Walworth County Land Conservation Committee approves 2025 SWRM work plan and begins 5-year plan review

Walworth County Land Conservation Committee members approved the Soil and Water Resource Management (SWRM) grant program annual work plan for 2025 and discussed preparations for the county’s five-year review of its Land and Resource Management Plan during their March 17 meeting.

The approval was made by voice vote after a motion by Vice Chair Rick Stacey and a second by Supervisor Sheila Reeve; the committee recorded no opposed votes. The committee noted that a budget figure on page 13 of the work plan is from 2024 and will be updated before the plan is submitted with the county’s 2026 grant application.

Mandy, a conservation division staff member, said the annual work plan is a requirement of the Soil and Water Resource Management Grant Program and “summarizes those goals the conservation division is looking to work on this year in 2025.” She told the committee the work plan draws tasks from the county’s larger land and water resource management plan and highlighted several activities planned for 2025: work on the Targeted Runoff Management (TRM) three-year grant, collaboration with a county producer-led regenerative grazing group, a landscapers workshop, and assistance for landowners interested in the county’s newly formed agricultural enterprise area. “We’ve had a handful so far this year,” she said of landowners seeking to enroll.

Committee members asked whether federal funding changes were affecting any grants. Mandy replied that, to date, “no,” but said the TRM grant is federally funded through the Environmental Protection Agency and that the county also administers EQIP and CREP programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). She said funding for those programs has not been impacted but that NRCS staffing shortages have slowed responses in some cases.

Vice Chair Rick Stacey urged committee members to promote the landscapers workshop in their networks. “If you know a landscaper or a business associate… remind them that we’re putting that on,” he said, adding that the event typically draws good attendance and is useful outreach. Committee members and staff said communications staff member Jenny will post event details on the county website and social media, and members offered to share the prepackaged email to promote outreach.

The committee also reviewed the county’s schedule for the five-year review of the Land and Resource Management Plan. Mandy explained that the county is required to prepare an overall land and water resource management plan and that the state approves the 10-year plan and requires five-year reviews. The county’s five-year review is scheduled for Oct. 7, 2025. Required materials for that submittal include the approved 2025 work plan, the 2024 work plan with reported accomplishments, and answers to a state questionnaire included in the committee packet. Mandy said staff will return with those materials for committee review, likely in July and no later than September.

Committee members discussed whether to include recent local work on nonmetallic mining setbacks in the five-year review. One member noted there is a hearing on proposed changes to nonmetallic mining this Thursday and suggested the county might report any novel approaches developed by county staff as part of the review. Committee members said that, if included, the county would note that state review and approval are required.

The committee spent the meeting reviewing the work plan, clarifying submission items for the five-year review, and agreeing to update the budget number on page 13 before submission. The meeting adjourned after approval of the work plan and scheduling the next meeting for April 21, 2025, at 1 p.m.

Votes at a glance: the committee approved the meeting agenda, the minutes of the Feb. 17 meeting, the 2025 SWRM annual work plan (pending the updated employee-cost number on page 13), and adjournment by voice votes with no recorded opposition.