Okaloosa County BOCC — May 3, 2016 — YRSWCD 2015 Annual Report — reading text

Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation Districts employees to do the required contract documents (maps, worksheets, etc.). FSA depends on Yellow River SWCD Board of Supervisors to approve these plans and to forward these plans to FSA for their county committee Board to approve after YRSWCD approves them. This program affects three (3) agencies every year to get these plans done by the deadline. Yellow River is an essential part of this program. Element I Goal 2: Assist local governments and state agencies with land/ water conservation and management on request.  Emergency Watershed Protection Program. Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) provides funding for the remediation of sites that are damaged by storm events. Funding is used for road side stabilization, flooding impairments, and waterway debris removal. Two (2) sites from the April 2014 rainstorm event in the County were accepted for EWP funds and are, currently, in the design phase for Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) funding. The City of Crestview project was approved for $1,345,900.00 and the Crestview Housing Authority for $85,484.00. These projects require a twenty-five percent (25%) in-kind service of materials, engineering, supervision, etc. Element II Natural Resource Education and Outreach Element II Goal 1: Achieve a high level of conservation education within the Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation District area.  School Conservation Education Program. In an ongoing effort to educate and inform the public on the importance of natural resource conservation, Yellow River provides educational programs for County schools. There is no charge for supplies for these teachable moments. Plant materials are donated by USDA Plant Materials in Brookville Florida and the District provides the hands on approach for children and educators. Between May 19th -23rd, 2015, Susan Holly, YRSWCD District Administrator and Travis and Cheryl Davis, USDA Earth Team members, provided “Edible Aquifer” demonstrations for the students and parents of the of the 4th grade 4  class at Baker Elementary Schools. This is always an enjoyable experience for the students and couples learning with fun. Yellow River is committed to educate students on the importance of conservation and has always provided services when requested.  AG Literacy Day Program. The District, also, provides education through classroom reading projects. During a three (3) day period in April 2015, Susan Holley, the District Administrator, read conservation and environmental books to seven classes of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders at Baker Elementary School as part of the AG Literacy Day Program. This represents 117 students and 7 teachers at the school.  Ag Venture Program. On September 29, 2015, Susan Holley, the District Administrator for YRSWCD, participated in the Ag Venture Program at the Okaloosa County Fair Grounds for the 3rd grade students at Edwins Elementary School. This joint venture with Florida Farm Bureau and UF IFAS Extension Office is an opportunity to educate the south end Okaloosa County school student about the crops grown in Okaloosa County. Sixty-three (63) students and twenty- one parents, a total of eighty-four (84), participated. Five stations were set up: Bug Station, Dairy Station, Cotton, Soybeans, and Peanuts. Students enjoyed feeling the products, and learning about farming.  Embryology. Yellow River SWCD works with Florida Farm Bureau and UF IFAS Extension Office to bring incubators with eggs into the classroom to allow students to experience chicken hatching. Susan Holley, the District Administrator, assisted with this project. These were all 3rd grade classes in both the north end and south end of the County. There were six (6) schools: Edge, Eglin, Destin, Baker, Edwins, and Walker. Five hundred and four (504) students participated from thirty (30) classes.  Corn Maze. Florida Farm Bureau asked Yellow River SWCD to assist them with a local farmer’s fall corn maze. The maze hosted several local school field trips. Susan Holley, the District Administrator, provided a short presentation about agriculture and showed the students how to make a Radish Seed Necklace to take home.  Davidson Middle School Science Fair. On Wednesday, December 10, 2014, Linda Johnson, YRSWCD Supervisor Board member, served as a judge for the Davidson Middle School Science Fair. Several of the science projects she judged were soil and water related. The student projects were very good and the students seem to enjoy their new found knowledge on natural sciences. It was amazing to think that these were only 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students.  Bob Sikes Elementary School Heritage Day. Susan Holley, the District Administrator, participated in the school’s annual Heritage Day’s “America Then and Now” on November19th 2014. She demonstrated the evolution of farming techniques to the four (4) classes in the 2nd grade. There were seven (7) stations for the students to visit and observe. This was an all day event.  Okaloosa S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Project. The Okaloosa S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Project is a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) funded initiative to “enhance student’s” interest and performance in science while preparing them for the 21st Century workforce” (Project Brief). The initiative is a three year $2.5 million grant to the Okaloosa County School District (OCSD). The initiative is in its second year, which began with a second community partner workshop held on the 3rd of August 2015 at the STEMM Center in Valparaiso to discuss the needs and focus for 5  the Okaloosa County Schools and how partners can provide education and knowledge support. Over twenty-two (22) community organizations and five (5) national organizations discussed the focus and needs for community-based education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Linda Johnson represented Yellow River SWCD at the workshop. The Okaloosa S.C.I..E.N.C.E. Initiative has provided great opportunities for Yellow River to introduce ourselves to the schools. A meeting with the STEMM and S.C.I.E.N.C.E coordinators in late August identified the needs of different schools. On September 8, 2015, Linda Johnson participated in a Professional Development Seminar at the STEMM Center for Middle School teachers. The seminar was on the rock cycle.  Summer Internship. The USDA NRCS Crestview office and Yellow River SWCD hosted a summer intern, DeAndra Brooks, from Georgia. Brooks is transferring from Georgia Southern to the University of North Georgia. Brooks applied for the internship through the Pathways Student Intern Program. She acquired “hands-on” knowledge of conservation planning, maps, contracts, and field work in erosion control practices, longleaf pine planting, invasive species removal, among other programs. Brooks was able to tour sites that are undergoing restoration under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP). Brooks presented her new found skills and knowledge at NRCS state headquarters in Gainesville.  Arbor Day 2015. Arbor Day in Florida is celebrated on the third Friday in January. This year, Yellow River Soil and Water Conservation District participated in two Arbor Day celebrations with UF IFAS extension in Crestview and the Florida Forestry Service. One hundred and two (102) trees were ordered. The native species given out were: Crabapple, Dahoon Holly, Chickasaw Plum, Sawtooth Oak, Southern Red Oak, Pecan, and Redbud. Trees provide shade, erosion control, wildlife habitat, and many other benefits for urban, suburban, and rural lands. YRSWCD paid for half of the trees. Susan Holley, the District Administrator, and Linda Johnson, District Supervisor, participated in the two celebrations. On Wednesday, January 14, 2015, YRS&WCD met with the Valparaiso Garden Club at the 1st Baptist Church in Valparaiso. The meeting had a discussion on native trees of Florida; new planting requirements for trees; the agencies involved in Florida Arbor Day in Okaloosa County; and prescribed burning. Forty-four (44) attendees and five (5) volunteers. The second event was held on Saturday, January 17, 2015, at the Fort Walton Beach Library. This event was hosted by the Grainer Garden Club. There were four (4) volunteers and twenty-one (21) participants present. This meeting, also, began with a discussion on native trees and the new planting requirements. Element II Goal 2: Improve public awareness and understanding of the purpose and functions of soil and water conservation.  2015 Area 1 Association of Florida Conservation Districts Annual Meeting. This year’s annual meeting was hosted by the Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District and held at the IFAS Extension Office Conference Center in Marianna, Florida on Thursday, April 23, 2015. Area 1 of the Association of Florida Conservation Districts consists of the fifteen most western counties of Florida: Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington. After a dinner provide by B & G Catering, the annual Area 1 student speech and poster contest was held at this time. This year’s theme was “Hardworking Pollinators – Why are they Local Heroes?” The Area 1 representative to the State Speech Contest is from Jackson SWCD. 6  Agency reports included: USDA NRCS State Conservationist, Russell Morgan and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Office of Agriculture Water Policy, Clegg Hooks. There was not a quorum of Districts present, so elections were suspended.  2015 Annual Association of Florida Conservation Districts. The 2015 annual meeting of AFCD was held at the Ocala Hilton in Ocala, Florida on Friday and Saturday 24-25 July 2015 with two AFCD Board meetings on Friday the 24th and Sunday the 26th. Friday the 24th meeting was an orientation for new Supervisors; however, present Supervisors were allowed to attend. This meeting provided a background in the legal and ethical requirements for Supervisors. The general meeting on Saturday included presentations by:  Susan Schultz , NACD Education and Stewardship Specialist, on “How to Get Your District Noticed” and “Turn Good Ideas into Great Grant-Funded Programs”;  Aric Larson, Office of Environmental Services, Division of State Lands, Florida Department of Environmental Protection on State Land Management Review Program;  Camilo Gaitan, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Office Of Agriculture Water Policy Florida Mobil Irrigation Labs;  Rhonda Bryars, President Southeast Conservation District Employees Association;  Archie Matthews, AFCD 1st Vice President and Alachua SWCD Supervisor on “How to Conduct a Board Meeting” and “Land Judging”;  Stan Peacock, Florida Environthon Board Member and Leon SWCD Supervisor. Reports were given by:  USDA NRCS State Conservationist, Russell Morgan discussed NRCS activities;  Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Office Of Agriculture Water Policy, Camilo Gaitan; 