SWCD to celebrate Stewardship Week

Van Wert SWCD information

The Van Wert SWCD wants to remind area residents that each of them has a connection to natural resources. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is celebrating the 59th year of Stewardship Week April 27-May 4. The 2013 Stewardship Week is themed, “Dig Deeper: Mysteries in the Soil”

In 1949, the Van Wert Soil & Water Conservation District was formed to assist people in Van Wert County to protect and conserve the natural resources for all residents by providing technical, educational, and financial assistance. During Stewardship Week, the Van Wert SWCD will provide every fourth grade student with a sweetgum tree seedling and a school presentation on the benefits of trees.  Also placemats celebrating the week will be provided to local restaurants.

“Soil is an essential natural resource that all of us depend on each and every day,“ says NACD President Earl Garber. “The Dust Bowl of the 1930s showed our nation the importance of conservation practices. Farmers and ranchers who have experienced recent droughts know that conservation practices are critical in helping their soil endure, even in the most challenging weather events. Your local conservation district is working with local landowners to assist in a variety of projects and outreach to improve soil health both now and in the long-term.

To find out more about the soil types in the community, visit http://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov. One can also download an app for smart devices called “Soilweb” developed by the California Soil Resource lab in collaboration with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

The Van Wert SWCD is a member of NACD, which oversees the Stewardship Week program. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national annual programs to promote conservation. NACD represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, which were established to encourage resource conservation across the country.

For more information about Stewardship Week and conservation, contact us at 419.238.9591 or on the web at www.vanwertswcd.org. Additional information about the “Dig Deeper: Mysteries in the soil” program and other natural resource education materials is available on the NACD website at www.nacdnet.org/education.