FARMINGTON — 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.

It wishes to encourage farmers, woodland owners, resource professionals and members of the general public to take advantage of this opportunity to make their voices heard by completing the survey posted online at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/JQ5GPL5. They may also stop by the Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District’s Office at 107 Park St. to pick up a printed copy of the survey.

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.

This year’s survey will be distributed by all 16 conservation districts and will address statewide conservation concerns as well as give citizens the chance to drill down to local issues and priorities.

Citizens may make their voices heard by participating in the assessment, whether by completing a survey or attending a local meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, at UMF’s North Dining Hall B. Preliminary survey results will be available at this time.

Anyone who completes a survey or attends the meeting will go into a drawing for a prize.

FMI: [email protected], 207-778-4279, maineconservationdistricts.com.