|
WELCOME!
ABOUT SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION 
Please Note :The Office Will Be Closed in Observance of These Holidays
Martin Luther King Day MONDAY, JANUARY 17 Presidents' Day MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 Memorial Day MONDAY, MAY 30 Juneteenth MONDAY, JUNE 20 4th of July MONDAY, JULY 4 Labor Day MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 Columbus Day MONDAY, OCTOBER 10 Veterans Day FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Thanksgiving THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24 Day after Thanksgiving FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25 Christmas MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS 2022 Meeting schedule: 4th Wednesday of every month 10:00 a.m. at the District office (unless otherwise noted) January 26 February 23 RESCHEDULED to February 28 March 23 April 27 May 25 June 22 July 27 August 24 September 28 October 26 November 16 (3rd Wednesday) December 21 (3rd Wednesday) 
**INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF SYRACUSE** Road Salt ResourcesThe Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies has completed research on road salt and its impacts on water quality. You can find out more information about their research on their website and in their 2019 report - Road Salt: The Problem, the Solution, and How to Get There. This report has information on the environmental impacts of road salt, best management practices, a chart on road salt alternatives (which includes their aquatic toxicity and other environmental impacts). Cornell Local Roads Snow and Ice Control (2014): This technical report has information targeted to municipalities, including an Ice Control Comparison Table and advantages and disadvantages of various deicers. Onondaga County SWCD Snow and Ice Control Best Management Practices for Parking Lots, Sidewalks, Roads: This brochure has information on: the impact of de-icing salt on water quality in Central NY, best management practices for salt application and the bottom line benefits of following these practices, key tips for optimal winter maintenance, and more. CCE Onondaga’s Road Salts in our Watersheds: Best Management Practices for Homeowners, Commercial/Private Property Owners, and Private Contractors - This factsheet summarizes key info from the longer reports above, and includes information that homeowners might find helpful. The 2020 Winter WAVE Reviews Newsletter also includes an article on road salt alternatives and best practices (pg. 3) - written by the Skaneateles Lake Association. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services Road Salt and Water Quality: This factsheet has information on how road salt works, what happens to salt in the environment, road salt management issues, best practices, and alternatives. Even though it’s from New Hampshire, most of the information is still relevant to New York. Road Salt Impacts on Water Quality - A Case Study of Mirror Lake - Tuesday, February 1st, 2022 (webinar) With all the snow the Finger Lakes experiences, our roads are often heavily salted to keep them clear from snow and ice. However, the accumulation of salt in our waterbodies can have unintended consequences for water quality. Dr. Brendan Wiltse speaks about his research on road salt in Adirondack lakes, with a focus on Mirror Lake as a case study of road salt impacts. Watch the webinar recording by clicking here. What are partners in the watershed doing to protect Skaneateles Lake from road salt? Find out more by clicking here to read an article about the 2019 Salt Calibration Workshop organized by watershed partners (CNY Regional Planning and Development Board, Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District, Skaneateles Watershed Agricultural Program, CNY Stormwater Coalition, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County and the NYS Department of Transportation Region 3). in the news
NOVEMBER 17, 2022 |ALBANY, NYState Agriculture Commissioner Announces $850,000 to Expand Farm-to-School Program Across New York State Program Provides Boost to New York Farmers and Brings Healthy, Local Food to Students Applications Open Now Through January 24, 2023; Portion of Funding is Reserved for New Applicants Farm-to-School Program is Key Component of New York’s Goals to Support a Strong Local Food System New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball today announced that $850,000 is now available for eligible school districts to expand Farm-to-School programs across New York State. The program helps kindergarten through grade 12 schools increase the use of locally grown food on school menus while providing an economic benefit to New York’s farmers. A portion of the funding, $200,000, will be dedicated to applicants that have not received an award in previous rounds of the program. Commissioner Ball said, "The Farm-to-School Program is a great way to ensure New York’s students have access to fresh, healthy foods and they understand where their meals come from. I’m proud that this program continues to help schools tap into the local food movement and serve more healthy lunches with products either grown in their school garden or purchased from their community farmers. This is a win-win for our agricultural industry and for our state’s future leaders.” Applicants eligible for Round 7 of the Farm-to-School program include kindergarten through grade 12 school food authorities, public schools, charter schools, not-for-profit schools, and other entities participating in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, or the Summer Food Service Program. Not-for-profit entities working with school food authorities and eligible schools are also able to apply, and projects that partner with producers and food processors are encouraged. Grant funding of up to $100,000 will be awarded for projects that support the establishment or expansion of farm-to-school programs in districts across the State, including:
An informational webinar will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. Register here. For more information, contact Emily Cook at FarmToSchool@agriculture.ny.gov. Since the launch of the Farm-to-School Program in 2015, $6.8 million has been committed to support Farm-to-School projects across the state. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets has awarded a total of 116 projects, benefiting hundreds of school districts in every region in the state. The Farm-to-School Program is a major component of New York State’s focus on enhancing its food system, including combatting food insecurity, and increasing access to food in underserved communities. The State has launched several groundbreaking programs in recent years to improve access to healthy, locally grown foods and to bring New York-grown foods and beverages to communities who need it most as well as New York State schools. In addition to the Farm-to-School program, the New York State 30% Initiative, and child nutrition programs administered by the State Education Department (SED) are focused on buying more local products from New York farmers and increasing healthy and nutritious local foods for New York school lunches. Additionally, SED was awarded nearly $12 million from the USDA Local Food for Schools (LFS) Cooperative Agreement Program to help schools purchase local and regional foods and beverages for the school day through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. These healthy and unique products will continue the state's goal of improving child nutrition while building new relationships between schools and local farmers. Regional Coordinators New York State funds a team of Regional Farm-to-School coordinators through Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Harvest New York Program to provide boots-on-the-ground assistance to schools with developing local purchasing programs, connecting with local farmers, and working towards achieving the 30% Initiative. Beginning in 2020, the State has invested over $1.2 million in the Regional Coordinator program. Find and connect with a local coordinator here. New York State has leveraged over $170,000 of federal funding for Farm to-School work through federal Farm-to-School grants received in 2021 and 2022. These grants will help support management of the 30% Initiative and provide two training opportunities for producers on accessing regional Farm-to-School markets. |
Onondaga County Soil & Water
|
In Case of EmergencyIn case assistance is needed at an agricultural spill, and it's after office hours (4:30 p.m.) you can call Mark Burger directly at 315-415-5057.
|
TO ACCESS OUR ONLINE PARTNERS CLICK ON LINKS BELOW Snow and Ice Control Best Management Practicessnow_and_ice_control_best_management_practices.pdf Boat Decontamination boat_decontamination.pdf Skaneateles Lake Watershed SKANLAKEINFO.ORG ONONDAGA ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE www.oei2.org/ Kettle Lakes Watershed News: www.uppersusquehanna.org/usc/kettle-lakes/ Sharing the Road with Slow Moving Vehicles - What you need to know. http://www.safeny.ny.gov/media/SMV-broc4-09.pdf Water Deflectors - Managing Surface Water & Reducing Erosion on Unpaved Roads water_diversion.pdf What's the Poop on Manure Lagoons? To watch the interview, click belowhttp://www.newyorkupstate.com/news/2017/06/whats_the_poop_on_manure_lagoons_see_how_they_work_why_farmers_need_them_video.html Information on Hemlock Wooly Adelgid https://blogs.cornell.edu/nyshemlockinitiative/ https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7250.html https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/hwafactsheet.pdf http://nyis.info/invasive_species/hemlock-woolly-adelgid/ PROTECT YOUR OAKS!!!!
|
Our mission is to promote excellence in the wise use of our rural/urban natural resources.
Our vision is to live in a society in which future generations will have natural resources necessary to sustain and enrich their quality of life.
The Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.