AISWCD Executive Director Dr. Michael Woods says thanks to everyone who attended 2024 Soil Health Week Lobby Day Wednesday and The Art and Science of Soil Health Advocacy in Action Day Thursday at the Illinois State Capitol. Couldn’t make it to Springfield for the Soil Health Week rallies? You can Read more…
Rylee Phillips was a winner in the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts’ 2024 Illinois Soil Health Week Essay Contest. She’s a fifth grader from Mulberry Grove and represents Bond County Soil & Water Conservation District. See also story on fellow winner Toby Williams for Stark County Soil Read more…
Toby Williams was a winner in the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts’ 2024 Illinois Soil Health Week Essay Contest. The Stark County High School freshman, of Toulon, represents Stark County Soil & Water Conservation District. See also story on fellow winner Rylee Phillips for Bond County Soil Read more…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of a new Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) conservation effort – the Northern Bobwhite Pilot Project, which offers agricultural producers and landowners the tools to conserve wildlife habitat for northern bobwhite quail by improving East-Central grasslands while achieving other critical conservation Read more…
Press release (copy and send to your local media) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD) will host The Art and Science of Soil Health Advocacy in Action Day, featuring the Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources (STAR) initiative, in the Capitol Rotunda March 7. The Read more…
AISWCD Executive Director Dr. Michael Woods composed this letter to the editor in response to a January 28, 2024 front page story in the Chicago Tribune . . . Karina Atkins’ January 28 portrayal “Illinois farmers struggle to balance livelihoods with reducing agricultural runoff, a major contributor to Gulf dead Read more…
Announcing the 2024 National Association of Conservation Districts Stewardship Week Theme: May The Forest Be With You Always. The educational materials are available for FREE download. More details may be found on the NACD Contest website. Teachers: here’s some resources to integrate the contest into the curriculum | Empowering Actions lesson Read more…
Since taking on his role as Executive Director of AISWCD, Dr. Michael Woods has enjoyed visiting regional meetings to celebrate conservation efforts while sharing the importance of soil and water conservation districts and to boost local voices within the Association. “SWCD staff and directors are the linchpins to local conservation, Read more…
The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, its Center for Rural Health & Social Service Development, and the Farm Family Resource Initiative have a series of virtual sessions on farm succession to help farmers and farm families planning for the future and weighing retirement options. It is estimated more than Read more…
Leaders from soil and water conservation districts from around the country gathered in San Diego February 10-14, 2024 for the National Association of Conservation Districts 78th Annual Meeting. “Getting together with people from all over the US, it broadens your horizons on what the conservation issues are,” said Steve Stierwalt, Read more…