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One way to view the Rogue River and assured you will get wet. |
Josephine County in located in the Southwestern part of Oregon State. It
includes just over 1 million acres of land extending south to the border of
California, West to Curry County, North to Douglas County, and East to Jackson
County. Known for its steep rugged mountains and narrow river valleys, Josephine
county is home to the Wild and Scenic Rogue and Illinois Rivers. Roughly ¾ of
Josephine County is publicly owned, with a majority in forest land being managed
for timber. Agricultural production is fairly limited in scope, but diverse in
nature, with a growing interest in local food economies. The NRCS offices
serving Josephine County, located in Medford and Roseburg, provide voluntary
conservation technical and financial assistance to private land owners/operators
interested in natural resource conservation improvements.
NRCS Local Conservation Activities and Strategies
The NRCS local work group in Josephine County has identified forest health
and water quality as the top natural resource areas of concern. Practices
typically used to address water quality have included irrigation and grazing
improvements. Forest health concerns include wildfire hazard, disease and pest
infestations. NRCS is currently seeking partnership opportunities to identify
conservation strategies and increase program participation.
NRCS Programs Available
- Seasonal High Tunnel
Initiative:
- A Program available to agricultural producers, designed to
strengthen local and regional food markets and increase the use of
sustainable conservation practices that will improve plant and soil
quality, reduce nutrient and pesticide transport and reduce energy
inputs.
- EQIP Organic Initiative
- Special EQIP funding is available to organic growers that are
certified organic, transitioning organic or those who make under $5,000
of gross organic product farm sales.
- EQIP Energy Initiative:
- Assist producers to conserve energy on their farms through an
Agriculture Energy Management Plan (AgEMP), also known as an on-farm
energy audit and provide assistance to implement various recommended
measures identified in an energy audit.
- Conservation Stewardship Program
(CSP):
- Encourages land stewards to improve their conservation performance
by installing and adopting additional activities, and improving,
maintaining, and managing existing activities on agricultural land and
nonindustrial private forest land. The entire operation must be enrolled
and must include all eligible land operated.
- Soils Information and the Soil
Survey Program:
- Soils related information including soil survey maps and reports.
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Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP):
- Administered by the Farms Service Agency (FSA), it is a program that
helps agricultural producers protect environmentally sensitive land,
decrease erosion, restore wildlife habitat, and safeguard ground and
surface water.
Additional Conservation Resources Available
- Josephine County Soil and Water Conservation District
- Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District
- Williams Creek Watershed Council
- Illinois Valley Watershed Council
- Applegate Partnership and Watershed Council
- Josephine County Integrated Fire Planning Network
- Stream Restoration Alliance of the Middle Rogue
- Rogue Basin Coordinating Council
- Cooperative Weed Management Area
- OSU Extension Service
- Oregon Department of Forestry
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- US Fish & Wildlife - Partners for Fish & Wildlife Program
Local Work Group Updates
The Local working group is a collaborative group of agencies and
organizations working on conservation in the region. They assemble annually to
share information and provide input and suggestions to the development of
strategies and programs in the county. Please contact the district
conservationist if you would like to participate or be included in information
sharing.
For meeting information, please
click here.
Clickable Map of SNOTEL Sites
For Additional Assistance Contact
Medford Service Center
573 Parsons Drive, Suite 102
Medford Oregon 97501
NRCS District Conservationist: David Chain, (541) 673-6071
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