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The agricultural assessment program allows eligible farmland owners to receive real property assessments based on the value of their land for agricultural production rather than on its development value.  Any assessed value which exceeds the equalized agricultural assessment on the land may qualify for a reduced tax assessment.

Landowners must apply through the local town assessor for an agricultural assessment. Further Information on Agricultural Districts can be found here, contact information for local assessors can be found here.

Do you qualify? Find out by visiting the Soil Group page, there you can find more information about the program and will be able to download a brochure. You may also call our office at 315-946-7200

Filed Under: District News
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Happy first day of Winter!  Spend the shortest amount of daylight hours with the Montezuma Audubon Center staff during a guided leisure 2-mile hike at the Center.  Registration is required. They will be covering topics such as the history of the winter solstice and take a guided hike to see what wildlife we can find. After our hike, you will enjoy warm refreshments of hot cocoa, coffee, and winter treats. Click here to register.

Please meet at Montezuma Audubon Center (2295 State Route 89 Savannah, NY 13146). Please email montezuma@audubon.org or call (315) 365-3588 with any questions.

Fee: $15/person

Photo credit:Northern Cardinal. Photo: Steve Jessmore/Audubon Photography Awards

Filed Under: Events of Interest Tagged With: , , , ,
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The District is pleased to announce funding to help with cover cropping, Irrigation system management and the promotion of pollinator habitat.

$29,450 was awarded to Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with a vegetable and maple operation to implement an irrigation water management system. The project will also include the establishment of pollinator habitat to increase beneficial insects that support the farm operation and add to biodiversity.
$154,663 was awarded to Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with a vegetable and fruit farm to implement an irrigation water management system to water 30 acres of fruit trees. The project will also incorporate an integrated pest management system and weather monitoring system to prevent pest and frost damage related to climate change.
$35,468 was awarded to Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with a fruit orchard on their irrigation water management system, installing a micro-irrigation drip system over 22 acres of high-density fruit trees. The system will directly apply water or fertilizer to the root zone and maintain soil moisture. A riparian buffer will be installed to promote biodiversity and pollinator habitat
$185,856 was awarded to the Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District to implement 830 acres of cover crops on four farms for three years, resulting in 2,490 acres of cover cropping over the life of the project. Much of the project acreage borders directly on the Canandaigua Outlet, and cover cropping will increase the farms’ climate resiliency, greatly improve the soil health of the land, and elevate water quality in the surrounding watershed.
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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is holding a series  of regional workgroup meetings to engage with the public about New York’s Great Lakes Action Agenda 2023 (GLAA) (PDF). The workgroups will assist in the implementation of the action plan to guide restoration and conservation and foster sustainable, resilient communities across New York’s Great Lakes region.

Announced in July 2023, the Action Agenda is a strategic ecosystem-based action plan to guide restoration and conservation and help communities in New York’s Great Lakes Basin better prepare for flooding and severe weather events driven by climate change. Building on the foundation of the first GLAA released in 2014, the updated plan provides a shared vision and blueprint for achieving healthy Great Lakes lands and waters through coordinated, collective action by the many federal, state, and local partner organizations working throughout the watershed.

The upcoming southeastern workgroup meeting will be held:

Southeast Lake Ontario:
Nov. 29, 1 – 4 p.m. – McCrobie Civic Center, 21 Lake St., Oswego

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Every year the District publishes an Invasive Species Calendar. The 2024 is now in production. If you would like a FREE calendar, please fill out the form below.

Calendars must be picked up at the Lyons, NY office in November/December.

Filed Under: Invasives Tagged With: , , , ,
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Job posting for a CONSERVATION DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS SPECIALIST (Soil & Water)

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: This position is responsible for performing public relations duties and supervising the dissemination of information in a Soil and Water Conservation District. The work involves responsibility for editing and preparing written material for publications. The work requires imagination and a demonstrated flair for writing and visual presentation of informational materials. The incumbent receives general direction from the District Manager with leeway provided for the use of independent judgment; does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES: (Illustrative only)
• Prepares written communications for public relations publications and press releases;
• Writes, composes, lay-out and arranges for publication of SWCD newsletters, news releases and other publications; in addition to organizing the mailings;
• Collaborates with community groups and school districts; support groups to plan workshops and special events in relation to conservation issues;
• Writes news releases and take photographs for all local newspapers/TV/radio for media coverage of District programs;
• Vigorously publicizes conservation achievements including performances, exhibitions, displays, dedications and recognitions;
• Develops, reviews and edits materials for District website and Social Media;
• Develops ways to bring conservation into the Wayne County school programs and bridges the education to co-curricular involvement in Envirothon programs.

FULL PERFORMANCE, KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat or other document creation/software communication programs; Good knowledge of publicity principles and methods; good knowledge if various photography and computer programs used in publishing; good knowledge of the organization, objectives and content of the Soil & Water Conservation District program; good knowledge of organizations and publications interested in the needs of community conservation; strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate to people in a concise and clear manner; ability to write, evaluate and edit the content, structure, grammar and format of a range of written material; ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with members of the press, television, radio and other publicity media; ability to get along well with others; initiative and resourcefulness; physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Valid NYS Drivers License; and either:

1. Graduation from a regionally accredited college or university or one accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to grant degrees with an Associate’s Degree in English, Journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Marketing or a related field and one (1) year of satisfactory experience in journalism, communications, public relations or marketing; or

2. Graduation from high school or possession of an equivalency diploma and three (3) years of experience as detailed in (1) above. Approved and adopted 11/25/15

DOWNLOADABLE DOCUMENTS (right click to download) Documents open in the same window.

Filed Under: District News
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The District’s next Electronic Recycling Event will be on Wednesday October 4th and Thursday October 5th for Wayne County Residents. Registration is required. Click here to read more and to register!

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