Do you have an interest and background in budget and financing? Apply to be a Volunteer Budget Committee Member at Polk SWCD! Support to establish financing and conserve natural resources in Polk County. This position is a three-year term.
We are seeking community members to join the Budget Committee, which is responsible for reviewing Polk SWCD’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year beginning July 1st, 2024. There are three community member positions vacant. The District is interested in filling those positions as well as identifying one or two alternates. Budget Committee Info Polk SWCD is partnering with the City of Salem and the Glenn-Gibson Watershed Council to bring the City Nature Challenge to West Salem!
The City Nature Challenge is a four-day, worldwide challenge where community members go out and make observations of wild plants and animals using the iNaturalist app with cell phones. These observations go into a large database used by scientists to further their knowledge and research on biodiversity. You can be a community scientist by participating in this challenge! TWO LOCATIONS! Saturday, April 27, 10am-12pm Orchard Heights Park Saturday, April 27, 12pm-2pm Oak Savannah (behind Salem Fire Station 11) Click the button below to get more details and find out how to participate. City Nature Challenge Join us for an Earth Day event at Baskett Slough as we volunteer to help clean up litter in partnership with Andante Vineyard. Baskett Slough is part of the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Its 2,492 acres provide wetland and woodland sanctuary for migratory and resident wildlife which range from the rare, endangered butterfly, Fender's blue, to the prolific black-tailed deer.
After the litter pick up, we will meet at the Vineyard to hear from Refuge Manager Graham Evans-Peters. He will share about current restoration projects at the Refuge. Andante is graciously giving a complimentary glass of wine to our volunteers. This will fill up fast, sign up today! I am happy to share with you some good news! We have been awarded a NACD Technical Assistance Grant to support outreach and educational work in the district. This grant supports the vision, mission, and values set by the Polk SWCD Board of Directors for work in our community. These funds will provide us with the necessary resources to reach areas of Polk County we have not traditionally had contact with. I would like to express my appreciation to the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) for their acceptance of our proposal.
NACD’s investment in our project will fund district staff, furthering our continuing beneficial assistance to Polk County residents. We have dedicated $37,500 of funding for this project, which includes the grant and the District’s match. I also want to acknowledge the hours of hard work and dedication put forth by the team here at the SWCD. We are constantly striving to leverage your tax dollars to bring in additional funding and potential benefits to the district, and the people in it. Our scope of work is to plan, educate, and build community networks for managing small properties to uplift native habitats, build fire resistance, and provide invasive weed management. These actions will not only address needs within our community, but also pave the way for long-term sustainability and responsible land development. Our county has seen more than 16% population growth since 2010, with significant growth in areas with moderate to dense tree stands, heavy brush, and invasive weeds. Starting this spring of 2024, we will have finalized plans for meetings, workshops and possible tours addressing the topics we’ve outlined. We look forward to sharing more soon! Sincerely, Kevin Porter Polk SWCD District Manager Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15, 2024, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to farmers who experience substantial declines in crop prices or revenues for the 2024 crop year.
Find out more… |