SWCD News
RIM/WRP SIGNUP OPEN UNTIL JULY 18 - Payment Rates at 140% of EMV
Renville SWCD is currently taking applications for RIM/WRP. The current signup period closes July 18th to necessitate use of federal funds allocated for the current fiscal year.
If you have land that is poorly drained and you would like to see wetlands restored, contact the SWCD office as soon as possible for more information. This is a perpetual conservation easement program. Landowners are paid 140% of the Estimated Market Value in your township, they receive cost-share for the wetland restoration and seeding costs and they retain ownership of the land. Land can be used for recreation including hunting and it can be sold as hunting land.
2008 General Election News: Filing period open July 1-15
(updated 6/20/08)
Three Renville SWCD Supervisor positions will be on the Fall 2008 General Election ballot. SWCD Supervisors representing County Commissioner Districts 1, 2 & 5 will be on the ballot. District 1 includes Osceola, Brookfield, Boon Lake, Hector, Preston Lake & Martinsburg Townships as well as the cities of Hector & Buffalo Lake. This district is currently represented by Jim Schafer of Buffalo Lake. District 2 includes the Townships of Birch Cooley, Bandon, Wellington, Camp & Cairo and the towns of Morton, Franklin & Fairfax. Bill Radermacher of Franklin is the current SWCD Supervisor form this District. District 5 includes Wang, Ericson, Crooks, Hawk Creek, Sacred Heart & Emmet Townships and the cities of Renville & Sacred Heart. Loyal Fisher of Renville is currently representing this District.
Anyone concerned about environmental issues should consider filing to run for the position of supervisor of the Renville Soil & Water conservation District. Supervisors play an important role in how a county deals with a wide variety of resource management issues, including wetland, water quality, and soil erosion. Serving as a supervisor is an opportunity for people who want a voice in how we use our environment.
SWCDs are special purpose local units of government that manage and direct conservation programs, such as state Cost-Share Program and the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Program. Renville SWCD is also the technical arm of the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA) and SWCD staff inspect feedlots in Renville County. The SWCD partners with NRCS, several Watershed Projects and other State and Federal agencies to help landowners with the necessary technical expertise and funding to complete their projects.
Anyone interested in running for the position of Supervisor must file for office at the Renville County Auditor's office during the regular filing period which begins July 1st and closes at 5:00 p.m. on July 15, 2008. Contact the Auditor's office at 320-523-2071 for additional information. There is a filing fee. SWCD Supervisors must live in the District they represent but they are elected by countywide ballot.
For more information on the local election, contact the Renville SWCD office. If you would like more details on SWCD Supervisor duties, check out the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts website at www.maswcd.org
S.A.F.E. Practice
A new CCRP option for unproductive land is now available to Minnesota landowners. Rental rates are based on soil type and there will be a signing bonus and 90% cost-share to establish practices. In certain situations, food plots and/or trees will be allowed.
Contact Cory Netland at the Renville SWCD office if you have any questions.
WALK 2008 Successfully Completed: The weather cooperated, making WALK 2008 one of the most successful in years. Approximately 175 students participated. Staff from the Renville SWCD, MN DNR, the Hawk Creek and Crow River Watershed Projects and the USDA NRCS partnered to help with the event. WALK focuses on wise land use and the effects human decisions have on wildlife populations. The following schools participated.
May 21st BOLD/St Marys
May 22nd GFW
May 23rd RCW
WALK is held annually at the Wildlife Management Area located one mile west of Highway 71 and one mile south of County Road 2. Students have the opportunity to view cropland, animal agriculture, State of Minnesota RIM & CREP easement areas, and the MN DNR Wildlife Management area all located within a relatively small space. They see firsthand how some land is best suited to crop production and some to wildlife production. They learn about watersheds and water quality during a presentation using the EnviroScape model.
Audit Report:
After the required review by the Minnesota State Auditor's office, CPA James Maiser issued the final audit report for Renville SWCD for the period ending December 31, 2006. The Audit report is available at the Renville SWCD Offices.
2007 Annual Financial Report:
The 2007 Annual Financial Report has been completed and was approved by the Board of Supervisors at the February 14, 2008 Regular meeting. As required, copies of the report were submitted to the BWSR offices in St. Paul. Copies are available for review at the SWCD offices in Olivia.
2008 Annual Plan
The Renville SWCD Board of Supervisors approved the 2008 Annual Plan at their March 13, 2008 Regular meeting. As required, two copies were submitted to BWSR. Copies are available for review at the SWCD office in Olivia.
2008 Budget was approved at the December meeting. See below for copy of budget:
LCCMR Granite Rock Outcrop Grant Update
In early 2007, the Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) recommended funding a grant application submitted by several partners including the Renville SWCD. That grant sought to protect rare and unique wetlands found in Granite Rock Outcrops in the Minnesota River Valley. Landowner interest in the program has been high and it's anticipated there will be applications in excess of funds currently available. A technical panel made up of natural resource professionals from several agencies, visited each site and scored the sites using several criteria. Four easements totaling 212 acres will be funded.
A typical Granite Rock Outcrop in the Minnesota River Valley