Natural Resources Conservation Service local work group meeting in Chelan April 22, Chelan Fire Hall

CHELAN - Local working groups provide recommendations for consideration on local natural resource priorities and criteria for USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation activities and programs. At least once per year, the local working group hosts a gathering to discuss natural resource issues, opportunities, and priorities in geographical areas across the state. NRCS considers these recommendations from the local working group discussions, along with technical expertise and national and State program policies, to develop the local NRCS conservation program(s) available both statewide and through local funding allocations. The results of these meetings have potential implications on not only how NRCS spends its dollars as an agency locally, but also on recommended treatments to improve the natural resource conditions of private agricultural lands, forests, and other associated agricultural lands.

The local working group has many responsibilities which include:
1.Assisting NRCS and the conservation districts with public outreach and information efforts and identifying education and producers’ training needs.
2.Identifying priority resource concerns and, as appropriate, high-priority areas needing assistance.  
3.Recommending USDA conservation program application and funding criteria and eligible practices.
4.Utilizing the conservation needs assessment to identify priority resource concerns that can be addressed by USDA programs.

Please come ready to discuss and share your input on the resource conditions of the areas below and activities that would make the biggest positive impact on agricultural and non-industrial private forestlands. The data collected at these meetings plays a major role in the agency’s direction at the local level and of the funding received for “Locally Led Conservation.”  

This years meeting for the following area: Okanogan County, Chelan County, Douglas County, Conservation District Foster Creek, South Douglas, Cascadia, Okanogan Conservation Districts,  will be held Monday, April 22, 6-9 p.m. at Chelan Fire & Rescue, 232 E. Wapato Avenue in Chelan, in the large meeting room upstairs. For more information contact Stan Janowicz, at (509) 422-2750, ext. 103.