May 13, 2008 eNotes - National Association of Conservation Districts

May 13, 2008
index to previous eNotes

1. Farm Bill Report Filed, Votes This Week
The Senate-House Conference on the Farm Bill filed their final report and legislative proposal this morning. This action clears the way for a vote on the Conference Report in both the House and the Senate later this week. Votes are expected as early as tomorrow, but may be held on Thursday. NACD along with over 500 conservation, commodity and nutrition organizations sent a letter to all Members of the House and Senate today asking for their vote in support of the 2008 Farm Bill Conference Report.

This final bill includes a strong financial commitment to working lands conservation programs with increases for the EQIP, CSP and Farmland Protection Program. The proposal continues WHIP, the Grassland Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program. The Conservation Security Program is re-named and re-written, streamlining the program by eliminating the tier structure and establishing acreage based enrollment. There are increased forestry provisions for non-industrial private forest lands in the conservation programs, and funding for the Healthy Forest Reserve Program.

The White House has made it clear they do not support the proposal and the President is expected to veto the Farm Bill. Agriculture, conservation and nutrition organizations will try to garner sufficient votes in support for the bill to override a presidential veto. A two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate is required to override.

The White House press release is available online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/05/20080509.html. Additional information and details of the Conservation and Forestry provisions will be available on the NACD website (www.nacdnet.org) soon.

2. USDA Extends Conservation Security Program Sign-up
The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Arlen Lancaster recently announced that current fiscal year 2008 sign-up for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) will be extended an additional two weeks to May 30, 2008. With most producers busy with the growing season and many parts of the country dealing with heavy rains and flooding, it has been difficult for many producers to complete the self-assessments and interviews the program application requires. The two-week extension is intended to provide more time for producers in the program’s 331 enrolled watersheds to gather necessary information to apply for CSP.

The original sign-up period was scheduled to end on May 16, 2008. Funding for this sign-up is not dependent on Farm Bill passage, but was provided for in last year’s appropriations. For more information about CSP and eligibility requirements, please visit the NRCS website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.

3. National Park Service Offers Conservation Assistance Program
Is your conservation district working to restore a river, build a community trail or help an urban park flourish? Could your project benefit from a year’s worth of staff time and technical assistance from a National Park Service specialist? If your answer is yes, you might be interested in the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program, offered by the National Park Service.

The RTCA Program provides technical assistance to locally-led natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation projects in urban, rural and suburban communities. While the program does not offer direct grants, it provides staff time, technical expertise, and can help locate sources of assistance. State or local agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations or citizens' groups are eligible to apply. The deadline to apply for the upcoming fiscal year (October 2008 through September 2009) is August 1, 2008.

Additional information about RTCA and the Conservation Assistance Program, including a downloadable application, criteria and list of regional contacts, is available at www.nps.gov/ncrc/programs/rtca/index.htm.

4. NatureServe and National Geographic Society Seek Conservation Success Stories
NatureServe and the National Geographic Society are calling for conservation success stories to feature on the Landscope America website and/or the forthcoming National Conservation Wall Map. Planned for full release in Fall 2008, LandScope America is an interactive conservation website that links maps, data and stories about natural places of America’s lands and waters. You can nominate success stories about a variety of projects: large or small, on public or private lands, well-known or known only in your local area.

If you or your district has a success story about natural places saved through the efforts of people and organizations that care about the land, go to http://www.landscope.org/ and complete the online nomination form. Publication of district success stories is a great way to highlight the work of conservation districts before a national audience. Nominate your conservation district’s success story today! If you have questions or need additional information, contact jeremy-peters@nacdnet.org.

5. 2008 Computer Catalog and Order Forms Available to Districts
Computer workstations identical to those purchased under the USDA contract are available to conservation districts and RC&D councils direct from the current USDA contractor, Government Acquisitions, Inc. In an effort to make it easier for conservation districts and RC&D councils to acquire the equipment they need, NACD has posted updated ordering information on our website.

This updated information includes a 2008 Computer, Printer and Monitor Catalog complete with specifications and prices, as well as an updated order form. These documents are available for download at http://www.nacdnet.org/resources/computers/. If you have any questions regarding this ordering process, contact Steve Webber at (970) 295-5420 or Stephen.Webber@ftc.usda.gov; or Jon Hayward at (970) 295-5361 or email Jon.Hayward@ftc.usda.gov.

6. May Forestry Notes on the Web
Be sure to check out the May edition of Forestry Notes, available on NACD’s website (www.nacdnet.org). Read about a corporative conservation project in South Carolina working to restore and improve National Forest lands, as well as privately-owned acreage, in their watershed. Also in this issue, get the scoop on:

Market-high sawdust prices;
The “Biomass Ambassador Guide,” developed by the Wood to Energy Outreach Program to help communities build understanding, share information, and generate discussion about potential biomass options; and
The Arkansas Forestry for Women Program that was founded to assist women in managing forests.

Go to http://nacdnet.org/news/publications/forestrynotes/ to read these articles and more!

7. NACD Calendar of Events
May 14-17, 2008 Executive Directors’ Conference, Saratoga, WY
June 8-10, NACD Northern Plains Region Leaders Meeting, Nebraska City, NE
July 18-23, NACD Summer Board Meeting and Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C.
August 3-5, Northeast Region Meeting, Portsmouth, NH
August 10-12, Southeast Region Meeting, Biloxi, MS
August 21-23, South Central Region Meeting, Hot Springs, AR

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