 
This event is one of many River Clean-ups that all benefit the Kalamazoo River Watershed. To learn more, please visit http://kalamazooriver.org/
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The Eaton Conservation District is pleased to announce that the first three research farms on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) have achieved verification under the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). The MSU Cow Calf Teaching & Research Center, MSU Swine Teaching& Research Center and the MSU Beef Cattle Teaching and Research Center received recognition June 30 from Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) for becoming verified under the MAEAP Farmstead and Livestock Systems. Joe Kelpinski, MAEAP verifier with MDARD applauded MSU’s verifications. “It was a pleasure to work with MSU through the verification process. As one of the premier land grant research colleges in the United States, MSU is known for their teaching and research. By obtaining their MAEAP verifications, the MSU facilities that were verified have shown not only their commitment to continued research on improving animal production, but that they are focusing on doing so in a manner that is both environmentally friendly and sustainable. Their continued efforts in this area have enabled them to meet the rigorous MAEAP standards and show that production and environmental commitment can coexist to the benefit of both in livestock production systems. These facilities are to be commended for their efforts.” All three MSU centers are utilized by faculty, staff, and students to develop successful graduates, conduct innovative research, and engage stakeholders. The facilities are used to advance agriculture using multidisciplinary approaches to teach, generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge in livestock biology and management while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. The Cow Calf Center, established at its current location in 1954, is a 340-acre, pasture-based operation that focuses on the breeding and management of beef cattle. The Swine Center, established in 1997, has a closed breeding program which produces animals that are used for research in nutrition, behavior, genetics, environmental management, meat science and muscle biology, and production management. Animals are also used for class projects and experiences for all MSU students, as well as many 4-H, FFA, and other youth and adult activities. The Beef Cattle Center, established in 1964, conducts basic and applied beef cattle (ruminant) research and teaching that benefits beef cattle producers and ultimately the consumers of Michigan. “Becoming MAEAP verified was a logical step for our South Campus farms. Although we are mandated to implement best management practices, with so many of our stakeholders investing time and resources to achieve MAEAP verification we felt it was important for us to do the same. We are proud to plant the MAEAP verified sign in front of our facilities and look forward to having all our farms verified.” said Dr. Janice Swanson, Chair of the MSU Department of Animal Science. Other farms and facilities on campus are in the process of achieving MAEAP verification. This process can take anywhere from a few months to several years depending on the size of the farm and their ability to dedicate time to working on the MAEAP process in addition to normal farm responsibilities. MAEAP focuses on helping farmers adopt management practices that proactively prevent pollution on the farm. Producers are encouraged to use soils tests to assess fertilizer demands of crops and minimize nitrogen and phosphorus loading of Michigan’s groundwater, lakes, rivers, and streams. The program also focuses on responsible soil erosion, manure management, odor management, well water testing, pesticide use and storage, irrigation management, water conservation, fuel storage, and a number of other issues that pertain directly to the farmstead. MAEAP is a voluntary program that allows farmers to access free, confidential, technical assistance to protect natural resources on the farm. It offers a nonregulatory route for farms to be assured they are in compliance with Right to Farm and applicable laws. For more information on MAEAP or other conservation programs please contact your local technician, Jennifer Silveri, at the Eaton Conservation District, (517) 543-5848 ext 112 or by email at jennifer.silveri@mi.nacdnet.net. For more information about the farms on MSU’s Campus visit http://www.ans.msu.edu/facilities. 
You don’t have to be a professional photographer to take an awesome picture. Entries in Eaton Conservation District’s 18th annual photo contest are proof positive! The contest was open to anyone who does not take pictures for profit as long as the picture was taken in beautiful Eaton County. Photos entered in the contest were divided into four categories. This year’s categories included: plants and landscapes, wildlife, people enjoying nature, and agriculture. Participants were able to enter one photograph per category, a wide variety of photos were submitted by an equally diverse contestant pool. Gary Mankey of Lansing came away as grand prize winner in this year’s contest with his picture of a frog in a leather boot. Submitted photos may be displayed on the District’s website, used in promotional brochures and fliers or displayed at District events. Winners were as follows: Plants and Landscapes 1st-Karl Glarner 2nd-Brenda Hall 3rd-Alyse VanAcker Wildlife 1st-Gary Mankey 2nd-Carol Glarner 3rd-Gary Haynes People Enjoying Nature 1st-Sarah Jansma 2nd-Gary Haynes 3rd-Hailey Bennett Agriculture 1st-Hailey Bennett 2nd-Sarah Jansma 3rd-Alyse VanAcker Honorable Mentions: Rachel Drury, Rod Weaver, Rachel Beland, Beverly Davids Thanks to everyone who entered the 18th annual photo contest. It’s not too early to begin snapping photos for next year’s contest. We appreciate your participation in the photo contest and are looking forward to seeing future photos taken in our County.  Call for 4th and 5th Graders A fun, hands-on experience! Let’s get FIRED UP for SCIENCE!!! Monday, June 17th – Friday, June 21st 9:00am-12:15pm OR 1:00pm-4:15pm Located at Bennett Park in Charlotte Cost for entire week is only $10 per student Activities/lessons on: Rocks and minerals, fossils, tree and plant life, stream life, tree identification, forestry, ground water studies, bugs, chemistry, decomposition studies, recycling study, geocaching, plus many more! Click here to download the flyer
 Michigan K-12 grade students were encouraged to express their creativity about trees this spring in a creative writing contest as part of the Go Green Youth Challenge. They were asked "What do Trees Mean to You?" In the first year of this contest, we had an amazing 479 entries from throughout the state and had some amazing entries. You can read the stories, letters, and poems of the winners online: http://www.miarbordayalliance.com/creative-writing-contest.html The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance is a program of the Eaton Conservation District. Congratulations to all of our 2013 contest winners! Grand Prize: Nathaniel C. from Bloomfield Twp. 9th - 12th 1st Place: Jordan M. from Brooklyn 2nd Place: Ellen Z. from Troy 3rd Place: Zach C. from Northville 5th - 8th 1st Place: Julianna K. from Oakland 2nd Place: Jessica R. from Perry 3rd Place: Kayla D. from St. Johns K - 4th 1st Place: Mattye T. from Beverly Hills 2nd Place: Anna R. from Northville 3rd Place: Sophia W. from Beverly Hills * Click each name to view their entry *  Earlier this week, 125 8th graders from Olivet traveled to MSU campus to release Salmon into the Red Cedar River. Salmon in the Classroom is a statewide program coordinated by the MDNR and local partnerships. This learning experience allows students the opportunity to raise, care for and maintain the salmon in their classroom from fall until spring. The program culminates at the end of the school year with the release of the young fish in a local watershed that feeds one of the Great Lakes. Students and teachers participate in a program to follow the life cycle of salmon from eggs, to hatchling to smolt, starting in the classroom. After releasing the salmon, students visited educational stations to learn about water quality, stormwater, and macroinvertabrates. Staff from Eaton and Calhoun Conservation Districts, and MidMeac worked with the students to collect water samples and identify insects to learn more about watershed health.  CHARLOTTE, MI – The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance (MADA) and Eaton Conservation District has announced today that they will be adding a new prize to their Go Green Youth Challenge Creative Writing Contest. In addition to the first, second and third prizes for each age category, there will also be one overall Grand Prize of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet.
The Creative Writing Contest is open to all Michigan K-12th grade students. Public, private, charter and homeschooled students are all eligible to participate. The writing contest will have an environmental theme each year, this year’s theme being “What Do Trees Mean to You?” Students can submit any type of creative writing (i.e. essay, short story, poem, etc.) fewer than 300 words, and remember originality and imagination count! This contest runs alongside the Go Green Youth Challenge fundraising program, where students raise money to plant trees across Michigan. Both contests have a deadline of April 1, 2013. For full program rules and details, please visit www.miarbordayalliance.com and look under the Go Green Youth Challenge and Creative Writing Contest tabs. The Michigan Arbor Day Alliance’s Go Green Youth Challenge engages Michigan youth in environmental stewardship, community development and service-learning through a statewide effort to plant trees in Michigan. MADA is a coalition of organizations and agencies dedicated to the promotion and celebration of Arbor Day throughout Michigan. Our dedication comes from our belief in the importance of trees and their role in community health and well-being. Since 1993, MADA has provided educational programs and services to Michigan communities. This is the 20th Anniversary of the MADA program. We encourage you to celebrate with us and Go Green in 2013! MADA is a program of the Eaton Conservation District The Envirothon is a program for high school students designed to cultivate a desire to learn more about our natural resources and environmental issues through competitive events. Regional Envirothon competitions held each spring in parks and natural areas across Michigan yield top teams that can then go on to compete in the State Envirothon. The team who wins the state competition becomes the team to represent Michigan in the Canon Envirothon.
Envirothon teams take an in-depth look at: Aquatic Ecology
Students are challenged to use teamwork to answer questions related to our natural resources and to develop creative solutions to environmental problems. The motto of the Michigan Envirothon is, "Working together we can make a difference." Olivet College offers scholarships to members on the first, second and third place teams. Plaques, ribbons and other prizes are also awarded. Teams are recognized for excellence in each Envirothon subject area test scores, the Community Outreach Project scores and for the overall test & Community Outreach Project scores combined. There are usually some fun extra awards too! Participation in Envirothon is something you can include in college applications, job applications, etc. After all, it's an academic competition! To compete in the state competition, students must also perform a Community Outreach Project in their own community. Team work, development of planning skills, fostering a sense of community and turning environmental knowledge into action are just a few of the skills realized by this component. What stands out most in these juried projects is the student’s highly evident pride in making a tangible difference. As student Erik Colegrove from Davison High School noted, “Community is the catalyst for ‘saving’ the environment. If the public is not persuaded to adopt new ideas, then change is precluded.” EnviroTeam Resource packets are available for all seven Envirothon subject areas. Contact the Michigan Envirothon Coordinator for more information. If you are interested in starting a new Envirothon team in Eaton County, please contact Andrea Stay at (517) 543-5848 X 5 or andrea.stay@mi.nacdnet.net For information about the state-wide Michigan Envirothon contact: Angela Sandusky, Michigan Envirothon Coordinator 3001 Coolidge Rd., Suite 250 East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: (517) 324-4421 • Fax: (517) 324-4435 E-mail: mienvirothon@macd.org |
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