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CONSERVATION CONNECTIONAn occasional update on conservation activities in the Bay State June 2004 In this Connection:
State Conservationist’s CornerI would like to applaud the extraordinary effort by Rick DeVergilio, Deb Johnson, Barbara Miller, Beth Schreier, Dave Nelson and all our field staff on EQIP contracts over the past several months. We were able to meet nearly impossible deadlines to obligate the regional equity funding of over $5 million. The effort by our staff here in Massachusetts has not been equaled by any other state with such a limited staff. And thank you to all the producers who applied for EQIP this year. The conservation work that will be done through these contracts will benefit every Massachusetts resident. CECIL B. CURRIN, State Conservationist PCCD to celebrate 10 years of conservation planning with cranberry farm tourThe Plymouth County Conservation District’s Cranberry Farm Planning Program will celebrate its 10th year with a tour of three cranberry operations that are in various stages of conservation planning, on Friday, June 11th. Anyone interested in learning more about conservation planning and the cranberry industry is welcome to attend. Cranberry operations to be visited include: Edgewood Trust Queen Bog, Carver, A.D. Makepeace Company, Wareham and Parker Mills, Wareham. Growers will speak about and demonstrate their conservation plans and members of the cranberry industry will be recognized for their conservation efforts. The Cranberry Farm Planning Program was started to meet the growing demand for conservation farm plans in the commonwealth’s cranberry growing counties. Pilot funding came from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association annual dues, matched by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Tour participants will meet at 9:00 am at the USDA Service Center, 15 Cranberry Highway, West Wareham, Mass. (Exit 2 off Rte. 495, west on Rte. 58, then turn right at the first light onto Cranberry Highway. The service center will be on the left just after turning.) For more information, contact Linda Rinta at the Plymouth County Conservation District, 508-295-5495, ext. 111, Linda.Rinta@ma.usda.gov or Diane Baedeker Petit at USDA-NRCS, 413-253-4371, Diane.Petit@ma.usda.gov. Summer “pasture walks” to focus on benefits of grazing livestockMassachusetts farmers interested in learning about the benefits of grazing livestock are invited to attend a series of pasture walks this summer to meet fellow graziers, improve skills, and learn from other’s experiences. Pasture-based grazing offers farmers economic, animal health and labor benefits over feeding livestock grain-based feed. And there is growing consumer interest in products from grass-fed animals. Grazing systems must be managed properly, however, to achieve the benefits. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the New England Small Farm Institute, and the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, are sponsoring these pasture walks to help those who are relatively new to grazing management, though all are welcome. Following is the summer pasture walk schedule. The summer sessions will be followed by a fall workshop (date to be announced) to examine some of the theories and techniques.
For more information, contact: Barbara Miller, USDA-NRCS, 413-253-4380, Sue Ellen Johnson, NESFI, 413-323-4531, or Larry Shearer, SARE, 413-624-3978. FIELD NOTES:NRCS, district, and town work to restore vegetation on Sawmill River
Rita Thibodeau, NRCS district conservationist for Franklin County and several other NRCS and conservation district staff members joined Montague Town Planner Robin Sherman in planting the willow stakes at the river’s edge at two sites along Leverett Road and one site in the state wildlife area at the end of North Street. Once established, the willows will shade the river, keeping water temperatures cool enough for trout and salmon to survive in summer. The vegetation will also protect water quality by providing a buffer to catch run-off from the road during rainstorms. In some locations it will also help prevent riverbank erosion and sedimentation in the river. Over the past eight years, the Town of Montague has contacted NRCS several times for assistance in repairing extensive storm damage to roads and bridges in the Sawmill watershed and to stabilize a severely eroded bank, which threatened a highway. The Sawmill River watershed encompasses some 32 square miles in the western Massachusetts towns of Leverett, Montague, Shutesbury and Wendell. The river travels fourteen miles from its headwaters at Lake Wyola in Shutesbury to its confluence with the Connecticut River in Montague. Mass. high school students compete at 2004 Envirothon
This year’s overall winners were: 1st place: Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, 2nd place: Quabbin Regional High School, 3rd place: Lawrence Academy, 4th place: Bristol County 4-H, 5th place: Northampton High School, 6th place: Weymouth High School, 7th place: Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science, 8th place: Minnechaug Regional High School, 9th place: Bristol County Agricultural High School, 10th place: Lexington High School. At the event, teams of five students rotate through four “eco-stations” where they demonstrate their environmental knowledge of aquatics, forestry, soils, and wildlife through hands-on activities. Each team also gives a presentation on their research into a designated current environmental issue. Awards were also presented to the top teams for each eco-station and the current issue presentation, as well as a Rookie of the Year award for the top scoring new team and community research and community service awards. Envirothon teams prepare throughout the year through classroom curricula and workshops. Each year teams focus on a different current issue that they research in their own community prior to the competition. This year’s current issue was “natural resource management in the urban environment.” Judges for the competition include more than 60 environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit organizations, and private industry. Major sponsors are the Massachusetts Environmental Trust and Massachusetts Electric Company. The Envirothon program originated in 1979 in Pennsylvania as the Environmental Olympics. In 1988 the name was changed to the Envirothon and the program was expanded to a national program. The winning team from each state has the opportunity to represent their state in the Canon Envirothon, the North American competition. For more information on how to get involved with the Massachusetts Envirothon, call 978-692-1904, or visit www.maenvirothon.org. NRCS Unveils Web site on Conservation Effects Assessment ProjectNatural Resources Conservation Service has unveiled a website to inform internal and external audiences about the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) at www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/NRI/ceap . NRCS is partnering with other agencies to conduct a national assessment of the environmental benefits and effects of 2002 Farm Bill programs. CEAP will study the benefits of most conservation practices implemented through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Conservation Reserve Program and NRCS Conservation Technical Assistance. Watershed studies also will be conducted to improve the performance of the national assessment models and to demonstrate that more specific benefits can be identified and measured when assessed at a smaller scale. USDA Announces Watersheds for 2004 Sign-Up in the Conservation Security ProgramWASHINGTON, DC —Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has announced the watersheds that will be used in the fiscal year 2004 Conservation Security Program (CSP) sign-up to be held this summer. The program will be offered each year, on a rotational basis in as many watersheds as are funded. Selected watersheds for the 2004 CSP sign-up are located in Arkansas, Georgia, Michigan, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin. “Watersheds are nature’s boundaries and are a good way to group together producers working on similar environmental issues,” Veneman said. “With a rotation through the nation’s watersheds, every farmer and rancher will have a chance to participate in the program and will provide the flexibility needed to expand the program as more funds become available.” USDA will use watersheds as a basis to determine CSP participation because, economically, the $41 million budget for CSP in fiscal year 2004 will permit NRCS to write 3,000 to 5,000 contracts. With 1.8 million potentially eligible producers, CSP funds must be focused. CSP is a voluntary program that supports ongoing conservation stewardship of agricultural working lands and enhances the condition of America’s natural resources. Additional information on CSP, including the Federal Register notice, public comments and frequently asked questions, is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp. RESOURCE CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT UPDATE:SEMAP first annual meeting a successNearly 200 people gathered recently at Whites of Westport restaurant to participate in Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership’s (SEMAP) First Annual Meeting. The Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) was formed in 1998 to help the region's farmers and aquaculture operators navigate through the maze of agencies and organizations that provide technical, business management, educational, or financial support to farming operations in the region, and to address assistance needs identified within the farming community. Carolyn DeMoranville, SEMAP President and UMass Cranberry Station Director, said that she was extremely pleased with SEMAP’s first Annual Meeting. “The excellent attendance and the enthusiasm of the participants prove that there is a great deal of interest in sustaining profitable agriculture in southeastern Massachusetts. With the overwhelming support of the agricultural community, SEMAP looks forward to a productive year serving the region’s farmers.” Pilgrim RC&D coordinator Irene Winkler was instrumental in forming the partnership, which is a network of service providers that promote viable agricultural operations in the Southeastern Massachusetts region. The meeting, which was open to the public, featured guest speakers Gus Schumacher, Jr., former Under Secretary for the USDA and Chris Douglass chef/owner of Icarus Restaurant in Boston. Special recognition awards were presented to Representative John Quinn for his legislative leadership in support of agriculture in southeastern Massachusetts and John K. Bullard, past SEMAP president, for his commitment and leadership to the organization. The night was enhanced by a spread of delicious local food and drink provided by local producers and prepared by area chefs. Applications for state Farm Viability Enhancement Program availableThe Farm Viability Enhancement Program, administered by the state Department of Agricultural Resources, is designed to assist farmers in improving the economic bottom line and environmental integrity of their operations through the development and implementation of business plans tailored to their situations. The program has three phases: In Phase I, a farmer will work with a planning team to develop a plan to increase on-farm income and preserve the farm’s environmental resources. In Phase II, awards of up to $20,000, $40,000 or $60,000 may be available to a farmer to implement his or her plan in exchange for completing selected elements of the plan and agreeing to restrict the use of the farm to agricultural uses only by signing a five or ten year Agricultural Covenant. Phase III is a reporting phase after completion of the changes recommended in the plan. Applications are available at the DAR Office in Boston, or on line at the DAR website www.mass.gov/agr or you can request a copy of the FVEP application by calling the Farm Viability Program at 617-626-1723. The deadline for applications is 4:00 pm on Wednesday, June 30, 2004. PARTNER NEWS:PCCD says...Coyotes R Us
The coyotes may be ordered from PCCD for $140 each (includes shipping). Make checks payable to Plymouth County Conservation District and mail to Plymouth County Conservation District, 15 Cranberry Highway, West Wareham, MA 02576. For more information, call Linda Rinta, 508-295-5495, x111. Calendar
To receive the Massachusetts Conservation Connection by e-mail, to be removed from the list, or to submit news items, please send an e-mail message to Diane.Petit@ma.usda.gov. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment. NRCS Massachusetts State Office: 451 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002 | 413-253-4350 | fax 413-253-4395 | www.ma.nrcs.usda.gov Cecil Currin, State Conservationist NRCS field offices are located at USDA Service Centers in
Barnstable, Greenfield, Hadley, Holden, Pittsfield, Westford and West Wareham.
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MONTAGUE, Mass. – Representatives of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS), the Town of Montague, and the Franklin Conservation District
marked Earth Day 2004 by planting live willow stakes at three sites along the
Sawmill River. The planting is among assistance provided by NRCS at the town’s
request as part of an on-going river restoration project. 
NATICK, MASS. -- Nearly 250 Bay State high school students from 42 public and
private schools across the commonwealth, along with nearly 200 coaches, judges
and volunteers, converged on Cochituate State Park on April 29th for the
seventeenth annual Massachusetts Envirothon. 
The Plymouth County Conservation District is offering coyote decoys (targets)
for sale on pre-order to be used as a deterrent to Canada geese. The decoys are
life sized, three dimensional, and hand colored, sculpted from a plastic foam
material that is "self-healing." They have been successfully used to deter geese
from landing and fouling farm fields, sport fields and industrial campuses. For
best success, they should be placed before the geese land and moved
periodically. 
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