For Land's Sake by Oceana's Herald-Journal

2014 Oceana Conservation District Annual Report

For Landâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sake Oceana Agricultural Banquet March 14, 2015 New Era Reformed Church

Conservationists of the Year

e Way n e an d M ar il y n M o rs Thursday, March 5, 2015

Section C

Page 2 — For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015

Building momentum

currently working on expanding our efforts in two By Suzie Knoll Oceana Conservation District Manager main areas: education and stewardship. First, we 2014 was a year of change for Oceana Conserva- want to take a more active role in inspiring people, young and old, to explore, appreciate and conserve tion District. In March we said farewell to Willidene Hutton who served the district for 14 years. We thank our natural resources. We hope to do this through recreational opportunities, field trips and educational her for her time and dedication and presentations. We are also currently exploring the wish her well in her retirement. After Hutton’s resignation, the board asked possibility of a nature center in the county. And second, we are initiating a leading role in new Muskegon Conservation District’s ecological restoration and stewardship activities. We Executive Director Jeff Auch to fill in plan to start addressing invasive plant species like as interim director before hiring Suzie Phragmites, Japanese knotweed and garlic mustard, Knoll in May. So, with a change in all aggressive species that are starting to show up in leadership, we have re-visited our the county and threaten our waters and forests. We mission, strengthened partnerships are also planning some stewardship activities includand are looking for ways to not only Knoll ing participation in the Adopt-a-Highway program. continue our strong existing programs In the future, we might have opportunities like river and services, but also looking to clean ups and stream monitoring. expand our programs and services to the community. Be sure to visit our website,www.oceanaconserLike many of us who take pride in Oceana County vationdistrict.org for more information about our and our “Great Lakes” state, the Oceana Conservaupcoming events and programs. We are currently tion District knows how important tourism and agriworking on creating a new website that will offer a culture are to our local economy. Therefore, we want fresh modern look, better organization and more to preserve our agricultural heritage as well as take information. an active role in protecting the natural features and I invite the community to find out what we’re doing, resources like our dunes, rivers and lakes that make see how we are building momentum and expandour dot on the map so special. Our newly revised ing our role in the county and understand how your mission statement at Oceana Conservation District is support is vital to our work. Join us in our vision of simple and clear: To promote conservation, stewardhealthy forests, clean rivers, sustainable agriculture, ship and sustainable use of the natural resources in and a bright future. We encourage you to be a part of Oceana County through landowner assistance and an organization that has a direct impact on our land education. and water and in our community. With the mission at the center of our focus, we are

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2014 Oceana Conservation District Annual Report OCEANA Conservation District 1064 Industrial Park Dr. Shelby, MI 49455 (231) 861-5600 OceanaConservationDistrict.org

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Down by the old oak trees Wayne and Marilyn Morse, OCD Conservationists of the Year, tackled a pestilence with both regret and grit By Mary Beth Crain Contributing Writer

Being named the Oceana Conservation District 2014 Conservationist of the Year is an honor Wayne Morse never expected to receive. A retired special ed teacher for Hart Public Schools, who also worked for nine years at Larson’s ACE Hardware in Hart, Morse is not a farmer. Although he was born and raised in Shelby, he lived in a suburb of Grand Rapids for many years, and moved back to the Shelby/Benona area with his wife, Marilyn, and their children in 1996, purchasing a scenic property that’s the retirement haven of their dreams: 68 acres of woods, streams, wildflowers and a lake that were made to order for Wayne, an avid outdoorsman. “I’ve got oak woods, pine cover, swamp,” Morse says. “I hunt on that property, and fish. I have food plots for deer.” The pine trees were a labor of love for the Morses. “We planted five to six thousand pines with the help of the conservation district,” Wayne estimates.

Particularly special were the property’s some 60 oak trees, ranging in size from a few inches to 2 ½ feet in diameter, which completely surrounded their house, providing shade, beauty and serenity. Until one July day in 2013, when Morse noticed a change in the once vibrant bower. “I had four or five trees that started dying,” he recalls. “I called a local tree guy who cut them down and burned the wood. We figured that was all we had to do, so we didn’t take the stumps out of the ground.” That, it turned out, was a big mistake. The following summer, Morse became aware of more trees declining in the same vicinity. “They were dropping leaves like it was fall,” he remembers. “So I called the DNR’s Forestry Assistance Program. I spoke with district forester, AJ Smith. ‘Something’s going on,’ I said, describing what was happening. And he said, ‘Oh

Cooperator of the year continued on 10

Wayne and Marilyn Morse stand in their now barren backyard in Benona Township where some 60 oak trees had to be removed to help stop the county’s first reported case of Oak Wilt. Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal

Page 4 — For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015

Conservation district seeks volunteers The Oceana Conservation DisSpring Tree Sale trict has many new activities coming WHAT: Assist with gathering and packup, and could really use your help. ing trees for each order. There are opportunities for all ages, WHO: Kids 12 and up and adults. and whether you want to volunteer WHEN: Annually, third Saturday in April. by yourself, or have an entire class of WHERE: Carter’s Farm on Oceana students, they have enough work for Drive in Shelby. everyone. Volunteers could pick one WHY: Lots of trees to package. event and help out each year, or be a Garlic Mustard Pull super volunteer and do it all. WHAT: Pulling invasive Garlic Mustard Review the following list of events plants around public natural areas in the to find out how you can volunteer. county.

WHO: Anyone of any age (this one also lends itself nicely to school groups). WHEN: Late April to early June; no specific dates scheduled yet, but we will make a special event if your group is interested. WHERE: Hart Twp., Colfax Twp., Crystal Twp. and Greenwood Twp. WHY: Garlic Mustard is an invasive herbaceous plant that can completely take over the understory in a forest. It is not often used for food by wildlife, re-seeds readily and spreads quickly. We hope to catch this early in our county. This is a

nice, leisurely way to explore a new area spending time outside. of the county. WHEN: Year-round, at your leisure. Anywhere in the county, pubInvasive Species Scouting lic WHERE: lands, roadsides, rivers, lakes, you WHAT: The conservation district will name it. provide you with materials and training WHY: The District is hoping to receive to identify species, so that if you see an grant funding (along with other partner invasive while you are out and about, you groups) to manage invasive species in can report it to us. If you are smart phone our county. Currently, other groups around savvy, we can even show you how to rethe county manage Phragmites and Eurport the species with GPS on your phone. WHO: Anyone that is interested in plant Volunteers needed identification, bugs, looking at trees or just continued on 18

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For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015 — Page 5

OCD stakeholder survey

The Oceana Conservation District and its directors are here to serve You. Please fill out and return the following questionnaire to help us determine the most beneficial way to serve our citizens in the coming years. 1. In what township do you reside? (circle one) Pentwater

Golden

Benona Claybanks

Weare

Hart

Shelby

Grant

Crystal

Elbridge

Ferry

Otto

Colfax

Leavitt

Newfield Greenwood

2. Are you a year-round or seasonal resident? (circle one) 3. Please review the topics listed below and select those that you feel are the district’s most critical issues. Please rank them, with 1 being the highest priority. ___ Forest management and reforestation ___ Groundwater contamination ___ Surface water contamination ___ Invasive plants and animals ___ Wetland preservation and restoration ___ Dune restoration ___ Soil conservation and quality ___ Farmland preservation and management ___ Animal agriculture ___ Wildlife habitat management ___ Education & outreach ___ Outdoor recreation opportunities ___ Recycling programs 4. For the topics listed in question 3 above, are there any services that you think the conservation district should offer? ____________________ ______________________________________________________________ 5. The district would like to continue offering free educational events and presentations. Please check all that you would be interested in: ___ Tour explaining functioning of a vineyard, from planting to bottle ___ Tour of farms with up and coming crops (hops) ___ Tour of a Christmas tree farm, what happens in the summer ___ Tour of a milking operation ___ Breakfast on the farm — find out how the farm produces your breakfast, then end with a breakfast on the farm ___ Beginning kayaking and canoeing; a series of tours around Oceana’s lakes and rivers ___ Wildflower hikes — how to identify wildflowers and edible plants ___ Birding hikes — how to identify birds by sight and sound ___ A tour of the dunes — native, endangered and invasive species can be found on a nice dune walk ___ Forest hikes — how to manage a healthy forest ___ Fall colors tour ___ Rain barrel presentation ___ Rain garden presentation ___ Native landscaping presentation ___ Plants and wildlife of Oceana County ___ Timber and taxes workshop Other ideas? _________________________________________________

2014 conservation district accomplishments at a glance

The Oceana Conservation District’s dedicated staff has been working hard to provide quality services to the community. Services include, landowner assistance, educational programs, tree sales, household hazardous waste removal, drill rental and other activities that protect and manage soils and forests, improve local water quality and enhance wildlife habitat.

sold;

gram;

• 13 new farms MAEAP-verified, 23 re-verified, for a total of 92 veri-

• people attended the 2014 Farm & Forestry Tour;

353 acres planted with no-till

• drill;

fications in the county; • Assisted

246

287

people attended various for• estry outreach events;

239

• students attended the sixth forest landown- grade field trip;

23,000

65 7,104

• acres wells tested for nitrates; ers accounting for in Oceana, Muskegon and Newaygo pounds of household • • tree and shrub seedcounties; hazardous waste and pesticides collings sold at the annual tree sale; people and acres lected during the annual household • • plugs of beach grass enrolled into the Qualified Forest Pro- hazardous waste removal day.

14,000

41,000

2,450

We Salute the Oceana Conservation District

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6. How can the district better serve the people and protect our natural resources? ___________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________

Return survey to:

Oceana Conservation District 1064 Industrial Park Dr. Shelby, MI 49455

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DeRuiter Farms chosen as 2014 MAEAP Award recipients By Lynda Herremans Oceana Conservation District MAEAP Technician

DeRuiter Farms, Inc. of Hart will be awarded the 2014 Michigan Agricultural Environmental Stewardship (MAEAP) Award from the Oceana Conservation District (OCD). The award will be presented during the Oceana Agricultural Banquet Saturday evening, March 14 in New Era. A voluntary program, MAEAP is both innovative and proactive in assisting farms of all sizes and commodities to prevent or minimize agricultural pollution risks. DeRuiter Farms was the first MAEAP verified in the Cropping System in 2008. After replacing their asphalt with concrete out in front of their fuel tanks (fuel transfer pad), the farm was also verified in the Farmstead System a year later. In order to keep their MAEAP status, the farm was re-verified in both systems in 2011 and again in 2014. DeRuiter Farms is managed by Rich DeRuiter and his two sons, Mike and Bryan. The farm was started by Rich’s dad, Herman DeRuiter Jr., in 1967. They raise around 1,000 acres of fruit, primarily tart cherries, along with some acres devoted to apples and peaches. DeRuiters don’t just produce cherries; they are, according to Mike, “vertically integrated” as they also process their cherries in their own processing plant on the farm. DeRuiters strive to implement new technological advances to continuously improve all operations at the plant, in the office and on the field. The family commitment to farming is evident not only on their own farm, but also by their commitment to the farming industry. Rich is on the executive committee of CherrCo and the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (CIAB). Mike is on the Michigan Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Michigan Cherry Committee and the Cherry Marketing Institute (all organizations who partner with MAEAP). Bryan serves as an alternate on the CIAB. DeRuiters have made stewardship of natural resources a priority in their farming business over the past many years. In 2009, they were recognized

DeRuiter Farms continued on 19

• Contributed photo

DeRuiter Farms, Inc. is this year’s MAEAP Award recipient. Pictured are the men responsible for the day-to-day operations on this MAEAP verified farm. From left to right, Mike DeRuiter and his son Landen, Rich DeRuiter, Eric Dennert, Koty Stevenson, Bryan DeRuiter and Joel Prather.

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Oceana Agricultural Banquet planned for March 14 Meet the Oceana Conservation District Board

Glover

Crosby

Carter

Herrygers

Coulter

The Oceana Conservation District is a legal entity of state government organized under provisions of Act 297 (Public Acts of 1937) as amended. The local branch of the conservation district was established in 1972 by public referendum. To promote conservation, stewardship and sustainable use of the natural resources in Oceana County through landowner assistance and education. Oceana was the last county in Michigan to establish a conservation district. A five member, locally elected, board of directors develops policy and conducts programs within the district. The current members of the Oceana Conservation District Board include, Eric Herrygers, chairman; Caleb Coulter, vice chair; Kathy Carter, secretary/ treasurer; and members Chris Crosby and Leroy Glover.

• Contributed photo

MAEAP Verified farmers who attended last year’s Ag. Banquet graciously gathered for a picture at MAEAP Technician Lynda Herremans request. In front, from left to right, Robert Bush, Gary Tate, Rich DeRuiter, Eric Herrygers, Lynda Herremans, Lance VanSickle, Kevin VanSickle and Bill Rudat; second row, Raymond Rabe, Jaxon Tate, Jim Shull, Phil Carter, David Rabe, Ryan Walsworth, Leroy Glover, Craig Herremans and Mike and Landen DeRuiter.

The Oceana Conservation District’s Annual Meeting will take place Saturday, March 14 from 6-9 p.m. at New Era Reformed Church, in conjunction with the Oceana County Agricultural Banquet The Taste of Oceana social hour begins at 6 p.m. with samples of various foods produced in Oceana County. A catered dinner will be served at 7 p.m. followed by a brief business meeting and an award’s ceremony. The meeting/banquet will also include election of officers. Eric Herrygers and Caleb Coulter are running for re-election for two available seats on the Board. Absentee ballots are available at the Oceana Conservation District office, 1064 Industrial Park Dr., in Shelby. The conservation district will be sharing accomplishments of 2014 and goals for 2015 throughout the evening. Local musicians from Ruthie’s Music Cafe will be performing a mix of folk, country and blues. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance at the Oceana Conservation District, MSU Extension or the Farm Bureau office in Hart.

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Farm & forestry summer tour

The Oceana Conservation District (OCD) joined up with the Oceana County Farm Bureau (OFB) and the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) again this past year to organize a farm tour. New this year was the addition of a forestry tour. The tour, made possible by an NRCS grant received by the OFB took place Aug. 7 with the purpose of promoting the USDA Farm Bill and Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) practices. Fifty-four participants were in attendance during the farm tour, led by Oceana MAEAP Technician Lynda Herremans. Attendees were taken by school bus to four MAEAP verified farms in Elbridge Township. Agricultural practices viewed and presented included, agrichemical handling facility, fuel storage facilities with two types of secondary storage, integrated pest management in fruit and asparagus, emergency farm planning, soil moisture monitoring for irrigation management, drift management and a native pollinator planting. The practices were highlighted at VanAgtmael & Sons, VanSickle Farms and VanAgtmael Orchards. Presenters included Mark Kelly and Dayna Schoenmaker from NRCS; Dan Busby, MDARD MAEAP Verifier; Ben Werling of MSUE; Danielle Kokx of Helena

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•Contributed photo

Dayna Schoenmaker, NRCS Natural Resource specialist, talked about native pollinator habitat in front of a planting at VanAgtmael Orchards. This was one of five stops visited during the Farm & Forestry Tour last summer led by the Oceana Conservation District in partnership with the Oceana County Farm Bureau.

Chemical Co.; Mary Harris of North Central Co-op; and Mike VanAgtmael. The final farm stop took place at Herrygers Farms and included a variable rate demonstration done by Gerrit Herrygers and Matt Williams of Wilbur Ellis and Caleb Herrygers. Following the farm tour, the bus took the group back to Elbridge Township Hall where a complimentary picnic supper was served by OFB members. After dinner, participants boarded the bus again to head out to the Mathis Forest in Ferry Township for a forestry walk. Consulting forester Dave Mathis and district forester AJ Smith led the walk into the forest and presented information about many Forest Management Practices, the

Qualified Forest Program (QFP) and the new Forestry/MAEAP Program. The Oceana Conservation District and the Oceana County Farm Bureau thank the landowners who graciously allowed us to highlight their farms and property, bus driver Lance VanSickle, Country Dairy for the donation of ice cream, Peterson Farms for apples, as well as all of our presenters and the participants for making the event successful. For more information on MAEAP, NRCS and forestry programs contact the Oceana Conservation District office at 861-5600. A tour or field day event is planned again for this coming year so watch for details.

What is the CTAI program? The Conservation Technical Assistance Initiative is a program that is run through Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation District (NRCS) and the Oceana Conservation District. The program aims to provide additional office and field assistance to landowners, NRCS and the district. The CTAI, or Conservation Technician, takes on some of the workload and helps programs to continue running smoothly. At the Oceana Conservation District office, this program hosts one conservation technician, Dani McGarry, to provide assistance. McGarry began working for the District in August 2014 and has been getting her feet wet with conservation programming over the last months. Working with the district conservationist Mark Kelly and the soil conservationist Dayna Schoenmaker, McGarry has been largely focused on assisting with EQIP programs. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) has incentives for farmers and landowners to improve their conservation practices in a variety of ways. The improvements could be as small as planting honey-bee pollinator habitat, or as large as building an agrichemical handling facility. Since McGarry began in August, she has been

able to assist NRCS staff on seven EQIP projects, including irrigation uniformity testing, heavy use area protection, fueling facility upgrades and an agrichemical handling facility. These projects total over $106,000 of incentive payments from NRCS to landowners. In these instances, the CTAI program gave assistance on site measurements, inspections and processing payment paperwork. In the Oceana office, some of the technician’s time is also spent working on conservation district projects. Thus far, McGarry has assisted with no-till drill rentals, large events such as the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day and a wetland program for the sixth grade field trip. Grant writing has also become a focal area for the conservation technician, having written or assisted with applications for three grants so far. These grants could bring much-needed funds to the district for special projects in the community, such as clean-up days and invasive plant management. The new year looks to bring lots of opportunities, both for the NRCS and the conservation district. Having the CTAI Program available at the office will hopefully help to keep everything moving in a positive direction.

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For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015 — Page 9

Ditches, rivers and lakes, oh my! Dani McGarry Oceana Conservation District Technician

Many of us are quite familiar with different types of weeds that may grow in our yards, gardens and farms, but are you familiar with those that occur in our waterways? Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) and Common Reed (Phragmites australis) are two plants that occur in our waterways and are really starting to spread throughout our county. Both species occur in shallow water areas like ditches, stream banks or lakeshore where they aren’t submerged but will always have “wet feet” or saturated soils for roots. Both species have the potential to reproduce quickly creating monocultures. They can block or divert water flow, impede recreation and are of very little use to wildlife. Under Michigan law, Phragmites is listed as a restricted species (some uses allowed) and Japanese Knotweed is listed as a prohibited species (no planting, transporting or possession of this species). Of these two invasive plants, Phragmites is the species that folks are more

familiar with and it is actually restricted by the State of Michigan. This is essentially a giant grass that can grow up to 20 inches in height and forms dense stands in shallow waters. Each greenish-yellow stem has alternate leaves and develops a plume of seedheads in late summer, but the plants are also very effective at reproducing through root runners called rhizomes. Stands of Phragmites can become so tall and dense that all other plant species are blocked out, wildlife use of the area becomes limited, and areas that once had beaches or standing water are converted to impenetrable, dry land. Stems become dry and brown in fall and persist through the winter. There have been many different management methods tested to keep this species under control. In small patches, covering with a thick, black tarp may kill the plants. Flooding has also proven to work in some areas, though this is hard to implement. Repeated cutting below the water line, or herbicide treatment of stems have shown to be the most effective management approaches. Japanese Knotweed is a species that

Ditches, rivers and lakes continued on 10

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is not as well known, but it is becoming a nuisance in our county. You have probably seen it, you just don’t know it. In our county, it is frequently occurring in ditches, but also found along stream banks. This plant is a very sturdy herbaceous plant (not woody) and sends up many shoots in one place, forming a dense clump. Each shoot has nodes or joints that give it the appearance of a bamboo shoot. These stems are bright green, hollow, grow to 10 inches in length and curve back down towards the ground when mature (similar to a raspberry cane). The leaves of this plant are alternate, growing up to 6 inches long and 5 inches wide, and are generally triangular, meaning flat at the base by the stem and with a sharp tip. This plant has very visible stalks of green-white flowers in September, along the stem between the leaves. Japanese Knotweed is a very difficult plant to control once it has become established. It can form tall thickets that are nearly impossible to

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Conservationists of the year

from Page 3

boy, it doesn’t sound good.’ And he was over that afternoon.” Smith had immediately feared the worst. The on-site visit confirmed his suspicions. Morse’s oaks were the victims of the insidious Oak Wilt fungus, an invasive forest pathogen that develops in stealth and silence in the trees’ sapwood and cambium, until it stops the flow of water throughout the tree. Like many types of cancer, there are no visible signs of the disease until it’s too late to save the tree. Oak Wilt can be caused by a simple nick in the bark. “People using weed whackers in the summertime nick the trees, and that can be enough to injure them,” explains Morse. “A bug can come in that way.” For this reason, warns Bill Cook, Michigan State University Extension Forester, “It’s important to avoid wounding oaks from April to July.”

Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal

Marilyn and Wayne Morse stand on their deck overlooking the open area where close to 60 oak trees were cut down this winter in hopes of stopping the spread of Oak Wilt.

The seriousness of the disease can’t be underestimated. Not only does Oak Wilt destroy the species—if untreated, it would wreak havoc with the natural environment and Michigan’s extensive oak resource, so crucial to the state’s economy. As a Michigan State University Extension Bulletin notes, “Acorn production is an important food source for many wildlife species. Annual value of oak stumpage exceeds $20 million. Oaks are also abundant and important landscape trees in urban and suburban areas.” Morse has the dubious distinction of having the first recorded occurrence of Oak Wilt in Oceana County. And eradicating the fungus became a test of patience, determination and financial resources. Oak Wilt is spread in one of three ways: through airborne spores into injured areas; on insects that bore through the wood; or by creeping root invasion that moves from tree to tree by grafts. Once the infestation is there, it can spread like wildfire. And one of the ways spreading occurs is by leaving diseased stumps in the ground. “Leaving the stumps expands the problem,” says Morse. “When we cut down those five trees and burned them the summer before, we thought we’d licked it. But in reality, by not destroying the stumps, we’d made it worse.” Containment and eradication involve a series of steps that must be undertaken with ruthless precision. In Morse’s case, the first step was waiting. “AJ said that there was nothing we could do for the moment, because it was summer and we had to wait until the dormant season. So in December we made a 150-foot perimeter around the diseased trees, isolating them from the healthy ones. Then we felled the diseased trees and cut them up, and my neighbors burned the wood in their outdoor furnaces. Meanwhile, Dave Fox of Lone Fox dug a huge hole and buried all the stumps in a common grave. We’re still burning the wood, and everything has to be done before it warms up and the bugs start coming again.” It calls to mind methods used throughout the centuries to treat deadly epidemics. “It’s like an Ebola of the trees,” Morse ob-

Andrew Skinner • Oceana’s Herald-Journal

Oak trees removed from the Morse property in Benona Township due to Oak Wilt are stacked and ready to be burned.

serves. You might expect that the Morses’ efforts would at least be covered by the state. But that was once upon a time. “It used to be that the DNR had funds, but because of budget cuts they no longer cover it,” says Marilyn Morse. “We had to pay for everything, and it was very costly to have all those trees cut down and the stumps buried—over $4,000.” It was a price the Morses were willing to pay—for their own sake and the sake of the county. “I said, we can’t let this go,” says Wayne. “It simply has to be dealt with.” Fortunately, his efforts did not go unrecognized. “The treatment for the Oak Wilt fungus is a destructive mess, though a necessary one,” notes the Oceana Conservation District. “Despite this daunting task, Wayne Morse elected to imple-

ment treatment on his property. [His] efforts have a much larger impact than one might realize. Not only did he eliminate the Oak Wilt on his property, but his actions helped curb the spread of Oak Wilt to his neighbors, Benona Township and all of Oceana County.” Nonetheless, the Morses grieve the loss of their friends the oak trees. “All my shade trees are gone,” Morse smiles sadly. “I’ve lost them all in the backyard. In trying to stop the spread around the house, we lost an entire barrier of oaks. Some were 50 to 75 years old.” “Now we have to figure out what to replace them with!” Marilyn adds, with a measure of cheerful resolve.

Ditches, rivers and lakes walk through, making it very difficult to cut or mow. The thick, waxy outer layers of the stems and leaves make it difficult to treat with herbicides. Any treatment requires many years of follow up. Mowing can actually cause it to send up more shoots as

it tries to survive, and an entire new plant can grow from a stem shoot. The best treatment option so far is to cut in May once plants have greened up, remove and burn cuttings, and treat with herbicide and a strong surfactant (sticking agent) in mid to late Septem-

ber. This treatment will still need to be repeated for several years to make an impact. The Oceana Conservation District is trying to expand invasive plant management efforts in our county, with a focus on these two species of

plants. The populations of Phragmites and Japanese Knotweed are still at manageable levels, and we can make a great impact with just a little effort. If you think you see one of these plants, please call us to let us know, so that we can try to work with landowners

from Page 3

and keep these populations in check. To learn more about invasive species in our area, call the Oceana Conservation District 861-5600 or visit www.michigan.gov/invasivespecies.

For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015 — Page 11

Farm Bill 2014 Program descriptions Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) For agricultural producers, this program provides financial and technical assistance to address natural resource concerns relating to soil, water, air, plants, animals and sometimes even humans on their land. Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) This program provides financial assistance for farmers and ranchers to assist in maintaining the conservation practices already implemented and to challenge them to try new conservation techniques such as soil testing, scouting for pests or using nutrient management. Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) Designed to restore wetlands that were drained or manipulated in any way for agricultural production. A wetland restoration project involves many parties and can take many years to complete.

NRCS helps implement conservation practices The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency in the United States Department of Agriculture, works with private landowners to install or implement conservation practices on their land. NRCS is an agency of resource professionals (foresters, biologists, engineers, planners, etc.) who partner and work directly with and through your local conservation district. All assistance with NRCS is voluntary. Landowners can start and stop their interaction with NRCS at any time. The one and only job of the NRCS is to educate and assist landowners with installing conservation practices. NRCS has been working with farmers, ranchers, rural landowners and conservation districts since 1935. In 2014, the NRCS staff at the Shelby Field Office worked with “over 100” Oceana County farmers and landowners to solve conserva-

tion resource concerns on their land. A wide variety of issues, including forest stand improvement, water quality degradation and soil erosion from wind and water were addressed. Examples of the conservation practices completed were forest management plans, comprehensive nutrient management plans, cover crop, windbreak, irrigation water management, nutrient and pest management and seasonal high tunnel. The Shelby office also worked with landowners on establishing plantings for native pollinators to provide pollen sources that are not in contact with pesticides. NRCS has also assisted many farmers with installing environmentally-safe storage for agrichemicals and on-farm fuels. In 2014, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provided over $90,000 to landowners for implementing conservation practices. The old Conservation Security

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Program provided over $500,000 and the new Conservation Stewardship Program provided just under $30,000. The 2014 Farm Bill provides farmers and landowners an opportunity to offset the cost of implementing conservation practices by providing NRCS technical staff and expertise, as well as financial assistance.

If you would like to learn more about the NRCS and financial assistance programs offered through the Farm Bill, contact the NRCS by visiting us at the office in Shelby or calling 231-861-5600 ext. 3.

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Meet the Oceana Conservation District staff Raymond Gurley,

Suzie Knoll, District Manager

Knoll joined the District in May of 2014. She comes with degrees in biology and psychology and has experience doing fieldwork relating to avian research and ecological restoration. Her office management, organizational skills and drive to succeed give her the opportunity to lead the district in fulfilling its mission and expanding programs and services of the district.

District Forester Gurley joined the OCD in February as district forester. With a degree from Michigan State University in Forest Management, he will provide private forested landowners with one-on-one assistance and information regarding forestry, wildlife habitat and related natural resource concerns so they may better understand, plan, manage, protect and utilize their forest resources.

Dayna Schoenmaker,

Dani McGarry,

USDA-NRCS Soil Conservationist Schoenmaker grew up near metro Detroit in Clarkston and moved to West Michigan to attend Grand Valley State University. While earning a degree in Natural Resource Management, she fell in love with the diverse environment of West Michigan. Since graduating in 2011, she has been working with the NRCS in Shelby to help people address natural resource concerns on their property and to utilize Farm Bill programs to do so.

Conservation Technician McGarry grew up in the small town of Algonac in southeast Michigan, but is happy to call West Michigan home. A love of the outdoors lead her to study biology at Michigan Tech, receiving a B.S. in 2007 and a M.S. in natural resources from U of M in 2012. She came to the conservation district after seven years of working around the midwest on projects relating to habitat restoration and rare plants.

Lynda Herremans,

Oceana MAEAP Technician Herremans has worked as the MAEAP Technician in Oceana County since 2011. She received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from MSU. Her past job titles include wildlife, conservation and energy technicians, soil conservationist, Pheasants Forever Habitat Chair, IPM Coordinator, groundwater stewardship and AmeriCorps administrators and executive director. A great deal more Ag experience comes from living on a farm herself. Herremans loves being able to combine her passion for agriculture and conservation of natural resources as a MAEAP Technician.

Mark Kelly,

USDA-NRCS District Conservationist Kelly has been the district conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Oceana County since 1991. He graduated from the University of Illinois with an agronomy degree (crops and soils) and has been with USDA for over 36 years working in Illinois before transferring to Michigan. He lives in New Era with his wife and one daughter that still lives at home. His three other children are attending or have graduated from Michigan Tech or Michigan State University.

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7th Annual Household Hazardous Waste/Clean Sweep Collection Results The Household Hazardous Waste/ Clean Sweep Collection was again well-planned and carried out by the Manistee, Mason and Oceana Household Hazardous Waste Committee in 2014. The annual event took place during the third Saturday in August. The following are totals from the Oceana County collection:

10,302 lbs. Household Haz-

ardous Waste;

6,105 lbs. Pesticides; 400 lbs. Household batteries; 906 lbs. Car/marine batteries; 4,897 lbs. Oil/gas mixtures; 186 lbs. Non-controlled pharma-

ceuticals;

5 lbs. Controlled pharmaceuticals; 4,303 lbs. Electronics; 27,104 lbs. Total weight collected in Oceana County.

• Oceana’s Herald-Journal file photo

2014 HHW program facts

• There were 240 cars representing 275 households bringing wastes last year. • Second highest year of amount collected • All but one township and one village had residents participate in the program this past year.

Special thanks to:

Farm Drainage John Near

• Hart DPW for allowing the HHW committee use of its facility for this program. • Oceana County Sheriff’s Department and Pharmacist Chris Beaman for their partnership in running the pharmaceutical collection. • All committee members, funding sources, volunteers and conscientious participants who help make this program such a great success.

Mark your calendars

• Oceana’s Herald-Journal file photo

The 2015 HHW/Clean Sweep will be Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Hart DPW. Anyone interested in being on the HHW committee, volunteering on collection day or those who have questions about this service are encouraged to call the Oceana Conservation District at 8615600.

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Page 14 — For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015

What’s in the works for 2015?

The Oceana Conservation District has some new and exciting plans in the works that would have a lasting impact on the county. The conservation district has been working on developing new events and services to people of the district. As we are a small office, with only a few staff members, developing new events or services usually means applying for grant funding and recruiting volunteers. Here are some of the projects that we are hoping to receive funding for in 2015. • Invasive Species Management: Received through the Michigan Invasive Species Grants Program offered by the DNR. This application was a large collaborative application to treat invasive species in an eight-county area called a Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA). Through the application process, Oceana Conservation District joined a newly formed CISMA which also included Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan, Kent, Montcalm and Mecosta

conservation districts and private consultants of Newaygo Invasive Plants Project. The application was headed up by the Ottawa Conservation District and requested $634,700 for a two-year project. Oceana garnered great support of the application from offices around the county, including the Oceana County Board of Commissioners, Oceana County Road Commission, Oceana County Drain Commissioner and the townships of Pentwater, Hart and Elbridge. A coordinator will be hired to manage crews among the eight counties, working in the field to wrangle invasive species under control. The priority species for this grant application include Phragmites, Japanese Knotweed, Black swallow-wort and pale swallow-wort. These are all aquatic or emergent (edge of water) species. These species were chosen as early detection, rapid response or EDRR species; meaning that they are problematic in other areas, but not yet

so out of hand in our county that we can’t make a difference. In Oceana, the district hopes to conduct inventories to better understand the extent of invasive species on land and in waters of the county. There will be a focus on preventing the spread of new invasions to Oceana (like Oak Wilt, or the wooly adelgid which is attacking hemlocks) and containing small infestations where possible. Through this grant, a new program called “Go Beyond Beauty” will also start rolling. This program will work with nurseries, landscapers and landowners around the eight county CISMA to discontinue selling high-threat invasive ornamental plants. Participants who commit to this will also be asked to encourage the use of native species in gardens and landscapes to their customers. In the coming years, the DNR will

also have a similar grant available that focuses more on terrestrial plant species. The CISMA and Oceana Conservation District hope to also apply for that grant when it becomes available. • Scrap Tire Collection Day: Received through the Michigan DEQ Scrap Tire Cleanup Grant Program, for a total of $3,000 to cover the cost of hauling the tires to a processor. The conservation district and Oceana County Road Commission will host a one day only, scrap tire collection event at the Road Commission in Hart June 27. Participants who wish to bring in scrap tires for the collection day will have to register in advance with the conservation district, as space for tires will be limited. Only residential car and truck tires will be accepted (no tires from commercial businesses or farms). Each participant will be limited to bringing in seven

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vention Program. This project is developing with the help of the districtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MAEAP program and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The goal is to aid farmers of the county in responsibly recycling their plastic pesticide jugs. If the project is funded, there will be a semitrailer available for dropping off of clean pesticide jugs. Jugs would have to be triple-rinsed, dried and bagged after labels and caps are removed. The jugs will be hauled off-site for recycling. â&#x20AC;˘ Education and Outreach: The conservation district will be incorporating more educational events in 2015 that we hope will inspire children and adults to explore, appreciate and conserve our natural resources. We are also exploring the feasibility of a simple, yet state of the art, nature center in Oceana County. The space and trails could serve as an outdoor classroom, community gathering space, conference center or wedding site. In the next year the conservation district will begin discussions with potential partners, consider various sites and consult with other nature centers as we examine the feasibility and identify potential funding sources of this endeavor. â&#x20AC;˘ Restoration and Stewardship: In 2015, the conservation district will be looking into opportunities that would enhance the natural resources in Oceana County. Stay tuned for potential opportunities like volunteer stream monitoring, watershed management, prairie/woodland/wetland restoration, as well as river and highway clean-up activities.

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Forestry programs help educate area residents

Through the forestry assistance program, the district forester provides, as a public service, both in-office and on-site assistance to private forest landowners so that they can make informed decisions regarding forest management. After a year and a half of operation in the Oceana, Newaygo and Muskegon county area, the forestry assistance program is experiencing a lot of success. During its first year, the program assisted 246 local landowners with forest management, accounting for over 23,000 acres. Participants ranged from small acreage landowners to county lands as well as our local school systems. While there were many successes for the program over the past year, here are just a few of the program’s accomplishments: • The qualified forest program saw giant steps forward in the tri-county area with 23 new landowners registering, ensuring over 2,500 acres will be sustainably managed over the coming decades. The qualified forest program allows for seasonal landowners to receive a tax incentive for sustainably managing their forest with the help of a certified consulting forester. With interest in the program still growing, 2015 looks to be another great year for the qualified forest program. • Since education and outreach are key objectives of the Forestry Assistance Program, the district forester offered 22 events in 2014, including topics on wildlife habitat, timber management, forest health and taxincentive programs. Students from Hart, Shelby, Walkerville and New Era Christian enjoyed a hike through the woods with forester AJ Smith during the annual sixth grade field trip where they learned about wooded habitat, natural processes and how to sustainably harvest forest resources. In addition to the sixth grade field trip, the forestry assistance program also taught field days with the Hart High School natural resources class Hart High School AP Biology class, and the 4-H Cloverbud Learning Day in P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. • The forestry assistance program aided in the detection and diagnosis of

Introducing Raymond Gurley The Oceana Conservation District newest addition is Outreach Forester, Raymond Gurley. Hailing from the east side of the mitten from a small town called Burt where he grew up managing his family’s 50-acre woodlot. He attended Michigan State University where he earned a B.S. in Forest Management in 2013. While at MSU, he competed in the Stihl Timbersports series in 2011 and 2013. Gurley has experience in conventional forestry practices, maple syrup production methods and tree fruit production systems. Additionally, he is a seasoned wildland firefighter, having served three seasons on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Gurley is an active member of the Society of American Foresters, the Moose Lodge and the FFA Alumni Association. Gurley In his free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing and hunting. Gurley looks forward to working with the people in his district to help them manage their natural resources.

the first cases of Oak Wilt fungus in Oceana County. Oak Wilt, a fungus spread by windblown spores into damaged oak trees, is a fatal fungus that attacks all members of the oak family, particularly black and red oaks. The early detection of this fungus will help the DNR track its spread through the area, and aid in control efforts. The forestry assistance program also assisted the first eradication effort of an infected pocket of Oak Wilt in the

area. Only time will tell how successful the battle against Oak Wilt will be in the area, but it’s off to a good start. As a last note, district forester AJ Smith has moved on from the conservation district and we have since hired a new forester, Raymond Gurley, who is excited to help Oceana County landowners continue on their journey of forest management.

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For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015 — Page 17

Rain barrels and composters available at tree sale this year

Rain barrels are used to collect rainwater from downspouts and can be used for watering your gardens, lawns and/or washing cars. Barrels help protect natural resources by keeping storm water on-site, instead of going into storm drains which lead to our rivers and lakes, or eroding the landscape. The 55 gallon “upcycled” container comes in black, gray, blue and terra-cotta red, so be sure to specify your choice in color. The 55-gallon Tumbling Composter converts kitchen and yard scraps into rich organic soils within 4-6 weeks. They are low maintenance and pest-proof. Both containers come from Upcycle Products, a manufacturer that repurposes food-grade, high-density polyethylene barrels (that would have ended up in a landfill) into functional barrels that recycle rainwater and food scraps from your home.

Page 18 — For Land's Sake — March 5, 2015

Volunteers needed asian water milfoil to keep our waterways clear. We can work together to prevent the spread of Quagga Mussels, Phragmites and other new invasives. The conservation district needs your eyes out there to tell us where problems are so that we can get a handle on things. The more people, the better.

Invasive Plant Management

WHAT: This could involve hand-pulling, digging, hand-cutting or herbicide spraying. WHO: Anyone, though certain jobs would require different age groups. WHEN: Generally June-September; no specific dates scheduled yet. If you have an interested group the conservation district can schedule an event for you. WHERE: All around the county on public lands and waters. WHY: An influx of invasive species has the potential to degrade pasture land, devalue a forest, inhibit proper drainage and water flow of ditches and streams, inhibit recreation and affect wildlife habitat. The district is hoping to receive grant funding (along with other partner groups) to manage invasive species in our county. While most of the work will be grant funding dependent, the conservation district is still

from Page 2

hoping to get the ball rolling on its own, drop-off day to help clean up our comwith or without that funding. munity. It will be hard work loading tires and the conservation district needs some Adopt-A-Highway strong volunteers that are ready to get WHO: Anyone high school age and up. dirty. WHEN: Annually, third week in April, Scrap tires are also accepted at the third week in July, fourth week in SeptemOceana County Transfer Station yearber (collection day could vary based on round for a minimal fee. when our volunteers are available). WHERE: Along the conservation disNative Plant Sale trict’s stretch of US-31 from the Polk Road WHAT: Helpers can assist with customexit in Hart north to the Wayne Road over- ers and gathering/packing orders. pass WHO: Anyone 12 years of age and WHY: Help keep our county looking older. beautiful. Lots of traffic passes through WHEN: May 30 our county on US-31. Keeping the area WHERE: Tentatively at the Oceana clean and inviting helps encourage pass- Conservation District. ers-by to stop and see what our county WHY: Many people are looking for has to offer. Not to mention it helps keep native plants to use in gardens, on their the drivers safe from blowing debris. beaches and in their forests, and we wantto provide some beautiful options. This Scrap Tire Collection Day ed is a new event for the district and volunWHAT: Helpers will check IDs of particiteers would help the event run smoothly. pants, direct traffic, collect surveys or help load tires on a truck. Household Hazardous WHO: Anyone high school age and Waste Collection Day older (this one could be good for school WHAT: Volunteers take surveys from groups/sports groups as well). participants, direct traffic, collect batteries, WHEN: June 27 WHERE: Oceana County Road Com- or collect electronics. WHO: Anyone 18 years of age and mission in Hart. WHY: This would provide a one-time older.

Pesticide Jug Recycling

WHAT: Volunteers will help load up a semi-truck with clean, bagged, pre-collected pesticide jugs to be taken for recycling. WHO: Anyone ages 18 or older. WHEN: To be determined. WHERE: To be determined. WHY: The conservation district has a project in the works to help all of our farmers responsibly recycle their pesticide jugs. If this project comes through, people will be able to drop off cleaned pesticide jugs to a storage container at our office, and we need volunteer help to transfer them to the semi on pick-up day.

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2014 MAEAP report MAEAP’s comprehensive, voluntary, proactive program is designed to reduce farmers legal and environmental risks through a three-phase process; education, farm-specific risk assessment and practice implementation, and on-farm verification that ensure the farmer has implemented environmentally-sound practices. Nine farmers successfully completed all phases during the past year adding 13 new verifications. This brings Oceana County’s total verification number to 92; the third highest number of verifications in the state. There were also 23 re-verifications completed in 2014 (farms need to re-verify every 3 years to maintain verification status). Farms reaching one or more verification or re-verification during the past year include, DeRuiter Farms, Robert Bush Farms, R&J Bush Farms, Vinke Orchards, Clarence Chase Farm, Sid & Jill Whitaker, Aerts Farm, Arbre Farms, Earthscape Farms, Maple Grove Farms, Four Star Farms, Lound & Lound, Earl L. Peterson, Glenn Aebig Farm, Tad Aebig Farm, David Ramthun Farm, Fuehring Farms, John Williams Farm, NJ Fox & Sons-Point Sable, NJ Fox & Sons-Reames Farm and Aebig Apple.

MAEAP Outreach Activities by Month

• January - December: News articles in the Oceana Farm Bureau and Oceana Conservation District newsletters. • March: Asparagus Day, Phase I Presentation, articles in Oceana Conservation District’s Annual Report, MAEAP display and award presentation at the Oceana Agricultural Banquet. • May: During Asparagus Month the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board sponsored the “MAEAP Minute” broadcasts that are put out by the Michigan Farm Radio Network. Interviewed were Oceana Asparagus growers Gary Tate and Chris Crosby; Asparagus Advisory Board Executive Director John Bakker; MSUE West Michigan Vegetable Educator Ben Werling; and Oceana MAEAP Technician Lynda Herremans. All interviews are available to listen to at www.maeap.org. Mike VanAgtmael and Lynda Herremans also worked with MDARD-MAEAP to film a short video clip at VanAgtmael & Son’s Farms during the asparagus harvest. • July: Well water screening event (65 wells screened for nitrates). • August: Farm & Forestry Tour (see related article), Clean Sweep (6,105 pounds pesticide collected and properly disposed) in conjunction with the household hazardous waste collection, fair display. • September: MAEAP presentation during the MSUE Vegetable Research Tour. • November: Received the MAEAP Grant Host Award at the MACD Annual Convention. • December: Oceana MAEAP was highlighted during the Great Lakes Expo MAEAP Panel where Herremans served as the moderator and Oceana MAEAP verified growers Phil Carter, Gary Tate and Timothy Vinke served as panelist members.

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by the Oceana Conservation District as the Outstanding Conservationists of the Year. Some of the practices they have implemented over the years to help protect the environment and promote sustainability include an agrichemical handling facility (for pesticide storage, mixing and loading using secondary containment), emergency farm plan, drift management plan and sensitive area maps, proper fuel storage, windbreaks, detailed record-keeper and a variety of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies. Rich wants to stress that, as a whole, farmers do their best to be good stewards, whether MAEAP verified or not. MAEAP is a good way to help show the public that farmers are making a conscious effort to make their farms as safe as they can for themselves and their neighbors. Rich likes to sum these feelings up with his favorite quote from his dad “My dad, had great respect for the land. We’re only temporary tenants. We don’t own this land. Somebody will have it after us. So it’s up to us to take the best care of it we can.”

We Congratulate the Farmers of the Oceana Conservation District ... for their efforts to conserve, preserve and protect the land and water so it will continue to serve the needs of future generations. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work for the landowners along with the Oceana Conservation District in these conservation practices. We thank you for your patronage of the past and look forward to serving your conservation and other earth moving needs in the future.

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GVF Orchard Equipment Unmatched Versatility & Dependability.

NEW! ct Compa Design!

GVF Rough Terrain Forklifts Fast, powerful machines that operate smoothly. Available in four different models. These lifts get the job done quickly and comfortably. •

GVF 4000, 4WD - NEW Compact design to navigate narrow rows and tight spaces.

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GVF 5000, 6000 & 8000 available in 2WD or 4WD.

GVF Sonic Spray

GVF Center Mount Topper Hedger

Sonic Spray ultrasonic spraying system simply turns off the application of spray when no tree is present. It works in any type of orchard growth whether it is young or mature, and even if the tree spacings are inconsistent. Trees get sprayed and empty spaces don’t. The savings are big. Use at least 25% less spray material.

New, rugged, narrow boom design that reduces tree damage and improves operator visibility. Has fork pockets for easy installation. Easily attaches to 3 point hitch and top link. High efﬁciency hydraulic system that allows for smooth operation and cutting head speed that is independent of the tractor.