Natural Resources Conservation Service
NRCS is a technical agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture which offers voluntary aid to farmers, ranchers, and landowners through several financial and technical assistance programs.
A voluntary, conservation program where NRCS offers financial and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to plan and implement conservation practices on working land. These practices are designed to deliver environmental benefits such as improved water and air quality, increased soil health, reduced soil erosion/sedimentation, and improved wildlife habitat.
A voluntary, five-year program that provides agricultural and forest producers with financial and technical assistance to increase their baseline conservation level by maintaining current and adopting new conservation practices.
Tamara Buitenwerf is Montcalm County’s District Conservationist. Tamara previously held the corresponding position in Ionia County. Tamara has 23 years experience working for NRCS and is passionate about helping landowners improve their land conservation. Tamara attended California University at Fresno and studied Agriculture Education and Plant Science. In her free time, Tamara enjoys hunting and spending time with her family. Tamara is looking forward to working with the landowners of Montcalm County.
Ashley Mata is the Soil Conservation Technician for Montcalm County. Ashley is originally from San Antonio, TX and is new to working for NRCS, but is excited to make her start in Michigan. Ashley attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX and studied Forestry. She developed a passion for conservation and connecting people with the land during her studies. Ashley spent time in Southern California working on various conservation projects, including building and maintaining trails on public lands. Ashley enjoys bird watching and getting lost in a good story with her cat Pooka after a good day of work.