RISING TO NEW CHALLENGES
Established by Congress in 1935, the Soil Conservation Service faced the challenge of keeping good productive agricultural soils from being carried away by the wind during the days of the Dust Bowl. Protecting water was soon added to the challenge of protecting soil.  More recently, the Soil Conservation Service became the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Today it tackles familiar challenges like clean water and healthy soil and, at the same time, rises to meet new challenges, such as clean air, clean energy, climate change, and new technology.
Over the years, more and more information and data accumulated about conservation issues and practices, the work was spread among many departments, and a website was developed to share the ever expanding knowledge about multiple resource issues. Now the NRCS is pleased to announce that their website “has a new look-and-feel and will use a new management system.”
When you visit the website (www.nrcs.usda.gov/) general tabs help you find out about the NRCS. The new site allows you to find information about subjects by name. For example, if you want to know how NRCS works to improve our nation’s water resources, you can simply go to the NRCS Home Page and click on “Water”. (Other subjects: programs and services, technical resources, land use, soils, air, plants and animals, energy, climate change, and people.)
Also improved is the NRCS site’s search capability, giving you an advanced search to better define what you seek. The new site allows you to stay up-to-date on the latest NRCS news, including an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feature that allows you to receive news releases through the email or RSS reader. You can also provide feedback through the new website feedback forms which can be found in the “Contact Us” section. A “Programs and Services” section gives in-depth information about the Farm Bill and other financial and technical assistance programs.
Many electronic-based materials are included in the “Technical Resources” available on the website. Technical guides are the primary scientific references for NRCS containing technical information about the conservation of soil, water, air, and related plant and animal resources. Much of the information in the guide is available on the website.
Science and technology are critical to good conservation. As a landowner, you can find out a lot about good management for your land from the NRCS website. As a taxpayer, you can find out how your tax dollars support conservation. Better yet, bring your concerns and questions to the USDA Field Office – in Stephenson County, 1620 W. Galena – where resource professionals, who understand local resource issues and concerns, are waiting to serve you.
Information is from an NRCS (Champaign, Illinois) press release concerning the newly designed website that came online August 1, 2011.

Della Moen, Earth Team Volunteer, NRCS/Stephenson Soil and Water Conservation District, an equal opportunity provider and employer, 08/10//11 (for publication on 08/13/11 in the Journal Standard, Freeport, Illinois) Della can be reached at info@stephensonswcd.org