It’s the time of year when nearly every soil and water conservation district is in the midst of selling trees, native plants and fish to their community.
Every district’s sale runs a bit differently; some collaborate, some connect their order pickup with an educational event, some sell variety packs, etc. One thing that nearly all these tree, fish and plant sales have in common is that at some point those orders travel a fair distance from where they’re grown to where they’ll call home.
In a discussion we had in our office, some concerns were brought up regarding invasive species and diseases that might be present on or in the plants and fish, or more commonly, on the trucks that are delivering orders. It’s easy to dismiss the likelihood of potentially contributing to the spread of invasive species when the mission is to “put conservation on the ground.” We can only do so much, right?
I’d argue the opposite. In fact, I think that, in talking with community members, other SWCDs and even smaller fishery and nursery operators, we can do more each year. In the end, we all have goals that will improve the community; SWCDs want to make conservation accessible, producers want to operate as efficiently as possible and community members want simple and convenient options to make a difference on their land. So how do we do that?
First, communicate with as many people as possible. Find out what your community values and where they feel left behind. Maybe your SWCD serves more suburban and urban areas, and to some, it might be overwhelming to try to understand what tree and plant species best fit their property goals. This is always a great chance to schedule a site visit. In engaging with everyone who visits or calls your office, you might discover a new producer or supplier that’s local to your community.
Second, talk to your coworkers, board and any other group that helps facilitate the sale. Their input and enthusiasm will dictate how efficiently packing and pickup days go. Also, I can almost guarantee that they will have an idea that hasn’t crossed your mind.
Third, relay any information about your community and your goals for the tree, plant and fish sale to your suppliers. I’ve found that the more local the supplier and producer, the easier it is for them to collaborate with you to meet the community’s needs. Again, they probably have ideas of their own that could change the way you execute the sales next year.
In summary, by talking with and listening to everyone in your community, you’ll probably learn something, which has the potential to not only benefit SWCD outreach and sales, but also the environment and local economy.
