LEWISTON — The Maine Soil & Water Conservation Districts, in cooperation with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, is conducting a Natural Resources Assessment across the state and needs the help of Maine’s citizens.

The goal is to determine natural resource priorities so that districts and NRCS can assist landowners, professionals and municipalities with best management practices that protect and improve land and water resources.

To gather this information, districts are distributing a statewide survey and holding local meetings to document natural resource conservation concerns and to build on the data collected in the first assessment, completed in 2011. The priorities articulated in the survey and meetings will inform state and local natural resource programs and funding opportunities in the coming five-year cycle.

The Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District encourages farmers, woodland owners, resource professionals and members of the public residing in Androscoggin or Sagadahoc counties to take part. To encourage participation, AVSWCD will enter  everyone who completes a survey or attends the meeting  from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, March 17, into a drawing for three cash prizes.

The survey may be accessed online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/JQ5GPL5, by contacting the local conservation district for a paper copy at maineconservationdistricts.com/district-locations, or by calling 207-753-9400 ext 400. Deadline is Thursday, March 31.

Preliminary survey results will be available at the county level meeting March 17.

FMI: maineconservationdistricts.com.