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62nd Annual Report
This annual report is brought to you by:
Dacotah Bank of Bowbells
Town & Country Credit Union, Kenmare
2008 Annual Report
Burke County Soil Conservation Achievement Award Winner.
The Burke Soil Conservation District selected Karen A. Smith as the 2008
Conservation Achievement Award winner. Karen was honored and received an aerial
photograph of her ranch at the 69th annual convention of the North
Dakota Association of Soil conservation Districts at Bismarck in November.
Karen ranches southwest of Bowbells.
DISTRICT SUPERVISORS
Dale Tinjum, Chairman, Powers Lake
Raymond Atwood, Vice Chairman, Powers Lake
Jim Cart, Kenmare
Tom Burau, Columbus
Greg Busch, Crosby
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
McKenzie Erikson, Bowbells
Robert Anderson, Bowbells
Vonnie Nielsen, Norma
Kathy Folske, Bowbells
Molly Aufforth, Bowbells
Layne Bjergaard, Bowbells
NRCS EMPLOYEES
Mark Crosby, Bowbells, District Conservationist
Malinda Ferguson, Tioga, Soil Conservationist
Meghan Bratvold, Sherwood, Soil Conservationist
Ed Bahm, Bowbells, 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 9th
and 10th 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 there were two special
attractions, Ken Eraas, Norwich, talking on the diversity of pigeons, and Terry
Greenwood with the ND Parks and Recreation, giving a presentation on bats.
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 24th.
NEW EMPLOYEE
Hello, I am Edward Bahm the new NRCS Soil Conservationist in the Burke
county office. I started in the office on September 29, 2008. I am originally
from a ranch near Almont ND, where I still hold a part time position as a
voluntary professional hired man. The old man added the professional title when
I moved more than 60 miles from home. I received my bachelor’s degree in
agriculture with a concentration in business and marketing from Dickinson State
University in 2004. I started my career with NRCS in July 2006. I have been
stationed in Sioux, Wells, and now Burke County. I know what you are thinking!
I wonder if he knows that cowboy poet Rodney Nelson? Well I encourage you to
stop in and ask. I look forward to working with the farmers and ranchers in
Burke County.
DISTRICT EQUIPMENT
15 foot JD 750 no-till drill @ $8.00 per acre
Soil Probe @ $20.00 per day
Shallow pipeline plow @ 25 cents per foot
with generator/butt fuser to fuse pipe @ $25.00/fuse or $100.00/day
also a fitting fuser for $30.00/day
7 foot, 3 point rotary-tiller @ $60.00 per hour
2008 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 tree workshop in Williston
Attended QuickBooks training in Beulah
NRCS booth at the ND State Fair
Published a biannual newsletter
Attended Burke County Ag Improvement meeting in Powers Lake
Hosted the Area III annual meeting at Powers Lake with a bus tour
Attended Carbon Credit Workshop in Stanley
Provided Soil Stewardship materials to area churches
Held hand plant tree sales at district building
Held a third annual Burke County 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 Powers Lake Park
Hosted a picnic for the tree and fabric crew at the Bowbells Park
Attended Toolkit Training in Bismarck
Co-sponsored an Eco-Ed Day Camp for county fifth and sixth grade students at the
Mouse River Park
Attended tree workshop in Bismarck
Attended tree workshop in Towner
Attended Envirothon at Upper Souris Refuge near Carpio
Supervisors, staff and Achievement winner attended the NDASCD annual meeting at
Bismarck in November
Attended RC&D meetings in Minot
Sponsored “Sam Ting” lyceum at Bowbells, Lignite, and Powers Lake schools
Completed Carbon Credit verifications
Attended Tri-County Range Tour at the Scott Fladeland Ranch near Ross
Planted 101,004 feet of trees and installed 66,091 feet of fabric
Grass drill seeding on 1,031 acres of grass and crop
Shallow Pipeline plow installed 131,371 feet of pipe
CONSERVATION PRACTICES APPLIED
19,312 acres – conservation tillage
16,721 acres – nutrient management
298 acres – pasture and hayland plantings
326 acres – saline grass plantings
1,441 acres – CRP grass plantings
463 acres – Wetland restorations
4,995 acres – Prescribed grazing
76,442 feet – Fencing
57– Livestock water tanks
131,371 feet – Livestock water pipelines
36,040 feet – Wildlife tree and shrub establishment
64,964 feet – Farmstead, field, and feedlot windbreak establishment
1—Livestock water pond
5—Livestock water wells
5—Well decommissionings
472 acres—Brush management
110 acres—Cover crops
5—Wildlife ponds
19—EQIP contracts written
5—WHIP contracts written
36—CCRP contracts written
USDA INTERNET INFORMATION
USDA program information and services are available on the internet.
For programs offered by the NRCS use this address:
For FSA (Farm Services Agency) programs use:
The National Association of
Conservation Districts also has information
available on the internet at:
The Burke County District has a web site at:
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 2007 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.