SWCS-NCC Meeting Notes
May 3, 2007Participants: Chip Ramsey, Tom Hebert, Allison Wiedeman, Ross Braun, Larry Holmes, Beth Sauerhaft, Bill Boyer, and Oliver Miranda from the Maryland Old Line Chapter.
Minutes of the April Meeting were approved and will be posted on the website.
Spring Tour: Tour will occur Tuesday, June 26. Morning will be a tour of the ARS Center on the Bio-Diesel bus. Lunch will be at the G.W. Carver Center, followed by a Tram Tour of the Patuxent Wildlife Center. Ross will ask Doug McKalip to contact PWC and identify someone who knows our agency relationships and activities, and someone from Partners for Wildlife. Chip will send an e-mail to NCSAF President-Wilhelmina Bratton to invite their members.
Membership Levels: Ross indicated that membership levels will probably be discussed at the SWCS House of Delegates meeting held during the annual conference. As our Chapter delegate to the meeting, he asked for input from the Chapter officers. The Contributor membership level of $35 was discussed and it is currently an option people who do not want a reduced membership level. Contributor level members cannot vote, run for office, or receive the Journal of Soil & Water Conservation but want to be affiliated with SWCS and Chapters do not receive dues from them. The national office in not in favor of a reduced membership level and neither is the NCC.
Northeast Regional Conference (April 24 & 25): The presentations, tour, and networking were excellent. There were about 60 participants from about 7 states.
Annual Meeting-Silent Auction: The stain glass window that Betty Ramsey is making is almost complete. Chip hopes to receive a framed Duck Print from Ducks Unlimited. Bill has purchase a hand carved/painted duck decoy. Allison will create a necklace and earrings. Tom Hebert has received a U.S. flag flown from the Capitol with a letter of authenticity. He plans to organize past SWCS leaders, to bid on and purchase the flag, then present it to the SWCS National office in Ankeny.
Joint Activities with Society of American Forester-National Capital Chapter: Bill, Beth, and Allison asked to develop a proposal for the next meeting.
Scholarship: No report.
Speaker Series: Tabled
Fall Tour: No report.
Hosting New Leadership: The idea of NCC hosting an annual or biennial visit/tour of Washington, DC is on the table. The annual or biennial event would be geared toward young or new conservation professionals. Beth and Tom will check to see if other organizations have templates for this. They will also check with Norm Berg and Ross will check with Craig Cox.
Minutes recorded by Bill Boyer, Chapter Secretary
Next Meeting June 7 at 11:45 am, Location: Chip will secure a meeting room at USDA.
(Proposed agenda topic: How does SWCS reach out to the private sector?)The SWCS-NCC Board meets the first Thursday of each month from 11:45-12:45.
The location will cycle among the organizations represented by Board members and be announced prior to each meeting.