2018-06

CTD Newsletter: June 2018

See You at WADE!

We are looking forward to the upcoming WADE conference, June 11-13th, and the many great presentations planned. Look for an update from the CTD at the opening session -- and don't forget to drop by for the annual CTD Lawn Games Mixer on Monday night, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm, in the Meadow (behind the Fountain Cluster near Meadow Stage). We will have bocce, corn hole, cups, and more! Come mingle and meet new people, connect with colleagues from other Districts, and have fun!

Soil Health Training Update

Wow, we had an overwhelming number of requests for seats at the upcoming NRCS Soil Health and Sustainability class. Unfortunately, NRCS provided limited seats for the trainings, and all have been filled. If you did not receive a notice, that means you unfortunately didn’t receive a seat in the course this year. We are working with NRCS to see if we can get more seats in the trainings or additional classes next year. Please stay tuned as we work through this new process with NRCS. We will let you know when/if new seats become available. Stay tuned to the webpage for the most up-to-date information: www.wactd.org/training

Scholarships from the CTD

This year the CTD has been pleased to offer a scholarship program; offering scholarships to help CD staff attend trainings, complete pre-requisites requirements, and more. Stay tuned in the coming months for more scholarship opportunities!

2018-19 Training Needs Survey Coming Soon

Thank you to everyone who participated in our recent Certification Needs Survey, gathering information on CTD and NRCS planner certifications and CD staff goals.

Keep your eyes out for another important survey coming out after WADE - the 2018-2019 Training Needs Survey. Your participation in these surveys help inform our course offerings and coordination with NRCS courses. Your input guides our direction!

NCPP Listening Session a Success

On May 9th, NRCS hosted one of eight national listening sessions on the National Conservation Planning Partnership. It may have been the first time in almost 20 years where all of the state’s NRCS staff were in one place. The listening session featured Washington State farmers, conservation planners, and conservation program managers. Presenters discussed the state of Conservation Planning in Washington, current funding and staffing challenges, the growing need for local conservation trainings, and opportunities to improve conservation planning. Over 150 meeting participants were able to actively participate and share live-time feedback and a robust conversation through the use of an innovative text polling tool.

Input from this and the other listening sessions around the country will be informing the future of conservation planning. NRCS is working on a cloud based planning platform that could really change how plans get built.

Themes from the feedback included a strong call for local Conservation Planning training (currently, the only training available is NRCS Conservation Planning Boot Camp in Nebraska), the need for coordinated, multi-year training planning to help technicians become certified conservation planners, and the emphasis on importance of mentors in developing the next generation of conservation planners.

NACD Scholarships Available to Attend NRCS Conservation Planning Boot Camp

The CTD continues to work with NRCS to explore a local alternative to the NRCS three- week Conservation Planning Boot Camp (CPBC) offered in Lincoln, Nebraska. In the meantime, if Boot Camp sounds like an option that will work for you, scholarships are available to help cover your costs. Visit the NACD website for details and to apply.

Questions? Please contact Phylis Vandevere at NACD for more information.

Working Effectively With American Indians Training -

August 13-17th

The Working Effectively with American Indians training is hosted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Washington Association of Conservation Districts, and the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe. In this week-long course, participants will enjoy learning from local tribal representatives and NRCS employees from across the country who have many years of experience working with tribal nations.

This course qualifies as one of the required courses for the NRCS “Certified” Planner Designation level.

Course Information

Date: August 13 - 17th, 2018

Location: Port Gamble S'Klallam Reservation, Kingston, WA

Who: Training is open to federal agencies, Washington Conservation Districts and tribes. Others may be considered if room permits.

Cost: No registration fee. Participants are responsible for food and lodging costs. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Point Hotel, Kingston, WA.

Registration: Click here to register.

Deadline to register is July 30, 2018

Space is limited. For more information, contact Robin Slate at robin.slate@wa.usda.gov or Mark Craven at oldhalloween@yahoo.com. Visit the Washington NRCS website to view the draft agenda.

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AgLearn Account Reminders

This is a friendly reminder to all of those with AgLearn accounts to remember to log in to your account at least once a month to maintain access. If you are updating to Windows 10, take note that there have been some issues with AgLearn and Windows 10 that requires more frequent log-ins -- every 20 days -- to keep your account active. Regular logins are the best way to avoid issues with your AgLearn account!

Coming Up...CTD Annual Plan Session

Next month, the CTD will be holding a web meeting to seek input for the coming year and annual plan. Look for details in the July CTD newsletter on how you can attend and help guide the work of the CTD.