Supporting Conservation by Providing Resources and Knowledge

Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District promotes sustainable land development and works with private landowners to address their natural resource concerns.  By partnering with local, state and federal organizations, the FSWCD provides education and technical assistance to private landowners with issues related to soil, agriculture, water, invasive species, forestry, land development, and other related natural resource issues.  Please contact your local legislators to encourage them to support soil & water districts statewide!

 

Our Spring 2024 Newsletter Is Here!

See what's new at FSWCD and what's coming up!

Click here to read our Spring 2024 Newsletter!


Come join Mel Sikes for information on seed starting in your home. We'll go over all the necessary requirements and discuss seed starting schedules as well as proven varieties for our microclimates.

To register for this free workshop, click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/starting-seeds-workshop-tickets-817541888797?aff=oddtdtcreator

 


Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium oh my! What do you need to add to your soil to have good soil health, and a superior garden. 

Questions about the workshop? Suggestions? Any compost specifics you really want to learn about? Feel free to email aleya.fswcd@gmail.com before or after the workshop. Join FSWCD's agriculture specialist Aleya Brinkman to learn about your soils. Learn about the WebSoilSurvey, soil admendments, nutrients within the soils and more.

To register for this free workshop, click the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nutrient-management-workshop-tickets-816089885817?aff=ebdsoporgprofile


Financial Manager

General Description:
The Financial Manager coordinates the accounting and financial management functions for the Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District with oversight and assistance from the District Cooperator. This would include managing financial assignments involving programs, systems, functions, policies, and various issues. This includes all items related to finances. The work requires mastery of professional knowledge of the theory, concepts, principles, and practices of accounting, financial auditing, grant, and financial management.

30 to 40 hrs per week @ $20-$30.00 hr.

For full job description: Click HERE

To apply, submit cover letter, resume, and at least to references via email to jonisc@gmail.com or in person to 590 University Ave. Suite 2 in Fairbanks.


 

We are Hiring!

Intern Job Description: Natural Resources Intern

The Fairbanks Youth for Habitat program promotes career exploration through community involvement. In its 12th year, the program provides youth with skills, work ethic, character, and environmental stewardship through local habitat projects. It improves the community with habitat restoration, enhancing public spaces for human and wildlife interactions. It also creates a first job experience and career pathway for local youth in outdoor and natural resources fields, fostering partnerships with local agencies to emphasize youth as stewards and active community members.


Description: The Natural Resources Intern will coordinate daily operations, including supervising middle school youth, managing logistics and budgets, conducting scientific observation, ensuring participant safety, and fostering positive interactions with the public to promote environmental stewardship during the 10-week youth development program.


Responsibilities:
• Attending FSWCD Orientation
• Becoming familiar with the program objectives and expectations
• Interviewing and selecting new and returning program participants
• Following FSWCD protocol for employee and student behavior and interaction
• Following a predetermined schedule of activities
• Supervise and direct
up to eight 13–14-year-old students per 2-week session, 5 sessions total, keeping students engaged in programming.
• Maintaining a daily activity and financial expenditure journal.
• Gathering, maintaining, and reporting on data gathered in the field, which may include Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE).
• Maintaining, cleaning, and organizing materials, vehicles, and storage spaces.
• Instructing and managing middle school youth
• Working and encouraging others positively towards unfavorable conditions, including bugs, mud, rain, work in waterways, cold, hot, humid weather, etc.
• Completing all final reports. Checking in all program materials.

 

For full job description: Click HERE


Term: May 6 to August 23, 2024
Hours: M-F, 8 Hours/day (8:00 am – 4:00 pm), 40 Hours/Week- May 6 through August 23, 2024 (Unpaid Holidays: Memorial Day and July 4th)
Compensation: $25.00/hour
Office Location: 590 University Ave. Suite 2, Fairbanks, AK

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to scott.fswcd@gmail.com.


Pesticide Education quiz four is posted, see what you know on this last quiz focused on pesticide use and safety. 

https://forms.gle/Q5c9m8eAYCan1FpK8


 Do You Know the Different Garden Pest Damage and Control Methods. Part 3 of 4 of the Pesticide Education quizzes. 

https://forms.gle/SmG4SSS7ed29ughg7


Quiz 2 of 4 is posted, show us what you know on the Garden Pest and Damage Quiz. This is a bit harder than the first quiz, thank you for your participation. 

https://forms.gle/gG5V58s7J3dVQtQJ9


Test Your Knowledge on Common Garden Pest Identification. Part 1 of 4 on Pests and Pesticides.

https://forms.gle/V7g2rCpxjR3YoMwb6 


Our Fall 2023 Newsletter Is Here!

See what's new at FSWCD and what's coming up!

Click here to read our Fall 2023 Newsletter!

 


 

Indoor Gardening Ideas

If you're interested in growing food in your home this winter and spring, here are some helpful ideas and information for successful inexpensive indoor gardening projects.

 

Click HERE to go to our page with more information

If you have any questions, feel free to email Mel Sikes at mel.fswcd@gmail.com


  

The AFFECT Program Community Workshops

AFFECT is a FSWCD project to develop a community farm. As part of the USDA funded program we are hosting a series of free summer workshop on series on local food for Fairbanks residents. Registration is required. Workshop topics will include hydroponics, foraging, food preservation, compost, and more. Check out our Eventbrite event collection, website, and Facebook for more!

Click HERE for more information.

 



Attention: Aquarium moss ball update and Q&A

"Invasive zebra mussels have been found in "moss balls,” an aquarium plant product sold at aquarium and pet supply stores.  Zebra mussels are regarded as one of the most destructive invasive species in North America.

Zebra mussels can quickly take over once they get established in a waterbody and cause significant damage including disrupting the food chain, changing the chemistry of the water (which can cause more blue green algae outbreaks or offensive taste), and clogging water intake and delivery systems. The concern is that live mussels released into a storm drain or flushed could be introduced into a waterway." - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

 

More info and Q&A found here.

 


 

Soil Nutrient Testing

It's time to get your soil samples into FSWCD for testing. It's best to sample in the fall to get an accurate estimate of what's in your soil for next years growing season! We can do it now though. Email aleya.fswcd@gmail.com or call 479-1213 Ext. 7 for more information. You can also check out our soil testing page for more information.

 


 

Elodea eradication in interior Alaska

The second season of herbicide treatment in Chena Slough will begin the week of June 25th. The aquatic herbicide fluridone is being used to eradicate the invasive aquatic plant elodea from the waters of Chena Slough. For more details click on the "Elodea in interior Alaska" tab. 

Herbicide treatment of the invasive elodea infestation in Totchaket Slough will begin this summer! Totchaket Slough is a remote clearwater slough off the Tanana River about 12 miles downstream on Nenana. A dense 230-acre elodea infestation was discovered there in 2015. Stay tuned for more details of our progress on eradicating elodea in the area... 

 


Indoor Gardening Curriculum!

Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom has developed a set of indoor gardening lessons, the Alaska Indoor Gardening Curriculum. In the spring of 2017, AK AITC was awarded a grant from the National Agriculture in the Classroom organization to develop this resource. This work was supported in part by the Agriculture in the Classroom Grant no. 2017-38858 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It was also supported by a grant from the Alaska Farm Bureau. 

This curriculum is a compilation of lessons developed by the Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom program, the National Agriculture in the Classroom (NAITC) organization, and educators throughout Alaska who have developed, reviewed, and piloted many these activities.  Please be patient with us. This is a work in progress, some links are currently in development and will be available soon.

Click HERE to go to the page.


FSWCD has put together a short resource to help producers assess where they stand under the Produce Safety Rule, a portion of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This resource shows how to identify a producer’s current exemption status, and then gives an overview of the compliance requirements associated with each exemption status (fully exempt, qualified exempt, and non-exempt).

If you are curious about how a producer’s exemption status is determined and what could cause it to change, or if you would like an idea of the farm safety practices the Produce Safety rule advocates for, then please check out this resource here 

Thanks!

Click HERE for a PDF of the FSMA procedures and exemption help guide.
 


 

Fox Springs

Fox Springs is open and functioning. Please help Friends of Fox Springs to fund the repairs needed to keep it functioning. 

Please help us keep the water flowing. Fox Spring near Fairbanks, Alaska has been a vital source of clean water for people from near and far for over 100 years. The Alaska Dept. of Transportation- Public Facilities budget had eliminated upkeep for Fox Spring and had scheduled a shut down on July 1, 2017. A strong grass-roots effort to honor our water and to raise money was started.The group, Friends of Fox Spring was successful in raising enough money needed to cover operation and maintenance for a little while, but still needs support to keep it going.  To learn more, and contribute to the fund, please go to:

www.nscfundalaska.org/groups/friends-fox-spring

 


Soil Class for Realtors

The CE Shop is now hosting an online Continuing Education course called Alaskan Soils and Environmental Concerns for Realty. This course was created by staff at FSWCD with the goal of providing Alaskan real estate agents with the tools and knowledge to deal with permafrost and other issues presented by our unique climate. The course is informative for any landowner or prospective land buyer/house builder in Alaska. The following discount code will get you 25% off the cost of the course (full price is $35): ALASKA25. 
https://www.theceshop.com/online-education/alaska/real-estate/broker-and-sales-license/continuing-education/course/alaskan-soils-and-environmental-concerns-for-realty-3192-14835.html


FSWCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its hiring process, programs or activities.

FSWCD Goals

1. Prevention and Eradication of Noxious & Invasive Species

2. Conservation of Plant and Soil Resources
3. Sustainable Agricultural Resources & Economy
4. Conservation/Maintenance of Water Resources
5. Conservation of Forest Resources
6. Education, and
7. Promotion of Affordable Energy

Click map for a larger image

 

News and Events

Calendar of Events
Now available online! Click here to see the latest meetings and events!