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The RCCD office exists to serve the community concerning conservation issues.
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DUE TO HIRING OF NEW EMPLOYEE THERE WILL NOT BE ANY WATER TESTING RESULTS AVAILABLE.
AS SOON AS TESTING RESUMES RESULTS WILL BE POSTED MONTHLY. |
NEW EMPLOYEES
Working for Quail Forever in Randolph, Sharp, Fulton counties since January, Ciera Rhodes is our new Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist in Northeast Arkansas. She will be responsible for providing technical assistance and guidance with Farm Bill programs and other cost-share opportunities to private landowners and public organizations. She also meets with the local chapter of Quail Forever in Jonesboro to help coordinate habitat management efforts.
A native to Selmer, Tennessee, she received her B.S. degree from University of Tennessee at martin and her M.S. in Wildlife, Fisheries, & Aquaculture from Mississippi State University. Since August of 2017, Quail Forever has teamed up with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Arkansas Game and Fish (AGFC) to get 7 new biologist hired in the state to focus on habitat restoration. These biologist are workimg closely with NRCS and AGFC employees to help educate and enroll landowners in both federal and state cos-share programs available. Quail Forever is dedicated to the conservation of quail, pheasants, and other wildlife through habitat improvements, public awareness, education and land management policies and programs. At the heart of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever is the unique grassroots system of fundraising and project development that allows members to see the direct result of their contributions. PF and QF empower county chapters with the responsibility to determine how 100% of their locally raised conservation funds will be spent - the only national conservation organization that operates through this truly grassroots structure. As a result, chapter volunteers are able to see the fruits of their efforts locally, while belonging to a larger national organization with a voice on federal and state conservation policy. If you would like to become a QF member, join or start a chapter, contact Arkansas Regional Representative, John Wallace at jwallace@quailforever.org or 937-459-8085 for more information. Check out their Facebook page "Quail Forever in Arkansas" for all the latest information and workshop dates. For more information about private lands conservation programs in Northeast Arkansas, contact Ciera at crhodes@quailforever.org or 731-439-0027. 
Marla Moland is the new Water Quality Technician (WQT) for the district. Marla received her B.S degree in Natural Science from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, AR and her M.S. degree in Environmental Science from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, AR.
The WQT performs valuable work for our farmers. They are certified to write Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) for poultry operations and for any landowner using poultry litter to fertilize their fields. Nutrient management plans require soil samples, and through this analysis and a litter analysis which are analyzed along with the litter, a so recommendations can be written as to the how many tons of litter to apply per acre. These plans provide the landowner with information to provide the best application for their nutrient needs. Plans are required by the poultry companies and financial institutions for poultry operations to manage their litter. The analysis of the chicken litter also provides the buyers of that litter with nutrient information so decisions can be made on how best to meet their needs. With poultry expansion in recent ears, NMP’s are a valuable and necessary guideline to allow for the best use on the farms. If you would like to have a nutrient management plan for your farm, be sure to give our office a call. The only cost is to have the litter tested, but an NMP can be done on your farm even if you do not apply chicken litter. An NMP is also useful if you use commercial fertilizer., With soil analysis, you will be able to purchase only the fertilize mixture that your soil needs, and sometimes that might only call for lime to be applied, which will save you money. Marla is also responsible for the water testing of the area rivers and streams. These tests are run to monitor possible nutrient pollution from farm runoff. The nutrients that are tested are Nitrogen (nitrates and nitrites), phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen. Time, date, location, and weather (temperature and conditions) are documented when the samples are collected. Water reports are available on the RCCD website at www.randolphcountycd.com. “I enjoy my work improving natural resources, while continuing to learn more about soil and water conservation practices. I am grateful for the opportunities to meet and learn from farmers, as well as my co-workers. I believe I am gaining meaningful field experiences that can help me and the producers down the line.”, says Marla when discussing her new job. |
Address:
308 Camp Rd
Pocahontas, AR 72455
Phone:
870-892-3623 Ext. 3
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:00 - 4:30
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RANDOLPH COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT
LISA CAGLE, DISTRICT SECRETARY lisa.cagle@ar.nacdnet.net MARLA MOLAND, WATER QUALITY TECHNICIAN marla.moland@ar.nacdnet.net Daniel Baldwin, Irrigation Water Management Technician daniel.m.baldwin@ar.usda.gov BOARD OF DIRECTORS: BILL BAILEY - CHAIRMAN JODY THIELEMIER - SECRETARY/TREASURER DANNY ELLIS MARTIN BALTZ JAMES RAY CHESTER THE RCCD BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEET REGULARLY TO DISCUSS CONSERVATION ISSUES IN RANDOLPH COUNTY. THESE ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS, AND THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND. THEY ARE HELD THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 6:30 a.m. at 308 Camp Road, Pocahontas, AR. |
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NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
ZACH TRUBLOOD, DISTRICT CONSERVATIONIST ZACHARY.TRUBLOOD@AR.USDA.GOV BRIAN LANGSTON, SOIL CONSERVATION TECHNICIAN BRIAN.LANGSTON@AR.USDA.GOV BRAD ASHCRAFT, PROGRAM SUPPORT SPECIALIST james.ashcraft@ar.usda.gov CIERA RHODES , FARM BILL WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST crhodes@quailforever.org |
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Conservation districts are political subdivisions of the State of Arkansas. They are a creation of popular vote of resident landowners for the purpose of conserving our land and water resources as authorized by Act No. 197 of the Arkansas General Assembly of 1937; the Nation's first conservation district law.
Conservation districts are local governments at work and their specific responsibility is management of our soil and water resources. The idea behind their formation is to keep decision making on soil and water conservation matters at the local level. Each district is governed by a board of five directors who serve without pay. Two directors are appointed by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and three are elected by resident landowners. |
RCCD AND NRCS is an equal opportunity employer
civil rights act of 1964 title vi: Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. TITLE VII: TITLE VII PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN IN EMPLOYMENT. |
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