The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) works extensively with the nation’s farmers and ranchers to protect soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources while meeting production goals.

Working with agricultural producers allows NRCS to promote conservation practices approximately 1.4 billion acres of the privately held land in the United States. About 92 million acres of land in our country is tended by home gardeners. In an effort to promote conservation on these lands, NRCS has partnered with other organizations to produce, Backyard Conservation: Bringing Conservation From the Countryside to Your Backyard.

This full-color and informative online resource highlights 10 conservation activities that can be used in your backyard, shared spaces, and public places too.

Topics include:

• Trees add beauty and so much more.
• Trees, shrubs, and other plants can provide homes and food for wildlife.
• A backyard pond will likely become the focal point for all your backyard conservation.
• Wetlands filter excess nutrients, chemicals, and sediment and provide habitat for a host of interesting creatures.
• Composting turns household wastes into valuable fertilizer.
• Mulching cools, protects, and enriches the soil.
• Apply only those nutrients the plants can use. (See our previous post on soil test kits to help you get accurate test results.)
• Terracing makes flower and vegetable gardening possible on steep slopes.
• Drip irrigation and other water conservation practices can save water and money.
• Early detection and treatment of pests means a healthier growing environment.

The spring edition of California Agriculture has a varied collection of articles. You can read about solutions for nitrate in drinking water, protecting California forests form catastrophic fire, agricultural advances, and the history and legacy of the Morrill Act.

Articles include:

• No-tillage and high-residue practices reduce soil water evaporation 
• Research and adoption of biotechnology strategies could improve California fruit and nut crops 
• Regulatory status of transgrafted plants is unclear 
• New quality index based on dry matter and acidity proposed for Hayward kiwifruit
• Honoring 150 years of accessible higher education 
• For 150 years, UC science and agriculture transform California 
• UC’s land-grant mission fuels nation’s growth, prosperity 
• Report seeks solutions for nitrate in drinking water 
• UC leads effort to protect California forests from catastrophic fire 
• Conservation tillage achieves record acreage, yields 
  

  No-tillage and high-residue practices reduce soil water evaproation among other benefits.

Today Supervisor John Zaragoza will present resolutions proclaiming May 2012 as both “Watershed Awareness” and “Water Awareness” Month.

There are many events being held around the county this month to celebrate. Santa Clara River events can be found in this Ventura County Star article. Ventura River events can be found at the Ventura River Watershed Council website. If you are aware of any other events, please contact our office and we will be happy to include yours in a future post.

Further information about our local watersheds can be found here. Working together we can all improve our water quality and conservation.

Individual actions throughout each watershed impact water quality at the shore. Please do what you can to keep your actions environmentally positive. Photo by T. Harter.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides many resources for public use. In addition to educational resources, the NRCS has some financial assistance programs available to help eligible landowners and agricultural producers plan and implement conservation practices.

These programs address natural resource concerns and include: saving energy; improving soil, water, plant, air, animal and related resources.

Specific programs include:                                                        

• Agricultural management assistance
• Agricultural water enhancement program
• Air quality initiative
• Cooperative conservation partnership initiative
• Conservation innovation grants
• Conservation stewardship program
• Environmental quality incentives program
• Emergency watershed protection program
• Wildlife habitat incentive program

Additional information can be found on the NRCS website, or by contacting your local NRCS office. Program information is also available in Spanish. 

Conservation of natural resources is beneficial to the environment, and can also help the bottom line.

The Ventura County Fire Department’s, Ready Set Go! Wildfire preparedness for farmers, ranchers and growers is an interesting and informative resource designed to help the agricultural community prepare for wildfire.

Agricultural production areas are often located right next to, or very close by highly flammable natural vegetation areas. In addition, many supplies and materials typically found in agriculture are particularly susceptible to flames or wind-driven embers.

The Ready Set Go! publication can help our food producers protect their property, homes and livelihood from the threat of fire.

Topics include:                                                       

• Defensible space and embers
• Orchards and groves
• Farmers, ranchers and growers
• Rangeland and livestock operations
• Livestock and row crops
• Wildfire resources for farmers, ranchers and growers
• Checklist
  

  Agricultural production areas are often located right next to, or very close by highly flammable natural vegetation areas. Resources are available to help growers prepare for wildfire.