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Today is World Agriculture Day.
Are you an agricultural producer who wants to continue to farm but use less resources and have less of an effect on the land? Why not consider applying for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)?
Some benefits include increased crop yields, decreased inputs, wildlife population improvements, and better resilience to weather extremes.
Through CSP, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps private landowners build their business while implementing conservation practices that help ensure the sustainability of their entire operation. Agricultural producers and forest landowners earn payments for actively managing, maintaining, and expanding conservation activities such as cover crops, ecologically-based pest management, buffer strips, and pollinator and beneficial insect habitat – all while maintaining active agricultural production on their land. CSP also encourages the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and new management techniques such as precision agriculture applications, on-site carbon storage and planting for high carbon sequestration rates, and new soil amendments to improve water quality.
The program helps producers better evaluate conservation options and benefits to their operations, as well as to our natural resources. Methods and software for evaluating applications help producers see why they are – or are not – meeting stewardship thresholds, and allow them to pick practices that work for their objectives. These tools also enable producers to see potential payment scenarios for conservation early in the process.
While applications for CSP are accepted year-round, to be considered for FY2021 funds they must be received by March 26, 2021.
Interested? Find out if you’re qualified for CSP by contacting your local USDA service center.
www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/ct/contact/local/
DEEP Launches 2021 Seasonal Recruitment Effort
Exciting Outdoor Work Opportunities Available, Diverse Applicants Strongly Encouraged to Apply
Want to work a fun job in the outdoors this year? The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) invites you to apply to join our seasonal workforce!
DEEP is actively seeking to diversify its workforce agency-wide. Seasonal positions are a great introduction to working at DEEP and a potential career working in the outdoors – we strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to join our fun-loving and hardworking team.
Seasonal positions with DEEP are available at various locations throughout the State of Connecticut. The majority of these positions are located within the State Parks Division at various state parks and forests. Positions include lifeguards, seasonal park rangers, maintenance workers, interpretive guides, seasonal Environmental Conservation Officers and more! Some seasonal employees also assist DEEP professional staff in research projects for forestry, fisheries and wildlife management.
To assist with navigating the wide array of seasonal opportunities offered, DEEP has launched a new seasonal employment webpage. This user-friendly webpage divides opportunities up by area of interest (Fisheries, Wildlife, Boating, Parks & Forests, Lifeguarding, Environmental Conservation Patrol Officer, and others), as well as by location.
Seasonal staff play a crucial role in keeping our parks open and waterways stocked with fish, keeping the outdoors accessible for all people as a reprieve in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. To fill these positions with a diverse group of staff reflective of the diversity of our state, DEEP is engaging in a comprehensive outreach effort to raise awareness about the opportunities available, including media engagement, outreach to schools, and hosting a virtual career fair.
“Increasing the diversity of DEEP is a top priority at the agency, and this is one of the ways we can do that,” Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Conservation Mason Trumble said. “Seasonal opportunities are a great way to ignite interests that can lead to a career in the outdoors, or even discover a passion for something that you never knew you had. We hope you’ll consider joining us!”
For more information, visit DEEP’s seasonal employment webpage portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Human-Resources/Seasonal/Seasonal-Employment. Staff are available for interviews!
Please enjoy reading the updates from the Thames River Basin Partnership in our Winter 2021 newsletter.
thamesriverbasinpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PartnersInActionReport-winter21.pdf
Our Partners at Avalonia have this free program coming up.
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5455391604501723&id=137246582982945
The DEEP’s Division of Forestry has developed a webinar for Forest Practitioners on Avenza Maps™ and has offered to conduct the webinar for municipal inland wetlands agencies. Avenza Maps™ is a popular mobile map app which allows you to download maps for offline use on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, then use your device’s built-in GPS to track your location on any map. You can plot and record location information, measure distance and area, and even plot photos. Municipal inland wetlands agency staff and members may find this app useful when conducting site walks or investigating a potential violation.
The webinar is scheduled for March 5, 2021 from 10AM – 11:30AM. Registration is not required but the program is limited to the first 200 participants. The webinar will be conducted through Zoom, and a question and answer session will follow the presentation. Additional details can be found in the attached flyer.
Please contact David.Beers@ct.gov with any questions or 860-965-8975
