Indiana Earth Team Volunteers Help NRCS Accomplish its Mission

U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) leaders and employees honor Earth Team volunteers and celebrate their numerous contributions to protecting Indiana's natural resources during National Volunteer Week, April 21 - 27, 2024.

The Earth Team program is NRCS' volunteer workforce. It allows NRCS to stretch available resources by partnering volunteers with employees to provide a wide range of services to private landowners and the public. These activities can include conservation technical assistance, office support and generating awareness about conservation through community projects. This past fiscal year, 549 Indiana volunteers donated just under 4,000 hours of service to NRCS. Volunteers worked alongside agency staff to provide resources to farmers and forestland owners to aid them with conservation ­- a service value of more than $127,160*.

"Volunteers work closely with our staff and play an important role in our state's conservation work," said State Conservationist, Damarys Mortenson. "NRCS' mission to Help the People Help the Land is strengthened by the passion Earth Team volunteers bring to the important conservation work they do every day."

NRCS is excited to announce Marilyn Ellicott as this year's Indiana Earth Team Volunteer of the Year award recipient her strong commitment to assisting the Newton County Service Center in critical day-to-day tasks. Ellicott is a recently retired data analyst who has a strong passion for native pollinators, wildlife habitat and conservation. Because of this passion, she approached the SWCD about volunteer opportunities in January of 2022 and has been assisting the office ever since. She has helped at nearly every single education and outreach event led by the SWCD and NRCS office, volunteering her organization skills, data analysis expertise, public engagement, and anything else that the service center needs. In 2023, Marilyn volunteered a total of 130 hours to the conservation office - a service that is proving itself to be invaluable.

Earth Team was created in 1985 and offers many opportunities to individuals 14 and older who are interested in volunteering to improve the nation's natural resources. Our volunteers are invaluable as they expand NRCS' efforts to help protect and conserve the nation's natural resources. Learn more about the Earth Team Volunteer Program and how you can participate by contacting your local USDA service center: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center?state=18&county=