MHC Farm Stewardship Committee Report


YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION


Maryland’s Soil Conservation Districts by Katherine O. Rizzo and Kimberly K. Egan Spring showers and warmer weather are on their way, which means


mud, mud, and more mud. Te only season muddier than winter is spring. Winter is mud season. Spring is muddier season. If there’s one thing we know is right around the corner, it’s mud. We at the Maryland Horse Council thought this would be a good time


to remind horse people everywhere that there is a network of helpful (and free) experts in Maryland to help you get a grip on your mud. Each county in Maryland has a Soil Conservation District (SCD),


funded by a combination of federal, state, and local governments. Te districts are the result of the Soil Conservation Act passed by Congress in the wake of the 1930s Dust Bowl. During the Dust Bowl, millions of acres of grasslands in the South Central Plains were plowed under and planted with wheat at the same time that a multi-year drought descend- ed on the mid-West. Without the deep roots of the native grasses to hold the topsoil in place, the soil was carried off by strong winds known as “black blizzards.” Te dust storms blocked out the sun, further weak- ening the remaining plaints, and dirt and dust piled up in drifts. Te Encyclopedia Brittanica reports that about 1.2 billion tons of soil were lost across 100 million acres of the Great Plains between 1934 and 1935. In response, the Soil Conservation Act created a national program to control and prevent soil erosion. SCDs were created to provide technical as-


ALLEGANY Adam Heavner, District Manager 301-777-1747, ext. 3 aheavner@atlanticbbn.net 12407 Naves Cross Road, NE Cumberland, MD 21502-8212 Website: alleganyscd.com


ANNE ARUNDEL John Czajkowski, District Manager 410-571-6757 john@aascd.org Heritage Office Center, 2662 Riva Road Suite 150, MS #7001 Annapolis, MD 21401-7377 Website: aascd.org


BALTIMORE James Ensor, District Manager 410-527-5920, ext. 3 jbensor@baltimorecountymd.gov 1114 Shawan Road, Suite 4 Cockeysville, MD 21030 Website: bcscd.org


sistance to farmers to help them design and install best management prac- tices on their farms to protect natural resources. In Maryland, the primary goal of the SCDs is to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries. SCDs provide an invaluable resource for horse farmers. SCDs help


landowners develop nutrient management plans, implement proper drainage projects, understand the importance of harrowing fields, and more. Te SCDs also keep farmers up to date on the local, state, and national grants and cost-share funding available for conservation proj- ects. In addition, SCDs work with horse and livestock operations to help manage manure more efficiently and improve pasture health. SCDs can also help farm owners and managers create the stormwa- ter management and sediment/erosion control plans that are required by Maryland law. MHC encourages farm owners and farm managers to reach out to their county’s SCD on a regular basis. Tat is the easiest way to keep best management practices current and improve farm and horse health while keeping costs low. Below is a list of Maryland’s Soil Conservation Districts with contact


information. Please note that not all counties have an equine specialist, but all can help navigate conservation plans for your property. For more information, see https://mascd.net/


CALVERT Geoffrey Westbrook, District Manager 410-535-1521, ext. 3 geoffrey.westbrook@calvertcountymd.gov 489 Main Street, Suite 101 Prince Frederick, MD 20678 Website: calvertsoil.org


CAROLINE John Shepard, District Manager (410) 479-1202, ext. 3 john.shepard@maryland.gov 9194 Legion Road, Suite 3 Denton, MD 21629 Website: N/A


CARROLL Matt McMahon, District Manager 410-848-8200, ext. 3 mattd.mcmahon@maryland.gov 698 J Corporate Center Court Westminster, MD 21157 Website: carrollsoil.com


CATOCTIN and FREDERICK Heather Hutchinson, District Manager 301-695-2803, ext. 3 HHutchinson@frederickcountymd.gov 92 Tomas Johnson Drive, Suite 230 North Amber Frederick, MD 21702 Website: catoctinfrederickscd.com


CECIL Chris Brown, District Manager 410-398-4411, ext. 3 chrisbrown@cecilscd.com 105 Chesapeake Blvd., Suite B-3 Elkton, MD 21921 Website: cecilscd.com


CHARLES Luis Dieguez, District Manager 301-638-3028 luis.dieguez@charlesscd.com 4200 Gardiner Road Waldorf, MD 20601 Website: charlesscd.com


JOIN THE MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL’S FARM STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE! Contact Farm Stewardship Committe Chair: Jane Thery at greenhorseenterprises@gmail.com


Te Maryland Horse Council Represents You! Join Today at JOIN.MDHORSECOUNCIL.ORG


www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | APRIL 2023 | 19


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