We love to share good news! Stories, articles, photos and more will be found here. From new programs to new adventures, lectures and presentations, and wonderful awards, the hard-working folks at RISWCD want you to be informed!
This Just in….
Registration for the Quad Cities Stormwater Conference is Live!
Register at: https://2025qcstormwaterconference.eventbrite.com
This conference is geared towards contractors dealing with stormwater and erosion control, engineering firms, floodplain managers, MS4 managers and engineering/contractor companies working throughout the Quad Cities. This event is an approved professional development opportunity with a certificate provided for PDU’s/CEU’s.
Tentative Agenda:
Climate change and rainfall
Impacts of pollution on drinking water
Filter sock technology
IA/IL permitting and processes
Panel discussion on project hurdles
Drone uses and inspections
Ravine erosion repair
Mississippi Rivers Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) natural infrastructure and wetlands projects.
Live music and a beer tasting will take place at the end of the conference!
There will be more information to come as we get closer to the conference!
Old News – But worthy of a “look-see”!
We need You! Help us plant 100 trees on October 26th!
Help us plant 100 trees!
The Clean River Advisory Council plans to plant 100 trees in Rock Island on the morning of October 26th and we need your help.
15 trees will be planted in the City of Rock Island. We’ll start at the MLK Center at 9AM in Rock Island and go from there to one other site.
630 9th St. Rock Island, IL
The other 85 trees will be planted at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve. Meet at the Site Superintendents office at 9AM and we’ll venture from there.
19406 Loud Thunder Rd. Illinois City, IL
You can sign up using the link below, or pull up the attached flyer and simply click on it to bring up the registration link. https://form.jotform.com/LLWMTP/2024c-rac
September 16, 2024 – Free Film Screening – Common Ground
(Davenport, IA) – Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) is sponsoring a free screening of Common Ground, a film about regenerative agriculture. The event is co-sponsored by St. Ambrose University’s Sustainability Committee and will be held at the Rogalski Center at St. Ambrose on Wednesday, September 25 at 6:30 pm. As a sequel to Kiss the Ground, this film examines the challenges and complexities of our current food system, highlighting both political and economic issues that impact agriculture. It also explores how independent farmers are using regenerative practices and more traditional farming techniques to improve soil health and reduce pollution of our food and waterways. Common Ground won awards from the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Cinema for Peace, the Riviera International Film Festival, and the San Diego Film Awards.
Contact: Lori McCollum; Phone: 309-230-2672; Email: lori_mccollum@sbcglobal.net, and www.pacgqc.org
Movie Screening and Panel Presentation – Common Ground
After the film a panel of three local farmers will discuss their experiences in implementing various regenerative ag strategies. Monte Bottoms is a fifth-generation farmer from Cambridge, IL, and he and his family have been implementing no-till practices along with other conservation strategies since 2017 on their farm, Grateful Graze. They were honored with the Nutrient Management Practitioner Award in 2012. Robb Ewoldt is a Scott County farmer who is an advocate for agriculture and for conservation practices on farms. He has been using what’s now considered regenerative agriculture for roughly 13 years and is seeing the benefits. He and his wife, Jennifer, are recipients of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award, and River Action’s Eddy Award. Ann Wolf’s farm near Belleview, IA, has been in the family since 1943. She’s been implementing buffers, timber stand improvements, and a wetland, all designed to protect the soil and water resources, and to sequester carbon. She has been the executive director of Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development, as well as co-director of Midwest Healthy Ag, a division of Regeneration International.
As progressives, PACG empowers people to take action for positive change and social justice by coordinating a network of community forums and events aimed at educating and engaging citizens to work for the common good of all. Our core values are Social Justice, Empowerment, Diversity, Sustainability and Community.
September 16, 2024
Precision Conservation Management (PCM) has partnered with PepsiCo to help farmers get paid for the conservation practice benefits they produce in PepsiCo’s supply chain. Farmers are eligible to receive up to $35 per acre for new or existing practices including cover crops, reduced tillage, and reduced nitrogen rates. There is no cap on number of acres per farmer, and practice payments are stackable with state or federal programs!
Learn more about the PepsiCo incentive program here, or contact Lou Liva – your Northwest Region PCM Specialist, to inquire about enrolling in this program. You can reach Lou at: 309 391 2346
September 17, 2024 – Another Tree Give Away!
Tree Giveaway to Qualifying Homeowners Homeowners whose property is in a neighborhood with a tree equity score of 80 or less are eligible to receive a tree to plant at their residence. A limited number of trees are available and we will prioritize addresses with the lowest tree equity score. Check your score at go.illinois.edu/TreeScore
Anyone can attend, regardless of their tree equity score!
Register for the Tree Equity in Action program at go.illinois.edu/TreeWorkshopGiveaway or call the office at (309) 756-9978.
August 30, 2024
Conservation Network Event
Look for the Registration Link Coming Soon!
August 26, 2024
Cost-Share Program for Cover Crops
The Rock Island SWCD is taking sign-up for fall seeded cover crops through its Partners For Conservation (PFC) program. Farmers interested in applying for cost-share, can contact the office at 309-764-1486, X3 or email Joey Deloian at joeyd@rockislandswcd.org.
The program covers 75% of the cost, not to exceed $40 per acre. There is no acre limit that farmers can apply for. Cost-share covers the purchase of seed as well as application of the seed on the land, whether by aerial seeding, broadcast and incorporation, or drilling after harvest.
Cover crops provide several benefits to the soil. Example benefits include reducing loss of nutrients, improved weed control, improved water infiltration, and better soil health.
Two seed options exist for cover crops. One is a winter kill seeding with oats and radish. This is a good option for soybean fields going to corn the following year. An alternative is using triticale or barley after soybean harvest and planting corn the next spring.
The more commonly used option is using cereal rye, following corn that is going to soybeans the next year. Cereal rye takes in nutrients in the fall and releases it to the new crop in the spring.
SWCD staff can assist with seeding rates and approved seeding dates for producers.
July 17, 2024 – Rock Island County Farm Awarded 5-STAR Rating for Conservation
Thanks to the efforts of the Rock Island County Board and farmer Mike Breiby, the County Farm was awarded a 5 STAR by the Rock Island Soil and Water Conservation District.
“We are very pleased with the forethought and efforts of the County Board in implementing conservation practices that will maintain and preserve the rich soil on this farm for generations.” – Stated Rich Stewart with the Rock Island County SWCD.
The farm, in Rural Township, earned the high rating based on implementing several conservation practices including grassed waterways, water and sediment control basin, grass filter strips, pollinator habitat for Monarch butterflies, and upland wildlife habitat buffers for Bobwhite Quail. Other factors that go into the rating are crop rotations, use of cover crops, no-till or low disturbance farming, and applying fertilizers based on GPS soil testing and crop needs. Thanks to these practices, soil erosion is reduced to at or below the tolerable soil loss limit as determined by the USDA-NRCS office. Water quality is improved because of the fertilizer application rates based on crop needs. Wildlife habitat is benefited by the short grass-forb mix prairie that serves as a buffer between cropland and the woodland on the farm property. Monarch butterflies and other pollinator species benefit from the prairie grass and forb planting that included milkweed and other nectar plants. Farmer Mike Breiby said he uses cover crops because they are great for weed control and preventing erosion.
“We appreciate being a part of these efforts and encourage all farmers in Rock Island County and beyond to explore opportunities to join in utilizing these conservation practices.” – Said County Board Chairman Richard “Quijas” Brunk
A sign signifying the 5 STAR rating was placed to the County farm. S.T.A.R. is an acronym that stands for Saving Tomorrows Agriculture Resources. S.T.A.R is a free state-wide tool to assist farmers and landowners is evaluating their nutrient and soil loss management practices on individual fields. The purpose is to help farmers meet the goals of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. The S.T.A.R. evaluation program assigns points for each cropping, tillage, nutrient application, and soil conservation activity on individual fields. The star rating system for a field can be anywhere from one to five stars. The Rock Island County Soil and Water Conservation District is happy to present the 5 S.T.A.R rating to farmer Mike Breiby and the Rock Island County Board.
For questions or additional information, you may contact: Outreach Coordinator Rich Stewart, Rock Island County Soil & Water Conservation District, at
rstewart@rockislandswcd.org or County Board Chairman Richard “Quijas” Brunk via the County Administration Office at 309-558-3605 or brunk@rockislandcountyil.gov