Michigan Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society

UPCOMING EVENTS 

MICHIGAN FFA LAND CONSERVATION CONTEST
 Friday, April 19th
Michigan State University
(Michigan Chapter members assist with this.  Contact Dan for more information.)

MICHIGAN CHAPTER HIGHWAY CLEANUP
Friday, May 3rd, at noon. 
(Meet at the USDA-NRCS State Office Parking Lot) 

MICHIGAN CHAPTER ANR SEMINAR
Held Wednesday, March 6, 2013 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
At Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

PROGRAM
A Matter of Balance: After the Aftermath - Addressing Natural Resources in Emergencies

When an emergency strikes, natural resources are inevitably affected. The goal of this Seminar is to give you an overview on how to be prepared for your role as a conservation professional or landowner when an emergency happens and natural resources are at risk. Presentations will address incident command structure, local and national case studies, and Michigan related resource concerns that are relevant to emergency response on working lands. “Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy.” --Max Mayfield, Director National Hurricane Center.

Speaker Presentations:

Brad Deacon, Emergency Management and Administrative Law Coordinator, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Morning Presentation: Overview of Emergency Management and the Incident Command System. (pdf)

Ralph Dollhopf, On Scene Coordinator, Emergency Response Team, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Unified Response to the 2010 Enbridge Line 6b Discharge. (pptx)  Note: This is a large file, 36 MB. Contains animation.  You need Powerpoint Viewer 2007 or a recent version of PowerPoint to view this.  If you need to upgrade your PowerPoint Viewer, go to this link.

Jay Wesley, Southern Lake Michigan Unit Manager, Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Responding to Natural Resource Damages Associated with the Enbridge Line 6b Oil Spill (pdf)

Dan Busby, MAEAP Verifier, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Emergency Planning for the Farm. (pdf)

Extension Bulletin E2575 (pdf)

Brad Deacon, Emergency Management and Administrative Law Coordinator, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Afternoon presentation: Food, Agriculture and Rural Michigan - All Hazards Emergency Preparedness. (pdf)

Dale Rozeboom, PhD, Professor/Extension Specialist, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University.

Mortality Management Planning and Response Considerations - Addressing Natural Resources in Emergencies. (pdf)

About the Speakers: (Biographies)

About the Presentations: (Abstracts)

About the Program: (Agenda)

NEWSLETTERS

September, 2012, Chapter Newsletter  (pdf)

    March, 2012, Chapter Newsletter  (pdf)

    Previous Year's Newsletters can be accessed under the History sub-tab
    under the "About Us" tab.

    OTHER SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION EVENTS

New Hugh Hammond Bennett marker unveiled.

    INFORMATION FROM PAST EVENTS 

MICHIGAN CHAPTER ANR SEMINAR
Held Wednesday, March 6, 2013 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. At Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI

PROGRAM
A Matter of Balance: After the Aftermath - Addressing Natural Resources in Emergencies

When an emergency strikes, natural resources are inevitably affected. The goal of this Seminar is to give you an overview on how to be prepared for your role as a conservation professional or landowner when an emergency happens and natural resources are at risk. Presentations will address incident command structure, local and national case studies, and Michigan related resource concerns that are relevant to emergency response on working lands. “Preparation through education is less costly than learning through tragedy.” --Max Mayfield, Director National Hurricane Center.

    About the Speakers: (Biographies)

    About the Presentations: (Abstracts)

    About the Program: (Agenda)

    Speaker Presentations: 

    Brad Deacon, Emergency Management and Administrative Law Coordinator, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    Morning Presentation: Overview of Emergency Management and the Incident Command System. (pdf)

    Ralph Dollhopf, On Scene Coordinator, Emergency Response Team, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Unified Response to the 2010 Enbridge Line 6b Discharge. (pptx)  Note: This is a large file, 36 MB. Contains animation.  You need Powerpoint Viewer 2007 or a recent version of PowerPoint to view this.  If you need to upgrade your PowerPoint Viewer, go to this link.

Jay Wesley, Southern Lake Michigan Unit Manager, Fisheries Division, Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

    Responding to Natural Resource Damages Associated with the Enbridge Line 6b Oil Spill (pdf)

Dan Busby, MAEAP Verifier, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    Emergency Planning for the Farm. (pdf)

    Extension Bulletin E2575 (pdf)

Brad Deacon, Emergency Management and Administrative Law Coordinator, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

    Afternoon presentation: Food, Agriculture and Rural Michigan - All Hazards Emergency Preparedness. (pdf)

Dale Rozeboom, PhD, Professor/Extension Specialist, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University.

    Mortality Management Planning and Response Considerations - Addressing Natural Resources in Emergencies. (pdf)

    MICHIGAN CHAPTER ANNUAL MEETING AND WORKSHOP
    Held November 7, 2012,1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    At Best Western Plus Hotel and Conference Center
    in Lansing, Michigan

    WORKSHOP PROGRAM

    Pointing at Non-point:
    Finding the Source at the Watershed Scale

    This afternoon technical session explored the world of watershed sediment fingerprinting research and the implications this has on how we manage the land. Participants learned about research techniques that attempt to track where erosion is really occurring in a watershed. Presentations included information about a recent study that has been conducted and is on-going in the Macatawa Watershed, a small watershed in southwest Michigan that drains directly to Lake Michigan. Participants learned how this type of research can be used by land managers and resource professionals to more effectively target conservation on the ground. We discussed how this type of research impacts how we view non-point source pollution. This research raises the question: Does the ability to track non-point source pollution make it a point source?

    Agenda

    Abstracts

    Speaker Biographies

    SPEAKERS:

    Dan Callum, Watershed Technician
    Outdoor Discovery Center/Macatawa Greenway
    A-4214 56th St
    Holland MI 49423

    PRESENTATION PDF: Multi-Parameter Sediment fingerprinting
                                       in a Small Michigan Watershed (8.3Mb)

    Allen Gellis, Ph.D.
    Research Geomorphologist
    U.S. Geological Survey
    5522 Research Park Drive
    Baltimore, Maryland 21228

    PRESENTATION PDF: Sediment Fingerprinting and Sediment Budgets as                                    Management Tools.  This is a zipped file.

    Graham F. Peaslee, Hartgerink Professor of Chemistry Chemistry Department
    Hope College
    35 E. 12th St.
    Holland, MI 49423

    PRESENTATION PDF: Macatawa Watershed Water Quality Research Project (2.7Mb)

    FALL CONSERVATION TOUR
    Held on OCTOBER 5, 2012
    STARTED IN OAKLAND COUNTY AT
    SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP HALL
    12000 DAVISBURG RD.
    DAVISBURG, MI

This tour focused on some of the Natural Features in Oakland County, Michigan. The tour started at 9:30 a.m. in the Springfield Township Hall for registration and early refreshments.

We then participated in an approximately 2 hour presentation and tour of the Shiawassee Basin Fen with the Springfield Township Parks and Recreation Department.

Then we returned to the Township Hall for a lunch of Pasties from Uncle Peter's Pasty Restaurant in Clarkston. The Oakland Conservation District was our host at lunch. Jay Blair, District Conservationist, USDA-NRCS, Lapeer, presented a program during lunch.

After lunch we traveled by bus to Oakland Township to visit and tour the Oak-Pine Barrens at Lost Lake Nature Park with the Oakland Township Parks and Recreation Department.

Then we traveled by bus to Yule Love It Lavender Farm where we had refreshments of Lavender Tea and Scones, and toured the Farm and facilities.



Then our group returned to Springfield Township to close the day.

Our Tour Hosts will included:

  • Oakland Conservation District (at registration and during lunch)

  • Springfield Township Parks and Recreation Department

  • Oakland Township Parks and Recreation Department

  • Yule Love It Lavender Farm

PHOTOS FROM TOUR:  This link will take you to Box.net.

SWCS EAST NORTH CENTRAL REGION
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP
HELD MAY 3 AND 4, 2012 


East North Central Region Leaders pose for a picture during their tour of Enbridge/Talmadge Creek/Kalamazoo River Oil Spill remediation and restoration activities at Saylor's Landing near Marshall, Michigan.

For more information on this event, see our September 2012 Newsletter.

MICHIGAN CHAPTER SEMINAR
Held on March 7, 2012
Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
East Lansing, Michigan

A MATTER OF BALANCE: ENERGY, WATER AND WORKING LANDS

Energy and water are inextricably linked, according to a Great Lakes Commission Issue Brief. Called the Energy/Water Nexus, the brief states that it takes water to produce energy and it takes energy to make water available. How does this relate to Working Lands, such as Farmland and Forest Land? It takes energy to get products from working lands, and working lands produce energy in foods and fuels. The production of biofuels, such as corn-based ethanol, uses vast amounts of water. When ethanol is produced from corn that is irrigated, it can use nearly 1,000 gallons of water per gallon of fuel. It takes energy to provide this water, and energy costs money. So any practice that produces energy or reduces energy use, potentially reduces costs. This Seminar looked at the relationships of energy, water and working lands, how each impacts the others and how both conservation and wise use helps to sustain all three. For more information on the Energy/Water Nexus, see the Great Lakes Commission Issue Brief.

Speakers included:
Brandon Souza, Assistant Executive Director, Agricultural Water Management Council, Sacramento, California.

California Agriculture: The Water-Power Connection pdf

Howard Reeves, Hydrologist, USGS, Lansing, Michigan.

Water Availability and Use in the Great Lakes Region pdf

Steve Miller, Visiting Instructor, Dept. of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, MSU

Irrigation Energy Needs PowerPoint

Brandon Souza, Assistant Executive Director, Agricultural Water Management Council, Sacramento, California.

California Water Issues: Agricultural Water Use Efficiency and Conservation pdf

Richard M. Vanderbeek, Loan Specialist, USDA Rural Development.

Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) pdf

Patricia Birkholtz, Director, Office of the Great Lakes, State of Michigan.

All Things Great Lakes pdf

Speaker Biographies

Seminar Agenda

Suggested links for additional information about the Energy-Water Nexus.

For related information, visit the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Energy Web Site at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/energy.

  • MICHIGAN CHAPTER ANNUAL MEETING and WORKSHOP
    Held December 7, 2011
    At Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort
    Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

  • WORKSHOP: Energy Conservation and Agriculture

    Energy Conservation on agricultural operations is not only good for the environment; it’s also good for the producer’s wallet.  This session will focus on Energy and how agricultural professionals can assist producers with conserving energy on their operations.  The first step is an analysis of the operation’s energy needs through a Farm Energy Audit.  The session will also discuss how operations can produce energy on-farm and reduce the amount of energy needed by implementing the energy audit findings.

    WORKSHOP SPEAKERS

    Charles Gould, Extension Educator

    Nutrient Management and Bioenergy/Biomaterials
    MSU Extension

    Provides relevant expertise in the areas of bioenergy, bioproducts and energy conservation to Michigan farmers that enable them to be sustainable now and in the future. Charles received his Bachelor’s degree from Utah State University and his Master’s degree from The University of Georgia. He has been with Michigan State University Extension for 16 years.

    PRESENTATIONS:

    Aluel S. Go, Specialist
    Certified Farm Energy Auditor
    Manager of Michigan Farm Energy Audit and Certification Program
    Michigan State University

    Coordinates Michigan State University and Michigan Agricultural Energy Council (MAEC) efforts in energy efficiency including working with utility providers regarding their Energy Optimization (EO) programs.

    PRESENTATIONS:

    BROCHURE:

  • MICHIGAN CHAPTER SUMMER TOUR
    Held Friday, August 26, 2011,
    in Calhoun County, Michigan

    Photos from tour 

    Photos of slurry seeding plots shown on our summer tour.


Newsletter with tour followup story
  • Michigan Chapter ANR Week Seminar
    Wednesday, March 9, 2011
    Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
    Michigan State University
    East Lansing, Michigan

    Simply put, ecosystem services are the multitude of benefits provided by the environment. The idea of ecosystem services is nothing new. What is new is the way that ecosystem services are being considered by conservation organizations and natural resource managers. An ecosystem approach challenges us to consider all aspects of a proposed action, not just the primary purpose. For example, a grassed waterway helps to safely convey excess water off a field to reduce erosion, but how does this practice affect wildlife? Air quality? Carbon sequestration? Join us as we explore the world of ecosystem services and how to incorporate these ideas into the ways we manage our natural resources and environment. Check the this website for program updates and registration information.
Michigan Chapter Annual Meeting and Workshop
Held Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Soaring Eagle Casino, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan 

The Michigan Chapter SWCS Annual Meeting and Workshop was held in conjunction with the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts Annual Convention.

WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

MICHIGAN CHAPTER FARM TOUR OF LEELANAU COUNTY

Held Friday, October 1, 2010

Region 2 (Northern Lower Peninsula - Traverse City)

Note: 9-Bean Rows grows food chemical free.  Produce grown in the seasonal high tunnel at Black Star Farms is grown chemical free.  9-Bean Rows and Black Star Farms are not USDA Certified Organic farms.  Gene Garthe's chemical free orchard blocks and Light-of-Day Organics farm are USDA Certified according to 7 CFR 205.

Neither the Michigan Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society nor the Soil and Water Conservation Society endorse or promote the goods and services provided by these farms.

    • MICHIGAN CHAPTER SUMMER TOUR

      Held August 19 and 20, 2010

      In Region 1 (Upper Peninsula) near Sault Ste. Marie

    • Michigan Chapter Professional Development Seminar
      Held March 10, 2010, during ANR Week
      Michigan State University
      Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center
      East Lansing, Michigan

      Seminar Title: A Matter of Balance: Peak Phosphorus - Balancing Demand, Supply and the Environment
      • Agenda, Speaker Bios

      • Sponsored by: David Borneman, LLC
                                   Ecological consulting services, specializing
                                   in prescribed burns and restoration of
                                   native habitats 
                                   www.RestoringNatureWithFire.com

                           and The Michigan Chapter SWCS

    • 64th INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE
      HELD AT THE HYATT REGENCY HOTEL 
      Dearborn, Michigan, July 11 - 15              (More information)

    THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE SILENT AUCTION

    Each year the chapter hosting the SWCS Annual Conference sponsors a silent auction with the proceeds going to scholarships for college students majoring in a conservation field. The Michigan Chapter has given scholarship money to students from Michigan Tech, MSU, and Grand Valley, to name a few, studying soils, agriculture, forestry, conservation, environmental engineering and biology. This year the Michigan Chapter raised over $4,000 for their scholarship fund from their Silent Auction at the 64th Annual International Conference at Dearborn, Michigan.

    • MICHIGAN CHAPTER
      PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
      Held Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
      Michigamme Room, Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

    A Matter of Balance: Soil and Policy/Economics/Climate Change/Public Demand

    The purpose of this Seminar was to discuss the relationships between the prospect of sustainable soil productivity for future generations versus the way we have been and are managing the soil, the demands we put on our soils and the expectations we have for our soils.  We looked at a brief soil history of western civilizations; the current state of our soils and our progress in conservation and management; why is soil important; the impact of climate change; and economic and policy issues that drive our decisions in soil use, management and conservation.  Attendees should have gained a better understanding of the need for conservation, enhanced respect for the importance of soil and an understanding of the impact of human decisions on soil sustainability.

    This seminar was intended as a professional development program for SWCS members and others who work in the field of soil conservation and management, but was also open to land users, students and anyone else interested in our soils.

    Agenda (pdf)

    Speakers, information on the speakers, and their presentations in pdf form:(Some are large files)

    Dr. Diane Stott, Research Soil Scientist, USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Laboratory, Purdue University (About the speaker)
    Presentation: Soil Conservation and Soil Quality: History and Current Status (8.15MB pdf)

    Dr. Stuart Grandy, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University (About the speaker)
    Presentation:     Why Soil Matters - Soil as a Living System (8.69MB pdf)

    June Grabemeyer, State Economist, USDA-NRCS, Michigan State Office, East Lansing, MI (About the speaker)
    Presentation: Why Farmers Farm the Way They Farm (1.87MB pdf)

    Dr. David Skole, Professor of Global Change Science, Department of Forestry, Michigan State University (About the speaker)
    Presentation: The Emerging carbon Markets: Opportunities for Soil and Biomass Offset projects in Agriculture and Forestry (4.57MB pdf)

    Dr. Peter Nowak, Professor, Environmental Studies, The Nelson Institute, University of Wisconsin-Madison (About the speaker)
    Presentation: The Gretzky Model of Conservation (2.42MB pdf)