Allegan Conservation District Quarterly Newsletter   June 2020  

 

 Did You Know?  

Conservation District Struggles and Achievements  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Laura Smith, District Manager  

The Allegan Conservation District was founded in 1940 to assist landowners in preventing soil                            erosion, maintaining and improving productivity of their land, improving water quality, and                        preventing pollution. We are a governmental subdivision of the state, and a public body created                              by concerned landowners and administered by a publicly elected board of directors. Without                          support from state revenue sharing sources, we rely on grants, local contributions, and plant sales                              to fund operations. Grants are highly competitive, oftentimes require matching funds the district                          is unable to match leaving many projects on the table for other organizations and counties to                                implement.    

Over the years, the district has worked with USDA to bring $3,144,238 to the county in federal cost                                    share funds. Since 2015, we have secured $201,000 from DNR Wildlife Habitat Grants for three                              projects totaling 284 acres. Additional grants were awarded to the district to implement buffer                            strips, conservation tillage, and cover crops in both the Rabbit River and Gun River Watersheds.                              Allegan County has three schools actively participating in the Michigan Green Schools program                          reducing the amount of waste produced. Finally, the district works with many natural resource                            organizations and partners in order to complete our mission, we are your resource, use us!  

 Be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out our website for updates!  

 

COMING SOON : Fall Native Plant Sale  SAVE THE DATES: Friday, September 18th and Saturday, September 19th, 2020  

Did you know that native plants are easy to grow because they are well adapted to our soil and                                      climate and tend to thrive in your landscape without fertilizers or pesticides. Many native plants                              have deep roots allowing them to absorb and hold water once the roots become established. Some                                native species can store carbon in their deep root systems removing it from the air we breathe                                  reducing greenhouse gasses. Landscaping with native plants will attract butterflies, birds, and                        other animals by providing the right kinds of berries, nectar, and insects.  

Spring Tree Sale During COVID-19  Due to COVID-19, many conservation districts cancelled their spring tree sales. After much                          deliberation and one postponement, we forged ahead with our spring tree sale. The dedication of                              staff, board members, volunteers, and residents of Allegan County turned a possible loss in                            revenue into a small profit. Not only would our district miss out on a much needed source of                                    revenue, our local nurseries would have been affected as well. During the sale, stations were                              created and orders were loaded by staff to ensure compliance with social distancing                          requirements. Special thanks to all the residents who proceeded with their orders, we hope to                              see you again during the next sale!  

Upcoming Events:  

BOARD MEETINGS Third (3rd) Tuesday of the month @ 5�00 pm  Jaycee Park, 200 Monroe Street, Allegan (temporary location)   

Allegan Conservation District  1668 Lincoln Road, Allegan MI 49010  

www.allegancd.org