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Concerning Conservation Wake Soil and Water Conservation District ~ Summer 2022

Conservation Spotlight: Attention Farmers and Landowners!

Do you have issues with erosion? Want to improve soil health? Do you lack enough water to meet your needs? Are your animals mucking up your pond? Are your farm paths in rough shape? Do you need help dealing with manure?

We can help you get conservation on the ground!

During fiscal year 2022, the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District encumbered over $70,000 in North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share Program (ACSP) assistance funding for projects in Wake County. This is in addition to funds from other state resources, such as the Agricultural Water Resources Assistance Program (AgWRAP), the Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP) and more.

With the new fiscal year upon us, the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District anticipates receiving a new cost share allocation from the State to assist with nonpoint source pollution control from agricultural activities. These funds are intended to assist producers installing conservation practices to reduce the amount of sediment, phosphorous, nitrogen and other pollutants entering surface and ground water resources in our state. Landowners and operators of existing agricultural operations may apply for cost share assistance to install conservation practices such as grassed waterways, cropland conversion, cover crop, livestock exclusion and many more.

Conservation practices at work on the land.

Wake SWCD will begin accepting cost share applications in July. Due to the limited funding, we encourage landowners and producers to contact our office as soon as possible, so that we can ensure the strongest conservation needs are met.

Wake County Approves New Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance

On June 21, 2022, the Wake County Board of Commissioners passed the new Wake County Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance. In a win for conservation in Wake County, commissioners demonstrated their commitment to preserving agricultural working lands within the county. Along with updates to the Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) program, the ordinance includes the addition of a new Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural District (EVAD) program and a new Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Wake County VAD sign.

The goal of the new ordinance is to promote agricultural values and to encourage the economic and financial health of agriculture, horticulture and forestry in Wake County. A main feature of the new ordinance is the addition of the EVAD Program. The EVAD program builds on the foundations of the existing VAD program and the main feature is that enrolled landowners are placing an irrevocable 10-year agreement on their deed to keep the land in agricultural production. Some other features of the EVAD program include:

  • The 10-year irrevocable conservation agreement must be recorded on the deed and landowners may renew for 3 years after the initial period
  • The program may provide assessments for utilities be held in abeyance
  • Participants may receive up to 25% of gross sales from the sale of non-farm products and retain bona-fide farm status
  • Participants are eligible for higher 90% cost share funds from the ACSP program.
A cropfield blooming in spring.

To be eligible to participate in VAD and EVAD, tracts of land must be used for bona fide farm purposes (G.S. 160D-903) and have a minimum of 20 acres of qualified forestry, 10 acres of agriculture, or 5 acres of horticulture.

Another Beautiful Wake County Voluntary Agricultural District!

The final piece of the new Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance is the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Wake SWCD will offer conservation easement options to landowners who want their lands protected in perpetuity. Wake SWCD intends to work closely with program partners to deliver this conservation option to interested landowners in the coming months.

Tobacco growing in the early summer.

Overall, the new ordinance provides landowners with stronger options to protect their agricultural lands. Our office is working very hard to complete the program details so that we can begin enrolling land by the end of summer and into the fall. Stay tuned in the next newsletter for the official unveiling of the new EVAD and conservation easement programs!

Drone Technology Touches Down at Wake Soil & Water

In an effort to incorporate new technology into conservation, the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District now has a fully certified drone pilot, with one more on the way. Thanks to a program from the Wake County Innovation Office, conservation staff have received training and certification to become FAA licensed drone pilots. Drone pilot capabilities will allow staff to conduct enhanced monitoring of conservation easements and mapping of future projects. In addition to newly licensed pilots, Wake SWCD recently purchased a drone to conduct these missions. An increased demand for monitoring is expected with changes in the new Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance and the drone will be used to meet the need. The drone will also allow conservationists a new way to evaluate projects and analyze the land.

Wake County Autel Evo II drone in action.

Wake Envirothon Teams in the Winner’s Circle!

WOO-HOO! Enloe High School’s Subchronic Exposure captures 1st Place at the 2022 North Carolina Envirothon! The state champions will now represent North Carolina and compete for college scholarships at the national 2022 NCF-Envirothon. This is the fifth state champion team coached by Enloe teachers and veteran advisors Debbie Massengill and Chad Ogren.

Enloe High School’s Subchronic Exposure captured 1st Place at the 2022 NC Envirothon April 29-30 at Cedarock Park in Alamance County. The state champions won an engraved plaque, $200 cash prize, a $500 college scholarship each from the Hugh Hammond Bennett Chapter of the Soil & Water Conservation Society, and two sets of medallions for top scores (tied) in Soils and Current Environmental Issues.

Also placing in the Top 5 were the Mean Green Beans from Panther Creek High School in Cary earning 4th Place, and the Flaming Driptorches from Enloe High School finishing in 5th Place.

Team Advisor and Assistant Principal Crystal Locus smiles with Panther Creek High School’s Mean Green Beans that earned a fantastic 4th Place finish at the 2022 North Carolina Envirothon.
Enloe High School’s Flaming Driptorches were fired up to take 5th Place at the 2022 North Carolina Envirothon. The team is coached by veteran advisors Debbie Massengill (left), and Chad Ogren (right).

In their first year of competition, the Martin Middle FFA team from Leroy Martin Magnet Middle School in Raleigh earned 14th Place from a field of 42 teams. The team invited Wake District to their inaugural FFA 1st Year’s Success Banquet Celebration, presenting Supervisor Scott Lassiter with a certificate of appreciation for their Envirothon sponsorship. Each year the Wake District Board of Supervisors sponsors the $150 registration fee for Wake County teams that qualify at the Area IV Envirothon.

Team advisor and agriculture teacher Kortney Neal (left) poses with her Martin Middle FFA team from Leroy Martin Magnet Middle School at their first state competition at the 2022 North Carolina Envirothon. The team was thrilled to earn the third highest score of all middle school FFA teams.

“Investing in our young people and their conservation education pays valuable dividends now and in the future,” commented Thomas Dean, Wake District Board Chair. “Many of our former Envirothon students now work in various environmental and natural resource fields as hydrogeologists, environmental educators, herpetologists, science researchers, soil scientists, and sustainability directors for global engineering firms. We’re especially delighted when these bright minds come full circle and return to work for one of our Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state!”

Countdown to Envirothon Nationals!

The NCF Envirothon takes place July 24-30, 2022 in Oxford, Ohio.

This summer, five Subchronic Exposure team members from Enloe High School -- Cynthia Wang, Felicia Yan, Pranvi Vashisht, Shriya Reddy, and Veronica Cheaz -- will represent North Carolina as they compete against top teams from across the U.S., Canada, and China at the 2022 NCF-Envirothon. The international competition will be hosted at Miami University July 24-30 in Oxford, OH. Disha Hosapattana from the Flaming Driptorches will serve as the team’s official alternate.

This team, and all the Enloe High teams from the past 24 years, have been coached by veteran team advisors Debbie Massengill and Chad Ogren who are both North Carolina Envirothon Hall of Fame inductees. Enloe High School holds the record for the most state championships won by any high school in the state. This summer marks their fifth journey to national competition. All national competition expenses will be covered by the NC Envirothon and NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Preparation is All!

Team members of Subchronic Exposure take turns hosting Friday night Envirothon study sessions at each other’s homes. Each team member also studies independently throughout the week and attends webinars, zoom meetings, field trips, and tours that are scheduled with resource professionals.

Once school ends, the studying begins! The team has a short six weeks to study a tremendous amount of college-level material in the core Envirothon topics of aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife, soils and land use. There are also a multitude of articles covering current environmental issues with a specific focus on waste-to-resources.

Students will learn the concepts of different waste streams and the impacts of waste generation and disposal on natural resources and society. Students will also learn effective ways to manage waste regeneratively; as well as the social, economic, and political impacts of turning waste products and degraded lands into resources through restoration, repurposing, and recycling for the benefit of the natural environment and future generations.

Wake District has provided each team member and both Advisors with a large notebook containing all the NCF-Envirothon Study Resources in hard copy. This will prove useful when summer thunderstorms knock out power and computers are not accessible.

It Takes a Village!

Teams at the NCF-Envirothon compete in five written exams and a 20-minute oral presentation where they present a viable solution to a natural resource problem. Fortunately, a cadre of resource professionals are preparing the team for competition over the summer by outlining study materials, writing practice tests, conducting study sessions, leading field trips and tours, and hosting an oral presentation practice with a judging panel. Wake District is grateful for this technical and educational assistance from fellow Districts, resource professionals, organizations, and natural resource retirees:

Districts: Davidson, Duplin, Gaston, Guilford, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Mecklenburg, Orange, Swain, and Wake.

Agencies and Organizations: NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service – Recycling and Materials Management Section, NC Division of Soil and Water Conservation, NC Envirothon State Committee, NC Forest Service, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Division of Waste Management – Brownfields Program, Town of Chapel Hill-Stormwater Management, Wake County Solid Waste Management, Wake Soil and Water Conservation District, We Are Wake Toastmasters

The Envirothon Mission!

The mission of the NCF-Envirothon is to develop knowledgeable, skilled and dedicated citizens who have an understanding of natural resources and are willing and prepared to work towards achieving and maintaining a balance between the quality of life and the quality of the environment.

The Envirothon mission is accomplished by developing in young people an understanding of the principles and practices of natural resource management and ecology and through practice dealing with complex resource management decisions.

Wake District is proud to support Enloe High School’s Subchronic Exposure on their amazing journey to the 2022 NCF-Envirothon! May this be a memorable and life-changing summer for each team member.

All the best! Go team, go!

Wake Poster is a 3-Time Winner!

Fifth grader Alice Lee from Poe Magnet Elementary in Raleigh has won all three levels of this year’s “Soil and Water – Yours For Life” conservation poster contest – county, regional, and state!!!

Alice Lee’s colorful “Soil and Water – Yours For Life” poster caught the eye of judges and captured 1st Place at the county, regional, and state competitions.
This view of Alice’s poster shows interactive lift-the-flaps that engage viewers in learning about best management practices that protect the farm’s natural resources. The flaps “hide” text so that it does not distract from the poster’s artwork and visual appeal.

Alice’s creative poster depicts the Big Bad Wolf huffin’ and puffin’ to blow soil off fertile farm fields. Fortunately, the farmers at the Three Little Pigs Farm planted a “windbreak” -- a best management practice of trees that protect the topsoil by serving as a barrier to the erosive force of wind. The windbreak is composed of different species of native trees and vegetation that also provides critical wildlife habitat and enhances the farm’s biodiversity.

At Poe Elementary’s 5th grade graduation ceremony, Wake District Supervisor Scott Lassiter presented Alice a $200 state award on behalf of the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Alice’s achievement was applauded by her 5th grade classmates and their parents and family members in attendance.

Supervisor Scott Lassiter awards Alice Lee her state award before an audience of classmates, teachers, parents, and family members at Poe Magnet Elementary’s 5th grade graduation.

For her outstanding artwork that effectively blends art and science, Alice has won a total of $400 in cash awards including $100 from the Area 4 Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and $100 from her local Wake Soil and Water Conservation District and Novozymes North America, Inc.

Alice is thrilled with her winnings and plans to keep up the good work. She aspires to be a dancer, actor, teacher, and Mom! This fall Alice will attend Leroy Martin Magnet Middle School in Raleigh where she looks forward to her favorite subject of math. Wake District hopes to recruit Alice as a valuable member of the Martin Middle FFA Envirothon team.

Congratulations, Alice Lee! Three cheers for our three-time poster winner!!!

Record Number of Scholarships Send Students to Conservation Camp!

RCW students use a survey level to determine percent and length of slope.

A record number of 10 Wake County high school students have been selected to receive scholarships to attend the 2022 Resource Conservation Workshop (RCW) June 26-July 1 at North Carolina State University. The students represent seven schools in six Wake County municipalities.

RCW students learn to take field measurements – an important skill used often by natural resource conservationists.

The full $550 RCW scholarships are awarded to deserving students based on competitive applications. The Wake Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Board of Supervisors will sponsor six students:

  • Amarion Singletary, rising junior at Garner Magnet HS in Garner
  • Catherine Wen, rising senior at Raleigh Charter HS in Raleigh
  • David Bass, rising senior at Green Hope HS in Cary
  • Dylan Medlin, rising junior at Wake Forest HS in Wake Forest
  • Grace Niesel, rising senior at Rolesville HS in Rolesville
  • Isabella “Izzy” Wagner, rising sophomore at Apex Friendship HS in Apex

The Friends of Wake SWCD Board of Directors will sponsor four students:

  • Aji “Saine” Sallah, rising junior at Cary HS in Cary
  • Erin Starbuck, rising senior at Raleigh Charter HS in Raleigh
  • Nora “Nick” Reston, rising senior at Millbrook Magnet HS in Raleigh
  • Piper Conley, rising senior at Cary HS in Cary

Two additional students are self-sponsored, bringing the total to 12 students that will represent Wake County at the statewide workshop.

  • Alayna “Laynie” McCarthy, rising junior at Apex Friendship HS in Apex
  • Vincent Shen, rising sophomore at Green Level HS in Cary

Students learn about the RCW scholarships from their teachers and guidance counselors, from the WakeGov.com website, TV public service announcements, and social media posts. RCW students learn about natural resources management from professionals in various fields such as forestry, soil and water conservation, and wildlife and fisheries.

Given a natural resource problem, RCW students develop and present their own conservation plan. They must justify the best management practices that they included to address the problem and explain how their plan benefits both the landowner and the environment.

Wake County’s 12 students will join 90 other students from across the state in this week-long workshop that packs in lots of learning, career exploration, and summer fun. All 12 students have confirmed that they are packed and ready for conservation camp!

Wake County Big Sweep

Big Sweep is making a BIG IMPACT! The Spring 2022 Wake County Big Sweep season has been incredibly successful as some of our program’s largest annual numbers have been seen in less than six months of work.

The Spring 2022 totals for the Wake County Big Sweep Program.

Earlier last year, Wake County approved a position solely devoted to Big Sweep which has allowed the program to blossom and continue to engage our passionate volunteers in watershed cleanups and water quality events. There have been over 19 events so far since March led by 22+ Zone Captains. One major highlight was a cleanup held at a future Wake County Park that featured years of illegal dumping. This site yielded 208 tires among other items such as bottles, cans, scrap metal, appliances, etc. for a removal totaling over 7,000 lbs. We also hosted an Earth Day Big Sweep with the Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources to clean more than 3,000 lbs. out of the stream in Chavis Park. This year’s totals have already surpassed any other year’s totals at a whopping 26,166 lbs. in just the first half of the year.

Big Sweep has removed a record amount of litter from cleanups so far this year!

As the Wake County Big Sweep Program continues to grow, we hope that records will continue to be broken. We look forward to a busy next half of the year and the expansion of Big Sweep!

Report a littered area

Do you know of a site or area that needs some love? Let us know! Big Sweep is always looking for new zones. We would like to have a running list of areas throughout Wake County that we can target. This will allow us to send groups to these areas as we often get inquiries from businesses, community groups, and the public looking for sites.

Please e-mail Alex Heinemann with the following information: general address of the location, what kind of litter, how much litter, and any additional details. After receiving your inquiry, we will head to the site to investigate it further and hopefully it will join our many other sites throughout Wake County!

Staff Updates

Welcome, Emily Bateman!

During the spring, the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District had the pleasure of welcoming Emily Bateman back to the team as a Natural Resource Conservationist! Emily joins the team with over 6 years of experience as a conservationist and had previously earned her bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech University. Emily is a passionate resource professional and she is excited to return to Wake where she will make a difference protecting our great natural resources.

Big Sweep Moves from Part-Time to Full-Time!

The Wake County Big Sweep program has been running strong for years due to valiant work put forth by staff and an ever-present need for volunteer cleanups. However, the position was never the sole focus of a staff member and, therefore, was always limited in scope.

However, this changed during the Fall of 2021, when Wake SWCD hired its first dedicated Big Sweep Coordinator, Alex Heinemann. Alex has done a fantastic job in less than a year at the helm of the Wake County Big Sweep program, coordinating hundreds of volunteers at dozens of cleanups and removing thousands of pounds of litter from waterways. Due to Alex's hard work and the continued need for the program, the position has been changed from part-time to full-time for the 2023 fiscal year. Wake SWCD is proud to have a full-time Big Sweep Coordinator and looking forward to the great work that lies ahead!

Wake Soon Looks to Welcome a New Farmland Preservation Coordinator!

In addition to a full-time Big Sweep Coordinator, the new budget for fiscal year 2023 brings the addition of a new position for Wake SWCD, a full-time Farmland Preservation Coordinator. This position will facilitate the operation of the new Farmland Preservation Program Ordinance that was just recently approved by the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Due to development pressure and the challenges faced by farmers, the Farmland Preservation Coordinator will play a crucial role in protecting farmland in Wake County.

Wake SWCD is proud to have this position joining the talented staff of conservationists and helping to protect farmland for future generations. This new position will be available in the coming months to assist staff in launching the new Farmland Preservation Programs.

Mark Your Calendars!

Meetings and Closures:

July 4, 2022 – Independence Day Holiday

August 10, 2022 – Wake SWCD Board Meeting

August 15-18, 2022 – Conservation Employee Training

September 5, 2022 – Labor Day Holiday

September 14, 2022 – Wake SWCD Board Meeting

If you have any questions or need assistance, don't hesitate to email us at swcd@wakegov.com or call 919-250-1051.

Agricultural Services Building, 4001-D Carya Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610

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