Burke Soil Conservation District

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61st Annual Report                                                     This annual report is brought to you by:
                                                                                          Dacotah Bank of Bowbells
                                                                                          Liberty State Bank of Powers Lake
                                                                                          State Bank & Trust of Kenmare

 

 

2007 Annual Report


Burke County Soil Conservation Achievement Award Winner
The Burke Soil Conservation District selected Robert and Elizabeth Casteel as the 2007
Conservation Achievement Award winner.  The Casteels were honored and received an
aerial photograph of their farm at the 68th annual convention of the North Dakota Association
of  Soil Conservation Districts at Bismarck in November.  The Casteels farm north of Larson.

DISTRICT SUPERVISORS

Greg Busch, Chairman, Crosby
Dale Tinjum, Vice Chairman, Powers Lake
Raymond Atwood, Powers Lake
Jim Cart, Kenmare
Tom Burau, Columbus
Dan Folske, Extension Agent, Bowbells

DISTRICT EMPLOYEES

Connie Howell, Norma, District Manager/Technician
Tree planting and fabric weed barrier crew:

     Jamie Erikson, Bowbells
     Tracy Knutson, Bowbells
     Whitney Pandolfo, Bowbells
     Robert Anderson, Bowbells
     Steve Madsen, Kenmare
     Morgan Moberg, Tioga
     Kevin Feldman, Norma
     Helen Holte, Larson
    

NRCS EMPLOYEES

Mark Crosby, Bowbells, District Conservationist
Malinda Ferguson, Tioga, Soil Conservationist
Meghan Bratvold, Sherwood, Soil Conservationist

ECO-ED CAMP

Students in 5th and 6th grades from Bowbells and Lignite participated with students from Ward and Renville Counties on September 11th and 12th at the Mouse River Park north of Tolley.  The goal of this day camp is to encourage students to learn skills for protecting the environment.  The students had hands-on experience in water quality, soils, wetlands/wildlife, rangeland, and forestry.  This year the featured attraction was a petting zoo with Karla Erickson, of Rocky Top Ranch, Benedict, ND.

ENVIROTHON

Burke SCD and NRCS work together with Renville and Ward Counties to sponsor a hands-on educational competition in four categories, which include soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry/wildlife and a current environmental issue.  Connie Howell was a trail guide for the 2007 Envirothon which was held at the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge near Carpio, on September 19th
.

Welcome to Bowbells!
New NRCS Employee

Hi everyone, my name is Meghan Bratvold and I am the new Soil Conservationist here in Bowbells field office.  My previous NRCS offices were Hettinger, Beulah, Bowman, and Mohall. I joined the NRCS team as an SCEP student trainee in 2003.  I graduated from Dickinson State University in 2005 with a Natural Resource Management Degree. My husband and I live in Sherwood, where I am originally from.  In my spare time I like being outdoors and hitting a few rodeos.  I am excited to be working in Burke County and look forward to meeting everyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



                                  

DISTRICT EQUIPMENT

15 foot JD 750 no-till drill @ $8.00 per acre
Soil Probe @ $20.00 per day
Shallow pipeline plow @ 25 cents a foot
      with generator/fuser to fuse pipe @ $25.00 per fuse

2007 DISTRICT ACTIVITIES

Held monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of each month
Reorganized the board in January
Updated the Annual Plan of Operations
Updated the Long Range Plan
Attended the ND Conservation District Employee Association annual meeting and    tree care workshop in Bismarck
Attended Agronomy Tools workshop in Minot
Published a biannual newsletter
Attended the Area III annual meeting at Shepherd’s Hill west of St John
Attended Burke County Ag Improvement Meeting in Bowbells
Attended Carbon Credit Workshop in Minot
Provided Soil Stewardship materials to area churches
Attended Grazing Workshops in New Town
Sponsored Sam Ting Lyceums at area schools
Held hand plant tree sales at district building
Volunteered at the second annual Birding Festival at Lostwood Refuge
Held a second annual One-Pass seeding self guided tour
Held a winter meeting/round table discussion with the One-Pass participants
Hosted annual picnic honoring the achievement winner at the Columbus Country Club
Attended Area III All Personnel meeting in Minot
Attended ARC/GIS and Toolkit Training in Dickinson
Attended Windbreak Technology workshop in Bismarck
Co-sponsored an Eco-Ed Day Camp for county fifth and sixth grade students at the Mouse River Park
Attended Envirothon at Upper Souris Refuge near Carpio
Supervisors and Achievement winners attended the NDASCD annual meeting at Bismarck in November
Attended  RC&D meetings in Minot
Completed Carbon Credit verifications
Hosted the Tri-County Range Tour at the Raymond and Shirley Atwood Ranch near Powers Lake
Planted 151,706 feet of trees and installed 101,685 feet of fabric
Grass drill seeding on 922.4 acres
Shallow Pipeline plow installed 61,257 feet

 

CONSERVATION PRACTICES APPLIED

11,835 acres – conservation tillage
13,466 acres – nutrient management
17,889 acres – pest management
543 acres – pasture and hayland plantings
315 acres – saline grass plantings
4,100 acres – CRP grass plantings
362 acres – Wetland restorations
2,170 acres – Prescribed grazing
88,016 feet – Fencing
2 – Livestock water tanks    
40,210 feet – Livestock water pipelines
83,581 feet – Wildlife tree and shrub establishment
68,125 feet – Farmstead, field, and feedlot windbreak establishment


USDA INTERNET INFORMATION

USDA program information and services are available on the internet.
For programs offered by the NRCS use this address:

http://www.nrcs,usda.gov.

For FSA (Farm Services Agency) programs use:

www.fsa.usda.gov.

The National Association of Conservation Districts also has information

available on the internet at:

www.nacdnet.org.

The Burke County District has a web site at:

www.burkescd.nd.nacdnet.org.

Contact these sites for the latest information of programs and services

These agencies have available for your use.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

 

District Supervisors would like to thank each area Producer who has participated in implementing sound conservation practices on their land.  These efforts are also attributed to the sponsors of our 2006 annual report.  Regular monthly district supervisor board meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month.  These meetings are held at the Dacotah Bank Community room in Bowbells, and are open to the public.

 

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE


Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) – provides cost-share and incentive payments to farmers and ranchers who install structural and management conservation practices on eligible agricultural land.


Conservation Security Program (CSP) - provides payments for producers who practice good stewardship on their agricultural lands and incentives for those who want to do more.


Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) – provides cost-share on conservation practices that establish, enhance or restore wildlife habitat.


Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) – provides cost-share and land payments for restoring and protecting degraded wetlands.


Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CCRP) – provides cost-share and land payments for cropland established to trees, salt tolerant grass, waterways, shallow water areas for wildlife, filter strips, and riparian buffers.


Farmable Wetlands Program (FWP) – provides cost-share and land payments for restoring farmable wetlands.


District programs are available to all people regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical handicap.