Questions?

The Washington State Conservation Commission has put together a collection of great resources to help districts navigate the ongoing and rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation. Check out the WSCC webpage for COVID-19 resources and updates. Updated frequently, this is a go-to source of information for Districts and staff.

The CTD website is updated frequently to help you stay up-to-date on training opportunities, scholarships, planning resources, planner certification, and much more! We always welcome your feedback or suggestions for new content! Email us at info@wactd.org.

Carbon Planning with the COMET Farm/Planner Tool

Webinar recording is now available!

Are you interested in carbon farm planning, and wondering what tools might be available to help in the planning process? The COMET-Farm and COMET-Planner tools have been developed by Colorado State University in conjunction with NRCS and the USDA Climate Change Program Office (CCPO) to provide conservation planning professionals and their client producers with the tools needed to assess the potential benefits of conservation practices.

In this webinar training hosted by the CTD, research staff from Colorado State University provided an introduction to the COMET tools and how and when to use them.

Watch the recorded webinar here, and then check out the tool and give it a try: http://comet-farm.com/

CTD Planner Certification

Did you miss the May 1st deadline for submitting your CTD Planner Certification application? Keep working on it! Applications are accepted at any time, and will be reviewed as available.

Thank you to those who were able to submit applications this round. We have begun the review process and will be in touch!

Training Opportunities

In this ever-changing time, with many of our anticipated trainings canceled or changing format, stay up to date with CTD! The CTD Training Events page is updated several times a week with all of the current information on available trainings. This is also where you'll find recorded webinars, links to outside training opportunities and more! Questions? Email training@wactd.org.

Soil Health Institute Announces Virtual Annual Meeting

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) today announced its 5^th Annual Meeting will go virtual.

As previously announced, the annual meeting will be July 30-31. An agenda and more information on how to register will be available in early May.

For more information, please visit the website or contact info@soilhealthinstitute.org

Find relevant outside training opportunities like this one on the CTD's Partner Training Opportunities webpage: https://www.wactd.org/training/partner-training-opportunities

CTD Personnel Database Updates Needed

The Center for Technical Development (CTD) needs your help! It’s that time of year when we update the CTD Personnel Database with District staff status and expertise. This database is a clearing house of the nearly 300 staff members from all Conservation Districts in the State. The information in this database supports the many and varied services CTD provides – including training, technical expertise sharing, partner engagement, etc. – as well as providing technical District staff a place to track and record their training and certification achievements. We have added new expertise categories including Plant Sale, Soil Quality, and Financial Administrator to recognize staff and connect you to your peers and special opportunities.

Updating your information typically takes only a few minutes and focuses on your specialties as a technical professional in your District.

Here’s how you can help:

1. If you already have a self-service account for the CTD Personnel Database, please update your information in the database at this time. You can do this through the CTD webpage HERE.

or

2. If you do not have a self-service account for the CTD personnel database, please fill out this form to update their information and we will get it updated for you.

If you’re interested in signing up for a self-service account through the CTD personnel database, do so here. After your account has been activated, updating a profile takes less than 5 minutes.

Your help in keeping the information in the database up to date is greatly appreciated!

Our goal is to have Conservation District staff update their own information, either through the self-service portal or the database update form, by May 25th. Since we are dedicated to getting the most accurate count we can, we will be following up by phone with staff that do not respond by either of these methods. As phone calls are time intensive for all involved, we greatly appreciate those that use the digital options provided.

If you have questions about this database, it’s uses, or feedback about functions you’d like to see from a statewide technical employee clearing house, please contact database@wactd.org.

WSU Forest Stewardship Spring/Summer Online Class Series Starts May 13th

Periodic live webinars on various forest stewardship topics. The webinars are free, but pre-registration is required. Each webinar is offered twice: one from 12:05 - 12:55 pm, and again from 7:05 - 7:55 pm. Click on the links below for descriptions and registration information.

Upcoming Offerings

• 5/13/2020: Moving the Target: managing your forest in a changing climate

• 5/18/2020: Mushrooms you can eat more than once – growing your own edibles

• 5/21/2020: Lions and squirrels and bears (oh my!) – critters in the forest

• 5/27/2020: A dead tree’s excellent adventure – there’s nothing bogus about dead wood

• 6/4/2020: Another one bites the dust – Why so many trees have been dying in western WA

• 6/8/2020: Dang it–who chewed my tree?? Controlling animal damage

• 6/18/2020: If you build it, they will come – Fun wildlife habitat enhancements

• 6/23/2020: Well begun is half done – proper site preparation and early vegetation control

• 6/29/2020: Plant trees like a boss (so that you only have to do it once)

• 7/14/2020: Plantae non grata – Invasive species on small woodlands

7/28/2020: The four horsemen of the root disease apocalypse

Conservation Planning Business Tool Training -- Do You Need It?

We have recently received clarification on planner requirements regarding the need for the 'Conservation Planning Business Tool' training for partners.

Essentially, partners who do not and will not have access to NRCS Business Tools (Conservation Desktop and CART) will not be required to complete this training as part of their NRCS Planner Certification:

"Conservation planning business tool training (e.g., Conservation Desktop (State or national course)). Partner or private sector conservation planner (including TSPs) candidates will not be required to complete Conservation Planning Business Tools training if they do not have access to the appropriate NRCS conservation planning application." (409-9, NPPH 180-409-GM, 1st Ed., Amend. 44, Sep. 2019)

In light of this new guidance, please indicate in the short survey linked below whether or not you need to attend this course.

Conservation Planning Business Tool Training Survey

Your response by Monday, May 25 is much appreciated!

If you received a similar message via a different route (i.e., email), please only fill out the survey once. Thank you!

Reminder to Log Into AgLearn

This is a friendly reminder to all of those with AgLearn accounts to remember to log in to your account every 20 days to maintain access by using your eAuthentication User ID and password. Failure to do this can get you locked out. The CTD recommends setting up a reminder in your Outlook calendar.

If you have an idea for the newsletter, a project or photo you'd like featured, or just want to say hello, email communications@wactd.org. We'd love to hear from you!