V I R G I N I A D A R E S O I L A N D W A T E R C O N S E R V A T I O N D I S T R I C T S E R V I N G T H E C I T Y O F C H E S A P E A K E A N D T H E Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District s Annual Report 2015-2016 Annual Report Virginia Dare Soil & Water Conservation District P.O. Box 6097 Virginia Beach, VA 23456 Offices: Virginia Beach 2449 Princess Anne Rd. Bldg. 14, VB, VA 23456 (Office) 757 385-4775 Chesapeake Our Mission and Vision Our Mission is to provide leadership in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Our Vision is to ensure future generations with clean water, fresh air, productive soils, and sustainable related resources. The Commonwealth of Virginia supports the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District through financial and administrative assistance provided by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach supports the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District through financial and in-kind services. 310 Shea Drive Chesapeake, Virginia 23322 (Office) 757-382-6616 Webpage https://vadareswcd.com/ District Staff Kathleen Sullivan District Manager, Secretary/ Treasurer Administrative/Education Programs ksulliva@vbgov.com, (757) 385-8589 Cory Hoar Conservation Specialist Agriculture/Technical Programs choar@vbgov.com, (757) 385-8607 Board of Directors Mario Albritton, Chairman At-Large Appointed Watson Lawrence, Vice Chairman Appointed, Extension Agent Sonya Barnes, Chesapeake, Elected Vickie Greene, Director Chesapeake, Elected Daniela Cossu, Director Virginia Beach, Elected Leslie Jones, Director Virginia Beach, Elected All Programs and services offered on a non-discriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or disability. All Board Meetings are open to the public and the public is encouraged to attend. Duties of Virginia Soil & Water Conservation Districts Excerpts from VA Code Title 10.1, Chapter 5 on duties of the Commonwealth s Soil & Water Conservation Districts are authorized to carry out prevention and control measures and works of improvement for flood prevention or agricultural and nonagricultural phases of the conservation, development, utilization, and disposal of water are authorized to develop comprehensive programs and plans for the conservation of soil resources, for the control and prevention of soil erosion, for flood prevention or for agricultural and nonagricultural phases of the conservation, development, utilization and disposal of water within the district. are authorized to enter into agreements, within the limits of available appropriations to give, lend or otherwise furnish financial or other aid to any governmental or other agency or any occupier of lands within the district shall locally deliver the Commonwealth s Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program in cooperation with the Department of Conservation & Recreation. may enter land to investigate agricultural activity that is creating or will create pollution and work with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer services to develop and implement an agriculture stewardship plan are authorized to acquire, construct, improve, operation and maintain property. shall conduct surveys, investigations and demonstrational projects are authorized to coordinate and implement educational program Directors may delegate to their chairman, or to one or more district directors, agents, or employees such powers as they deem appropriate. To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, and the use of enjoyment for recreation of adequate public lands, waters and other natural resources, it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop and utilize its natural resources, its historical sites and buildings. Further, it shall be the Commonwealth s policy to protect its atmosphere, lands and waters from pollution, impairments or destruction for the benefit, enjoyment and general welfare of the Commonwealth. 1
Financial Overview The District receives our funding from the State of Virginia, Department of Conservation and Recreation Department, City of Virginia Beach, City of Chesapeake, Grants, Fundraising and Donations. The District delivers the Virginia Agriculture Cost-Share Program To our Agriculture Producers in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. We also provide Agriculture, Conservation, and Environmental Education Programs in our schools. Last year we provided Scholarships, Teacher workshops, held a Poster Contest, Sent 2 Campers to Youth Conservation Camp and other educational programs in our watershed. As an outreach to our Agriculture Community we offered a Tire Recycling Day and Oil Recycling Program. The District spent 63.9% of our Funding putting Conservation on The Ground in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake through the Virginia Agriculture Cost-Share Program! 2
Administration Overview The District is comprise of 6 Board of Directors which includes 2 Elected Directors from Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The District also has two Appointed Positions; a Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent and an At-Large Appointed Director, appointed by the Board of Directors and approved by the Sate Soil and Water Conservation Board. The District currently has two full time staff positions: The District Manager; Kathleen N. Sullivan who provides Administrative & Financial support and day to day supervision for the District. The District Manager also delivers Educational programs to local schools and coordinates all outreach Educational Programs. The Conservation Specialist; Cory Hoar delivers the Virginia Agriculture Cost Share Programs and other State of Virginia related agriculture program and all Agriculture programs in the District. The Specialist provides technical support and coordinates Agriculture Outreach programs. Meet our staff! Kathleen Sullivan, District Manager Cory Hoar, Conservation Specialist 18 years of Service 2 years of Service 3
Agriculture Programs The Virginia Dare SWCD delivered the Virginia Agriculture Cost Share Program to Producers in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The District paid out $363,114 in cost-share for Best Management Practices on Agriculture Land in our District! Some of our Best Management Practices include Cover Crop, No-Till Farming and Nutrient Management. The District also promotes conservation through all of Department of Conservation and Recreation (Soil and Water Division) programs. We also partner with the USDA/NRCS, Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Beach and Chesapeake), Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture and other Agriculture partners to deliver programs to our Agriculture Community. The District presented the Clean Water Farm Award to two deserving Farmers in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The Clean Water Farm Award recognizes Farmers who are utilizing certain farming practices that influence in a positive way the soil and water around them. This year recipients for the Clean Water Farm Awards were Heath Cutrell in Chesapeake, and Scott Morris in Virginia Beach! We have outreach programs such as Agriculture Tire Recycling where we recycled 1,070 Agriculture use tires this year! Along with our Used Oil Re cycling Program which recycled over 1600 gallons of oil, old diesel fuel, and hydraulic fluid in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. We Love Our Agriculture Community Partners! Mrs. Brickhouse, Brickhouse Farms, Host of Our Annual Tire Days 4
Agriculture Programs Scott Morris CWFA Virginia Beach Heath Cutrell CWFA Chesapeake 5
District Educational Programs The Virginia Dare SWCD delivered Educational Programs to Elementary, Middle and High schools in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. The District provided Environmental, Conservation, and Agriculture Education and provided educational material to over 35 schools in the watershed with an outreach to over 6,000 students. Teacher workshops were held for our teachers in the District to include an Agriculture in the Classroom/District Programs and the Project Learning Tree! The District hosts 1,600 students every year at our Farm Days. Students discover the wonders of Agriculture at our 4 day event at Hunt Club Farms and Triple R. Ranch. As an extension to our Farm Days we provide educational resources to all students and teachers. Our Conservation Partners, and Community Volunteers help us to put on such a huge event! We promote conservation education in the watershed by attending community festivals promoting the conservation of natural resources and highlighting the works of our Agriculture Community. Programs and services are also promoted through social media and through traditional media outlets. The District provided three Educational Scholarships totaling $6,000 through our Cynthia Pridmore SWCD Scholarship. Our scholarship is awarded to students who are majoring in courses related to conservation of our Natural Resources. The District sponsored two students to attend the week long Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation District s Youth Conservation Camp! We would like to take a moment to thank some of our Partners! Through your generous time and donations you have helped us promote conservation in our District: The City of Virginia Beach, The City of Chesapeake, The City of Chesapeake Sheriff s Department, USDA/NRCS, USDA/FSA, NACD, VASWCD, DCR, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Farm Bureau, SUDIA, VASWCD, HRPDC, Virginia Beach Department of Agriculture, City of Virginia Beach, City of Chesapeake Public Schools, Chesapeake Master Gardeners, Virginia Beach Master Gardeners, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Beekeepers, Lynnhaven River Now, Project Wet, Project Learning Tree, Brickhouse Farms, Hunt Club Farms, Triple R. Ranch, Chesapeake TCC, Chick Fil A, Dominion Power, Area VI SWCDs, and all of our Community Partners! 6
Education In Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Farm Days 1600 Students Classroom Programs Over 35 classrooms! Reading In The Classroom AG WEEK 7
Adult and Community Outreach Education Project Learning Tree Teacher Workshop Backyard Conservation Program 8
The District Started a New Year With Some New Directors! Elected Directors Virginia Beach, Leslie Jones and Daniel Cossu (Not Pictured, Vickie Greene, Elected, Chesapeake) We also kept Some Directors! Sonya Barnes, Elected Chesapeake, Mario Albritton at-large appointment, Watson Lawrence, Virginia Cooperative Extension Appointed We said Goodbye Also to former Directors with Much Appreciation! Sally Griffith, Elected, Virginia Beach and Tommy Jones, Elected Chesapeake 9