June 3, 2008 eNotes - National Association of Conservation Districts

June 3, 2008
index to previous eNotes

1. America’s Voice: Harden Outlines Farm Bill, Looks to Implementation
America's Voice Logo NACD CEO Krysta Harden brings you the latest edition of America’s Voice for Conservation from Washington, D.C., where all the talk is on the new Farm Bill. Click here to listen to Krysta as she discusses the new Farm Bill and where things are headed next.

2. United States Senate Talks Climate Change
The U.S. Senate is scheduled to begin debating the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 this week. Procedural motions have delayed the official consideration of the bill, but senators used time yesterday and today to discuss the merits of climate change legislation. The legislation establishes a cap on greenhouse gas emissions and creates a trading mechanism to trade emission credits. Of concern to NACD is the treatment of carbon sequestration for agricultural and forestry practices and methane capture for livestock operations. NACD is working with agriculture, conservation and forestry coalitions regarding climate change legislation. Passage of the Lieberman-Warner bill is not expected in the Senate this year. However, this bill will likely be the basis of future debates on climate change legislation.

3. NACD and Partners Offer Funds for Woody Biomass Workshops
NACD, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior (DOI) and USDA Forest Service (USFS), is making a limited amount of financial support available for organizing and conducting state or regional sub-state multi-county woody biomass utilization workshops. Intended recipients are state and local governments, tribes and non-profit organizations and entities. Subject to funding availability, up to a maximum of $24,000.00 may be available for sponsoring such workshops across the United States between the dates of July 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009. Please note that individual workshop sponsorships are limited to $2,000.00 each and funds will be disbursed upon successful workshop completion.

Click here to view a full copy of the official sponsorship announcement, which includes details about the selection process and how to apply. Applications must be submitted no later than August 31, 2008 and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until the total available funds have been obligated. All applications should be submitted to Fred Deneke, NACD Forestry Programs Coordinator, 265 West Soaring Avenue, Prescott, AZ 86301. The application form is available for download on NACD’s website at http://nacdnet.org/workshop_sponsorship/forms.doc.

If you have any questions or would like more information, contact Fred Deneke at (928)443-5456 or fjdeneke@yahoo.com.

4. NACD Works with Forestry Partners
NACD actively works with forestry partners to improve services for forest landowners. The Association’s most recent activities include a meeting in Manchester, N.H. in early May between the staff to NACD’s Forest Resource Policy Group (RPG) and the State Foresters’ Forest Resource Committee. The purpose of the meeting was to explore ways to improve the delivery of technical assistance to forest landowners.

NACD was also represented by NACD Consulting Forester Doug Williams at the recent Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) External Review Panel in Alexandria, Va. The SFI program has over 151 million acres in a rigorous sustainable forestry certification system across Canada and the United States. The review panel looked at the first year of SFI’s operations as a non-profit organization.

Also this week, NACD will attend a strategic planning meeting of the Sustaining Family Forests Initiative (SFFI) in Washington, D.C. NACD will help develop ideas and offer advice on the future role of SFFI in meeting the needs of the diverse community that works with and supports family forest owners.

For additional information regarding these activities, contact Doug Williams, NACD Consulting Forester, at dewilliams@frointiernet.net.

5. NACD Store Products Can Help Spread Conservation Message at County Fairs
It’s summertime again and that means lots of sunshine and county fairs. Do you have a county fair coming up? Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to engage fair-goers in some entertaining water and energy education activities. Purchase NACD “Water is Life” and “Conservation’s Power” themed activity sheets for your booth. These activities are not only fun, but will also help educate people of all ages about the role of water and energy as valuable natural resources.

The activity sheets are available from NACD’s online store for $10.00 per 100 sheets. Also available at NACD’s store are conservation bookmarks, which can be used as a great give-away or to supplement your community summer reading program. Bookmarks are priced at 100 bookmarks for $7.50.

Visit www.nacdstore.org today for these and many other exciting products.

6. Report on Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture Released
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (USCCSP) recently released a report "Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3 (SAP 4.3): The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources and Biodiversity in the United States." The report is the product of the federal research efforts of 13 agencies on climate and global change, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) serving as the lead agency.

The USCCSP report provides information to help landowners and resource managers make informed decisions in addressing risks of climate change. Among its findings, the report indicates that climate change is affecting water and land resources, agriculture and biodiversity. Specifically, it indicates changing patterns impacting crop and livestock production, forest growth, water quantity, invasive species and wildlife habitat.

The full report is available online at http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/default.php.

7. EPA Releases New Water Quality Website
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new website containing state-reported information about the conditions of their surface waters. It features a clickable interactive map that combines two formerly separate databases: the National Assessment Database and the National Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Tracking System. The website includes information about designated uses, causes of impairment and current actions to restore waterways. States are required to report this information according to the Clean Water Act, Sections 305 (b) and 303 (d). Users can search for a specific watershed or water body by name or refine their search by region, state or year.

This new water quality website can be viewed at http://www.epa.gov/waters/ir/.

8. NACD Calendar of Events
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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