FY 2008 (7/1/09 – 6/30/10) Annual Plan

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Mission of the Foster Creek Conservation District

§         To protect natural resources; enhance sustainable, profitable agriculture; and improve the quality of life in Douglas County by:

§       Encouraging good land stewardship through education, incentives, and quality technical assistance.

§       Protecting individual private property rights.

§       Building strong coalitions with other groups.

§       Including, but not limited to, government assistance as a valid conservation partner to agriculture, by providing quality, intelligent, technical assistance to cooperators and partners.

Natural Resource Priorities and Goals:

§         Completion and implementation of the Douglas County Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan including measures to retain the current base of land in conservation cover in the county.

§         Implementation of our Invasive Species Control Program utilizing education, biological controls, and early detection and eradication.

§         Continued implementation of our Moses Coulee/Foster Creek Watershed Plan including the actions and projects associated with it to conserve our local water resources.

§         Investigation and promotion of the emerging Ecosystem Services marketplace for the benefit of our local land stewards.

Greatest Natural Resource Accomplishments in the Next 5 Years:

§         Wildlife habitat stabilizes without penalty to farmers and ranchers buy keeping conservation programs on-the-ground.

§         To increase the education awareness and involvement with the community.

§         Continue working with water resources programs, especially those in the watershed and advance them including our monitoring program.

§         Implementation of the Douglas County Multi Species Habitat Conservation Plan.

§         Continue protection and enhancement of the soil, water, air, farmland, rangeland, wildlife, and people.

§         Continue sustainability of FCCD so we are able to accomplish the natural resource goals within the district.

§         Keeping agricultural lands in the hands of farmers and ranchers that are armed with the knowledge to keep the resources healthy.

§         Implementation of the watershed protection plan and associated restoration projects on private lands.

 Information & Education:

§         Conservation Voices Quarterly Newsletter reaches over nine hundred individuals throughout Douglas County .  Its mission is to educate individuals regarding natural resources while enhancing sustainable, profitable agriculture.  This newsletter will be published four times per year.

§         A regional Envirothon with the goal of attracting over thirty area high school students.

§         Foster Creek Conservation District’s Annual meeting with South Douglas Conservation District. The goal of the annual meeting is to attract over seventy-five local residents.  Issues that will be discussed range from well water sampling, Douglas County MSHCP , biocontrol releases, watershed issues, along with Farm Bill Updates from NRCS and FSA.

§         North Central Washington Fair Display.  The goal of the fair display is to communicate to approximately 1,500 local stakeholders and elected officials the importance of on-the-ground conservation and how a collaborative effort is important to achieve the goals established by the district.

§         Display of our FCCD Soil Tunnel for educating our youth on the types of soils found in our county.

§         Monthly Foster Creek Conservation District website updates.

§         Lead student field trips to conduct photo and water quality monitoring at watershed restoration projects.