The Conservation Conversation

Spring 2023 Edition

Guilford Soil and Water Conservation District

Drone footage courtesy of Kayla McCoy - Wilkes SWCD

Events

June 25th - 30th

Resource Conservation Workshop

Location: NC State University

July 23rd - 29th

International NCF Envirothon

Location: New Brunswick, Canada

August 18th

Cost Share Program Applications Due

Location: Guilford SWCD Office

September 18th - 21st

Conservation Employees Training (CET)

Location: City of Greensboro

Supervisors & Staff

The board welcomes Grace Summers as a new supervisor! Grace has over 35 years of experience in agriculture education. Grace owns and operates Summers Farm which has been in her family since 1878.

Grace brings forth a wealth of experience and knowledge to the board!

Supervisory Soil Conservationist Brandon King and Soil Conservationist Jordyn Rosichan are busy year-round taking NRCS program applications, ranking, and funding projects for the public.

The NRCS team has a new Soil Conservationist in the office - Roman Whitaker!

From left to right: Anna Amoriello, Ray Briggs, George Teague, Josh Myers, and Grace Summers serve as supervisors on the Guilford SWCD board.

For the 2023-2024 term George Teague serves as the President and Josh Myers serves as the Treasurer of the N.C. Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts.

The SWCD office is fully staffed at this time with (from left to right) Millie Langley, Gary Cox, Nicole Carolan, and Jamey Walker

We are in the office and in the field all week long. Give us a call or stop by and we will be happy to discuss our various programs.

Team "Green Phoenix" from the Early College at Guilford placed third at the Area 3 Envirothon & finished 16th at the State Envirothon

Envirothon

On March 14th 26 teams descended upon Elon University for a day of education, exploration, and competition for the 2023 Area 3 Envirothon. This event offers middle and high school students an opportunity to test their knowledge and awareness of environmental issues in five subjects: Aquatics, Forestry, Soils, Wildlife, and Current Environmental Issues

Middle School

1st - “The Dirtsies”

Clover Garden School

2nd - “Roadkill Rats”

Clover Garden School

3rd - “Lucky Charms Inc.”

Clover Garden School

4th - "Hydrated Hydrangeas"

Margaret B. Pollard

5th - "Pangea Proxima"

Margaret B. Pollard

6th - "Boisterous Box Turtles"

Haw River Christain Academy

7th - N/A

High School

1st - “Mozzarella Knights”

Clover Garden School

2nd - “Orange FFA Gold”

Orange High School

3rd - “Green Phoenix”

The Early College at Guilford

4th - "PP Jr. Memorial Squad"

Clover Garden School

5th - "EA Woodsmen"

Eastern Alamance High School

6th - "Orange FFA Blue"

Orange High School

7th - "Environmental Eagles"

Eastern Alamance High School

The State Envirothon was held April 28th-29th at Cedarock Park. Middle and High School teams competed across both days with great success. Congratulations to the top three teams!

Middle School

1st - "High Rock Yeeeter Skeeters"

Davidson Co. HomeSchoolers

2nd - "Brutal Blue Jays"

Union Co. Homeschool

3rd - "Many Layers"

Swain Mt. Discovery Charter School

High School

1st - "Subchronic Exposure"

Wake Enloe High School

2nd - " Mean Green Beans"

Wake Panther Creek High School

3rd - "Climate Changers "

Union Co. Homeschool

StRAP

The North Carolina General Assembly approved 38 million dollars in the budget appropriations bill for the 2021-2022 fiscal years, creating the Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP).

This funding was then allocated to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The overall goal of the program was to proactively remove woody debris from impacted waterways to reduce the severity of future flooding.

Guilford county had one project qualify for funding. 60 tons of woody debris was removed from over 1,260 feet of stream on a fourth-generation farm very near to Lake Townsend and within the Reedy Fork Watershed.

Although the funding for the Streamflow Rehabilitation Assistance Program (StRAP) was a onetime allotment, we hope to see similar future funding due to the success of the program.

Stoney Creek

The Stoney Creek HOA Stream Restoration Project is complete! This project was a multi-year long cumulative effort between organizations to fully restore and fix a 50' section of highly eroded stream bank. The area of concern was a very specific section of Rock Creek within the Stoney Creek Subdivision and Golf Course. This section of stream was found to be encroaching on the community's walking path and an important above ground sewer line (top left picture).

Soil and Water staff were approached with this community concern and partnered with other organizations to complete this streambank restoration project. The Piedmont Conservation Council (PCC) was integral in securing NC-Water Resources Development Grant (NC-WRDG) funding for this project. Combining NC-WRDG funds with NC-Community Conservation Assistance Program (NC-CCAP) funds ensured the successful restoration of this resource concern. McAdams Engineering developed the design and plan to stabilize the streambank and reduce future erosion. Backwater Enviromental carried out the onsite construction and restoration of the stream and streambank.

BMAP

The Beaver Assistance Management Program "BMAP" is a collaborative program designed to assist Guilford County residents and landowners (both private and public) with problems caused by beaver activity on private and public lands. Landholders will have access to assistance at a reduced cost-share rate. Landholders can expect to pay the following cost-share fees for services:

$25 per site visit

$125 per dam removed

*Initial damage assessments are provided at no charge*

*Beaver management specialists average 10 visits over a 30-day period to resolve the problem*

For more information about the Beaver Management Assistance Program give us a call at (336)641-2440 and we can connect you with the wildlife specialist.