2016 - 07

CTD Newsletter - July 2016

We Have Changed Our Name and Introduced a New Logo!

We are happy to announce the Technical and Professional Development Workgroup (TPDW) (say that 3 times fast!) has undergone a name change. We will now be known as the WSCC Center for Technical Development (CTD). This change has come from a lot of introspection and discussion and we hope it identifies who we are a little better. You can think of us as the hub, or center, of a greater network of colleagues and programs being developed just for you. From our core stems training, certification, planning groups, plan quality documentation, outreach, and more. We are your center for all things related to your professional development and growth. Our workgroup was designed and fostered by you, Conservation Districts, and it will continue to be so. We look forward to serving you!!

Note our new website address: www.wactd.org

The Newsletter is Moving to GovDelivery

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CTD Work Highlights from 2015-16 The CTD has been very busy over the last year assisting with training events, certifying District employees, and much more! Here are just a few highlight from the past year of work. We are excited to bring you a whole new year of fantastic development opportunities! Find our FY17 work plan HERE.

Highlights from 2015-16:

  • The CTD partnered with NRCS on delivery of CNMP and Basic Planner trainings and provision of mentors to get new planners started.

  • The CTD worked with expert CD staff on created specific trainings for ArcGIS & Riparian Stream.

  • Provide an up-to-date training calendar.

  • The CTD supported organization of Dairy and Farm Planning groups to develop statewide planning templates and certifications.

  • Established a database to identify experts and mentors and record skills and expertise.

  • Development of QAQP for assisting with documentation of quality planning and plan review process.

  • Established a new WA Discovery Farms program!

Notes from the Field: WADE 2016

As always, WADE came and went in a flash! It was great to connect with friends and meet new colleagues. The sessions were fantastic and the venue couldn’t have been better. Environthon put on a super fun, and slightly humbling, trivia night highlighting many of the questions that are asked of Environthon contestants every year. Even a group of seasoned planners, supervisors, and professionals had a tough time with some of them! Plus, for the second year in a row, the CTD sponsored Lawn Games were a big hit. Once again, Evan Bauder and Mitch Redfern from Mason CD took home the bean-bag/cornhole title, which benefited Environthon! I don’t know about you, but I am going to start practicing now for next year’s competition; watch out Mason CD!

Exciting news for WADE next year: we plan on having specific tracks for Riparian, Dairy, and Farm Planner to support the Planner Certifications! If you have any ideas for topics or sessions you would like to see, please don’t hesitate in letting us know. The WADE group starts developing tracks starting in the fall, so the sooner we know, the better! Also, if you have interest in assisting with development/coordination of one of the tracks, let us know and we will plug you into the group. Contact: planning@wactd.org.

You can find links to the 2016 WADE presentations HERE.

We hope to see you again, or for the first time, at WADE next year!

Planner Certifications Are Here!

BIG news! The CTD is excited to announce that Certifications for Dairy, Riparian, and Farm Planner are here! We will begin taking applications for Certification on September 1st, 2016. Contact Jess Davenport | jdavenport@scc.wa.gov | to get your name placed on the email notification list for when this goes live. Find all the detailed information for each HERE.

Training Event Updates

Riparian and Stream Considerations in Planning

Coming up next is the Riparian and Instream Considerations in Conservation Planning Course which will include two sessions. The first session will be August 8 – 12 and will be held in Olympia, WA. The second session will be September 19 – 23 and will be held in Spokane, WA. This is an advanced conservation planning training event geared to riparian and stream ecology and the specific resource concerns in that discipline. Rachel Maggi with NRCS and Brian Cochrane with WSCC are developing curriculum for this course, along with members from CTD.

Two sessions are planned:

  • Western WA Considerations hosted in Olympia August 8-12

  • Eastern WA Considerations hosted in Spokane September 19-23

Find agendas and applications HERE.

To register: Please print above application form (specific by session), fill out, scan, and email to:

Jess Davenport jdavenport@scc.wa.gov

For more information contact:

James Weatherford

JWeatherford@thurstoncd.com | (360) 754-3588 x 138

Training Needs Inventory Survey

It is imperative that every year we collect information on your specific training needs so that we can develop and provide special training sessions to meet your professional development needs. It has been a couple years since a Training Needs Inventory was sent out, so please take a few minutes to fill it out to ensure we have the most current needs across the State.

Access SURVEY HERE.

Getting to Know You: District Highlight

District Name: Whatcom Conservation District

District Size: 1.6 million acres (all of Whatcom County) 115,831 acres of land in farming

District Population: 206,353 (2013 census)

Number of Employees: 14 permanent staff plus seasonal interns

Main Programs:

· Water Quality and Shellfish Protection - Provide technical assistance and cost-share for implementation of best management practices for all commercial and non-commercial livestock owners.

· Habitat Enhancement - Plan and install riparian restoration/ habitat projects through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and others. WCD works closely with local landowners as well as Drainage and Watershed Improvement Districts to improve agricultural drainage while protecting natural resources.

· Research and Demonstration: Collaborative research/demonstration program to answer pressing questions and bring new and innovative practices and tools to dairy producers including: Application Risk Management (ARM) System, Manure Spreading Advisory (MSA) Tools, Annual Nutrient Management Trainings, and more.

· Education and Outreach: A set of diverse workshops, events, school based programs and trainings to nurture ecological understanding and place-based connection to the land, resources and economy promoting responsible stewardship and sustainable land management including: Small Farm Expo, Native Plant Sale, School Yard Habitat Projects, Citizen Science Water Quality Monitoring Program and more.

Key Partners: Natural Resource Conservation Service; USDA Farm Service Agency; Whatcom County Public Works; Environmental Protection Agency; Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resource Management District; City of Lynden; Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife; Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association; British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture; Washington State University; Department of Ecology; WA State Department of Agriculture

Project/Program Most Proud of:

· The Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program in Whatcom County has restored >2,600 acres, installed >190 miles of stream buffer and planted >1,145,000 native trees and shrubs since 2000.

· WCD began the Birch Bay watershed stewardship project in 2010, a process of inspiring residents to adopt good stewardship practices through education and technical assistance. After five years, 87 homeowners have taken action to improve watershed health, 27 riparian restoration projects were completed protecting 73 acres of stream, and 34 farm best management practices were installed to eliminate discharges of pathogens or nutrients.

· The Application Risk Management program created by WCD implemented a real-time, web-based manure/nutrient management tools to farmers in Whatcom County and Western WA (www.wadairyplan.org). That work has even been expanded to Western Oregon and British Columbia.

Fun Facts:

· More than 85% of Washington's red raspberries and 65% of the US red raspberries are produced in Whatcom County.

· Whatcom County has the greatest number of dairy operations in Washington State and ranks #4 in milk production per cow in the U.S. thanks in part to our temperate climate and natural resources.

· At WCD our staff love to work here. Cumulatively, our staff has over 200 years of experience at the Whatcom Conservation District! Four staff members have worked at the District for over 20 years each and three more have over 10 years with the District.

Fun Fact

Did you know…

  • Washington produces more bivalve shellfish than any other state, totaling about 75,000,000 pounds per year and about $100 million in sales.

  • We harvest around 20 million pounds of Dungeness crabs a year – about half on the coast and half in Puget Sound.

  • It is estimated that more than 100 million geoduck (pronounced “GOO-ee-duck”) clams live in the mud near the shores of Puget Sound. These large bivalves can live for more than 140 years!

  • An adult oyster can filter 25 gallons or more of water per day, making our salt water cleaner for everyone.

  • The Olympia oyster is the only oyster native to Washington. Their numbers are a mere fraction of what they once were.