Training

Presenters: Cara Bergschneider State Urban and Small Scale Conservationist, USDA-NRCS
and Megan Ayers, SE Region Urban Soil Health Specialist, Urban Soil Health Program (USH)

Presenter: Julie Harrold, CREP and Water Quality Initiatives Program Manager, Indiana State Department of Agriculture-Division of Soil Conservation, will present on behalf of ISDA, FSA and IDNR

Presenter: Jason Wade, Private Lands Access Program, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Presenter: Brenda Huter, Forest Stewardship Coordinator, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry

Presenter: Doug Nusbaum, LARE Restoration Biologist, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Presenter: Jeff Kiefer, State Coordinator of Indiana Private Lands Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service

Presenter: Nate Yazel, Office of Private Lands, IDNR, Division of Fish and Wildlife

Presenters: Josh Griffin, IDNR and an FSA update from Jared Thomas, USDA-FSA

Presenter: Zach Voyles, IDNR-Division of Fish & Wildlife

This one-hour session explores funding opportunities, types of grants, what to look for, eligibility and where to find funding opportunities.

This one-hour session dissects the steps of proposal writing and grant management.

Attendees chose one of these two sessions to engage collectively on opportunities regarding potential grant funders, proposals and next steps.

Presenter: Toby Days, (former) Source Water Specialist, Alliance of Indiana Rural Water

As long as water is coming out of the tap, many people often don’t think about where that water comes from or the process it takes to get water to their homes. Including drinking water protection as a goal in your conservation projects can create opportunities for accessing additional funding sources and forming new partnerships for collaboration. Learn about Indiana’s Source Water Protection Program and
USDAs committed to protecting Indiana’s sources of drinking water. (April 5, 2023)

Presenter: Beth Mason, North Central Regional Representative, National Association of Conservation Districts

What is NACD and how do they support districts nationwide? Join Beth Mason, NACD, as she presents on the value and benefits of this nonprofit organization and how they advocate as the national voice for all conservation districts. (April 12, 2023)

Presenter: Liz Jackson,  Forestry Extension Specialist for Purdue University Department of Forestry & Natural Resources; Executive Director of the statewide Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners Association and the National Walnut Council

There are many resources available to woodland owners to help them meet their property objectives. This presentation will review some programs, personnel, and resources available through Purdue Extension Forestry & Natural Resources and across the state to help Indiana landowners manage their woodlands. (April 19, 2023)

Presenter: Claire Lane, Urban Conservationist, Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District

As the urban conservationist at the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Claire Lane manages the development and delivery of backyard and urban conservation programs to Hamilton County residents. The urban conservation program offers site visits and technical assistance, a tool loan program, development of educational publications, events and workshops, and more. Claire also manages the Hamilton County Invasives Partnership. Learn more about these programs at www.hamiltonswcd.org. (April 27, 2023)

Presenter: Will Fett, (former) Outreach Coordinator, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
New farmers require a diverse array of resources, each with unique needs. Discover the range of assistance provided by the USDA, encompassing conservation support, low-interest loans, crop insurance, and grant programs. Join USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service outreach coordinator, Will Fett, as he discusses available programs and opportunities for new farmers from NRCS, FSA, RMA, and RD. Gain valuable insights on effectively guiding and connecting budding farmers with the resources essential for their success. (October 5, 2022)

Get Started Fact Sheet
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Resources brochure

Resources:

• IDEM Stormwater Information page
• IDEM e-permitting stormwater
• IDEM nSITE (map)
• IDEM Wetlands & Stormwater Program (slideshow)

(June 29, 2022)

Presenter: Elli Blaine, Director, Urban Soil Health (USH) Program

Discover resources on where to find particular information and documents to assist urban and small farm customers. Topics include how to conduct a site visit, soil testing and analysis labs, cover crop seeding rate tables, crop rotation information, nutrient management documents, low-till small farm equipment, and more. (April 6, 2022)

Presentation Slides

Presenter: Emily Finch, SWCD Invasive Species Specialist (Dubois, Daviess and Martin Counties)

Invasive plant management is often overwhelming for landowners and managers. Even experienced landowners can feel the need to give up in the face of a heavy infestation or large acreage filled with invasives. This presentation covers how to assess, plan, and prioritize invasive plant management, all with the individual landowner in mind. Instead of focusing on a select set of invasive plants, this session will highlight approaches to invasive management that can be used on a range of species across the state. The goal is to increase the efficacy and adoption of invasive management practices by landowners. (April 13, 2022)

Presentation Slides

Presenter: Chris Lee, (previous) Tech Team Leader, USDA-NRCS

New to Ag and/or Conservation Practices? Or, just need a refresher course? This session will explain and show the best management practices applicable to Indiana — including issues that warrant BMPs and the benefits of implementing them. (April 20, 2022)

Presentation Slides

Presenters: Leslie Fisher, Resource Conservation Specialist, Benton County SWCD and Seth Harden, Upper Wabash River Project Director, The Nature Conservancy

Impact of Field Days for target audiences can be optimized with a planning framework that includes marketing, delivery, and evaluation. This presentation challenges field day planners to think big and outside the box to reach new audiences and improve conservation adoption as a result. (April 27, 2022)

• Presentation Slides
• Field Day Checklist

Presenter: Luke Britt, Public Access Councilor

An overview of the Public Access Law, requirements for board and annual meetings, and how things have changed during the COVID pandemic, and how they are different now with the public health emergency ended. (March 17, 2022)

Presenters: Josh Croy, Agent, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance; Roger Kult, USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service; and, Winston Lin, Assistant Section Chief for Government Litigation, Office of the Attorney General

Presenter: Brock Zehr, DBA, Associate Professor Business & Economics, Huntington University

This is the second of four trainings hosted by the Indiana State Dept of Agriculture and the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in April 2021. In this session, Zehr teaches about human resources staffing function, employee vs. independent contractor classifications, hiring considerations, and performance evaluation criteria.

Speaker: Amy Christiansen Janicki, Records Management Liaison, Indiana Archives and Records Administration

Discover more about what public records are, how and why we manage them, responsibilities as a governmental agency and resources available. This training covers associated topics including retention schedules, storage and destruction procedures, various record formats, and frequently asked questions. This training was hosted by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) and was recorded live for Indiana Soil & Water Conservation District Staff on September 21 2021.

Speakers: Trevor Laureys, Director of the Division of Soil Conservation, Indiana State Department of Agriculture; and Eric Shideler, Director of the Vermillion County Soil and Water Conservation District, Indiana

This October 19, 2021 presentation explains the many resources and tools available for Indiana Districts to use in order to show the success in their work of supporting the implementation of conservation practices that protect natural resources. Hosted by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.