Goal

Project

Promote managed growth and development, with an emphasis on protection of farm and forestland and open space.

Community Financing for Local Land and Water Protection.  This project involves working with partners and interested localities to come up with strategies and structures for long-term financing to achieve local natural resource protection goals.  The project will offer continuing follow up assistance to interested cities and counties to ensure resource protection goals are met.  The project will help localities build capacity for achieving desired results, using the following: traditional and non-traditional financing mechanisms; public and private sector initiatives; user fee structures; and, assistance to farmers for practices that enhance water quality.  This project will create a model for other communities across the nation to use to finance protection goals.  (Area wide)

North Fork CREP Workshop.  Conducted an outreach event for the agricultural community in the North Fork of the Shenandoah Watershed that highlighted the NRCS-CREP and other conservation farming practices.

Crop Tree Release with Shiitake Mushrooms as a Management Opportunity for Forest Landowners.  This is a demonstration project for forest landowners that don’t otherwise look to their forest land as a managed resource showing the potential for increasing income on forest lands using crop tree release coupled with shiitake mushroom production.  The goal of this project is to perpetuate forestland conservation by showing landowners the potential of sustainable forest management with alternative forest land crops and specific management tools.  The objective of this project is to teach landowners about crop tree release and growing shiitake mushrooms.  Specific activities to be undertaken to meet the goals and objective are establish demonstration plots and coordinate accompanying field tours to those sites to show the management activities; produce publications outlining the economics of such an operation.  (Area wide)

Invasive Species Workshop.  Two workshops held in Harrisonburg and Woodstock to train volunteers and public recreation staff on invasive species management to help increase awareness.

Promote a sustainable agricultural sector.

Shenandoah County Agriculture Task Force.  Shenandoah County appointed an Agriculture Task Force to develop a strategic plan to be submitted to the County Board of Supervisors with specific recommendations for strengthening the ability to sustain agriculture in the County.  A small grant was given to make funds available to the task force to educate itself on key areas related to agricultural sustainability.  The final report and recommendations were completed in December 2006.  (Shenandoah County)

Farm Safety Day.  This was a workshop held to promote safety on farms including learning about tractor safety, manure and silo gases, and respiratory health.

On-Farm and Rural Production of Biodiesel.  This project will provide some basic information and education about biodiesel use and production on-farm and for rural landowners.  This project’s goal is to increase biodiesel use in the Valley to help reduce air emissions and reduce dependence on foreign oil.  A goal is to have a one-day workshop for farmers and interested rural landowners from the Shenandoah RC&D area to cover the basics of small-scale biodiesel use and production, important safe usage and production information, and case study experiences with making and using biodiesel.  (Area wide)

Waste Solutions Forum – Intern.  This project supports funding to hire an intern to assist with administrative Waste Solutions Forum work and outreach.  (Area wide)

Biodiesel for Municipal and County Fleets.  This project will provide some basic information and education about biodiesel use for local transportation fleets.  This project’s goal is to increase biodiesel use in the Valley to help reduce air emissions and reduce dependence on foreign oil.  A goal is to have one workshop that targets local transportation officials, school administrators, and fleet operators to discuss biodiesel use in fleets. (Area wide)

Forum for Rural Innovation.  The purpose of the Forum for Rural Innovation is to showcase replicable innovative ideas, projects or programs that enhance farm or rural business profitability, conserve farm land or natural resources, or develop new approaches to rural prosperity that are viable in an expensive farmland-upscale consumer market environment. The Forum for Rural Innovation is a cooperative educational effort by the Offices of Agricultural Economic Development and Cooperative Extension in Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick and Loudoun Counties, Virginia; Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, West Virginia; Potomac Headwaters and Shenandoah RC&D; Virginia Cooperative Extension, and WVU Extension. An annual Forum has been offered in March for the past three years and tours highlighting innovative practices have also been offered.  These funds represent a sponsorship for the Forum held this past year in March 2007.

Promote community development and diverse rural economies. 

Promote the conservation of natural resources, with an emphasis on improvement and protection of water and air quality.

Rolling and Crimping as a Low Input Tool for Managing Cover Crops in the Shenandoah Valley.  This project conducts a first phase of on-farm research to demonstrate the effectiveness of a valley cover crop roller crimper.  The objectives of this project are to: 1) determine the optimum timing and frequency of rolling/crimping for effective control of small grain, legume and small grain plus legume cover crops; 2) quantify the effects of rolling/crimping small grain, legume and small grain plus legume cover crops on soil moisture, soil temperature and soil nutrient cycling; 3) determine the effects of rolling/crimping on cash crop growth and performance following cover crop management.  Cover crop management reduces tillage, inputs and builds and enhances soil quality.  (Area wide)

Demonstration and Evaluating Cover Crop Roller-Crimper. 

• No-Till Field Day in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.  Northern Shenandoah Farmers are unfamiliar with many innovative crop production technologies including the use of the roller-crimper, verifying yields for nutrient management planning, soil nitrate testing, and other innovative technologies.  A goal for this project is to enhance farm profitability and increase the use of environmentally-sound farming practices by educating farmers about innovative technologies.  The objectives of this project are to introduce Northern Shenandoah Valley farmers to: use of the roller/crimper for no-till corn production; verifying yields for nutrient management planning; the pros and cons of applying foliar fertilizer to soybeans; the benefits of soil nitrate testing; and other innovative farming technologies.  (Northern Shenandoah Valley)

Strengthen Shenandoah RC&D Council operations.