the cultivator
the El Paso County Conservation District newsletter
A New Year: Introductions, Programs, and Opportunities
Welcome to 2023! The El Paso County Conservation District is happy to join our neighbors, friends, and family in greeting this new year with joy and hope for things yet to come
The year brings several changes and introductions to announce In April, we said goodbye to District Manager Pam Davison as she moved out of state and into much warmer weather; Mariah Hudson swiftly joined us to fill that role and she brings a broad and diverse background and five generations of history in the region. Deric Clemons moved from Resource Team Lead (serving Colorado Springs, Franktown, Simla) to State Area 3 Conservationist (serving seven resource teams in southeast Colorado); in the Fall, Jenny Stricker served as acting our RTL until Kevin Triplett started the last week in December. The Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB), Colorado Association of Conservation Districts (CACD), and other partner organizations have also shared fond farewells as well as celebrations for new staff Please share a greeting and welcome these folks!
What We Do
A New Year: Introductions, Programs, and Opportunities
Opening Up: Communication and Input
Announcements
Best of the Year
Names & Numbers (Directory)
Just For Fun: Have You Herd, Say What, and I Spy
Calendar
The El Paso County Conservation District serves most of El Paso County, Colorado to lead and guide public and private farm, ranch, forest, and other landowners, urban gardeners, sustainable urban developments, and other land users to champion sustainable conservation and management of our finite natural resources.
January 2023 Volume 1
Newsletter Highlights
Photo by Katie Belle Miller; Heritage Belle Farms
Opening Up: Communication & Input
For many people, the last three years have felt chaotic and unyielding and a return to pre-pandemic "business as usual" seems unlikely While we all explore what the new normal looks like for us, our businesses, and community, the conservation district stands ready to help while we serve our calling to champion the sustainable conservation and management of our finite natural resources
To best do our jobs, we need to know what matters TO YOU Please call the office, call or text our cell phones, email or send a message from our website, comment on our social media, or tell us when you'll be visiting our office at https://calendly com/epccd/visit
We invite you to communicate and get involved: attend a meeting, ask us to present a specific class or workshop, request a service, or share any of your ideas on what we can do FOR YOU We need volunteers to host students studying agriculture, soil health, forestry, or farm and food management; to be judges at academic and occupational competitions; to plan water-wise, pollinator or xeric gardens; to source plants, seeds, tools, and equipment; and even be interviewed about your work on the land, your job, or history in this area or to share photos or maps of the region
Voting ends soon for the 2022 "Prettiest" Noxious Weed in El Paso County! Visit our website or social media to vote.
We are seeking interested individuals to serve on our 2023-2025 board. Experience is not required. The board meets monthly with an estimated time commitment of five hours/month. Contact mariah@epccd.org for more info.
The next regular board meeting is January 25, 2023 at 1:30pm at our 5610 Industrial Pl office address near Powers/Airport in Colorado Springs. Check it out!
Best of the Year
We enjoyed several activities in 2022 including a healthy forest walk, healthy soil workshop, and area workgroup (feedback on your needs) meeting We joined several partner groups for events like a noxious weed and biocontrol walk, cool science tours of greenhouses and nurseries, a "how it's done" tour about microgreens and mushrooms, and academic presentations on agriculture, environmentalism, and service.
We enjoyed working with the Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning (AACL) to explore soil health and award their top 5th and 6th grade entries for the 2022 NACD Poster Contest with the theme Healthy Soil, Healthy Life Next year's theme is One Water and public, private, and home-schooled students can begin submitting their posters as early as February 20, 2023. In July, we sponsored a 9th grade student to the 58th year of the award winning Camp Rocky Camp Rocky is an fantastic, educational, week long residential camp for ages 14-19 who enjoy the outdoors and are interested in natural resources
We continue to sell drought-tolerant seeds and provide plants at an incredible discount through our partnership with Harding Nursery You can now shop and pay directly from our website! We look forward to expanding our sales to include more seeds, plants and planned garden boxes, tools, and equipment
We also remain committed to helping landowners with their unique, and sometimes notso-unique, situations like noxious weeds and prairie dogs We are also thankful to have closed out the year at state meetings collaborating with our larger team of professionals, organizations, businesses, and associations serving to lead and guide public and private farm, ranch, forest, and other landowners, urban gardeners, sustainable urban developments, and other land users to protect and conserve our limited natural resources
January 2023 Volume 1
Names & Numbers
El Paso County Conservation District
Board President
Vice-President
Treasurer/Secretary
Board Supervisor
District Manager
The El Paso County Conservation District
5610 Industrial Pl #100 Colorado Springs, CO
80916
https://www.epccd.org
Office 719-600-4706
Text/Cell 719-920-6114
Just For Fun
Have You Herd?
What new crop did the farmer plant?
Ken Barker
Sparky Eastlake
Katie Miller
Roger Rasner
Mariah Hudson
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Area 3 Conservationist
Resource Team Lead Support Specialist
Soil Conservationst+
Soil Conservationist Field Archaeologist
Other Contact Info
Farm Service Agency
CSCB Manager
CSCB SE Field Specialist
CSCB Upper Ark Rep
CACD President
CACD Executive Director
CACD Upper Ark Director
Deric Clemons
Kevin Triplett
Linda Janssen
Blongshia Cha
Sara Koeppel
Michael Troyer
720-544-2807
719-600-4711
719-600-4709
719-600-4710
719-600-4721
719-600-4712
Christine Mergelman
Nikki Brinson
Garth Schaefer
Maggie Hanna
Jim Cecil
Bobbi Ketels (to 2/15)
George Fosha
board@epccd org
mariah@epccd.org
deric.clemons@usda.gov
kevin.triplett1@usda.gov
linda.janssen@usda.gov
blongshia.cha@usda.gov
sara.koeppel@usda.gov
michael.troyer@usda.gov
christine.mergelman@usda.gov
nikki.brinson@state.co.us
garth.schaefer@state.co.us
margaret.m.hanna@gmail.com
cecilj@plainstel.com
bobbi@coloradoacd.org
gsfosha@skybeam.com
I Spy
Can you identify this List B invader? It produces about 1,000 to 1,500 seeds PER PLANT with seeds that can survive in the soil for up to 20 years!
Say What?
These scrambled letters form this word; it describes an implement for loosening the soil while crops are growing or "to further, encourage, or foster the growth of."
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
January 2023 Volume 1 Learn more and see the answers on our website at https://epccd.org/just-for-fun/
Calendar
Deadline to vote for our "Prettiest" Noxious Weed
Sat, January 7, 2023, 8:00pm
Vote at epccd.org or on our primary social media
Composting with Worms Workshop
Sun, January 8, 2023, 3:00-4:00pm
UCCS Downtown Colorado Springs
Volunteer Info Orientation
Mon, January 9, 2023, 5:00-6:00pm
Catamount Institute; Colorado Springs, CO 80907
Growing Fruits in the Pikes Peak Region
Wed, January 11, 2023, 10:00-11:00am
Phelan Gardens; Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Water Harvesting: Making the Most of Every Drop
Sat, January 14, 2023, 10:30am-12:00pm
Phelan Gardens; Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Benefits of Environmental Education for K-12 Students
Wed, January 18, 2023, 11:30am-12:30pm
ONLINE
Central CO Conservation District Business Meeting
Fri, January 20, 2023, 8:00am
Board room; 5610 Industrial Pl #100
TGIF with Colorado Native Plant Society
Fri, January 20, 2023, 2:00-4:00pm
Phelan Gardens; Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Beginning Composting
Sat, January 21, 2023, 10:00-11:00am
Phelan Gardens; Colorado Springs, CO 80918
How to Stay Safe in the Wilderness
Sat, January 21, 2023, 12:00-2:00pm
Library 21C, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
El Paso County Conservation District Business Meeting
Wed, January 25, 2023, 1:30pm
Board room; 5610 Industrial Pl #100
Fungal Biology Intensive
Fri, Jan 27, 2023, 6:00pm – Sun, Jan 29, 2023, 4:30pm
Sanctorum Ecovillage; Calhan, CO 80808
Animal Systems Design
Sat, Feb 4, 2023, 9:00am – Sun, Feb 5, 2023, 4:00pm
UCCS Downtown Colorado Springs
Beekeeping on the Front Range
Sat, February 4, 2023, 10:00am-12:00pm
Phelan Gardens; Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Important: Some events require payment and RSVP. Posted info does not represent endorsement, recommendation, or favor by our board, staff, or volunteers.
Ahead
Pikes Peak Elementary Science and Engineering
Fair • April 2023
Colorado Springs
Envirothonn
State: TBD April/May 2023
International: July 2023
National History Day
Regional: March 2023
State: April 2023
National: June 2023
CSU-Extension Garden Tour
June 24-25, 2023
Colorado Springs
Awake the Lake - Palmer Lake's Restoration Project Presentation
Thu, February 16, 2023, 7:00-8:30pm
Palmer Lake Town Hall; Palmer Lake, CO 80133
Pikes Peak Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Sat, February 25, 2023 at UCCS
Awards Presentation is Tue, February 28, 2023, 6:30pm
Franktown-Parker and West Cherry Creek Dam Inspections
July 2023
Camp Rocky July 9-14, 2023
Divide, CO
Planning
January 2023 Volume 1
