|
Jackson County Conservation District |
|
Conservation Farm of the Year Award Richard and Margaret Malson
They own a 390 acre farm in Liberty and Columbia Townships. 239.6 acres of the farm is enrolled in five Conservation Reserve Program Contracts to provide soil protection and to benefit wildlife. The first contract was enrolled in 1999. 106.5 acres of these contracts are seeded to a native or a prairie grass mixture with wildflowers. The remaining acres are seeded to cool season grasses. Some trees and shrubs are planted in clumps. With assistance from the Farm Service Agency and Michigan Department of Natural Resources Land Incentive Program, they hired a contractor and in the fall of 2005 and spring of 2006 performed a Prescribed Burn on the native grasses to improve the cover and development of the wildflowers. |
|
Tom Hodgson Receives 2006
Tom Hodgson has dedicated his whole career to spreading the message of conservation. His resume is impressive—15 years as an Interpreter at the Waterloo Recreation Area, 15 years as the Director of the Dahlem Conservancy, 8 years as a biology professor at Eastern Michigan University, and much more. Yet, he is being honored as the 2006 “Conservation Educator of the Year” due to his most recent efforts to create a complete water quality educational program in coordination with the Conservation District’s Upper Grand River Implementation Project. Due to Tom’s “Our World of Water” program, well over 2000 upper elementary students received water quality education for free this past spring, and even more students will benefit from the curriculum in upcoming years. |
|
Jim Pickett Receives the 2006 The year 2006 was a very successful year for the Jackson Groundwater Stewardship Program. Many producers have implemented practices that have decreased groundwater and surface water contamination. Of the producers in Jackson County that have participated in the program, James Pickett has used the technical assistance offered from the program to its fullest extent.
Using the Farm*A*Syst tool to determine high risks on the farm, James has vigorously worked to improve his operation. From pesticide and fuel storage practices to silage storage and water well testing, James has decreased risks one by one. James has completely redone and improved his record keeping files allowing him to easily begin his own pesticide spraying management plan. James is currently working with the program utilizing a cropping improvement action plan to determine all risks, high and low. By doing this he will identify potential risks associated with his cropping operation and follow this action plan to correct them.
Through the use of the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program James has reduced high risk practices and has saved money in the process truly showing how valuable the Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program can be. |
|
Annual Report |
