Celebrate Earth Day, COME ON, Let's Celebrate!

Thank you Kool & The Gang for inspiration for this title....."Ya Hoo! There's a party going on right here!"
Isn't that introduction to this entry just a clinic in professionalism!  Ha!

Well, it is that time of year to celebrate!  We have Earth Day, Easter, Arbor Day, and Soil and Water Stewardship Week and a bonus....... it's Springtime!  What an awesome time of year.  All of these occasions give us the opportunity to celebrate nature, the planet, life and our precious natural resources which are essential to our quality of life.

Let's don't forget ...... the May Apples are up, Trilliums and Redbuds are blooming, we have plenty of rain, so what am I getting at?????? MUSHROOMS!  Oh yeah!

Now I am an avid hiker and I know my way around a woods, but I am lousy at spotting these little buggers or as I tell my kids, "The mushrooms are too fast and sneaky for us."  The problem is that I love those little fungi and my friends keep sending Facebook pictures of these gi-normous delectables just to rub it in!

A picture of my boys coming to grips with the reality that,
"Dad can't find mushrooms!"

Okay, okay, enough about mushrooms, but more about the woods and in particular trees and tree planting.  Sidenote: It just so happens that this year's theme for Soil and Water Stewardship Week is "Forests".


So why do I bring this up when I usually talk agriculture?  A couple of reasons, but I'll focus more on the 2nd.
#1 - The hardwood industry is huge in Indiana, I won't dig into the details now, but supporting this industry in Indiana is a major component of our Economic Development focus within the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.
#2 - In Indiana, some of the land utilized currently for row crop agriculture is better suited and more sustainable both economically and environmentally as forest or woodland.

Regarding the second point, especially the floodplain fields where in certain seasons farmers are forced to replant repeatedly due to flooding, perform continual clearing of floodwater debris, and regularly repair fields due to the erosive nature of floodwaters.  All of these factors can lead to economic losses and plainly they can can be more headaches than they are worth to some folks.  An option to row crop farming is planting trees.

A new planting just this spring in Western Indiana.

Commonly referred to as a Bottomland Hardwood Tree Planting, this practice can be cost-shared and the landowner can receive incentives through various programs such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).  Someday these areas become forests and are extremely valuable habitats along rivers and streams serving as homes to many wildlife species such as: Bald Eagles, Herons, River Otters, Leopard Frogs, and various salamanders.

Young bald cypress in a recently planted floodplain shortly after a flood event.

So, this year let's celebrate forests and trees and the value that they can bring to agriculture and the environment.  Enough of these ramblings, you should stop reading now and get yourself outside and soak up a little Springtime and have a very happy EARTH DAY, April 22, 2011.

A young Bottomland Tree Planting in North-central Indiana.

Mature Floodplain Forest

How Do I Help The Environment?

I think deep down that most of us have that desire to leave this Earth a little better, ideally a lot better than we found it.  There are bunches of quotes out there that illustrate this desire and some can really connect with us in a deep way such as:

"We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children."

Well, if you feel compelled or pulled to pitch in and leave a lasting legacy to the betterment of our planet, I have the perfect idea.  Get involved with your local Soil and Water Conservation District.  It is so simple and it can really fulfill that little part of you that tugs and pulls for you to take some action.  That's what Soil and Water Conservation Districts are all about.......getting conservation practices that improve water quality, control soil erosion, and enhance wildlife habitat on the ground; it's their speciality. 

Each county in Indiana has a Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) that is lead by a board of supervisors.  They hold monthly public meetings and anyone can attend.  Individuals within the community serve as supervisors and they are elected or appointed, but there is plenty room for associate supervisors or volunteers to get involved.  SWCDs work with many conservation partners to hold demonstration field days, provide cost-share and incentives for conservation measures, perform education and outreach, and generally provide conservation assistance and advice to those looking to do right by the land.

This is an excellent time of year to check out your local SWCD at their Annual Meeting!  There is sure to be good food, educational/entertaining guests, and lots of information about the many programs and accomplishments of the district.

I know that time is limited, but serving on the Soil and Water Conservation District is absolutely the best way to make a positive impact on the environment in your local community!

Find contact information for your Soil and Water Conservation District at http://www.in.gov/isda/2408.htm  or you can look for the districts' individual websites at http://nacdnet.org/about/districts/directory/in.phtml#inweb