Did you receive the Spring 2010 Newletter?

If you are not on our mailing list and would like to receive our seasonal newsletter, please send us your contact information so we can mail/email it to you.   Read the latest newsletter  by selecting About from the main menu, scrolling down to Newsletters, and then clicking on Spring Newsletter 2010 to open.

Poster Contest Winners Announced

Ben Carr, a forth grade student at Blackstone Primary,  is the Piedmont SWCD’s poster contest Grand Winner for 2010.  The contest theme was: Conservation Habits = Healthy Habitats.  All 550 poster contest participants  receive a certificate of recognition and a small gift,  and school grade level and district wide winners also receive 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons.  As grand winner, Ben  receives a check for $25.00 from the Piedmont SWCD.  Thanks to all the art teachers who participated in the contest this year, and congratulations to Ben!

2011 Cost-Share Sign-up

The Piedmont Soil & Water Conservation District will be accepting sign-up for the 2011 Virginia Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) Cost Share program from June 1 -  July 31 for Amelia, Nottoway and Prince Edward agricultural producers.  This program provides cost-share and technical assistance to voluntarily install selected best management practices.  Livestock exclusion, cover crops, vegetative cover, continuous no-till, nutrient management and riparian buffers are examples of practices available for cost share.   This year our funding for cost share practices has been reduced, thus we will be ranking applications to determine eligibility.  Please contact our office in Farmville (434) 392-3782 ext 116 or ext 108 or our Amelia office at (804) 561-2947 ext 110 to set up an appointment for sign-up.

Environmental Day Camp June 21-25, 2010

The Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District is offering students currently enrolled in 5^th, 6^th and 7^th grades an opportunity to participate in our 9^th Annual Environmental Day Camp at no cost to the participant.  Working with Peter Francisco SWCD, Virginia Department of Conservation, Department of Game & Inland Fisheries,  Department of Forestry we provide a week-long day camp to 20 campers . The student will need to provide transportation to our Farmville office and provide lunch each day except for Friday.

The camp is intended for students with an interest in nature and environmental studies and for students that may not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in such a camp.  Dates for this summer are June 21-25.    To see the agenda click here. To see the camp application click here.  Application should be in the office by May 21, 2010.

TMDL Conservation Technician Job Description

The Piedmont SWCD is currently hiring a full-time TMDL Conservation Technician to work out of their Farmville and Amelia offices.  To view the  job description and application information click here: TMDLTech2010.

Stormwater Discussed in Nottoway

The five speakers at a stormwater workshop organized by the Piedmont SWCD and the Nottoway County Planning Department received bluebird nesting boxes as a token of appreciation for their ongoing efforts in the field of stormwater management.    Nottoway County Administrator Mr. Ronald Roark was on hand to greet the 27  workshop participants as they toured the historic Officers Club  in Fort Pickett where the workshop was held May 5th.

Nottoway Competes in Area V Envirothon

Congratulations to Nottoway High School Future Farmers of America who won First Place in  the Special Topic Presentation category, and Second Place Over-all at the Area V Envirothon April 28th at Occoneechee State Park on the shore of beautiful  Buggs Island Lake.

75th Anniversary of NRCS celebrated

At the April 27 board meeting, the Piedmont SWCD chairman of the board presented plaques to the Farmville and Amelia NRCS Field Offices in appreciation of a productive and harmonious conservation partnership, and in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Cattle to be excluded from 17,350 ‘ of stream bank

Board members approved eight cost-share practices at the March 23 meeting,  effectively excluding cattle from 17,350 feet of stream in Amelia and Prince Edward Counties.  The stream exclusion practices  are  voluntarily implemented by producers with cost-share funding from the District.  Cleaner water and healthier cattle will result in this partnership.

General Assembly Sends Budget to the Governor

The General Assembly voted Sunday, March 14 to budget $9.1 million for best management practice (BMP) installation for fiscal year  2011-2012, down from $20 million for fiscal year 2009- 2010.  $ 1.2 million of this amount would be divided between Virginia’s 47 Conservation district’s  for technical assistance staff salaries.  The $9.1 million would be generated by recordation fees. The General Assembly will now send their budget to the Governor to sign.