Ron Farris, landowner, and NRCS employee Danette Cross look over his conservation plan.

In southern Illinois, along the Mississippi River, you can see a diverse landscape of woodlands, open wild areas and farmland. But that wasn’t the case about 20 years ago, after the Great Flood of 1993 ravaged the area. That summer, all of these ecosystems resembled a moonscape with most of the vegetation removed. Read more »

District Conservationist Nelson Brice and Kirby Wells discuss restoration plans for the 1,700 acre easement.

Kirby Wells knew that if he wanted future generations of Wellses to enjoy the family’s land on Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore, something had to change.

The 1,700 acres Wells’ grandfather had purchased in 1941, then drained and planted with loblolly pines was rapidly losing value. In 2006, the family’s sawmill business closed due to the decline of the housing market, and the pressure to sell to developers was on. Read more »

Water quality in the Wateree River is protected and improved thanks to the restoration work done on nearly 2,000 acres in Kershaw County, SC.

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in South Carolina recently celebrated National Wetlands Month with an event that recognized three private landowners whose properties are enrolled in the agency’s Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Read more »

Left to Right, NRCS biologist Kristin Westad visits the wetland restoration area with landowner Elsbeth Fuchs on her Wisconsin farm.

Elsbeth and Siegfried Fuchs, immigrants from Prussia, known nowadays as Germany, bought a 138-acre farm in Waterloo, Wisconsin. It was here they started dairy farming in 1964 and the couple farmed together until Siegfried passed away in 2008. Read more »

On a sunny day last week in West Palm Beach, Fla., Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced $100 million in financial assistance to boost wetlands restoration in the Northern Everglades watershed. With the announcement, USDA aims to purchase the development rights on as much as 24,000 acres of private land in four Florida counties, and restore the land in cooperation with the owners. The end result: less surface water leaving the land, slower water runoff, and reduced concentrations of nutrients entering the public water system. That’s better water quality, greater quantity, and improved economic opportunities for millions of Floridians. Secretary Vilsack spoke about how private landowners play a critical role in protecting wetlands and enhancing wildlife in this unique habitat. The partnership with farmers and ranchers will also empower community-led conservation efforts and use of science-based management practices to restore and protect lands and waters for future generations.

The ceremony marked a major commitment to the Everglades by the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP).

The funding supports the Obama Administration’s commitment to protecting private lands through its America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. Working with conservation partners and others, USDA helps communities find local solutions to natural resource issues such as protecting a large-scale ecosystem like the Northern Everglades.

To watch the ceremony, held at Winding Waters Natural Area, check out the video below!

Amy Plavak of Hillsboro, Oregon, used to lead multi-million dollar projects as a certified professional project manager.  Now she is one of 36,000 Earth Team volunteers working to improve the environment and restore wetlands which can clean water, reduce flooding and provide wildlife habitat. 

Earth Team is the volunteer program of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).  NRCS helps private landowners, farmers and ranchers conserve, maintain and improve natural resources and the environment.    

Plavak joined the Earth Team and learned about wetlands, the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and worked with NRCS conservationists on soil-saving and water-enhancing projects.  She eventually became responsible for updating the wetlands restoration specifications for six WRP projects totaling over 1,000 acres and preparing a detailed agreement and construction bid package for a 350-acre WRP project.  Plavak’s volunteer work is credited with saving the government money and allowing the WRP project to be completed on time. 

Plavak was the 2009 Earth Team Individual Volunteer Award winner for NRCS. 

Michele Eginoire, national Earth Team volunteer coordinator, says all Earth Team volunteers make a difference.  “We try to tailor our volunteer jobs to our volunteers’ likes and abilities.  Their work can include field work, administrative support and conservation education.  Our volunteers are a diverse group 14 years and older who support NRCS conservation efforts,” said Eginoire.  “Every Earth Team volunteer makes a contribution and every volunteer has the potential to improve the land as much as Amy Plavak.” 

NRCS has over 3,000 offices nationwide.  To learn more about being an Earth Team volunteer in your area, call 1-888-LANDCARE.

Earth Team Volunteer Amy Plavak is credited with improving the environment and
saving the government money near her Oregon home.