This document summarizes the 75-year history of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS). It discusses the founding of SWCS in 1946 to address issues of soil conservation during the Dust Bowl. It outlines the growth of SWCS through initiatives like establishing a journal, annual conferences, and chapters across the US and world. The document also examines debates within SWCS about balancing its role as a professional society and advocacy organization. Finally, it promotes upcoming 75th anniversary events and engaging members to share stories and visions for conservation.
Food Sovereignty for All: Overhauling the Food System with Faith-Based Initia...ElisaMendelsohn
This document provides guidance for faith-based organizations seeking to establish effective community food projects. It emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals, carefully planning projects to fit available resources, and partnering with local farmers and low-income communities. By understanding challenges faced by the poor and building relationships across groups, faith communities can work for systemic change while increasing access to healthy, local food. Starting small and growing projects over time helps ensure long-term sustainability and participation from the faith community.
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd to promote environmental protection and stewardship of the Earth. It began in the United States in 1970 and now includes events in over 190 countries. While there is no central organization, several non-governmental organizations help coordinate thousands of local events like cleanups, educational activities, and environmental advocacy events to mark Earth Day and inspire further action to care for the planet. The document provides examples of activities individuals and community groups can organize for Earth Day celebrations or environmental awareness events throughout the year.
The document outlines the Green Church Initiative of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. It discusses the church's responsibility to care for God's creation and calls churches to make commitments in four areas: worship, learning and teaching, lifestyle, and community involvement. The church signs a covenant pledging to implement ideas in each category such as incorporating creation care themes into worship, education programs, reducing energy and waste in church facilities, and advocating on environmental issues.
Go Green Bonus Resources: Creation Care and Conservation Z2P
This document provides a list of resources for Christians interested in caring for God's creation, including websites, periodicals, articles, books, and movies/DVDs. Some of the key websites listed are focused on educating and mobilizing Christians around environmental stewardship, such as CreationCare.org. Periodicals mentioned include Creation Care Magazine and Earth Keeping News. Example books listed are Saving God's Green Earth and Serve God, Save the Planet. The document contains over 50 resources for Christians seeking to learn more about their biblical call to be stewards of the environment.
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community: A Resource Guide for Environm...Z2P
This document provides a guide for environmental groups to build partnerships with faith communities. It discusses the value of such partnerships, including that faith communities have a long history of environmental stewardship. It also notes that policymakers are inclined to listen to faith voices, and the public sees links between religion and the environment. The guide offers tips on tone and outreach approaches in partnering with faith groups. It provides examples of partnership activities and introduces some major US faith traditions and organizations. The guide aims to help environmental groups understand faith perspectives and find opportunities for collaborative work.
List of Environmental Groups - Environmental Integrity Project Z2P
This letter from 239 public interest groups urges President Obama to release the EPA's draft coal ash rule from review at the Office of Management and Budget. It notes that over a year after the Kingston coal ash spill, the draft rule remains under review despite Administrator Jackson submitting it in October 2009. The groups ask the President to side with public health and the environment by ensuring a rule protecting people from the harms of coal ash is released in April as promised. Continued delay of federal coal ash regulations endangers communities near ash dumps and storage sites across the country.
This document lists and provides brief descriptions of various ecological organizations that work to promote environmental protection and sustainability. Some of the organizations mentioned include Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Co-op America, Dream Change Coalition, Earth Island Institute, Greenpeace, Heritage Forests Campaign, and National Association of Conservation Districts. Contact information and websites are provided for each organization.
Safeguarding the environment our earth, our homeKedamien Riley
Environmental education aims to increase awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills and participation regarding environmental issues. It helps students and groups understand how to preserve and sustainably use the environment. Some key benefits of environmental education are that it increases student engagement in science, improves achievement in core subjects, and provides important skills for the 21st century workforce by addressing issues like nature deficit disorder.
Food Sovereignty for All: Overhauling the Food System with Faith-Based Initia...ElisaMendelsohn
This document provides guidance for faith-based organizations seeking to establish effective community food projects. It emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals, carefully planning projects to fit available resources, and partnering with local farmers and low-income communities. By understanding challenges faced by the poor and building relationships across groups, faith communities can work for systemic change while increasing access to healthy, local food. Starting small and growing projects over time helps ensure long-term sustainability and participation from the faith community.
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd to promote environmental protection and stewardship of the Earth. It began in the United States in 1970 and now includes events in over 190 countries. While there is no central organization, several non-governmental organizations help coordinate thousands of local events like cleanups, educational activities, and environmental advocacy events to mark Earth Day and inspire further action to care for the planet. The document provides examples of activities individuals and community groups can organize for Earth Day celebrations or environmental awareness events throughout the year.
The document outlines the Green Church Initiative of the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church. It discusses the church's responsibility to care for God's creation and calls churches to make commitments in four areas: worship, learning and teaching, lifestyle, and community involvement. The church signs a covenant pledging to implement ideas in each category such as incorporating creation care themes into worship, education programs, reducing energy and waste in church facilities, and advocating on environmental issues.
Go Green Bonus Resources: Creation Care and Conservation Z2P
This document provides a list of resources for Christians interested in caring for God's creation, including websites, periodicals, articles, books, and movies/DVDs. Some of the key websites listed are focused on educating and mobilizing Christians around environmental stewardship, such as CreationCare.org. Periodicals mentioned include Creation Care Magazine and Earth Keeping News. Example books listed are Saving God's Green Earth and Serve God, Save the Planet. The document contains over 50 resources for Christians seeking to learn more about their biblical call to be stewards of the environment.
Building Partnerships with the Faith Community: A Resource Guide for Environm...Z2P
This document provides a guide for environmental groups to build partnerships with faith communities. It discusses the value of such partnerships, including that faith communities have a long history of environmental stewardship. It also notes that policymakers are inclined to listen to faith voices, and the public sees links between religion and the environment. The guide offers tips on tone and outreach approaches in partnering with faith groups. It provides examples of partnership activities and introduces some major US faith traditions and organizations. The guide aims to help environmental groups understand faith perspectives and find opportunities for collaborative work.
List of Environmental Groups - Environmental Integrity Project Z2P
This letter from 239 public interest groups urges President Obama to release the EPA's draft coal ash rule from review at the Office of Management and Budget. It notes that over a year after the Kingston coal ash spill, the draft rule remains under review despite Administrator Jackson submitting it in October 2009. The groups ask the President to side with public health and the environment by ensuring a rule protecting people from the harms of coal ash is released in April as promised. Continued delay of federal coal ash regulations endangers communities near ash dumps and storage sites across the country.
This document lists and provides brief descriptions of various ecological organizations that work to promote environmental protection and sustainability. Some of the organizations mentioned include Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, Co-op America, Dream Change Coalition, Earth Island Institute, Greenpeace, Heritage Forests Campaign, and National Association of Conservation Districts. Contact information and websites are provided for each organization.
Safeguarding the environment our earth, our homeKedamien Riley
Environmental education aims to increase awareness, knowledge, attitudes, skills and participation regarding environmental issues. It helps students and groups understand how to preserve and sustainably use the environment. Some key benefits of environmental education are that it increases student engagement in science, improves achievement in core subjects, and provides important skills for the 21st century workforce by addressing issues like nature deficit disorder.
This document discusses public perceptions of longleaf pine ecosystem management. It outlines that longleaf pine is an endangered ecosystem that requires prescribed fires to maintain. However, the public views prescribed fires negatively due to concerns about wildlife harm, property damage, health risks, and accidents. The document recommends education programs to demonstrate the benefits of prescribed fires and increase involvement of the public in planning. Changing public perceptions is important for the restoration and management of longleaf pine ecosystems.
The document provides an overview of the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-profit founded in 1977 in Kenya by Wangari Maathai. It began as a tree planting initiative aimed at empowering women and combating deforestation and soil erosion. Over time, it expanded its mission to include advocacy, climate change mitigation, and sustainable livelihood programs. The Movement has planted over 51 million trees across Kenya and formed a pan-African network. It works at the grassroots and international levels to promote environmental conservation and empower communities, especially women.
The document discusses eco-clubs, which are voluntary groups that promote student participation in learning about and improving the environment. Eco-clubs are made up of teachers and motivated students who take action to improve their immediate environment and generate environmental awareness. The objectives of eco-clubs are to motivate students to keep their surroundings clean and green through activities like tree planting, waste reduction, and water conservation. The document outlines the structure of eco-clubs and roles of the president, vice president, general secretary, treasurer, and other positions. It provides examples of educational and outdoor activities eco-clubs can undertake, such as assemblies, competitions, field trips, and community cleanups.
Each person must plant at least one tree. Schools should involve children to raise environmental awareness and encourage participation in public gatherings and competitions focused on earth day, which is an annual global event on April 22nd established in 1970 to support environmental protection efforts occurring in over 193 countries.
submitted as a partial fulfillment to pass the Computer course in undergraduate program, teacher training and education faculty, English Education Study Program.
Norvergence is an environmental organization that works with communities and governments to study the environment and execute projects based on their findings. They complete field projects with schools, colleges, community groups, NGOs, and governments on issues like water, soil, energy, food, and more. Norvergence trains volunteers to respect indigenous people's rights and voices while working on projects, ensuring indigenous communities fully participate in decisions that affect their lands. Some of Norvergence's key practices include strengthening indigenous communities, building support networks for them, and respecting their human rights.
World environment day india then and now (in pics)News World India
World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5 to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage protection of the environment. It was established in 1972 by the UN General Assembly as a global platform to address urgent issues like pollution and climate change. This year's theme, "Go Wild For Life," encourages people to celebrate and help protect threatened species for future generations. The document then introduces that it will show how pollution has impacted landmarks in India over recent decades, including Dal Lake, the Taj Mahal, Ganga Ghat, Kedarnath, Nainital Lake, and Connaught Place.
The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq planted 5 million trees across Iraq to celebrate Earth Day 2012 and A Billion Acts of Green. The Prime Minister said they hoped to improve the environment and set an example for sustainability in Iraq and the world. Over 10,000 people in New Taipei City, Taiwan also planted trees for Earth Day. An Earth Day celebration in Alaska featured mayors signing a sustainability proclamation.
The document discusses the environment, sustainability, and challenges related to ensuring the availability of natural resources for future generations. It notes that least developed countries are more dependent on agriculture and natural resources, and if these resources run out it could have a devastating impact as 1.7 billion people already live in water-stressed countries. The document also discusses issues like deforestation reducing fuel availability and preventing girls' education. It describes the youth organization YouthCan which uses technology to educate and empower youth about environmental issues. Finally, it states that achieving sustainability goals will require giving poor communities more decision-making power, integrating sustainability into all policies, and strengthening protections of natural resources.
Christian Aid Tsunami Evaluation Synthesis Study October 2007 Z2P
This document provides a summary of an evaluation of Christian Aid's response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
1. The evaluation found Christian Aid's partnership approach allowed for a more locally relevant response and facilitated transition from relief to recovery. Housing programs were particularly successful at helping marginalized groups.
2. While livelihood programs had mixed success, shelter programs across countries generally performed well. Psychosocial support programs require more evidence of impact.
3. The evaluation provides several recommendations, including being cautious about long-term psychosocial funding and documenting lessons from disaster risk reduction work.
The article discusses the degrading state of the planet and the role of the green movement in addressing environmental issues. It notes that India is losing its forests at an alarming rate of 3.7 billion acres per year. While environmentalists and the green movement have increased awareness, success in reducing environmental damage has been limited. There is an urgent need to promote sustainable development to protect the planet from further catastrophic depletion. The green movement aims to advocate for policies and behaviors that sustainably manage resources and steward the environment through conservation, environmentalism, and addressing issues of ecology, health, and human rights.
What Makes Food Sacred - Resources for Jewish Congregations Z2P
This document provides resources for creating sustainable and eco-friendly Shabbat dinners, including:
1) Suggestions for greening Shabbat dinner logistics like using reusable dishes, recycled napkins, and organizing carpools.
2) Recommendations for serving local, organic, vegetarian, and fair trade food options to reduce environmental impact.
3) A list of kosher organic wine and grape juice options for Shabbat meals.
The document encourages reflecting on the "embodied energy" required to produce food and brings awareness to tracing food back to its source to appreciate all the steps involved in getting it from farm to table.
The document discusses the history and origins of Earth Day. It began on April 22, 1970 in the United States as an environmental movement started by Senator Gaylord Nelson. The document also discusses how Islam promotes environmentalism through verses in the Quran and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad encouraging care for the Earth. Some facts about recycling, water scarcity, plastic pollution, tree planting, and wastewater are provided. The document encourages readers to reduce their carbon footprint and take bold steps to help the environment.
This document discusses the history and plans for Woodlands Garden in Decatur, Georgia. It describes how the garden was established on land donated by the Morse family to preserve the native plants and ecosystems of the Georgia Piedmont region. The garden has become an important community space and nature education resource. Woodlands Garden is now seeking to expand its infrastructure and education programs by acquiring an adjacent property to create a new entrance and visitor center, as well as enhancing its trails, play areas, and community outreach.
Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.
The document discusses Earth Day, which is celebrated annually on April 22nd. It originated in 1970 in the US as an environmental teach-in organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson in response to environmental damage. Earth Day now involves events worldwide to support environmental protection and is coordinated globally. The document provides background on Earth Day's origins and growth, as well as facts about annual celebrations and themes over the years focused on issues like climate change, sustainability, and tree planting.
The document discusses the objectives, need, importance, and core themes of environmental education. It notes that the key objectives outlined at an 1977 UNESCO conference included developing awareness of environmental issues, understanding of environmental structures and problems, skills for identifying and solving environmental problems, values and motivation for environmental protection, and opportunities for active participation. The document emphasizes that environmental education is needed for sustainable development, to think globally and act locally, and is an important part of education systems in some countries. It highlights the importance of environmental education for children's development and lifelong learning, as well as for social and economic issues like population growth and resource depletion. The core themes discussed are developing environmental awareness, understanding impacts on the environment, awareness of problems and
Robin Organ is the founder and executive director of Green Schools, an organization that works to engage students, schools, and communities in environmental sustainability solutions through various programs and pathways. After experiencing severe environmental health issues herself, Robin was inspired to help schools develop green practices and educate students on the connections between human and environmental health. Green Schools offers resources like a national green schools society for students, opportunities to achieve environmental honors, and annual awards that recognize excellence in school sustainability efforts. The organization's work aims to foster student leadership around environmental issues.
Tim Hyre is Emily's father and the Environmental Captain for Panera Bread in Atlanta. He has worked in sustainability roles for both Panera and Starbucks. Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd to promote environmental protection. It began in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day to raise public awareness of environmental issues. Over 500 million people now participate in Earth Day events each year. The document provides tips for reducing waste, reusing items, recycling, and ideas for hosting Earth Day events to encourage environmental protection.
Breakout Session Slides
Connecting Communities: Relationship Building to Diversify Participation – Courtney Curenton-Baker and Ashely Henderson discussed how a state association and a state agency develop community relationships and leverage them to reach historically underserved producers, providing a trusted avenue to conduct outreach for NRCS programs.
Tuesday, February 13, 2:20 - 3:00 p.m.
Environmentalism, environmental movements in india, threats to nature, stake holder responsibility towards environment, SOME ACTIVE GOVT. AND NON GOVT. ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, environmental policy.
This document discusses public perceptions of longleaf pine ecosystem management. It outlines that longleaf pine is an endangered ecosystem that requires prescribed fires to maintain. However, the public views prescribed fires negatively due to concerns about wildlife harm, property damage, health risks, and accidents. The document recommends education programs to demonstrate the benefits of prescribed fires and increase involvement of the public in planning. Changing public perceptions is important for the restoration and management of longleaf pine ecosystems.
The document provides an overview of the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-profit founded in 1977 in Kenya by Wangari Maathai. It began as a tree planting initiative aimed at empowering women and combating deforestation and soil erosion. Over time, it expanded its mission to include advocacy, climate change mitigation, and sustainable livelihood programs. The Movement has planted over 51 million trees across Kenya and formed a pan-African network. It works at the grassroots and international levels to promote environmental conservation and empower communities, especially women.
The document discusses eco-clubs, which are voluntary groups that promote student participation in learning about and improving the environment. Eco-clubs are made up of teachers and motivated students who take action to improve their immediate environment and generate environmental awareness. The objectives of eco-clubs are to motivate students to keep their surroundings clean and green through activities like tree planting, waste reduction, and water conservation. The document outlines the structure of eco-clubs and roles of the president, vice president, general secretary, treasurer, and other positions. It provides examples of educational and outdoor activities eco-clubs can undertake, such as assemblies, competitions, field trips, and community cleanups.
Each person must plant at least one tree. Schools should involve children to raise environmental awareness and encourage participation in public gatherings and competitions focused on earth day, which is an annual global event on April 22nd established in 1970 to support environmental protection efforts occurring in over 193 countries.
submitted as a partial fulfillment to pass the Computer course in undergraduate program, teacher training and education faculty, English Education Study Program.
Norvergence is an environmental organization that works with communities and governments to study the environment and execute projects based on their findings. They complete field projects with schools, colleges, community groups, NGOs, and governments on issues like water, soil, energy, food, and more. Norvergence trains volunteers to respect indigenous people's rights and voices while working on projects, ensuring indigenous communities fully participate in decisions that affect their lands. Some of Norvergence's key practices include strengthening indigenous communities, building support networks for them, and respecting their human rights.
World environment day india then and now (in pics)News World India
World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5 to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage protection of the environment. It was established in 1972 by the UN General Assembly as a global platform to address urgent issues like pollution and climate change. This year's theme, "Go Wild For Life," encourages people to celebrate and help protect threatened species for future generations. The document then introduces that it will show how pollution has impacted landmarks in India over recent decades, including Dal Lake, the Taj Mahal, Ganga Ghat, Kedarnath, Nainital Lake, and Connaught Place.
The Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq planted 5 million trees across Iraq to celebrate Earth Day 2012 and A Billion Acts of Green. The Prime Minister said they hoped to improve the environment and set an example for sustainability in Iraq and the world. Over 10,000 people in New Taipei City, Taiwan also planted trees for Earth Day. An Earth Day celebration in Alaska featured mayors signing a sustainability proclamation.
The document discusses the environment, sustainability, and challenges related to ensuring the availability of natural resources for future generations. It notes that least developed countries are more dependent on agriculture and natural resources, and if these resources run out it could have a devastating impact as 1.7 billion people already live in water-stressed countries. The document also discusses issues like deforestation reducing fuel availability and preventing girls' education. It describes the youth organization YouthCan which uses technology to educate and empower youth about environmental issues. Finally, it states that achieving sustainability goals will require giving poor communities more decision-making power, integrating sustainability into all policies, and strengthening protections of natural resources.
Christian Aid Tsunami Evaluation Synthesis Study October 2007 Z2P
This document provides a summary of an evaluation of Christian Aid's response to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
1. The evaluation found Christian Aid's partnership approach allowed for a more locally relevant response and facilitated transition from relief to recovery. Housing programs were particularly successful at helping marginalized groups.
2. While livelihood programs had mixed success, shelter programs across countries generally performed well. Psychosocial support programs require more evidence of impact.
3. The evaluation provides several recommendations, including being cautious about long-term psychosocial funding and documenting lessons from disaster risk reduction work.
The article discusses the degrading state of the planet and the role of the green movement in addressing environmental issues. It notes that India is losing its forests at an alarming rate of 3.7 billion acres per year. While environmentalists and the green movement have increased awareness, success in reducing environmental damage has been limited. There is an urgent need to promote sustainable development to protect the planet from further catastrophic depletion. The green movement aims to advocate for policies and behaviors that sustainably manage resources and steward the environment through conservation, environmentalism, and addressing issues of ecology, health, and human rights.
What Makes Food Sacred - Resources for Jewish Congregations Z2P
This document provides resources for creating sustainable and eco-friendly Shabbat dinners, including:
1) Suggestions for greening Shabbat dinner logistics like using reusable dishes, recycled napkins, and organizing carpools.
2) Recommendations for serving local, organic, vegetarian, and fair trade food options to reduce environmental impact.
3) A list of kosher organic wine and grape juice options for Shabbat meals.
The document encourages reflecting on the "embodied energy" required to produce food and brings awareness to tracing food back to its source to appreciate all the steps involved in getting it from farm to table.
The document discusses the history and origins of Earth Day. It began on April 22, 1970 in the United States as an environmental movement started by Senator Gaylord Nelson. The document also discusses how Islam promotes environmentalism through verses in the Quran and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad encouraging care for the Earth. Some facts about recycling, water scarcity, plastic pollution, tree planting, and wastewater are provided. The document encourages readers to reduce their carbon footprint and take bold steps to help the environment.
This document discusses the history and plans for Woodlands Garden in Decatur, Georgia. It describes how the garden was established on land donated by the Morse family to preserve the native plants and ecosystems of the Georgia Piedmont region. The garden has become an important community space and nature education resource. Woodlands Garden is now seeking to expand its infrastructure and education programs by acquiring an adjacent property to create a new entrance and visitor center, as well as enhancing its trails, play areas, and community outreach.
Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.
The document discusses Earth Day, which is celebrated annually on April 22nd. It originated in 1970 in the US as an environmental teach-in organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson in response to environmental damage. Earth Day now involves events worldwide to support environmental protection and is coordinated globally. The document provides background on Earth Day's origins and growth, as well as facts about annual celebrations and themes over the years focused on issues like climate change, sustainability, and tree planting.
The document discusses the objectives, need, importance, and core themes of environmental education. It notes that the key objectives outlined at an 1977 UNESCO conference included developing awareness of environmental issues, understanding of environmental structures and problems, skills for identifying and solving environmental problems, values and motivation for environmental protection, and opportunities for active participation. The document emphasizes that environmental education is needed for sustainable development, to think globally and act locally, and is an important part of education systems in some countries. It highlights the importance of environmental education for children's development and lifelong learning, as well as for social and economic issues like population growth and resource depletion. The core themes discussed are developing environmental awareness, understanding impacts on the environment, awareness of problems and
Robin Organ is the founder and executive director of Green Schools, an organization that works to engage students, schools, and communities in environmental sustainability solutions through various programs and pathways. After experiencing severe environmental health issues herself, Robin was inspired to help schools develop green practices and educate students on the connections between human and environmental health. Green Schools offers resources like a national green schools society for students, opportunities to achieve environmental honors, and annual awards that recognize excellence in school sustainability efforts. The organization's work aims to foster student leadership around environmental issues.
Tim Hyre is Emily's father and the Environmental Captain for Panera Bread in Atlanta. He has worked in sustainability roles for both Panera and Starbucks. Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd to promote environmental protection. It began in 1970 when Senator Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day to raise public awareness of environmental issues. Over 500 million people now participate in Earth Day events each year. The document provides tips for reducing waste, reusing items, recycling, and ideas for hosting Earth Day events to encourage environmental protection.
Breakout Session Slides
Connecting Communities: Relationship Building to Diversify Participation – Courtney Curenton-Baker and Ashely Henderson discussed how a state association and a state agency develop community relationships and leverage them to reach historically underserved producers, providing a trusted avenue to conduct outreach for NRCS programs.
Tuesday, February 13, 2:20 - 3:00 p.m.
Environmentalism, environmental movements in india, threats to nature, stake holder responsibility towards environment, SOME ACTIVE GOVT. AND NON GOVT. ORGANIZATIONS IN INDIA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN, environmental policy.
From Enraged to Engaged: Harnessing Volunteers to Achieve Policy ChangesColleenSchoch
This document summarizes the history and work of Openlands, a nonprofit focused on protecting natural spaces in northeastern Illinois, and their TreeKeepers program. It outlines how TreeKeepers are trained volunteers who plant, prune, and care for trees. It also details Openlands' decades-long efforts to establish an Urban Forestry Advisory Board in Chicago through advocacy workshops, media outreach, and working with elected officials, which ultimately passed unanimously in 2021. The takeaway is that sustained, long-term efforts utilizing volunteers and resources can achieve policy changes.
Linda Hunter has over 15 years of experience as an executive director and leader of nonprofit organizations focused on environmental protection and community engagement. She has successfully implemented strategic plans, diversified funding streams, managed multi-million dollar budgets, overseen staff, cultivated partnerships, and developed impactful new programs. Throughout her career, Ms. Hunter has inspired thousands of volunteers and raised over $5 million dollars for local watershed protection and marine sanctuary advocacy.
Museums and Climate Change: Creating a Sustainable Path ForwardWest Muse
The collective response of our society to climate change will be one of the defining issues of this era. From strategies to improve the environmental performance of facilities to making a difference globally through programs such as We Are Still In, this session will explore the issues surrounding climate change and provide insights on how museums of all varieties can contribute to bringing positive change to their organizations and communities through interpretation and demonstration.
The document summarizes the We Are Still In coalition, which includes over 3,800 signatories committed to upholding the Paris Agreement on climate change after the US withdrawal. It focuses on the role of cultural institutions in the coalition, which aim to use education and communication to foster climate action. Key commitments cultural institutions can make include understanding greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energy use, and building community resilience. The coalition provides opportunities for institutions to demonstrate leadership on sustainability and climate issues important to the public.
The document summarizes discussions from a summit on the future of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). Key conclusions from the summit included: 1) Continued funding of the GLRI is needed as billions remain for restoration work and it has provided economic and environmental benefits; 2) The GLRI's federal budget authorization should be expanded to 5 years at a minimum of $300 million annually; 3) Cleanup of polluted Areas of Concern should remain a priority as it has been a success of the GLRI.
Casey Trees engages citizen scientists through programs like phenology monitoring and urban tree inventories. Volunteers record data on tree species' responses to climate change and help test data collection methods. These citizen science projects generate large datasets with minimal resources while creating engagement opportunities for volunteers. The data informs Casey Trees' practices and the field of urban forestry. Maintaining momentum and consistency over long-term projects, as well as empowering volunteers, are ongoing challenges.
Role of science communication for grass root level capacity building in eco-h...Pradip Sengupta
In this paper, the integrated approach followed has been described, and experiences and challenges are elaborated. Main conclusion is that appropriate science communication methodologies acted as key factors in successful capacity building in local people’s appreciation and initiatives in monitoring and conservation of ecohydrology.
The SWCS newsletter is requesting donations to support the Soil and Water Conservation Society's conservation efforts. It summarizes that for over 70 years SWCS has advocated for conservation practices and professionals. Donations are used to produce publications, events, and projects that bring together conservationists, lawmakers, educators, and scientists to further conservation goals. The newsletter encourages readers to donate by December 31st to support another 70 years of conservation work.
The Library as a Campus Sustainability ChampionMandi Goodsett
The document discusses sustainability initiatives at the Michael Schwartz Library at Cleveland State University. It describes how the library formed a Sustainability Interest Group to implement various projects promoting sustainability on campus, such as improving recycling infrastructure, distributing sustainability tips to staff, and hosting speakers and events around Earth Month and Campus Sustainability Month. The library collaborates with the campus Sustainability Office on many of these projects and acts as a sustainability champion on campus.
This document provides an agenda for ACTrees Day being held on November 4, 2014 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It includes welcome messages from various speakers, an overview of the ACTrees Board of Directors and staff, a financial overview and sponsorships for 2014, and the day's agenda which covers topics like the strategic plan, programs, partnerships, engagement, and elections.
Ecology in ASEAN Nations- Biology Graduate Student Mark McGinley
This document provides an overview of ecology in Southeast Asian nations presented by Dr. Mark McGinley, a Fulbright visiting scholar at the University of Malaya. It discusses opportunities and challenges for ecologists in SE Asia, including high biodiversity but many poorly studied species. It emphasizes building talents through collaboration and a modern "collaborative, long-term studies" approach. Funding, policy support, and bridging ideas to the public and policymakers are also addressed as important for ecological research.
The Environment And Public Policy 12 Jan 2009karsalan
This document provides a summary of resources for researching environmental policy and related topics. It lists various organizations, publications, and databases that cover areas such as environmental studies programs, policy issues, social movements, conservation, and the humanities perspective on environmentalism. The resources are international, national, and California-specific in scope.
This document summarizes research conducted on the Austin community in Chicago to identify strategies for engaging residents in the city's Climate Action Plan. Key findings include:
1) Austin has a mix of homeowners and renters, with community organizations tracing their origins to efforts addressing issues like affordable housing, crime, and healthcare.
2) These organizations now provide multiple services while continuing community organizing efforts around political and social issues.
3) Stakeholder partnerships and relationship-building are important strategies in Austin, with coalitions addressing issues and programs in both formal and informal configurations.
The document provides information about Earth Day Texas, a three-day environmental event taking place April 22-24 at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. Over 770 environmental groups, businesses, government agencies and academic institutions will have exhibit spaces. The event will include exhibits, speakers, workshops, films, music, food, recycling activities and more. It is aimed at celebrating the earth and bringing people together around sustainability.
Proposal for Kashwakamak Lake Sustainability Plan - July 2011Scott_A_Bennett
This presentation was to the Kashwakamak Lake Association at the Annual General Meeting on July 9, 2011. The proposal was accepted to being the first stage of the lake sustainability plan.
This document summarizes a presentation about using process models to help build trust and understanding when implementing edge of field conservation practices. It discusses how process models can help various stakeholders like conservation professionals, landowners, cities, and contractors understand the time and resources required. It provides examples of process models created for constructed wetlands, saturated buffers, and bioreactors. The presentation discusses the goals of helping more stakeholders and expanding the models, as well as thanking collaborators on the project.
This document discusses the challenges of meeting nitrogen reduction goals in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. It notes that meeting the nutrient reduction goals will be a massive effort that requires a mix of practices across Iowa, Minnesota, and Illinois, including wetlands, drainage treatment, and stacked practices. However, there are also many challenges to implementing the necessary practices, including economics, human/social factors, delivery challenges, risk management, climate change, and the need for further research. The document emphasizes that understanding the large scale of the challenge is needed to make progress toward the nutrient reduction goals.
The document summarizes a meta-analysis that compared the nitrate removal performance of different substrates used in denitrifying bioreactors. It found that wood media had the highest nitrate removal rate (NRR) and percentage (NRE), followed by mulch media, nutshell-based media, and inorganic media. However, when considering cost-effectiveness, woodchip and corn cob were the most economical natural organic carbon substrates. Overall, the analysis suggests that mulch media is the optimal material for nitrate removal due to its low cost and potential to overcome deficiencies in other media types.
The document summarizes an investigation into phosphorus transport dynamics in subsurface drainage using high-frequency measurements. Key findings include:
1) TRP concentration had a dynamic pattern that was strongly influenced by drainage discharge levels, highlighting the need for high-resolution sampling.
2) Event flows contributed 78% of the total TRP load despite comprising only 50% of total flow.
3) Flow-proportional sampling strategies provided more accurate TRP load estimates than time-proportional strategies and were more cost-effective. Targeting high flow periods is important for reducing phosphorus loss.
This document summarizes a study that evaluated a procedure for prioritizing maintenance of agricultural drainage ditches. The study measured the critical shear stress of soils using a cohesive strength meter to assess their susceptibility to erosion. Soils with higher root densities and those treated with mixed lime showed higher critical shear stresses, meaning they were less susceptible to erosion. Measurements of pressure on the soil surface during testing were mostly lower than estimates from other studies. The procedure effectively identified the relative erosion resistance of different soils, aiding prioritization of drainage ditch maintenance needs.
ISG worked with Blue Earth County to digitize and modernize their drainage data. They georeferenced existing plans, digitized drainage features, attributed data to the digitized features, and created a geodatabase to house the updated drainage data. This project consolidated Blue Earth County's drainage records, improved data accuracy, and established a process for ISG and the County to regularly update the drainage data going forward. The updated digital records will benefit Blue Earth County, ISG, other engineering firms, and the public.
This document summarizes the results of Latvia's long-term Agricultural Runoff Monitoring programme, which aims to document nutrient concentrations and losses at different spatial and temporal scales. The monitoring covers groundwater, experimental drainage plots, subsurface drainage fields, small catchments, and small/medium rivers at 23 sites. Results show discharge and nutrient concentration data varying by location, scale of monitoring, and between years with flooding or drought. Nutrient levels differed between the Berze and Mellupite monitoring sites and across groundwater, drainage plots, and catchment scales. The programme provides long-term data on agricultural nonpoint source pollution across Latvia.
This document summarizes an applied research and demonstration project evaluating soil and water management practices in undulating soils in southwestern Manitoba. The project aims to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus and salt export while improving drought resiliency. Preliminary results show tile drainage is lowering water tables most in lower landscape positions, with soil moisture responding rapidly in drained areas. Tile flow rates increase with decreasing elevation. Water quality measurements also show higher salt concentrations in lower positions. Next steps include water quality treatment analysis, long-term monitoring, modeling, knowledge transfer and reporting.
This document summarizes a coordinated research network studying the impacts of 4R nutrient stewardship practices on crop yields, soil health, and nutrient losses across sites in North America. The network included 8 research sites across 6 states/provinces from 2017-2020. Treatments included different fertilizer application timings, placements, sources, and rates. Standardized data collection allowed comparisons across sites. Preliminary findings showed 4R and advanced 4R practices improved nutrient use efficiency and reduced nitrogen losses while maintaining crop yields. Nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching losses decreased under improved nutrient management, though impacts varied between sites and years. Ongoing research aims to further quantify environmental benefits and optimize fertilizer practices.
The document summarizes research on managing drainage water in the Holland Marsh region of Ontario to improve water quality and agricultural productivity. Key points:
- The Holland Marsh is an important vegetable growing region on organic soils, but drainage into Lake Simcoe contributes excess nutrients.
- A study evaluated controlling water tables with controlled drainage to reduce pumping and nutrient loads in drainage water. Modeling and monitoring found it effective for water conservation but more limited for nutrient reductions.
- Soil phosphorus pools, particularly aluminum and iron-bound phosphorus, were found to influence phosphorus levels in drainage water more than drainage management alone. Fertilizer applications exceeded crop needs, accumulating legacy phosphorus in soils over time.
This document summarizes a study comparing the effects of conventional ditch drainage (FD) and shallow furrow drainage with tile (SD) on crop yields and water quality in eastern North Carolina. Preliminary results found that SD led to a 68% reduction in drainage volume, 80% less nitrate export, and higher average soybean (+9.1%) and corn (+3.7%) yields compared to FD. SD also requires less land area than FD, has lower maintenance needs, and shows potential to improve water quality and agricultural productivity with more efficient drainage management. The research aims to further quantify these impacts of SD drainage design.
1) DRAINMOD simulations were conducted for a field in Harrow, Ontario with an asymmetrical drainage system to determine the best approach to simulate drain outflow. 2) Four approaches using different drain spacings were tested: 3.8m, 5.06m, 7.6m, and 15.2m. 3) The mean absolute error and root mean square error for each approach were acceptable, indicating drain spacing had little impact on outflow simulation, though it did impact soil moisture parameters.
This document discusses how the choice of pipe material influences drain spacing and system cost. It finds that pipe with more rows of perforations, such as an 8-row regular perforated pipe, has a higher effective radius than a 4-row pipe, allowing for wider drain spacing. Experiments show that a sock-wrapped pipe has the highest drain inflow of the pipes tested, both with and without drain sedimentation present. The key takeaways are that the number of perforation rows and slot length most impact effective radius and drain flow, and a sock-wrapped pipe performs best in terms of drain inflow and spacing.
This document summarizes research conducted by the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) on the installation of corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) agricultural drainage pipe. It describes field testing of 30-inch HDPE dual-wall pipe installed at a test site in Ohio, including instrumentation to monitor strain and deflection. Finite element modeling was also used to analyze trench configurations. The research aims to update industry guidance documents to optimize pipe installation practices and trench designs. PPI members also work to increase the use of recycled HDPE and PP materials in pipe production.
The document discusses Ohio's H2Ohio water quality initiative and its funding of conservation practices including two-stage ditches. It launched in 2019 with $172 million to reduce phosphorus runoff from farms using best management practices like wetlands, buffers, and two-stage ditches. A $5 million grant program was announced to fund two-stage ditch projects based on design guidelines. The document provides details on the grant application process, design requirements using regional curves, and goals to fund 20 projects for 30 miles of ditches at $30 per foot on average.
This document provides information on edge-of-field conservation practices and a panel discussion on drainage ditches. It summarizes various practices for nutrient, soil, and sediment removal including vegetated buffers, grassed waterways, prairie strips, wetlands, bioreactors, and controlled drainage. Cost effectiveness data is given for each. The key elements of an edge-of-field roadmap are outlined as building the economic case, increasing implementation capacity, and elevating a culture of conservation. A sample conservation planning scenario shows identified sites for practices treating over 9,000 acres of land. The document concludes with information on connecting with The Nature Conservancy's Ohio agriculture programs.
This document discusses the implementation and maintenance of two-stage ditches. Two-stage ditches incorporate a floodplain area to increase flow capacity while slowing velocities. They allow for channel vegetation, improve sediment settling, and provide water quality benefits. Challenges include obtaining land access, communication with landowners, permitting, and planting/erosion control. Case studies of implemented two-stage ditch projects in Lucas County demonstrate post-construction conditions and results, including improved drainage and yields for agriculture.
This document summarizes research on conservation channel design and sediment capture in two-stage ditches. It finds that self-forming channels accumulated more sediment, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus over time compared to traditional ditches. Sediment analysis showed higher nutrient levels than surrounding soils. A case study site captured over 500 kg of phosphorus over 9 years that could be harvested and reused as fertilizer, offsetting nutrient costs for farmers. The document concludes sediment trapping in two-stage ditches can improve water quality while providing a locally sourced, cost-effective fertilizer resource.
Farmers, drainage contractors, researchers, and conservation authorities collaborated on a drainage innovation project at Huronview in Clinton, Ontario. They worked together on the design, installation, and monitoring of new drainage practices to improve water quality and sustainability while maintaining agricultural productivity. A demonstration day was held in June 2019 to share results with stakeholders. The project aimed to foster cooperation across sectors and balance priorities around drainage, research, environmental protection, and social acceptance.
This document summarizes a study on the impact of drainage water recycling (DWR) on nutrient and sediment losses from agricultural fields in eastern North Carolina. The study found that storing drainage water in an on-farm reservoir for supplemental irrigation (DWR) significantly reduced nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment concentrations and loads compared to a non-irrigated control field. Specifically, DWR reduced total nitrogen concentration by 40% and load by 47%. It also reduced total phosphorus concentration by 21% and load by 30%. Sediment concentration was reduced by 86% and load by 87%. The hydraulic retention time in the reservoir was found to be the major factor influencing nutrient and sediment removal efficiency.
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1. Let’s Party Like
It’s 1946:
SWCS Celebrates 75 Years of
the Conservation Professional
Catherine DeLong
Special Projects and Policy Director
Soil and Water Conservation Society
SWCS International Annual Conference
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 30, 2019
9. One of the Senators remarked, “It’s getting dark.” Another Senator
ventured, “maybe its dust.” I said, “you’re right, Senator, it’s another
dust storm.” We went back to that table and I was feeling pretty good.
Photo credit: USDA
14. WHY create a professional society?
• “Conservation of soil and water resources has
become one of the prime objectives…in our country.”
• “The development of soil conservation thought and
knowledge in recent years has been nothing short of
phenomenal.”
• “At the core of this great endeavor to hold on to the
world’s store of productive soil and water, will be the
professional soil conservationist.”
- - - - - > Science & Community
17. • Chapters begin to form in 1945
• Washington, DC
• Portland, Oregon
• Huron, South Dakota, etc.
• Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
• 1945: First chapter meeting held June 8 in Lincoln,
NE. Discussed “Upstream Measure as They Relate
to Flood Control.”
• Eventually reaching 130 chapters worldwide
Chapter Movement
18. New Jersey Chapter
Developed a conservation
education resource guide: a
county-by-county directory
of all people and agencies
involved in conservation
activities in New Jersey.
19. South Dakota Chapter
Created a program for career guidance for high school
students:
Encouraged chapter members to develop panel
presentation for high school assemblies on subjects
relating to careers in conservation.
Created a special
brochure for South
Dakota schools. More
than 5,000 copies were
distributed during the
school year.
20. Created a publication, ‘The
Soil Auger’, as an educational
and informational link
between the student chapter
and the alumni.
The 60 page publication
contains feature articles
written by students, former
student-members and
members of the staff.
California Student Chapter at
California State Polytechnic College
27. “Questions already were being raised when I joined
the staff in September 1965 about what kind of
organization the Society ought to be. Should it be a
scientific and professional society, as Bennett and his
colleagues envisioned, or a more lay-oriented,
activist organization? Was its scope of interests soil
conservation solely, or soil and water conservation,
or natural resources conservation?”
- Max Schnepf, Former Director of
Publications, SWCS
28. 1978: H. Wayne Pritchard, 1st
Executive Secretary of SWCS,
retires after serving for 27 years.
He remains the longest-tenured
Executive Secretary/CEO.
30. Special Projects
• 3 year field evaluation
of 1985 Farm Bill
commissioned by USDA
• “politically
unacceptable” findings
• Balancing dual
identities: membership
and research/advocacy
organization
33. Tracy Mehan
• Executive Director,
Government Affairs,
American Water Works
Association (AWWA)
• Lawyer by training
• Worked for EPA and state-
level natural resource
departments
• Became involved with
Society through JSWC in
early 2000s
• 2019 Pritchard Lecturer
34. Dr. Linda Prokopy
• Social Scientist
• Member since 2007
• Currently or previously serves on:
• Editorial Board for JSWC
• Annual Conference Planning
Committee
• Technical Review Team
• Investigates farmer, stakeholder,
and citizen motivations for
environmentally friendly behaviors
• 2019 SWCS Fellow
35. Naveen Adusumilli
• Assistant Professor at
Louisiana State University
• Agricultural Economist
with Extension
appointment
• Member since 2015
• Member of Science and
Policy Committee
36. Patrick O’Neill,
Agronomist and CCA
Leonard Jordan, Former
Acting Chief, USDA NRCS
Marni Thompson, Resource
Conservationist, USDA NRCS
Dale Threatt-Taylor, Director of Wake SWCD
GarySteinhardt,
Professor,Purdue
Martha Zwonitzer, Agronomic
Research Specialist, Monsanto
Alyssa Charney, Lead Environmental
and Agriculture Staff for Sen. Casey
Doug Smith, Research Soil Scientist, USDA ARS
39. • Share your story
• Why did you become a
conservationist?
• A memory about the
Society.
• Record it
• Archived at the Library
of Congress
• Society will share it
Conservation
42. 75th Anniversary
Chapter Activity
Guide
• Host a service project,
fundraiser or celebration
• Make a community art
project
• Host a visioning session with
your chapter
• Let us know what YOU’RE
doing!
My name is Catherine DeLong…
Welcome to Let’s Party…
I believe we are the only presentation that has the world party in it.
And I know this is the only presentation that has our founder…
Appreciate this audience
Well be celebrating our 75th
Today: history, all about the cons. Prof.
Plans for 75th
Let’s start with some history
Much of what defined and created the Society occurred in the 1930s and 40s. Just like your experiences when you were a child were so formative, the same is true for the Society.
On October 29, 1929, a day that would become known as Black Tuesday, the New York Stock Exchange crashed.
During the Great Depression, from 1929-1939, Unemployment exceeded 20%. Industrial production in the US declined by 47% and GDP fell by 30%.
As a comparison during the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009 the GDP declined 4.3%, and unemployment peaked at 10%.
Massive effect on rural populations.
Photo: worked for FSA
She was a migrant from the S. Plains states
Pick peas
32 years old, 7 kids
She had moved, like many people from her region, moved West to get away from the greatest environmental disaster in human history, the Dust Bowl.
There has been a lot of migration to the S. Plains states Preceding the Dust Bowl
Land was cheap
Population was booming in the east
This painting is from a series by an OK artist named Alexandre Hogue, who saw the Dust Bowl firsthand
Before the Dust Bowl: several rainy years
Fragile land into production
Increased demand for wheat during WWII
Great Dep.: prices fell, more cultivation to make up for the low prices
1931: drought begins, but believed that rain follows the plow
With the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, the country started to take seriously soil conservation.
More funds were given to demonstration projects – to show farmers the benefits of conservation. And thousands of young men were hired to work on these demonstration projects, which helped to alleviate unemployment.
One famous example of these demonstration projects was Coon Valley in the driftless area of Wisconsin.
Between 1933-35, the Soil Erosion Service, with many other partners including Aldo Lepold, worked with 418 of the Valley’s 800 farmers to put in conservation practices.
Coon Valley today
Not small plates, covered 1000s of acres
The message of soil conservation was spreading – due in large part to the passion of one man: HHB
Hugh Hammond Bennett had graduated with a degree in chemistry, and had hoped to go to work in the steel industry, but they weren’t hiring. So instead, he got a job with the government doing land surveys in the early 1900s.
Because of that experience, he saw the repercussions of poor land management – and became a soil conservation zealot.
And Hugh had a real gift for writing and for speaking. He could get people to care about things that they had not cared about before. In the 1920s he started to lobby policymakers to do something about soil conservation.
Back in 1928 he had co-authored a USDA bulletin entitled Soil Erosion, a national menace. But it was not until the mid-30s, after the election of Roosevelt, that the policymakers started to act. He had convinced them to fund demonstration projects, like Coon Valley, but he knew that more resources were needed.
HHB committee meeting trying to convince senators to pass soil conservation bill
rumor: dust storm
The sky darkened…
Bill passed unanimously, April 27, 1935, the Soil Conservation Service was created with HHB as its leader
And as more demonstration projects were accomplished, and more employees joined the ranks of the Soil Conservation Service – Bennett and others started to think about creating a professional society to encompass this new discipline of soil conservation.
As Ralph Musser, one of the founders of the Society stated, “Professional soil conservationists numbered in the thousands. They had no common meeting ground, no medium for joint expression, and no unified strength for advancement. Out of these conditions, the Soil Conservation Society of America was born in Chicago on November 11, 1941.”
We don’t actually have any photos of this 1941 meeting, but I do imagine that it occurred in a smoke filled room that looked a lot like this.
Remember I said this meeting took place in November 1941, in December, one month later, the US was bombed at Pearl Harbor and we entered WWII.
- Professional society took a backseat
In 1946 the 1st annual meeting was held in Chicago.
And in the same year the 1st issue of the JSWC was published.
In the first issue of the Journal is an article by Ralph Musser, entitled “Why another Society”? Why are we forming? These were some of his stated reasons.
WWII had just ended – a war that made us realize our fragile the earth is and how precarious our lives on it are. The first issues of the journal are full of the role that soil conservation can play in world peace.
The development…: This new scientific concept of soil conservation was rapidly expanding – more demonstration practices, more people employed in conservation.
And resting on the success of our natural resources and farming was the professional soil conservationist – everything rides on their shoulders. So there were really two important things that the Society offered. Science and community. And through that —
#1 We need to give the membership access to the best scientific information available
#2 We need to offer them a space to share their knowledge and to learn from others: annual conference and the journal
#3 And we need to inspire them – we need to give them a community so that they remain engaged in this incredibly important endeavor
In terms of science: Journal, quarterly
- AC: share your research
Community: most important = chapter, from the very beginning
Conservation professionals to gather with like-minded, create a community
To illustrated the importance of community and WHY chapters were formed, I’m going to use an example from the movie Castaway
I’m assuming a lot of you have seen the film Castaway with Tom Hanks. But if you haven’t, the plot is that Tom Hank’s plane crashes on a deserted island – where he is forced to live in total isolation for several years as he tried to survive. In order to deal, psychologically, with the isolation, and the long-term nature of his predicament he creates a friend. He uses a volleyball to create the persona of Wilson – who he communicates constantly with (and argues as you can see in this picture).
So, working in conservation can be lonely work, and positive change on the landscape (and in people’s hearts) can be very slow. So it’s really helpful to be able to sit down and share your frustrations or your dreams with somebody who understands what you’re going through.
We all need our Wilson, and I think that’s why chapters – why getting groups of conservationists together in the same room -- is so important. Because they provide that community that keeps us inspired that keeps us alive!
49 men and 1 woman
Chapter organization spread like wildfire
- Seeking community, no internet
Some things that chapters accomplished in the 1940s…
Chapter instrumental in giving us a permanent home
Members raised $124,000 in 3 years – in late 50s, must have been $1 million
Photo: hardy souls breaking ground on our current site in Ankeny, IA
And in 1963 the building was created and dedicated to HHB.
Starting in the 1960s SWCS started to examine its mission and goals in light of several world events.
In 1962 Rachel Carson, a Pennsylvania native, published Silent Spring.
Marine biologist and nature writer
Book meticulously connected the use of DDT pesticide to environmental and human health
The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio caught fire at least 13 times, but most famously June 22, 1969
And on July 20, 1969, the first humans walked on the moon.
Public concern about environmental issues was on the rise.
Picture: Blue Spruce tree that was gifted to the Society by Pres. Nixon in 1969: thanking us for our help with a federal soil conservation planning initiative
2nd picture: letter from the Nixon administration in 1971 when Earth Week was declared
So all of these issues led to some soul searching for the Society.
As Max Schnepf noted:
…
And in the 1980s we started to confront some of these questions.
…
Pritchard lecture, annual keynote is named after him.
After he retired, with new leadership, more changes occurred at the Society
One of the most momentous changes was changing the name from the Soil Conservation Society of America TO the Soil and Water Conservation Society in 1987.
This really expressed the Society’s expansion beyond soil erosion to a more holistic and interconnected understanding of our natural resources.
1980s: the Society started to depart from their traditional role in communications and advocacy TO seek out research-oriented special projects
1st project: 3 year field evaluation of 1985 farm bill
1985 farm bill: CRP, WRP, swampbuster, sodbuster
Tension: politically unacceptable findings
Balancing our dual identities
Completed many surveys, focus groups, and listening sessions.
Completed 2 1st of it’s kind mail survey of CRP contract-holders
Followed by a series of focus groups on the pilot WRP.
Regional listening sessions before the 1996 and 2002 farm bills
To bring you to the modern day…
Conservation Media Library: multimedia storing house, 500 photos, curated photo albums, FREE to download
Watershed Academy: Since 2015, watershed coordinators asked to have many skills, twice a year, looking into developing a professional certification for watershed coordinators
Building Capacity for EOF Implementation
How to expand
Sustainable model
Process model
State models
Building the coalition
Just to showcase how we’ve changed in the last 75 years, highlight some of our members and the increasingly diverse nature of our membership.
…
AWWA: advocates for utilities and their ability to provide safe and plentiful drinking water
…
Good representation of Society’s expansion into water quality and quantity – urban partners (theme)
…
Social sciences have become increasingly important to the Society and conservation – not always good enough to deliver the science, we need to deliver information in the right way.
…
And the economics of conservation is becoming increasingly important – making sure that recommendations make sense to the farmers bottom line.
There is also a lot of interest in using the market to better incentive conservation.
So Naveen also works primarily with farmers, and I think that’s very representative of our membership. All of our members work is very practical – not working on theoretical solutions – working on solutions that will work on the ground.
So those are 3 illustrations of how our membership has expanded in recent decades.
Recently, we have been putting together career profiles of some of our members. I’ve had the chance to interview all of these people – all of their profiles are on our website.
…
So a huge amount of variety – but all of them are practical and pragmatic, focused on solutions that work on the ground.
Alright – I’ve spent some time talking about our past, and how we came to be the organization that we are today.
75th anniversary of being the professional society for those…
And we have. A lot planned!
As we’ve been thinking about our anniversary….
….
With those principles in mind – collecting member stories. We’ve been around for 75 years, so we know there are some good stories out there.
Have you heard of story corps? It’s an initiative…
Tell us why you became a conservationist? Memory of the Society?
Archived at the Library of Congress, and we’re also looking for ways we can share it.
Annual Conference will be the main party for the anniversary celebration. It will be in Des Moines, Iowa – our 50th anniversary conference was also held in Des Moines because that is where we are headquartered.
Peace Tree Brewing – the Iowa Chapter of SWCS is working on a beer that is being crafted just for us.
Swag – it’s got to be better than previous years (vest and coin).
Recent find: all the original logo submissions from the 40s – art exhibition?
STD stickers at booth.
HHB impersonator?
Joe Otto – Historian!
We have a lot of history – archiving it, organizing it.
found original submissions for the SWCS logo in the 1940s.
Display at the 2020 conference.
75th anniversary services
- He may call you
…
HHB cutout - fun
Hope you’ve learned a little about our history, gotten a sneak peak, and that were all excited to celebrate!
So really the goal of the celebration is to celebrate YOU all, to celebrate the conservation professional.
So thank you for helping us get to this point where we’re celebrating our 75th anniversary — and we’re looking forward to the next 75 years.