Soil Health & Watershed Groups
Sauk Soil & Water Improvement Group
South Central Wisconsin
Contact
Contact: Justine Bula - Education Coordinator, Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department
Phone: (608) 355-4842
Mission
Mission Statement: Improving soil health and water quality through regenerative agricultural practices and education to build resilient family farms and thriving rural communities
Vision Statement: Healthy soils, clean waters, and thriving communities supported by resilient family farms.
Goal 1: Measure and increase adoption of regenerative practices and management systems that
improve soil health and water quality.
- Objective 1.1: Conduct an annual farm practice survey and present results.
- Objective 1.2: Implement a cost-share program to fund…. the integration of livestock on cropland; harvestable buffer (>35’) around riparian areas; regenerative system implementation; no-till; testing
- Objective 1.3: Support farmer implementation of regenerative management systems by hosting peer group (social/technical) meetings where farmers can share their successes, failures, and ideas as to better overcome the learning curve associated with the adoption of new practices/management systems.
Goal 2: Increase awareness and understanding of the impact regenerative management systems have on soil health, water quality, and farm resilience
- Objective 2.1: Host an annual workshop, featuring leaders of the regenerative agriculture movement as guest presenters.
- Objective 2.2: Conduct on-farm research across 4 farms for a period of 4 years to quantify the soil health and economic impact of regenerative management systems.
- Objective 2.3: Host 6 field days annually to demonstrate the benefits of regenerative management systems.
- Objective 2.4: Partner with local FFA organizations to run youth agricultural education programs.
Goal 3: Develop the outreach and networking capacity of SSWIG
- Objective 3.1: Host one annual community meeting that serves to bring together farmers and non-farmers to find common ground.
- Objective 3.2: Create and distribute SSWIG signage and swag.
- Objective 3.3: Design and publish a SSWIG website to serve as a point of reference for anyone interested in the group.
Goal 4: Expand SSWIGs organizational capacity
- Objective 4.1: establish SSWIG as a 501c3 entity.
- Objective 4.2: hold bimonthly group meetings to organize and execute projects.
- Objective 4.3: establish administrative group roles for group members.
- Objective 4.4: establish terms for committee members and election or nomination policies.
News & Stories
Watershed or Service Area Map
About Us
Growing a Group:
- Active group 5+ years
- Book sharing
- Farmer-led group
- Formed a new group
- Fundraising
- Grant writing
- Member-led project planning
- Neighbor to neighbor mentoring
- Personal invitations to neighbors to grow the group
- Other
Collaboration:
- Actively participated in local watershed planning process
- Collaboration with agriculture or conservation organizations
- Collaboration with local ag retailers and/or crop advisors
- Collaboration with local civic groups
- Collaboration with local college or university
- Other
Outreach:
- Engage local schools
- Media interviews
- Presentation to groups
- Promotion to media outlets
- Social media cultivation
- Video Development
- Website Development
- Other
Land & Water:
- Bioreactors
- Cover crops
- Crop diversification
- Floodplain restoration
- Grass waterways
- Grazing
- Nutrient management & retention
- Perennial crops
- Prairie strips
- Saturated buffers
- Stream buffers
- Stream restoration
- Water retention basins
- Wetlands
- Other - No Till
Assessment & Data:
- Agronomic data collection
- Field edge data collection
- Field walkovers
- Stream monitoring
- Other
Events:
- Fishing event
- Farm field days
- Paddle event
- Upstream or downstream connections/visits
- Booth at local event
- Other
Fishers & Famers Partnership Program Participation:
- Workshop
- Neighbor to Neighbor Radio Podcast
- Boots on the Ground Online Conversation
- Group Presentation
- Project Tour
- Featured in a Story
- Featured in a Video
- Meetings
- None
Additional Photos
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