NRCS This Week - 08/04/00

RCD Offers Hispanic Farmers New View of Conservation Planning - Now you see it; now you see it better. California's Monterey County Resource Conservation District, with the aid of a NRCS soil conservationist and agency interns, is using photo manipulation software to show Hispanic farmers in Salinas what conservation plans could look like if implemented on their property. "Starting with a digital image of the original area, we are able to add, change, or delete objects to create the desired product," says Tom Lockhart, Project Coordinator for Monterey County RCD. "Customers will see the final picture and know exactly what plans we are suggesting. This helps to reduce errors which saves time and money for us and them." Student interns perform the photo manipulation with guidance from Mike Gonzalez, soil conservationist at the Salinas Service Center. Your contact is Marsha Gery, Public Affairs Specialist, at (530) 792-5604 or marsha.gery@ca.usda.gov

How Does a Community Garden Grow? Ask NRCS Florida! - When residents of a senior citizen apartment complex in Gainesville wanted their own vegetable garden, NRCS State Outreach Coordinator Ann Bowens and Neighborhood Nutrition Network Program Director Ellen Huntley really got things growing. Thanks to them, what began as an idea in fall 1999 sprouted into a flourishing partnership by spring of this year. The City of Gainesville donated timbers to build the raised bed that accommodates wheelchair-bound gardeners and provided topsoil, mulch, and water. NRCS supplied seeds, plants, and onsite assistance. Ann and NRCS State Soil Scientist Warren Henderson helped residents plant a garden variety of veggies. Today, the garden gives its tenders more than a healthy harvest of good food; it also offers them a pleasant place to visit and a sunny spot to get fresh air and exercise. Your contact is Dorothy Staley, State Public Affairs Specialist, on (352) 338-9565 and at dorothy.staley@fl.usda.gov

Erosion, Vehicle Study Creates New Partnerships on Kodiak Island - A study underway to determine how all-terrain and off-road vehicles affect soil erosion on Alaska's Kodiak Island has created new partnerships among diverse private groups and government agencies. The Audubon Society, Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District, Kodiak Island Borough, local fish and game advisory boards, and four-wheeler club and snow machine clubs support the evaluation effort and plan to work together to implement the report's recommendations. An initial evaluation of six trail systems and an interim report outlining findings and recommendations on how to minimize impacts of heavy trail use have been completed. Vehicle-related damage to soil, vegetation, and water quality of anadromous salmon streams is occurring. Kodiak Island (see NRCS maps at http://www.ak.nrcs.usda.gov/) is home for one of North America's largest commercial fishing fleets. Your contact is Mark Kinney, NRCS Homer Field Office District Conservationist, on (907) 235-8177, and at mkinney@ak.nrcs.usda.gov

NRCS, Districts Show "Horse Sense" for Animals, Environment - More than 100 horse lovers hoofed it to Rhinestone Stables in Wright City, Missouri, for a horse health seminar held by Montgomery and Warren County Soil and Water Conservation Districts and NRCS. A trio of experts on horse physiology and nutrition gave the crowd vital information about what it takes to have fit and healthy horses. A discussion by Dr. Frederick Harper, Horse Specialist for University of Tennessee Extension, featured manure management options, including composting and how to select manure storage sites that reduce run-off and minimize odor. Want to organize an event for horse owners in your area? Contact Sarah Brubaker, NRCS Soil Conservationist, Warren, Missouri, on (636) 456-3434, and at sarah.brubaker@mo.usda.gov

Co-op, RC&D Help Pork Producers in Nebraska - Low hog prices inspired Five Rivers Resource Conservation and Development in Tecumseh, Nebraska, to help kick off a co-op that offers producers opportunities to sell their hogs more easily and at a profit. The Nebraska Farmers Choice (NFC) co-op groups hogs from different family farms, which helps small producers compete with large meat processing companies that may want to buy hogs that have specific attributes. A small farm may have the kind of animal a processor wants but not enough for a full truckload, thus causing the small producer to receive less for their hogs. Through NFC, processors get the types of hogs they want while producers make a sale. "By grouping all our hogs together we are more likely to have, and keep, slaughter space at the processor," said farmer Russ Snethen of Humbolt. Your contact is Pat McGrane, State Public Affairs Specialist, on (402) 437-5328, and at pat.mcgrane@ne.usda.gov

Environmental Justice Survey Sheds Light on Awareness, Issues - A survey of nearly 750 respondents in 11 States in the southeast and south central regions dispels assumptions that minority and low-income populations are unaware of environmental issues. Data suggest that low-income populations tend to be unaware of NRCS services and more likely to rate the quality of service as lower than people in higher income populations. A report titled "Environmental Justice: Perceptions of Issues, Awareness, and Assistance," which is based on the survey, has been distributed to NRCS national, regional, and State offices. It will be posted on the agency's Web page. Your contact is Kim Berry, NRCS Social Sciences Institute, on (336) 334-7464 and at berryk@ncat.edu

Plant Materials Program Web Site Expanding, Seeks Comments - The NRCS Plant Materials Program is in the process of updating and expanding its Web site (http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov) More than 1,000 technical publications and written materials from Plant Materials Centers and specialists will be posted, along with updated PMC information and sources of conservation plants. Comments on how to improve delivery of technology are welcome. Your contact is John Englert, National Plant Materials Center, on (301) 504-8175 and at John.Englert@md.usda.gov

TECH TIP

National Wetland Indicator Status in PLANTS - The National Plant Data Center continues to maintain the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NWI, Wetland Indicator Status in the PLANTS database (http://plants.usda.gov) The integrated data are derived from the 1988 list, which is the legal list for wetland delineation and determination. PLANTS provides the NWI information, plus the plant's current name, and related information, such as images, distribution, and key links. The National Plant Data Center will continue to work with the USFWS to integrate their most current list, such as the 1996 list, when it is approved. Your contact is Scott Peterson, Director, Plant Data Center at (225) 775-6280 or speterson@trident.itc.nrcs.usda.gov

CONFERENCE & TRAINING CONNECTION

August 4, 2000

As a service to NRCS personnel and the agency's partners, "NRCS This Week" offers the following by-subject list of conferences and training sessions. To add an event, please send an e-mail message to fred.jacobs@usda.gov

Agroforestry/Forestry

Air Quality

Alternative Agriculture

Animal Residuals Management

Bioengineering
Carbon Sequestration

Dam Safety

Environmental Education

Grazing Land & Grassland

Land Use

Mining & the Environment

Partnerships

Resource Conservation & Development

Rivers

Water Quality

Watersheds

Wetlands

Agroforestry/Forestry

Fragmentation 2000-A Conference on Sustaining Private Forests in the 21st Century

September 17-20

Annapolis, Maryland

An examination of the forces that are fragmenting American working lands and forests. Contact: Lester DeCoster on (703) 860-2513, and at lesdecoster@worldnet.att.net To submit papers, contact: Terri Bates at 3325 Rose Lane, Falls Church, Virginia 22042. Her telephone number: (703) 538-1134, and at Bates-Stasny@erols.com To get updates, articles, and registration material (coming soon), click on http://www.sampsongroup.com/FragCon/frag_conf.htm

International Poplar Commission 2000 Conference

Sept. 24-30

Portland, Oregon

Will include scientists and practitioners from more than 32 countries. The theme: "Poplar and Willow Culture: Meeting the Needs of Society and the Environment." Papers will be presented in working group sessions, including Poplar and Willow Breeding, Diseases, Insects and Other Animal Pests, Production and Environmental Systems, and Logging and Utilization. The Web site is http://www.ncfes.umn.edu/IPC2000/

Forest Utilization Conference

May 1-3, 2001

Wagoner OK

The Ouachita Mountains Resource Conservation and Development, Inc. will sponsor its 6th annual Forest Utilization Conference and Equipment Exposition at the Western Hills Guest Resort in Sequoyah State Park on the shores of Lake Fort Gibson. For information, contact Gary Garman, Coordinator for Ouachita Mountains RC&D Council, at (918)-423-2479, fax 918-423-0793, email omrcandd@icok.net or visit the web site http://www.icok.net/~omrcandd