Author: Sweeney, Kelcie - NRCS, St Johns, MI

2021
Annual Report

The mission of the Clinton Conservation District is to provide information and technical
assistance for Clinton County citizens to better understand, plan, manage, protect, and use natural resources.

Introduction

2021 Annual Report

The Clinton Conservation District is a local unit of state government established in 1954 to carry out programs focused on the wise use of natural resources. The guiding philosophy is that decisions on conservation issues should be made for current and future generations at the local level, by local people.
Historically, the District focused on soil erosion from farmlands. With time, our scope has expanded. Today, the District works on a broad spectrum of conservation and natural resource concerns. Soil erosion and soil health remains a major component of our work, but we also provide services on watershed management, wildlife habitat improvement, stream restoration and woodland management. We offer information and technical assistance to all county residents from private landowners residing in rural, suburban and urban settings to schools, clubs and local government.
The formation of the Clinton Conservation District in 1954 enabled the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners in Clinton County with conservation needs. Today, these services are still provided through the conservation district office by the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) who continues to be the District’s closest partner and supporter. USDA provides the District with office space, IT support and training.

Board of Directors
Andrea Polverento, Chair
Jim Graham, Vice-chair
Elaine Brown-Bartholic, Treasurer
Bud Schulz, Director
Gary Boersen, Director
District Staff
Kelcie Sweeney, Executive Director
Eric Bak, MAEAP Technician
Jill Detwiler, Water Resources Coordinator
Rebekah Faivor, Soil Conservationist
Katie Hafner, CTAI Technician (Clinton, Ionia)
Jessica Short, Conservation Program Assistant (statewide)
Adelyn Geissel, Conservation Program Assistant (statewide)
Cheyanne Bartholomew, Conservation Technician (Eaton, Clinton)
Kurt Wolf, Farm Bill Biologist (Gratiot, Clinton, Saginaw)
Samantha Strandmark, CISMA Coordinator (Ingham, Ionia, Eaton, Clinton)
Samantha Wood, Administrative Assistant
NRCS Staff
Joe Woodruff, District Conservationist
Emily Malkin, Soil Conservationist
Juanita McCann, Agricultural Engineer

Financial Report

Kelcie Sweeney, Executive Director

The Clinton Conservation District’s 2021 fiscal year ran from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021 Four primary sources funded the District in 2021: 1. Grants through the state of Michigan and federal sources, 2. Clinton County, appropriated by the Clinton County Commissioners, 3. Tree and native plant sale fundraisers, and 4. In-kind support through NRCS.
With a little luck and a lot of work on the part of the board and staff, the District was happy to have come out just ahead in 2021. The third largest source of revenue for the District and largest source of operational and outreach funds, our tree and plant sales, were up substantially in 2021. Are growth in tree sale revenue was a result of increased USDA program enrollments and rise in outdoor recreation due to COVID restrictions.
Grants remain the primary source of funding for the District. In 2021, programs were funded through 10 grants with support provided through partnerships. The grants provided support to field office staff, cost share programs, implementation and characterization work on watersheds. Although grant funds can be beneficial in supporting specific conservation objectives, grant funds are inconsistent which is a challenge for retaining qualified and experienced staff. The District continues to seek out ways to increase long-term sustainability and seeks additional funds with a focus on more permanent funding opportunities.

Fiscal Year 2021 Financial Report (October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021)

Revenues		Expenditures
Federal Grants & Contributions	$ 348,511	Operations	$ 9,486
State Grants & Contributions	$ 94,265	MAEAP Program	$ 72,016
Local Grants & Contributions	$ 12,000	NFWF Maple River Program	$ 49,152
Charges for Goods & Services	$ 55,610	Invasive Species Grant	$ 2,285
Interest & Rental Income	$ 4,238	Stony Creek Watershed Project	$ 19,847
Other Revenue	$ 1,512	Upper Maple River 319 Grant	$ 60,088
		Stream Cleanup	$ 1,454
		Tree Sales/Reforestation	$ 40,356
		CTAI Program	$ 70,104
		NRCS NWQI Project	$ 13,539
		Hunter Access Program	$ 2,225
		Wildlife Habitat—State Game Areas	$ 13,207
		Wildlife Habitat—Clinton Lakes	$ 5,479
		CTAI Program Assistant I	$ 52,827
		CTAI Program Assistant II	$ 54,281
Total Revenues	$ 516,136	Total Expenditures	$ 509,739
Profit (Loss)			$ 6,397
Fund Balance			$ 71,784

2021 Spring and Fall Tree Sale

2021 Tree Sale Numbers	# of Plants
2021 Total Number of Plants Sold	20,601
Spring Sale—Total Plants Sold	18,996
Spring Pre-Orders	293
Spring Cash and Carry Orders	97
Fall Sale—Total Plants Sold	1,605
Fall Pre-Orders	78
Fall Cash and Carry Orders	28
2021 Ornamental Trees & Shrubs	19,225
2021 Fruit Trees & Shrubs	1,375
2021 Native Plants	673

“Where are you planting your trees that you purchased from the Clinton Conservation District?”

MI Technical Assistance Initiative for the Maple River Watershed

Rebekah Faivor, NFWF Soil Conservationist

The MI Technical Assistance Initiative grant is administered as a partnership among the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). This grant ensures funding for three years to support technical assistance efforts benefitting producers in the Maple River watershed.
As the soil conservationist, Rebekah ensures local soil and water resources are protected by providing technical assistance to landowners through NRCS Farm Bill programs. Rebekah helps farmers plan and implement conservation practices on their farm, making their operations more profitable and sustainable while protecting share natural resources.

Conservation Technical Assistance Initiative (CTAI) Program

Katie Hafner, CTAI Soil Conservationist

The CTAI grant supplies Conservation Districts wit h MDARD dollars to help NRCS with program and contract management. Katie works with four NRCS programs (listed below) in both Clinton and Ionia counties. She helps with conservation planning, both in the field and in the office. Katie completes technical site visits at requests of landowners to talk about resource concerns and the conservation practices that can be used to solve them. Community outreach is an important way to connect with farmers and landowners within the county. With help from coworkers, Katie plans several workshops and outreach events every year that reaches 100’s of people in Clinton Co.

Active Contracts in FY2021
Conservation Reserve Program 178	Conservation Stewardship Program 32
Environmental Quality Incentive Program 29	Wetland Reserve Program 9

MI Technical Assistance Initiative for the
Middle Grand River Watershed

Cheyanne Bartholomew, Conservation Technician

The MI Technical Assistance Initiative grant is administered as a partnership among the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). This grant ensures funding for three years to support technical assistance efforts benefitting producers in the Middle Grand River watershed.
As the conservation technician, Cheyanne ensures local soil and water resources are protected by providing technical assistance to landowners through NRCS Farm Bill programs. She specializes in the Wetland Reserve Program as well as the Conservation Reserve Program; creating conservation plans, monitoring easements, and providing technical support. She is also in charge of the district’s social media presence.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Joe Woodruff, District Conservationist

NRCS offers technical and financial assistance through conservation practices, activities and enhancements to help agricultural producers make and maintain improvements on their land.
In FY 2021, Joe Woodruff, Katie Hafner, Rebekah Faivor, Cheyanne Bartholomew, and Emily Malkin provided assistance on various conservation initiatives throughout Clinton County. Local NRCS efforts resulted in federal financial assistance going to local producers to implement conservation practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Wetland Restoration Programs (WRP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).

2021 Clinton County Major Achievements
232	Highly erodible land & converted wetland determinations processed
6,814 acres	Enrolled in RCPP, CRP, CSP and EQIP Farm Bill programs
96	Certified and completed conservation practices
$1.17 million in Farm Bill dollars to Clinton County farmers in 2021

Programs
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers to address natural resource concerns and deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, conserved ground and surface water, increased soil health and reduced soil erosion and sedimentation, and improved or created wildlife habitat.	The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) helps agricultural producers maintain and improve their existing conservation systems and adopt additional conservation activities to address priority resources concerns. Participants earn CSP payments for conservation performance	The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides technical and financial assistance to eligible farmers and ranchers to address soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on their lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner.
The Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is a voluntary program that provides technical and financial assistance to eligible landowners to address wetland, wildlife habitat, soil, water, and related natural resource concerns on private lands in an environmentally beneficial and cost-effective manner. The program provides an opportunity for landowners to receive financial incentives to enhance wetlands in exchange for retiring marginal land from agriculture.	The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) promotes coordination of NRCS conservation activities with partners that offer value-added contributions to expand our collective ability to address on-farm, watershed, and regional natural resource concerns.	Interested in working toward a more sustainable farm? Conservation practices can benefit both your natural resources and your bottom line. Stop in or call the office to get started!

Conservation Program Assistance– MI NRCS State Office

Adelyn Geissel, CTAI Program Assistant

Outside of work, Adelyn had an eventful year with two 1st place and one Honorable Mention photo contest awards, 1st place Solo Female in a 6-hour orienteering event (Nain Rouge Gaine), and created a map and course for and hosted her first official orienteering race in December.

Conservation Program Assistance– MI NRCS State Office

Jessica Short, CTAI Program Assistant

Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP)

Eric Bak, MAEAP Technician

In 2021, the District’s MAEAP program regained momentum through the efforts of Clinton County MAEAP technician Eric Bak. With the help of Clinton County farmers, MAEAP continues to be a driving force in voluntary environmental sustainability initiatives in the state. MAEAP verifications often begin years before the sign goes up at the road. Farms that were MAEAP verified more than five years ago must go through reverification to retain their good standing. Farms can grow and change a lot in a short time, MAEAP can assist with any growth or adjustment.
Eric also helps rural landowners check drinking water quality through well water screening events. 14 water tests were completed in 2021. If you’d like more information on water testing, or on MAEAP, call our office and ask for Eric.

The Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) is an innovative, proactive, and voluntary program that helps farms of all sizes and commodities prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks.

2021 Clinton County MAEAP Accomplishments
Farmstead	6 New Verifications / 3 Reverifications
Cropping	5 New Verifications / 3 Reverifications
Livestock	4 New Verifications / 1 Reverifications
Forest, Wetland, Habitat	1 New Verifications / 1 Reverifications

The amount of farmland runoff Clinton County MAEAP farmers reduced in 2021 is equal to:

814 dump truck loads of sediment

Maple River, Stony Creek, and Looking Glass Watersheds

Jill Detwiler, Water Resources Coordinator

In 2021, CCD continued carrying out its third EPA Clean Water Act 319 Implementation Grant for the Upper Maple River, which is focused on,
Providing technical assistance and cost-share funding for farmers to implement best management practices that protect water quality
Alerting landowners in the UMR watershed on the widespread issue of human-sourced E. coli contamination in the watershed, and providing septic system education in partnership with the Mid-Michigan District Health Department
Conducting water-quality outreach for UMR watershed residents and visitors

2021 Accomplishments
2,420 acres of cover crops	Planted in the Maple River watershed through the UMR BMP Program and the Maple River RCPP
Septic system information distributed	Written: 9,130 people / Mail: 1,397 households / Presentation: 70 people / Consultation: 10 people

Additionally, the District continued collecting water quality and land use data for the Stony Creek Watershed Management Plan with assistance from state and local partners. Supported by Clean Water Act 319 funds, the Stony Creek project will be completed in 2023 and will provide a detailed assessment of the Stony Creek watershed with measurable objectives for improving water quality in the watershed.
Data collection also occurred throughout the Hayworth Creek, South Fork-Hayworth Creek, and Doty Brook watersheds as part of the NRCS National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). The data collected in 2021 is being used to draft a detailed assessment of these three sub-watersheds. The completed assessment will enable the CCD, in partnership with the local NRCS office, to offer technical assistance and special funding for farmers in the three Hayworth sub-watersheds.
CCD secured grant funding by the MiCorps Volunteer Stream Cleanup Program to advance clean-up efforts in the Looking Glass River. The partnership between CCD, Friends of the Looking Glass River, Friends of the Maple River, Tri-County Regional Planning Commission, and the Clinton County Parks and Greenspace Commission resulted in 3.5 miles of cleanup on the Looking Glass River. Volunteers removed nearly 1,400 lbs. of garbage, including 2 truck tires, 5 pallets, and a propane tank.

CCD welcomed Jill Detwiler as the new Water Resources Coordinator in September. Jill continues ongoing work in the Stony Creek watershed, Upper Maple River watershed, and Hayworth sub-watersheds. She is available to provide technical assistance to Clinton County landowners and farmers on issues impacting water quality.

Mid-Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)

Samantha Strandmark, CISMA Coordinator

The Mid-Michigan CISMA is a collaborative partnership between the Clinton, Eaton, Ionia and Ingham conservation districts and 30+ other local partners with the goal of invasive species early detection, management and outreach.
In 2021, the Mid-Michigan CISMA:
Surveyed nearly 1000 acres for priority invasive species
Trained over 90 municipal staffers in invasive species ID and management (Virtual Series)
Held an AIS webinar for community members
Held our 2021 Exco Expo. A job fair-style event featuring local conservation organizations and eco-friendly businesses.
In 2022, the Mid-Michigan CISMA looks forward to bringing on a Strike Team to help landowners handle infestations in addition to more surveying, workshops and training.
To learn more, visit: inghamconservation.com/mm-cisma

Outreach & Education

Kelcie Sweeney, Executive Director

The Clinton Conservation District promotes conservation actively through workshops, presentations, events, and consultations, and passively through social media and web articles. 2021 outreach activities spanned from webinars about widespread E. coli contamination in Clinton County surface waters,

Social Media Reach
22,024	Facebook
186	Instagram
3,888	Digital newsletters

to student field trips to the Stony Creek, to weekly field visits with landowners to discuss conservation issues at the field level. Staff produced blog articles, contributed to the development of Taste the Local Difference’s Local Food Guide, and engaged with the public over social media.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners!

Clinton Conservation Board of Directors & Staff

The Clinton Conservation District’s success depends on community support, so THANK YOU! Whether you attended meetings, workshops or field days, or purchased from our tree and native plant sales, you are contributing to the conservation of natural resources in Clinton County.
The District also attributes our successes to the local support we receive from event sponsors and partners. Please join us in thanking the following businesses and partners for their generous contributions!

2021 Partner and Business Contributors

Clinton County Parks & Greenspace Commission
Michigan State University—Institute of Water Research	Clinton County Chapter– Pheasants Forever
AgroLiquid North Central Research Station
	Clinton Lakes Pheasant Co-op
Michigan State University Extension	Rose Lake State Game Area DNR Staff
Michigan Farm Bureau	Friends of the Maple River
Middle Grand River Organization of Watersheds	Woodland Acres Bird Hunting Preserve
Michigan Dept Environment, Great Lakes & Energy	Faivor Fresh Farm & Flowers
Michigan Dept Agriculture & Rural Development	Allaby & Brewbaker Insurance
National Fish & Wildlife Foundation	Clinton County Drain Office
Michigan DNR

Clinton County Landowners– Most of all, Thank YOU!

Interested in working toward a more sustainable farm? Conservation practices can benefit both your natural resources and your bottom line. Stop in or call the office to get started!

#

Throughout 2021, Adelyn continued supporting NRCS Farm Bill Programs through a multitude of activities. Her broad range of responsibilities involved a multitude of administrative support tasks, including but not limited to EQIP and CSP contract administration, delivering easement reports and reviews, providing Advanced Payment reminders, and helping create a Wetland Restoration Guide.
Adelyn also assisted with various CCD projects and events, including a native plant workshop, Eco Expo at Woldumar, CCD’s Annual Meeting, spring and fall tree sales, and assisting with Eaton CD’s Gaining Ground event. She also attended the MACD virtual conference, the Great Lakes Expo, took pictures during the CCD’s Hunt & Hike Day in January, and completed additional training through AgLearn, MSU Extension, and MM-CISMA. Adelyn also started two projects in late 2021: a Free-time session proposal for MSU Extensions’s 4-H Exploration Days in June 2022, and putting information together for a Clinton County Local Food Guide through Taste the Local Difference.

As a CTAI Program Assistant, my role is to provide support for document management, administrative tasks, and support for various projects. I also provided flex support for the NRCS State Office, assisting the state-level program staff with processing contract modifications and document management for the whole state. In this way, the ongoing stability of Clinton CD helps support conservation efforts by districts statewide!
Some of the major projects and events I worked on this year included compiling data and a summary report on the Resource Assessment Survey for Clinton County, presented to the board to analyze the needs of our service area, based on survey responses collected from the community. I created the 2021 version of the EQIP Cost Estimator, which is an Excel calculator that estimates total contract costs for EQIP during the application phase, and which is widely used across the state. I developed an Excel template for adding administrative area or other custom data to database exports. I provide a monthly statewide report on approaching contract expiration deadlines, assist with quarterly reviews of open obligations (financial) for easement programs, assisted with a 10% review of contracts for CSP, calculated contracts eligible for price spike adjustments through EQIP Coronavirus Action Relief Payments (CARP), and assisted with data entry for easement monitoring.