In 1981, Congress authorized the establishment of the Earth Team, a unique volunteer program that allows NRCS to tap into the wealth of skills and knowledge of our citizens and allows citizens to reap the rewards of working for conservation.  Today, 28 years after the Earth Team came to be, NRCS has 30,000 Earth Team Volunteers who have donated more than 800,000 hours of their time to conservation for a total value of over $15 million (2008 figures).

In these times of lean budgets, volunteers can make a critical difference in carrying out our conservation mission.  The range of work volunteers can do extends from conservation education, general office work, and outreach to technical work, such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, or holding a survey rod out in the field.

It’s important to carefully consider what your volunteers will do before they begin - both for your sake and theirs.  Volunteers need to feel engaged and needed or they won’t continue to work.  Planning what they’ll be doing will eliminate the possibility of down time during their work period.  Getting together with partners and SWCD board members to do a Needs Assessment is one way of determining where best to use a volunteer.  The Needs Assessment should reveal what activities employees would like to have accomplished but haven’t had time to devote to getting it done.

 Once you’ve identified where you would benefit from volunteer services, you can start looking for sources of volunteers.  There are many groups, including senior centers, schools, civic organizations, scout troops, churches, etc. that look for volunteer opportunities. 

Family and friends are another great source of volunteers; if they’ll be doing a job they aren’t paid or elected to do.  The minimum age to be an Earth Team Volunteer is 14.  Volunteering during the summer might be one way to keep your child active and learning during their summer vacation!

The paperwork involved with the Earth Team has been simplified to make it easier for both NRCS and the volunteer.  Three items are required and the forms are all online:   Application Form, ID Card, and the time sheet.  If the volunteer needs access to the computer, a background check will need to be conducted.  Talk with your Area Volunteer Coordinator to find out how to get the information you need to get started. There is also some very helpful information on the NRCS National Website - under the Earth Team Volunteer section.

Last year, in eight of the 50 States, 100 percent of their offices had Earth Team Volunteer hours.  Ohio had 48 percent participation.  My challenge to Ohio is to join those States that reached that 100 percent mark - we are halfway there!

Focus on the Field - An Area Update
By:  Deb Berger, ASTC-FO, Medina AO

National conservation action must spring from people on the land, and to a large extent, be advanced by them as individuals, with the help of government.”  .  .  .  .
 

Why District Conservationists Are Important to Districts
By: Todd A. Houser, Storm Water Program Manager, Cuyahoga SWCD

As dust-filled clouds advanced from the Plains to Washington D.C. in the 1930s, .  .  .  .
 

Area 2 Fantastic Female - Rocemi Morales:  "Making a Positive Impact"
By: Jennifer Chen, Federal Women’s Program Manager, SO

Rocemi Morales was nominated as Area 2’s "Fantastic Female." Rocemi is the District Conservationist in Erie County, Ohio. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in May 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences.  .  .  .