First International Conference on Geospatial Information in Agriculture and Forestry - This week, approximately 600 professionals from various countries gathered in Orlando, FL at the International Conference on Geospatial Information in Agriculture and Forestry. Technical papers were presented on the use and value of geospatial information in forest resource management, soil and water management, natural resource and habitat management, crop modeling, natural disaster recovery, crop production, and pest and disease control. NRCS was one of the primary sponsors providing speakers, staffing exhibits, and coordinating a field site workshop demonstrating resource conservation planning using state-of-the-art GIS and global positioning system equipment and mobile laptop computers.

Farm Bill Update: Conservation Farm Option (CFO) Comment Period Closes - The comment period on the CFO Proposed Rule closed on June 1. Although NRCS is still receiving comments, the Conservation Operations Division anticipates that all comments will be analyzed by the end of next week.

Administrative Convergence Web Site - To help getting administrative convergence information to employees, the Information Technology Center (ITC) in Fort Collins, CO, has established an Administrative Convergence web site at: http://www.info.usda.gov/ac/. In addition to general information about administrative convergence, the web site will include weekly updates, structural chart, team roles, functional teams, labor relations charter, and state leadership directories. For questions and comments, web pages will contain an e-mail link to June Davidek, communications coordinator for the administrative convergence effort. This information will be used to develop a "Frequently Asked Questions" section for the web page. If you have questions and comments about the web site itself, contact Paul Aydelott at 970-282-1445; or e-mail: paydelott@itc.nrcs.usda.gov.

Combined Administrative Management System (CAMS) - The CAMS development sub-team has scheduled "dry-run" training, June 9-11, for the common computing environment (CCE) and agency help desk staffs. The training is in preparation for equipment installation at the pilot sites. The Gainesville FL, pilot site has received CCE and Lan/Wan Voice equipment for the training session. Development of all PeopleSoft modules is nearing completion as the CAMS team prepares for a July 8 start of the Gainesville tests.

"Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance" Pocket Guide Distributed to States - States should now be receiving their copies of Program Aid no. 1619, "Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance," for distribution to field offices. States can order additional copies from the GSA Forms Center in Fort Worth, TX. A Spanish version of the publication is planned.

IN THE FIELD

Idaho NRCS Public Service Recognition Week - Last month Governor Philip Batt of Idaho signed a proclamation announcing May 4-10, to be Natural Resources Conservation Service Public Service Recognition Week. The proclamation recognized the effectiveness and efficiency of NRCS employees and Earth Team volunteers in Idaho for the public service they provide and the exemplary manner of their performance. The Governor cited NRCS for providing technical and financial assistance for Emergency Watershed Protection Program work to help citizens and communities recover from floods and other natural disasters occurring from February 1996 to June 1997. He also recognized the agency for providing soils information and engineering designs to help 400 dairy operators comply with water quality standards and develop and install new animal waste systems. Other conservation efforts led to the recovery of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse populations in the State.

Locally Led Conservation Training Held - The Midwest Region, in cooperation with the Social Sciences Institute and Michigan State University, sponsored a 3-day training program titled "Developing Your Skills to Implement Locally Led Conservation" in Indianapolis, IN, June 2-4. The training topics included: the Nature of Community, Community Issues Identification, Community Profiling, Addressing Community Issues, Power in Communities, Outreach to Underserved Audiences, Networks and Collaborations, Effective Community Facilitation, and Conflict Management. Attendee recommendations from training evaluations will be incorporated in the "Developing Your Skills to Implement Locally Led Conservation" training modules that will be available n November 1998. For more information, contact Barbara Wallace at 616-942-1503; fax: 616-942-0586; or e-mail: bwallace@po.nrcs.usda.gov.

MOSES Comes to Fort Collins, Colorado - ARS and NRCS cooperating scientists working on the Modular Soil Erosion Systems (MOSES) project met in Fort Collins, CO, May 18 – 21. They reviewed and made final recommendations for handling inputs related to climate, management, and plan site (i.e., topography and soils) that can be used by the four erosion prediction models - Water Erosion Prediction Project, Wind Erosion Prediction System, Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, and Revised Wind Erosion Equation - as well as for displaying output from these models. Information Technology Center personnel gave presentations on the future of USDA Service Center automation including Common Computing Environment, Customer Service Toolkit, and Natural Resource Data Gateway. Since MOSES is designed as a multi-platform graphic user interface, there was agreement that it can be integrated with the Service Center environment and meet the needs of NRCS resource planning.

Leader In You Series - On June 18, the NRCS Social Sciences Institute will present a satellite broadcast of "Resolving Conflicts With Ease." The presentation will feature techniques for problem resolution and dealing with difficult co-workers. It is available to all NRCS, district, and State employees and Earth Team volunteers at no cost to the downlink sites. Local offices can find out more details about downlinks by contacting their local NRCS training coordinator or Barbara Wallace at 616-942-1503 or e-mail: bwallace@po.nrcs.usda.gov.

CONSTITUENCY AND PARTNERSHIP NEWS

New Jersey Tree Planting - During April and May, a New Jersey dairy farmer in Hunterdon Country planted 2,800 trees on his property along a tributary of the Musconetong River. The tree planting was a combined water quality improvement effort by the farmer, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), NRCS, the local soil conservation district, and AmeriCorps members. The goal of the project is to filter nutrients, such as manure and fertilizer, from surface water before it enters the stream, thus preventing agricultural non-point source pollution. Mature trees also provide shade to the stream, thus cooling the water and improving the habitat for the stream's aquatic species. USDA provided cost-share assistance and annual rental payments though the Conservation Reserve Program. FWS is providing assistance though it Partners for Wildlife Program to fence livestock out of the stream.

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

Wetlands Legislation - On June 4th, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marked-up H.R. 1290, legislation that would establish a national wetlands mitigation banking program.

Budget Resolution - The House of Representatives considered the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 1999. The Resolution seeks to reduce government-wide spending by about $100 billion over five years. Most cuts contained in the measure are effective after FY 2002. The resolution was passed by the House Budget Committee on May 20.

Appropriations Bills - Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have begun staff work on Fiscal Year 1999 spending bills. Staff have indicated that markups on agriculture appropriations could begin this week, with action more likely during the second week in June.

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UPCOMING

June 14-16 - National Association of Conservation Districts, Northern Plains Regional Meeting, Badlands Motel, Medora, ND. For more information, contact Robert Raschke at 303-988-1810; fax: 303-988-1896.

June 21-23 - National Association of Conservation Districts, Water Resources Committee Meeting, Statehouse Inn, Boise, ID. For more information, contact Bill Horvath at 715-341-1022; fax: 715-341-1023.

June 28-July 2 - The President's Interagency Council on Women will host the "Second International Conference on Women in Agriculture" in Washington, DC. The conference is chaired by USDA Under Secretary Jill Long Thompson and will focus on the business of agriculture, the agricultural economy, and the agricultural community. SF-182 training forms are being accepted for the $250 conference registration fee. For more information, contact Robin Bailey at 301-585-1030 or visit the conference web site at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/icwa/.

July 3 - 50th Anniversary Ceremony, Cordell, OK. The ceremony will mark the 50th anniversary of the construction of Cloud Creek Site 1, the first small watershed dam built in the United States.

July 5-9 - Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) Annual Conference, "Balancing Resource Issues," San Diego, CA. For more information, contact Pat Mulligan at 515-289-2331, extension 17, or visit the SWCS website at: http://www.swcs.org/AnnConf98/ACWelcome.htm.

July 12-14 - National Association of Conservation Districts, North Central Regional Meeting, Holiday Inn, Worthington, OH. For more information, contact Brad Ross, 614-265-6614; fax: 614-262-2064.

July 19-21 - National Association of Conservation Districts, Southeastern Region Meeting, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, San Juan, PR. For more information, contact Robert Rascheke at 303-988-1810; fax: 303-988-1896.

July 19-22 - The Iowa State University College of Agriculture and University Extension will host a conference on "Animal Production Systems and the Environment: An International Conference on Odor, Water Quality, Nutrient Management, and Socioeconomic Issues" to be held at the Convention Center in Des Moines, IA. For more information, contact Deb Schmidt, 515-294-5961; e-mail: x1schmid@exnet.iastate.edu.

July 27-August 1 - 11th National Envirothon, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI. For more information, contact Brenda Weiser at 800-825-5547, ext. 27 or e-mail: envirothon@nacdnet.org.

August 9-14 - Ninth North American Forest Soils Conference, "Forest Soils and Ecosystem Sustainability." Granlibakken Conference Center, Tahoe City, CA. Information and registration form available at http://weber.u.washington.edu/~robh/S-7/NAFSC, or e-mail: jdjoslin@tva.gov; or fax: 423-632-1493.

October 11-14 - The Association of Dam Safety Officials will host "Dam Safety '98," Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, NV. For more information, call 606-257-5140; fax: 606-323-1958; or e-mail: damsafety@aol.com.

November 10-13 - ETC/Environmental Technology China will present "The 4th International Exhibition on Environmental Protection, Pollution Control and Green Production Technology," China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing, P.R., China. For more information, contact Rebecca Fung at 852-25163346; fax: 852-25165024; or e-mail: aes@adsaleexh.com.

QUOTE

"If I were to name the three most precious resources of life, I should say books, friends, and nature; and the greatest of these, at least the most constant and always at hand, is nature. Nature we have always with us, an inexhaustible storehouse of that which moves the heart, appeals to the mind, and fires the imagination - health to the body, a stimulus to the intellect, and joy to the soul."

- John Burroughs (1837-1921), American writer and naturalist

NRCS This Week is issued weekly by the Conservation Communications Staff, 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.jacobs2@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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