NRCS Landmark Publication -- During the first week of February, NRCS will publish "America's Private Land, A Geography of Hope," which sets forth a conservation vision for the 21st century. All employees will receive a copy of this important booklet. It will also be mailed to thousands of our partners, public policy makers, and media contacts.

"A Geography of Hope" is a call to renew America's public commitment to conservation on private land. After all, 70 percent of the land in the contiguous U.S. is privately owned, more than half of it in agricultural use.

Chief Johnson is using the booklet to promote the idea that what happens on private land is critical to the environmental and economic well-being of all of us, and encourages you to do likewise.

One message of "A Geography of Hope" is that conservation is a primary mission of the Department of Agriculture, and NRCS is the leader in carrying out that mission. The Chief says, "NRCS employees are conservationists, first and foremost. It is we who must speak for the land."

Be on the lookout for "America's Private Land, A Geography of Hope!"

Civil Rights Listening Sessions Report Due Soon -- Twelve listening sessions were held around the country in January to provide socially disadvantaged and minority farmers and USDA employees an opportunity to voice their civil rights concerns. Pearlie Reed, NRCS Associate Chief, chairs the Civil Rights Action Team. These sessions will help the Civil Rights Action Team obtain information about civil rights problems facing the Department in program delivery and employment. The team, made up of representatives of each USDA mission area, established a goal of delivering a report, recommendations, and plan of action to the Secretary by mid-February.

Partnership Update Video Conference -- On February 13, from 2:30-3:30 p.m. EST, NRCS will host a national "Partnership Update" satellite conference. Chief Paul Johnson; Gerald Vap, NACD President; and Steve Meyer, NASCA's Incoming President will present short updates on important conservation issues. A significant portion of the time will be devoted to the new National Conservation Buffer Initiative.

This is an opportunity for every NRCS office to invite conservation district and State agency partners to come together to view the broadcast. Satellite coordinates will be faxed to State and regional offices.

Excerpts from Remarks by Secretary Glickman at the National Press Club -- The following are excerpts from the Secretary's recent remarks at the National Press Club.

"On my watch as Secretary of Agriculture, I will use the full extent of the law to make sure no child goes hungry. On my watch as Secretary of Agriculture, I will do whatever is necessary to ensure equal economic opportunity in small-town America. On my watch as Secretary of Agriculture, I will use whatever means are necessary to protect our land and water."

NATURAL RESOURCES: "We can plan all sorts of beneficial programs for rural development, but none of them will matter if we don't protect our natural resources. When Henry Wallace was Secretary of Agriculture, dust storms blew 300 million tons of topsoil from Kansas, Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma into the Atlantic Ocean, and President Roosevelt established the Soil Conservation Service, recognizing that, as he said, 'the nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.' USDA is the single largest conservation organization in the world. More than half the Department's employees work for the Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. And the passage of the 1996 farm bill marked the transformation of USDA from an agency based on commodity programs to one based on conservation programs.

One of my top priorities for the second term of this Administration is implementing the farm bill's conservation programs, working together with farmers, ranchers, and private landowners across the country to protect our soil, and improve the quality of our air and water.

I want to emphasize that word together. We accomplish infinitely more for the environment, for farmers, and for future generations by working together. So you'll see a continuing shift toward greater cooperation and private-public partnerships -- in everything we do."

CIVIL RIGHTS: "I spent 3 days last week at listening sessions in rural areas and small towns throughout the country hearing complaints about discrimination and lack of service to minorities in USDA farm loan programs. These are the same criticisms that have been made repeatedly over the past 60 years. We've got a problem, and we're working very hard to fix it.

When Abraham Lincoln founded USDA, he called it "the people's department." In the next few years, we hope you'll call us that again."

IN THE FIELD

Flood Update -- Over 130 counties in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington have suffered significant flood damages. Here's a breakdown of the situation by State:

• California -- Heavy rains have driven central and northern California streams to record flows resulting in massive flooding. The President has declared 46 counties as Federal disaster areas. NRCS has responded to the flooding with over 120 employees assessing damages. At least six major levee failures have done extensive damage to homes, transportation systems, and agricultural land. NRCS has assisted in meetings with landowners, providing information on repair of the levees. Eight projects have been completed and two are in progress.
• Idaho -- Nineteen counties in northern and western Idaho have been declared Federal disaster areas by President Clinton. NRCS in Idaho has mobilized 60 people in response to the flooding and is working on damage assessment and response efforts.
• Nevada -- Nine counties have been declared disaster areas by the President (two of the counties are located in eastern California but are serviced by NRCS in Nevada). Disaster counties in Nevada are located in the west-central part of the State. Nevada has mobilized over 30 percent of its total work force for emergency activities. NRCS has identified 37 potential EWP projects at this time.
• Oregon -- Seven counties have been declared Federal disaster areas, with flood damage to levees, irrigation infrastructures, and roads occurring in Coos, Douglas, Lane, Klamath, Josephine, Jackson, and Lake Counties. NRCS in Oregon has assigned 35 employees to assist in the emergency. Fifty NRCS employees are working full-time on emergency, flood related activities. The State Conservationist has received eight requests for technical and financial assistance. There are approximately 200 estimated potential EWP projects at this time.
• Washington -- Three counties have been declared Federal disaster areas as a result of damage caused from flooding, landslides, and serious erosion. NRCS has formed two emergency teams in Olympia and Spokane, totaling 45 employees, to prepare eligible projects for construction. To date, 17 potential EWP projects have been identified.

Virginia Town Reaps Benefits From Watershed Project During Hurricane Fran -- The Town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia, is grateful to NRCS and the county for cooperative efforts which spared the town destruction from runoff caused by Hurricane Fran. Thanks to nine flood control dams on Buffalo Creek and six on the Bush River, flooding in Farmville was prevented. The 15 dams have a combined capability of storing over 93 trillion gallons of water -- 40-50 trillion gallons of which could have flowed into Farmville as a result of the recent flooding.

In addition to flood control benefits, these structures also provide 1,800 acres of open water for recreation, wildlife, and public water supply.

The Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District and Prince Edward County began planning with NRCS when local leaders realized the need for flood control measures and an adequate water supply for the county. Approximately 80 percent of the funding for creating the watershed lakes came from the USDA Small Watersheds Program with the balance from State and local sources. This is a successful project that is driven from the local level, with input from individual landowners, conservation districts, and county/city government.

CONSTITUENCY AND PARTNERSHIP NEWS

New "Linking Girls To The Land" Program Developed -- The "Partners for Resource Education" (NRCS, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Forest Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service) have united with the Girl Scouts USA to develop a program encouraging girls to become involved in natural resource conservation issues and careers. The program, Linking Girls To The Land, is designed to complement each agency's existing partnership with the Girl Scouts and provide a means for adults in Girl Scouting to learn how to implement those partnerships at the local level. Girl Scout leaders will learn how to work with local representatives of the Federal agencies on conservation programs, such as badge work, service projects, Silver and Gold Award projects, and others.

NRCS Connecticut: River Conservationist of the Year -- NRCS in Connecticut was recently recognized by the Rivers Alliance of Connecticut as its 1996 River Conservationist of the Year. A plaque was presented to NRCS for "innovative, collaborative, and visionary efforts in planning and starting the Norwalk River Watershed Initiative, a model project that unites Federal, State, and local government with non-profit organizations, businesses, and citizens to address river conservation and water quality on a watershed basis."

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Legislative Shop On the Web -- For those with Internet access, the NRCS Legislative Affairs Staff puts legislative summaries on the Worldwide Web. The Homepage URL is: http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/LA/LAhome.html. In addition to featuring the current update of legislative activity, the website contains an archive of legislative summaries beginning with the 105th Congress and useful links to government and public policy sites on the Internet.

UPCOMING EVENTS

February 1-28 -- The theme for this February's Black History Month is "African Americans and Civil Rights: A Reappraisal."

February 16-21 -- 50th Anniversary National Meeting of the Society for Range Management (SRM), Rapid City, SD. For more information contact SRM Annual Meeting, P.O. Box 575, Huron, SD 57350-2675. Contact: Dave Schmidt, 605-352-1236 or FAX: 605-352-1270.

February 19-22 -- Land Improvement Contractors of America Convention, Holiday Inn City Center, Tucson, AZ. Contact: Ken Williams, 605-892-3116, or Wayne F. Maresch, 301-248-5749.

February 24-25 -- Agricultural Outlook Forum '97, Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C. Call: 202-720-3050 or 202-401-9421.

February 25-28 --International Erosion Control Association's 28th Annual Conference and Trade Exposition, Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, TN. Contact: IECA at 1-800-455-4322 or 970-879-3010 or FAX at 970-879-8563 or e-mail: ecinfo@ieca.org.

February 26-March 1 -- American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association "Commodity Classic," Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, FL. Contact: Kristi Burmeister, 417-232-4999.

March 6-7 -- "Enhancing Montana's Natural Resources: A Coordinated Effort." Sponsored by the SWCS Montana Chapter. Contact: Valerie Oksendahl, 406-538-7401.

March 12-14 -- Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference; Cover Crops, Soil Quality, and Ecosystems, Sacramento, CA. Contact: Nancy Herselius, 800-843-7645, ext. 18 or e-mail: nancyh@swcs.org. Conference information can also be found at: http://www.swcs.org.

March 22 -- 4th Annual "Providing Education Through Agriculture for Students" (PEAS), Memorial School, Natick, MA. Contact: Stacia Caplanson, 413-245-7402 or Stacy Miller, 617-259-9506, ext. 7700.

March 24-27 -- NRCS National Economics and Related Social Sciences Meeting, Nashville, TN. Contact: Jerry Hammond, 202-720-2357.

April 3-6 -- 45th Annual Meeting, National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, LA. Information about NRCS participation may be obtained from Tom Levermann, NRCS Office of Public Affairs, 202-720-7570. Information about the convention is available from the NSTA Convention Office at 703-243-7100 or FAX: 703-243-7177.

April 4-5 -- Timber Utilization Conference & Equipment Expo, Wagoner, OK, sponsored by Ouachita Mountains RC&D. Call: 918-423-0785 or FAX: 918-423-0793. Conference information can also be found at: http://www.icok.net/~omrcandd/timber_conf.html.

April 27-May 2 -- 21st Annual Conference of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, Little Rock, AR. Contact: Rod Emmer, 608-274-0123.

May 7-9 -- An American Wetlands Month Celebration -- "Communities Working for Wetlands," Radisson Plaza Hotel, Alexandria, VA. Call: 800/726-4853 or FAX: 703-548-6299 or e-mail: terrene@gnn.com.

May 8-10 -- Public Service Recognition Week, National Mall Event, Washington, D.C.

May 14-16 -- Senior Action for Healthy Neighborhoods is the theme for the Environmental Alliance of Senior Involvement annual meeting, Ramada Plaza Hotel, Alexandria, VA. Information about the conference is available from Harlow Knight Associates, 703-241-0019 or FAX: 703-538-5504.

May 25-28 -- 8th Global Warming International Conference & Expo, New York, NY. Conference Hotline: 630-910-1561.

June 15-18 -- National Association of RC&D Councils Conference, St. Paul, MN. Call: 202-547-6402 or write to: National Association of RC&D Councils, 509 Capital Court, NE, Ste. 100, Washington, D.C. 2002.

July 23-26 -- The 52nd Soil and Water Conservation Society Annual Conference; Interactions, Managing Ecosystems on a Watershed Basis; Toronto, Canada. Contact: Nancy Herselius, 800-843-7645, ext. 18 or e-mail: nancyh@swcs.org. Conference information can also be found at: http://www.swcs.org/AnnCon.htm.

July 27-30 -- The 84th American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada. Call: 515-233-3202. Conference information can also be found at: http://www.aaea.org/Meetings.html.

August 10-14 -- ASAE Annual International Meeting, "Tools for Transforming Tomorrow," Minneapolis, MN. Contact: American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 616-429-0300 or FAX: 616-429-3852 or e-mail: hq@asae.org.

September 7-9 -- National Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Huntington, WV. Contact Kelly Sponaugle, 304-255-9225 or FAX: 304--255-1250.

November 11-14 -- Environmental Technology China '97 (ETC '97), Third International Exhibition on Environmental Protection, Pollution Control and Green Production Technology, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China. Contact: Perry Tang, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., 4/F Stanhope House, 734 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong, 852-25163346 or FAX: 852-25165024.

QUOTE

"What happens on the land remains crucial to our economic and environmental well-being, even if we never set foot on a farm or ranch. Our connection to the land is there every time we buy a loaf of bread, or turn on the tap for a cool drink of water, or admire a flock of geese heading south in the fall."

-- excerpt from "A Geography of Hope"

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Office of Public Affairs, NRCS headquarters, Washington, D.C., and posted in the SCS:SCS shared folder on FTS2000Mail. Please send correspondence and material via FTS2000Mail to !A16SCSOPA and type "This Week" on the subject line or e-mail: fred.jacobs@usda.gov or mail to Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013 or fax to Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-690-1221.

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