April 24, 2008

Vol. 38, No. 181

For further information, contact Michelle Jacobs, Community Relations
Officer, 302-739-9921, or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Remember 'Water is Life,' and Be a Good Steward of Our Natural Resources

The Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD) encourages you
to consider ways in which you can be a good steward of our natural
resources, including water, during its annual 2008 Soil and Water
Stewardship Week celebration, which is set for April 27 to May 4 with
this year's theme, "Water is Life."

To begin the celebration, the DACD held a proclamation signing
officially recognizing Soil and Water Stewardship Week on April 22 at
the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village in Dover. During the
ceremony, Governor Ruth Ann Minner also presented the annual
Agricultural and Urban Governor's Conservation Awards to winners from
each county.

The Earth's water is in constant motion in the process known as the
hydrologic (water) cycle, which has no beginning or end. Water available
to users can change due to the cycles of weather and changes in water
quality. Throughout time, the same water has been transferred into the
Earth's atmosphere and dropped on land again where it follows the water
cycle through plants, soil, water bodies, animals and clouds. That means
the water we use today is the same water that was here when dinosaurs
roamed the land.

What can we do to protect this vital natural resource? We can begin by
becoming aware of water quality and quantity in our communities, and
understanding how watersheds work. We all live in a watershed.
Watersheds are the places we call home, where we work and where we play.
Everyone relies on water and other natural resources to exist. What each
of us does on the land impacts the quality and quantity of water and our
other natural resources. Managing the water and other natural resources
is an effective and efficient way to sustain the local economy and
environmental health.

The New Castle, Kent and Sussex conservation districts were formed to
assist the citizens of each county community. For more information
about Soil and Water Stewardship Week and conservation, please contact:

* New Castle Conservation District, 2430 Old County Road, Newark,
302-832-3100
* Kent Conservation District, 800 Bay Road, Suite 2, Dover,
302-741-2600
* Sussex Conservation District, 21315 Berlin Road, Unit 4,
Georgetown, 302-856-3990

The DACD is a member of the National Association of Conservation
Districts (NACD) which oversees and promotes the Soil and Water
Stewardship Week program, one of the largest annual national programs to
promote conservation. NACD represents the nation's 3,000 conservation
districts, which were established to encourage resource conservation
across the country.

"Each of us needs to take steps to invest in understanding the
importance of water in our everyday life," said NACD CEO Krysta Harden.
"Water is not a renewable resource. Education in your community and
schools will benefit all citizens for years to come as they gain a
better appreciation of the importance of water resources. Conservation
districts are working with local communities to address water quantity
and quality issues in every county in America."

To learn more about NACD and Soil and Water Stewardship Week, please
visit www.nacdnet.org or
www.nacdnet.org/stewardship/2008.