Goals
I. Develop Initiatives to Improve Water Quality
II. Develop Value Added Agricultural Business
III. Develop Tourism & Recreation Opportunities
IV. Community Enhancement
V. Land Use Planning
VI. Outreach
The following plan includes specific objectives to accomplish these goals. Each year a business plan will be developed with detailed action items to achieve these initiatives. As we implement this plan, we will rely on continued support of the citizens of the M&M Divide RC&D area. It will be essential to expand coalitions to meet the needs of the people. We will depend on volunteers to put this plan into action.
Time Frame
This plan will be implemented in a manner which results in several strategies being completed in 2003, leading to objectives and ultimately goals being accomplished over the next five years.
Goal I: Develop Initiatives to Improve Water Quality
Water quality was the number one concern identified in the county meetings. Sediment is the largest pollutant of Iowa’s surface waters. Nitrates and other nutrients are the second greatest pollutants of the water supply. Initiatives will be developed to improve water quality in the six county service area.
Objective A: Reduce sedimentation in local water bodies.
Strategy 1: Organize local watershed groups to promote soil conservation practices.
Strategy 2: Conduct informational campaign on benefits of conservation practices.
Strategy 3: Secure cost-share funds to assist with implementation of conservation practices.
Objective B: Reduce levels of nutrients in local waters.
Strategy 1: Identify and promote water monitoring programs.
Strategy 2: Conduct educational campaign on water quality protection.
Strategy 3: Promote nutrient management by agricultural producers and city residents.
Strategy 4: Encourage construction of waste management systems by livestock producers.
Strategy 5: Facilitate technical assistance for nutrient management plan development and implementation.
Strategy 6: Assist with securing funding for rural septic systems and waste treatment facilities in small communities.
Goal II: Develop Value Added Agricultural Business
The M&M Divide RC&D region relies heavily on agriculture. Farm income in the past 10 years has declined 71%, while the population has remained stable. Value added businesses offer an opportunity to stabilize the rural economy. An organized effort will be made to assist citizens in developing viable alternatives to traditional production agriculture.
Objective A: Develop a more diverse agricultural production and marketing system in the area.
Strategy 1: Conduct an inventory of existing non-traditional operations in the area.
Strategy 2: Conduct an inventory of existing agricultural processors.
Strategy 3: Identify potential markets for non-traditional products.
Strategy 4: Assist with the promotion and marketing of alternative crops and products.
Strategy 5: Support an educational program for producers of non-traditional products.
Strategy 6: Provide a funding source to assist with development of value added processing businesses.
Objective B: Develop local sources and markets for renewable energy.
Strategy 1: Investigate potential markets and distribution systems for renewable energy sources. (bio-mass, ethanol, soy-diesel, wind, methane)
Strategy 2: Develop and promote local markets for renewable energy.
Strategy 3: Conduct education campaign on alternative/renewable energy production.
Strategy 4: Organize producers into an action group to produce and market renewable energy.
Goal III: Develop Tourism and Recreation Opportunities
Improving and increasing tourism and recreational activities is critical to the region. Proper maintenance of existing areas is important, as is the marketing of these attractions. Assistance will be provided to promote existing areas and to develop new opportunities.
Objective A: Development of recreational lakes in the area.
Strategy 1: Analyze existing lakes and surrounding parks for needed enhancements.
Strategy 2: Identify potential sites and groups interested in the creation of additional recreational lakes.
Strategy 3: Assist in development of three new recreational lakes in the area.
Objective B: Enhance the trail system in the area.
Strategy 1: Inventory existing trail systems.
Strategy 2: Identify locations and interested groups for additional trail systems creation.
Strategy 3: Help locate funding sources for trail development and enhancement.
Strategy 4: Promote recreational trail system within and outside the area.
Objective C: Promote tourism activities in the area.
Strategy 1: Identify and market existing recreational opportunities in the area. (camping, hunting, fishing, boating, canoeing, hiking/biking trails, horseback riding, snowmobiling)
Strategy 2: Inventory historic sites and tourism destinations in the area.
Strategy 3: Assist interested groups to develop and promote additional recreation/tourism activities.
Goal IV: Community Enhancement
A framework to coordinate human services and infrastructure development projects will benefit the growth and viability of local communities. Uniting these efforts will strengthen project planning and implementation. The RC&D will take the lead to develop this process.
Objective A: Develop and promote services which improve the quality of life for residents.
Strategy 1: Inventory need for health care facilities.
Strategy 2: Investigate need for child care services.
Strategy 3: Examine need for higher education outlets.
Strategy 4: Conduct review of transportation services available to area residents.
Strategy 5: Survey need for elderly housing/assisted living facilities in the area.
Strategy 6: Survey adequacy of fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to area residents.
Strategy 7: Work with concerned groups to develop needed local services.
Objective B: Identify and develop the infrastructure necessary to maintain and improve the quality of life for residents.
Strategy 1: Examine local transportation systems for needed enhancements.
Strategy 2: Identify updates needed in local communication systems.
Strategy 3: Survey need for rural water distribution system.
Strategy 4: Determine need for rural septic systems and waste treatment facilities.
Strategy 5: Coordinate efforts between local units of government in planning and implementing needed infrastructure improvements.
Goal V: Land Use Planning
Wise use of our natural resources is essential. Countywide land use planning provides a means for local citizens to develop strategies that will ultimately allow for growth and the protection of local natural resources. With cooperation in each county, steps will be taken to implement comprehensive land use planning.
Objective A: Develop countywide land use plans.
Strategy 1: Utilize GIS to inventory existing land usage.
Strategy 2: Assist county boards to designate growth areas in non-sensitive natural resource environments.
Strategy 3: Assist counties to adopt use and zoning regulations.
Objective B: Create additional wildlife and recreation areas.
Strategy 1: Conduct inventory of public lands in the six counties to identify areas available for native prairie or tree plantings.
Strategy 2: Assist interested groups to secure funding to promote wildlife habitat creation on public and private lands.
Goal VI: Outreach
The Missouri & Mississippi Divide Resource Conservation & Development area has a population of approximately 78,000 and is predominately White. There has been considerable growth in the Hispanic population in Denison, IA (Crawford County). A slight growth of Hispanics and other ethnic groups has occurred in Jefferson, IA (Greene County) and Carroll, IA (Carroll County). As such, the M&M Divide RC&D will promote diversity and carry out outreach activities that support and reflect the general population (ethnicity and gender) as it relates to council membership, project activity, and services provided by the M&M Divide RC&D. M&M Divide RC&D will ensure that all services are provided in a fair and equitable manner. At least annually, the RC&D Council will address the make up of the board and take appropriate action.
Objective A: Ensure that programs and services are delivered in compliance with USDA’s policies which include treating all customers and prospective customers fairly and equitably regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status political beliefs, parental status, or protected genetic information.
Strategy 1: At least annually, review the NRCS Equal Opportunity/Civil Rights Memorandum of Understanding with the RC&D Council.
Strategy 2: Review and update demographic data for each county in the M&M Divide RC&D area to identify diversity needs, present relevant information to the RC&D Council for discussion, and take any appropriate action that will help meet outreach goals.
Strategy 3: Update the list of regional publications and media outlets, including those that have a primary focus on women, minorities and other underserved communities.
Strategy 4: Promote the M&M Divide RC&D [programs & services] at various forums such as schools, fairs, organizational conferences, and any other event that will help enhance the mission and function of the RC&D.
Strategy 5: Annual review of outreach activities, identifying successes and barriers, in order to monitor program effectiveness.
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