DUVAL SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT
  • Our History
  • Supervisors
  • Regeneration Park
  • Start Farming
  • Local Working Group
  • Envirothon
  • Education
    • Speech and Poster Contest
    • Land Judging
  • Programs
  • Blog
  • Minutes
  • Links
  • Contact Us
  • Donate

updates

Earth Day Celebration of Stewardship

4/18/2021

1 Comment

 
Duval Soil and Water Conservation District is partnering with Groundwork Jacksonville and local environmental organizations to present Earth Day: A Celebration of Stewardship, Saturday, April 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This free community event will be held on the S-Line Biodiversity Corridor of the Emerald Trail, between Moncrief Road and Boulevard. Parking is available at the Christ Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, 2335 N. Davis Street. 

The goal of the event is to increase environmental awareness and teach children and adults specific things they can do to make their homes and landscape more eco-friendly, while providing an opportunity for people from all areas of town to connect outdoors and celebrate the planet. 

Activities will include music, prize giveaways and demonstrations on native landscaping, soil and water conservation and testing, tree guilds, ollas irrigation systems, rain barrels, pollinator gardens, bee hotels, public art and more. Guests will receive a passport with information about how to participate in the various activities to earn a gift certificate from participating Springfield neighborhood restaurants.  

Throughout the day, DSWCD will present plans for the innovative Regeneration Park, a green infrastructure and community stewardship project that will be built along the S-Line link of the Emerald Trail near the Sugar Hill Mosaic. The goal of Regeneration Park is to demonstrate urban agriculture, cultivate environmental stewardship and empower residents to build with nature for social, economic and environmental health. 

Picture

​READ THE FULL PRESS RELEASE
1 Comment

April is Water Conservation Month

4/6/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
We are pleased to partner with the St. Johns River Water Management District to increase awareness about the importance of water conservation. See the full proclamation below.
​
0 Comments

Now Hiring - Urban Agriculture Coordinator

4/3/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Urban Agriculture Coordinator
Estimated Hours – 25 per week

Duval Soil and Water Conservation District (DSWCD) is an at-large elected board of five supervisors, with no party affiliation. The DSWCD organized by concerned citizens of Duval County to help landowners and users to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources.
 
Position Description:
The Urban Agriculture Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of DSWCD’s Regeneration Park project. Regeneration Park is a green infrastructure and community stewardship project which will create a safe space on public land within an underrepresented community to demonstrate urban agriculture, cultivate environmental stewardship and empower residents to build with nature for social, economic and environmental health.
 
Primary Responsibilities:
  • Lead events, educational workshops and people.
  • Manage grant materials, program implementation and evaluation.
  • Keep track of the progression of work and provide guidance to team members.
  • Coordinate with local governmental agencies, organizations and partners.
  • Research prospective funding opportunities and direct grant writing efforts and solicitation of project sponsors.
  • Provide professional organization for maximum efficiency and effectiveness of resources.
  • Conduct administrative tasks, including systems and data management.
  • Maintain financial accounting, documentation, and storage.
  • Provide written bi-monthly progress reports
  • Report to Board Chair
Required Qualifications:
  • 3-5 years of experience in urban agriculture or natural resources conservation.
  • Experience in event/program coordination.
  • Experience in data and systems management.
  • A sincere commitment to the vision and mission of DSWCD.
  • Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
  • Experience and demonstrated cultural competence working with diverse communities.
  • Ability to work independently, effectively manage projects, and meet deadlines.
  • Thoughtful approach to work, with a desire to solve problems.
  • Proficient in MS Office, Google platforms, data management software, and social media platforms.
  • Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for events.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Associate or Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.
  • Demonstrated grant writing competence.
  • Demonstrated project management experience.
Physical Demands:
  • Requires ability to work remotely with occasional visits to local parks and businesses.
  • Requires ability to install plants and use garden tools alongside volunteers.
  • Requires ability to use computers, telephones, and other office equipment.
  • Requires ability to speak audibly and listen actively.
Other duties:
The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow other job-related instructions and perform other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor, in compliance with Federal and State laws. Strict adherence to the Sunshine Law is required. At no time will this position replicate or duplicate duties the supervisors are required to perform themselves, but will aid in the effective functioning of this elected agency through communication, research, and coordination. The board meets once a month at the Duval County Extension Office. All other meetings are available via Zoom teleconference. All meetings are noticed and open to the public.
 
Note: This position has a 60-day trial period.

Send resume and letter of interest to DSWCD Board of Supervisors at [email protected].

Deadline: April 16, 2021
0 Comments

Conservation District Awarded Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant

4/2/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
Jacksonville, Florida – The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District (DSWCD) announced today it was awarded an urban agriculture conservation grant through a partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to boost technical capacity nationwide.

The DSWCD was one of 20 conservation districts across 14 states to receive funding. The $50,000 grant will provide initial funding for Regeneration Park, a green infrastructure and community stewardship project focused on demonstrating urban agriculture, cultivating environmental stewardship and empowering residents to build with nature for social, economic and environmental health. The project, located on the west side of Jacksonville’s urban core, will transform half an acre of currently unused public land into an ecological demonstration site along the S-Line link of Groundwork Jacksonville’s Emerald Trail near the Sugar Hill Mosaic. The project will be situated less than a mile from the recently completed EPA cleanup activities at the Fairfax Street Wood Treaters Superfund site and the DSWCD has been working closely with the City of Jacksonville’s Parks and Recreation department to develop an appropriate plan to regenerate the associated soils and enhance the affiliated community.

“The District is committed to regenerating ecosystems in our affected neighborhoods”, said Jennifer Casey, DSWCD Chair. “We are thrilled that the Regeneration Park project was funded by NACD and will bring technical assistance from soil scientists, farmers and conservationists directly to residents right where they live and work.”

The project also features a bioswale installation, the creation of a pollinator habitat and a series of educational workshops. The UF/IFAS Duval County Extension, the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board, Groundwork Jacksonville, St. Johns Riverkeeper, NativeJax, and Jacksonville Youth Works have provided support to the project.

NACD and NRCS established the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative in 2016 to help conservation districts and their partners provide much-needed technical assistance for community-oriented agricultural projects in both urban and rural contexts. This is the fifth round of funding with grants totaling $5.6 million for 122 projects across 35 states.

###

About the Duval Soil and Water Conservation District: For over 67 years, under the authority created by the Soil Conservation Act passed by the Florida Legislature in 1937, the Duval Soil and Water Conservation District has promoted responsible management and conservation of natural resources by delivering conservation technology and education to local landowners and users and promoting the wise use of land and best management practices that will conserve, improve and sustain the natural resources of Duval County.

About the NACD: The National Association of Conservation Districts is the non-profit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org.

About the USDA NRCS: The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is a major partner of soil and water conservation districts, nation-wide. Since the Dust Bowl of the 1930's, the NRCS (formerly SCS) has worked with conservation districts throughout the US to help landowners and land users, as well as Federal, State, Tribal, Community groups, and local units of government plan and implement conservation practices, where appropriate, to effectively and positively address the associated natural resource concerns.
​

2 Comments

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    February 2024
    December 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

We Want to Hear from You!

MEETING NOTICES:
The next Duval Soil and Water Conservation District's full meeting will take place on July 8th, 2025 from 9:00am - 10:30am, at the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Office, 1010 N. McDuff Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32254.


Our Full Board Meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month at the UF/IFAS Duval County Extension Office, 1010 N. McDuff Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32254, at 9:00 am. 

June and July Plan of Work Subcommittees meetings are as follows:
Watershed - Monday, June 23, 2025 - Location 
TBD
Agriculture - Tuesday, July 22, 2025 - Location TBD
Development - Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 9:00am, UF/IFAS Extension Office
STEM - No date scheduled at this time

All meetings are open to the public. Public participation is available via Zoom teleconference.

Zoom Notice:


Duval Soil & Water is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Duval Soil & Water Conservation District's Zoom Meeting

​Time: 09:00 AM to 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85230502372

Meeting ID: 852 3050 2372
  • Our History
  • Supervisors
  • Regeneration Park
  • Start Farming
  • Local Working Group
  • Envirothon
  • Education
    • Speech and Poster Contest
    • Land Judging
  • Programs
  • Blog
  • Minutes
  • Links
  • Contact Us
  • Donate