Division of Soil and Water Conservation

Sustainability Initiatives:

• Developed and distributed an employee survey to assist in educating the staff regarding the sustainability initiative and to solicit their input regarding sustainability opportunities within the Division of Soil and Water Conservation and state government.

• Purchased office equipment (copier and printers) capable of producing double-sided documents.

• Purchased computer equipment with the EPA Energy Star certification.

• Requested Motor Fleet vehicles which operate on alternative fuels (ethanol).

• Partnered with the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and county governments to provide a variety of environmental education programs and opportunities across the state.  The primary emphasis of these programs is conservation of our natural resources.

• Solicited volunteers to serve on a “Sustainability Work Group” within the Division of Soil and Water Conservation.

Future Plans:

In the next year the Division plans to develop a carpool information system and begin conducting annual waste assessments.  The Division is already purchasing recycled paper, but plans to evaluate current copying practices and make conscious choices in the future when ordering equipment.  The Division also plans to create a sustainability team using the survey to identify staff members who have a passion for the sustainability objectives. 

The Division of Soil and Water is a partner with the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Program, the Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and county governments and provides a variety of environmental education programs and opportunities across the state.  The primary emphasis of these programs is conservation of our natural resources.  There are unlimited ways in which sustainability might be included.  The Division also sponsors the Food, Land and People project, which may well be another program where sustainability initiatives would be most appropriate.

The Division stresses the importance of environmental education and all staff members are involved in one form or another with environmental education, many of them educators themselves.  The staff as a whole is so immersed in delivering the conservation message that many sustainability goals are a “way of life” for most of the Division’s staff.  The Division hopes that its survey will help identify additional educational needs.

The Division will base future plans for sustainability initiatives on its survey results, the formation of a sustainability team and its recommendations, and perhaps suggestions from the Department’s team. The Division would like to put a hot key linking to a DENR Sustainability web site include success stories to share with other Divisions.