July 2018 Conservation Update

July 2018 Conservation Update

Wabash County SWCD has worked hard at organizing educational events for this summer. Wabash County is currently organizing a Soil Health Systems Field Day on Wednesday, July 25th. For this field day we have partnered with USDA, The Eel River Watershed Initiative, U. S. Fish and Wildlife, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, and Indiana Soybean Alliance. It will be covering Water Quality, Data Trends, Two-Stage Ditch Construction and Funding, Rain Fall Demonstration, and will wrap up with a Biological Survey of the stream.

The district will also be hosting a Women’s Conservation Learning Circle on Wednesday, August 1st. This event is facilitated through Women4theLand, which is a partnership of natural resource agencies and conservation organizations working together to provide education and resources to Indiana women landowners, farmers, and natural resource professionals. We use Women’s Conservation Learning Circles as an effective way to help women learn how to implement conservation practices on the land.

We have also partnered with Manchester University’s Eel River Watershed Initiative for the 10th Annual Canoe Float. This float will be held on Saturday, August 25th. It gives people from the community an opportunity to canoe the Eel River while learning about its natural and historical beauty. This event is appropriate for all ages.

Wabash SWCD has submitted a River Friendly Farmer nominee to the state association, Greg Dawes. He was accepted as Wabash’s River Friendly Farmer for his conservation practices! His farm, Liberty Acres will be recognized at the state fair on August 15th.

Wabash County SWCD is a group leader for the In Field Advantage program funded by Indiana Pork, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, and Indian Soybean Alliance. Seven participants from Miami, Huntington, and Wabash counties have submitted 17 corn and 8 soybean fields. Through this program they will receive free tissue samples, corn stalk nitrate samples, soil samples and aerial imagery. The results of these allow the landowners to determine a more accurate reading of nitrogen on their fields, preventing over application.

Our next board meeting is July 24th 6:30pm, at the USDA Service Center 599 Bryan Ave.

If you would like further information on the items above or other work performed this month, please contact our office and we would be happy to meet with you.