improve wildlife habitat, improving irrigation efficiency and conserving water, installing filter strips and soil erosion control practices, and enhancing stream corridor and floodplain function.NRCS has worked closely with sponsors to identify projects that are ready for immediate implementation. Projects to be funded are the Red Bayou and Bayou Duralde-Lower Nezpique Watersheds. NRCS Louisiana State Conservationist Kevin Norton said “Louisiana’s Red Bayou project funding will reduce soil erosion and sedimentation; improve water quality in Red Bayou and its tributaries; improve fish and wildlife habitat, and increase efficiency of existing irrigation systems. The project will lead to a reduction of 6,200 tons per year of sediment delivered to water supplies.”

“Funding for the Bayou Duralde-Lower Nezpique Project will treat 33,300 acres of critically eroding cropland by installing 1,451 grade stabilization structures, 60 filter strips, 32 miles of irrigation pipeline, and 21,250 acres of irrigation land leveling in the three parishes of the watershed,” said Norton. “Nearly 45,450 tons of soil will be saved from offsite deposition which will improve water quality for 135 miles of drainage canals and 200 acres of lakes, 36,600 acre/feet of water will be saved annually which equates to a 19% reduction in the demand for groundwater, Improved wildlife habitat on 14,800 acres of bottomland hardwoods, and 15,000 acres will receive 54% less soil deposition and retain its function and values for a longer time period.”

Master Farmer Phase 2 Training

Phase II:
Since its inception over seven years ago, 2300 agricultural producers have participated in the first environmental stewardship program offered through a cooperative conservation effort among Louisiana State University Ag Center, Farm Bureau Federation, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Louisiana Cattlemen's Association, Soil & Water Conservation District's (SWCD) and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. This program was designed for producers, regardless of commodity, to learn about local and national environmental issues, such as Total Maximum Daily Loads and Nonpoint Source Pollution, and how they can address these issues on their own farms. This voluntary certification program consists of three phases:• Phase I: 8 hours of environmental lecture• Phase II: Touring a “model farm” where BMPs are installed• Phase III: Develop and implement a comprehensive conservation plan on farming operationPhase I trainings are held each spring and fall, through distance education. The training is taught from the Dean Lee Research Station in Alexandria and broadcast to several sites, including the Red River Research Station, Oak Grove, Scott Center in Winnsboro, and Crowley. Below is the summer and fall schedule for Master Farmer field days for 2009. Some of these are research station field days and NRCS tours or workshops and all of them fulfill the Phase II requirement for the program.

Please contact Donna Morgan, LSU AgCenter,
at 318-613-9278 with any questions.

2009 Louisiana Master Farmer Phase II Training Schedule
Date Site
June 16 - Stephen Logan Farm, Gilliam (row-crops)
June 17- Northeast Research Station Field Day, St. Joe (row-crops)
June 18 - Red River Research Station Field Day, Bossier (row-crops)
June 18 - Precision Ag Workshop, Donovan Taves Farm, Lake Providence (row-crops)
July 7 - Kent Lounsberry's Farm (Vermilion Parish Rice Tour), Lake Arthur (rice)
July 8 - Rougon-Jones-Rummler Farm, New Roads (sugarcane)
July 14 - Paul Hylan Farm (Pasture Walk), Athens (cattle/forages)
July 17 - Wiggers Farm, Winnsboro (row-crops)
July 22- Iberia-St.Mary-Vermillion Parish Sugarcane Tour
August 20 - Dean Lee Research Station Field Day, Alexandria (row-crops)
October 1 - Hill Farm Field Day, Homer (cattle/forages)
Fall (TBA)- Raymond Fontenot Farm, Abbeville (cattle)
Fall (TBA) - Cattle Field Day, Iberia Parish

Conservation Partnership Efforts

Conservation Partnership Efforts

Soil & Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) in Cooperation with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

NRCS Pumping Plant and Irrigation System Efficiency Evaluation Unit

NRCS unit collecting data

Throughout Louisiana farmers are utilizing pumping plants and irrigation systems, but do we know just how efficient these pumps are operating on the farm? Are they saving farmers energy, fuel and expense while at the same time operating at peak performance? With the cost of fuel and energy on the rise, testing the operational efficiency of pumping plants and irrigation systems will provide recommendations for energy conservation, reduced fuel consumption and more efficient production of irrigation water.The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with Louisiana State University Ag-Center, is now offering a new tool to landowners, which is designed to help find ways to increase efficiency of irrigation systems. NRCS Pumping Plant and Irrigation System Efficiency Evaluation Unit is a mobile unit that can be driven on site to test irrigations systems, providing producers with data to help them achieve maximum overall efficiency for water production and energy conservation.
“Louisiana State University and NRCS are working in partnership together to better serve producers across Louisiana to conserve water and energy." said NRCS State Engineer Ed Giering.A flow meter is utilized to determine the amount of fuel consumption for diesel power plants, and the electric meter is read to determine to power consumption for electric power plants. A flow meter is utilized to gauge the amount discharge from the pumping plant. These measurements are used to evaluate energy input and output of the pumping plant to determine an overall efficiency. Knowing the efficiency of the pumping plant, information can be provided to the landowner that can assist them in improving their pumping efficiency, potentially saving energy and reducing the cost per unit of irrigation water pumped. Also knowing the actual pumping rate will allow the landowner to more effectively manage the application of the irrigation water.There are numerous benefits to using the Unit.

NRCS Pumping Plant and Irrigation System Efficiency Evaluation Unit
“First, by measuring flows, producers will be provided with data showing the amount of water the pump is producing," said Giering. "Secondly, landowners will know if and how efficiently their pump is operating and lastly the Unit can be used to determine how efficiently the pump power plant (natural gas engine, electric motor, or diesel engine) is operating." “NRCS will also provide recommendations to producers regarding the speed that they should operate their drivers to ensure efficient fuel consumption," said Giering.
In most cases, the producer will receive results from NRCS at the time of the site visit, as well as, learn about steps and measure that can be taken to improve operational performance. In the future, NRCS will be able to provide customers with a print-out of the efficiency evaluation that will include annual savings on site. The Unit is already being utilized in the state and has evaluated 12 wells and two bayou pumps Southwest Louisiana and 12 wells in Northeast Louisiana.“Conserving energy and water consumption is just a taste of what NRCS is doing throughout Louisiana to help people help the land,” said Giering. “This active mobile unit is a giant step in water and energy conservation on the farm.”NRCS is now taking applications from producer who would like to have their pumping plants evaluated. If you are interested in this service you should contact your local field office. Please visit NRCS on the web to locate a field office near you at: www.la.nrcs.usda.gov http://www.la.nrcs.usda.gov/.

Staff Contact: Ed Giering, State Conservation Engineer

Phone:(318) 473-7673 FAX: (318) 473-7750

NRCS Civil Engineer Brad Sticker collecting data
NRCS Technician Shannon Walters measuring volume of fuel
NRCS Civil Engineer Mike Kennedy collecting data on water flow and volume

Organic Initiative Offered Through the 2008 Farm Bill to Louisiana Farmers

Organic farming is one of the fastest growing segments in U.S. Agriculture. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) provides specific opportunities for organic producers and those transitioning to organic farming. Louisiana farmers who are transitioning to organic or who are currently certified organic can now apply to receive assistance under the Organic Initiative through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

The USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers EQIP and is now taking applications for the Organic Initiative. Under the Organic Initiative, approved applicants can receive up to $20,000 per year or $80,000 over six years.

A number of "core" organic conservation practices may be funded through the Organic Initiative, including cover crops, conservation crop rotation, prescribed grazing, pest management, nutrient management, and forage harvest management. All conservation practices offered under "general" EQIP are also available through the Organic Initiative, including but not limited to fence and watering facilities for rotational grazing, erosion control practices, irrigation management, field borders, etc.

EQIP is a voluntary conservation program reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. It supports production agriculture and environmental quality as compatible goals. Through EQIP, eligible producers may receive financial and technical help with structural, vegetative, and management conservation practices on agricultural land and private non-industrial forestland.

Applications for EQIP are taken continuously throughout the year. However, to be considered for Fiscal Year 2009 funding under the Organic Initiative, producers need to have an application signed and returned to their local NRCS office by June 12, 2009. Applicants who are currently certified organic will need to include their organic system plan (OSP) reviewed by a USDA
accredited organic certifier when applying for financial assistance in the Organic Initiative under EQIP. Applicants who are transitioning to organic will need to submit a self-certification form to the NRCS acknowledging that agree to develop and implement conservation practices for certified organic production that are consistent with an organic system plan. The self-certification form may be obtained at time of application from any NRCS Service Center.

Some participants are eligible to receive a higher payment rate; those are limited resource farmers, beginning farmers, and socially disadvantaged groups. For more information, go to www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/SLB_Farmer/. For more information in Jackson Parish visit the NRCS Ruston Field Office at 1803 Trade Drive in Ruston or contact us at (318) 255- 3136 extension 3. For more information in Winn Parish visit the NRCS Natchitoches Field Office at 6949 LA Hwy 1 Bypass in Natchitoches or contact us at (318) 357- 8366 extension 3. For more information in Caldwell Parish visit the NRCS Columbia Field Office at 7128 Hwy 165 South in Columbia or contact us at (318) 649-2651 extension 3.

You can also learn more about the NRCS and Farm Bill programs by visiting us on the Web at http://www.la.nrcs.usda.gov/ or by contacting the Dugdemona SWCD.

District Supervisor Elections

Dugdemona Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor Election for 2009.
The Dugdemona SWCD serves Jackson, Winn, and Caldwell Parish west of the Ouachita River.







NOMINATING PERIOD
OPENS: APRIL 1, 2009
CLOSES: APRIL 30, 2009

For individuals interested in serving,
Nomination Petitions can be obtained at:
Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District
301 West Main Street, Suite 210
Winnfield, LA 71483

Petitions must be completed between April 1and April 30, 2009 and must be postmarked PRIOR to May 1, 2009. For more information please call: 318-628-4438 or
email us at dugdswcd@bellsouth.net


Election will be held on Saturday June 13, 200



The Dugdemona Soil & Water Conservation District encompasses all of Winn and Jackson Parishes and a portion of Caldwell Parish. Concerned and eligible landowners in Caldwell, Jackson and Winn parishes have an opportunity to help manage and conserve the natural resources in this area by serving on the Dugdemona Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) Board. If the issues and programs stated in this document interest you, please call Vikkie Lafollette at 628-4438.

I. Mission: To provide leadership, education, and technical assistance through conservation planning and programs to assist all land-users in solving the needs to conserve, sustain and improve the soil, water, and other natural resources in the

Vision: To be recognized as the community leader by establishing partnerships and coordination plans of action to achieve soil and water conservation.

II. Goals and Objectives:
· Establish soil and water conservation policy for the SWCD.
· Assess resource needs.
· Develop strategies to address these needs.
· Provide quality conservation education to Parish educators and school children.
· Provide land users with technical assistance.
· Develop programs to address local natural resource problems.
· Serve as a focal point for addressing local natural resource issues and coordinating various programs to help solve identified concerns.

III. Legal Authority:
Title 3, Section 1201-1219 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes defines a Soil & Water Conservation District as a governmental subdivision of the State of Louisiana, and a public body corporate and politic.

IV. Current Major Issues:
· Landowners needing technical assistance
· Surface Water Quality
· Coastal wetland loss
· Cropland erosion
· Invasive/Non-native plant species
· Urban storm water runoff
· Insufficient operating funds

V. Major Programs and Activities:
· Federal Farm Bill conservation programs
· CWA Section 319 agricultural cost-share program
· Conservation equipment rentals
· Tree seedling sales
· Approval of conservation plans
· Review of Parish planning proposals
· Conservation educational programs for Agricultural producer, school, and civic groups
· Publish SWCD newsletter
· Revise and publish annual business plan and annual report.
VI. Funding Sources:
· State government
· Local governments (Police Jury, Drainage Board)
· Local business and organization donations
· Competitive grants
· Federal grants, cooperative interagency agreements
· Tree sales and equipment rentals
· Educational workshops and seminars

VII. Expectations of SWCD Supervisors:
· Take advantage of SWCD supervisor training opportunities
· Attend board and conservation related meetings
· Participate in district programs and activities
· Serve on a LACD (Louisiana Assoc. of Conservation Districts) committee
· Be involved and responsible for SWCD program direction
· Promote soil and water conservation in the community
· Help manage SWCD staff
· Represent the SWCD in public
· Help secure financial resources
. Attend local, reional, state and national meetings

VIII. Benefits of being a SWCD Supervisor:
· Representing locals resource concerns
· Providing a voice and a service for the citizens within your SWCD
· Satisfaction of providing your time to improve the environment and sustaining local resources
· Being actively involved with assistance and educational programs
· Provide leadership in community resource conservation

Items To Consider Before Submitting a Nomination

1. Do you understand and are you committed to the mission of the District?
2. Can you devote the time, resources, and energy required of a SWCD board member?
3. Do you understand the roles and responsibilities of the District?
4. Are you willing to attend meetings regularly, making them a priority for the duration of your term?
5. Are you willing to participate in the necessary training, education, and development activities?
6. Will you actively serve on District and LACD Committees?

If you are unable to answer any of these questions, please contact the SWCD Chair at (318) 628-4438 for more information.

March 3, 2009 Water Festival

Water resources are vital to the health and well-being of our society…..even here in Louisiana, where water is often taken for granted. Water is a life sustaining non-renewable resource. As water quality and conservation issues continue to grow it is important that our children learn how they can contribute to its wise use and protection.

For this reason, this effort titled “Make a Splash with Project WET” was funded in part by the Caldwell, Jackson and Winn Parish Police Juries. The festival on beautiful Caney Lake consisted of structured learning stations and exhibits where students actively engaged in hands-on water activities and investigations. Student groups rotated from one activity station to the next where activities included topics such as the hydrologic cycle, ground water, watersheds, soils, water quality and the Sparta Aquifer.

On March 3, 2009 approximately 300 4th grade students and 47 educators from Caldwell, Jackson and Winn parish schools made the trip to Jimmie Davis State Park in Chatham, Louisiana to take part in an effort to raise an awareness of the need for water education and conservation. The objective of this annual event is to highlight the role of water in people’s everyday lives and to teach children of the science and history of water, one of our most essential natural resources.

The students who attended the festival came from schools within the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District. Each teacher and student left the festival with a commemorative bag containing useful educational items including journals for the students to record their experiences and knowledge gained from each of the activities. All educators who attended this festival strongly agree that these Project WET activities expose children to the important subject of resource conservation in a way that both compliments and reinforces traditional classroom learning. That, in itself, is fun and exciting.

There is no question of the vast enjoyment the students receive from this type of activity participation, but most importantly the students gain critical knowledge of water and other natural resources and some basic components of resource conservation and management. With the goal of increasing conservation education and awareness in mind, we educated and trained over 60 high school students from Caldwell, LaSalle, Jackson and Winn parish schools prior to and during this event. Those students were presenters, presenter assistants and volunteers through the entire event.

This annual event would not be possible without the support, commitment and dedication from the generous collaboration of our sponsor, the conservation partnerships, volunteers and individuals in our community.

We would like to thank the Acadia, Bodcau, Boeuf River, Caddo, Calcasieu, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Northeast & Sabine Soil & Water Conservation Districts, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, Trailblazer RC&D, the La. Dept of Environmental Quality, the La. Dept of Agriculture & Forestry, the US Forest Service, AmeriCorps, FFA and 4-H students, teachers, principals and School Boards from Caldwell, Jackson and Winn parishes, and the numerous volunteers.

We also thank the sponsors of the event. These sponsors are the Jackson Parish Police Jury, the Winn Parish Police Jury, the Caldwell Parish Police Jury, Caldwell Bank & Trust, Weyerhaeuser Company, Homeland Federal Savings Bank, Jackson Parish Farm Bureau, Bank of Winnfield and Jackson Parish State Bank. We know times are extremely difficult in the current economic climate, yet you have not waivered in your commitments to the conservation effort, words cannot fully express our gratitude; the water festival would not possible without your dedication to conservation. Together, we made a difference.

Please click on the links below to view pictures from this year’s festival.

http://www.photoshopshowcase.com/Go.aspx?AID=213630&AT=1&VID=689008&ABID=658630
And for part two go to:
http://www.photoshopshowcase.com/Go.aspx?AID=214202&AT=1&VID=689108&ABID=658630


The water festival is an annual event that takes place during each school year. The 2009-2010 water festival is expected to take place in October of 2009. If you would like to be a sponsor of this event or other conservation programs, you would like to volunteer or have any questions please contact Vikkie Lafollette at the Dugdemona Soil and Water Conservation District at (318) 628-4438 or dugdswcd@bellsouth.net.

Were you a presenter, volunteer, teacher, student or sponsor of this event? If so please fell free so make comments on this event or any other conservation issues. We would love to hear from you!