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“The land ethic simply
enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and
animals, or collectively: the land,”
from A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold,
(1887-1948), American author and conservationist.
In This Issue
- Accolades
Lawrence E. Clark Honored
Salt Marsh Restoration Project Wins National Award
-
Focus on the Field
Alabama: Progressive Farmer Idea House
Texas: Farm Show Draws Large Crowds
-
Word From Washington
Smithsonian Soils Exhibit Project Unveiled
Secretary Announces New Confined Animal Feeding Operation Rule
Tech Tip
Atmospheric Resource
Sites to See
Find out what conservation
events and activities are occurring this month and in the upcoming months with
the Events and Activities page on our NRCS website
-
Visit the
National Agricultural Library’s new super resource center, DIGITOP
USDA’s Farm Bill 2002 Website
NRCS
Legislative Summaries
AGRICOLA: USDA's AGRICultural OnLine
Access
National Association of Conservation
Districts e-Notes
-
Accolades
Lawrence E. Clark Honored
NRCS Deputy Chief for Science and Technology Lawrence E. Clark was recently
inducted into the George Washington Carver Hall of Fame at the 60th Annual
Professional Agricultural Workers Conference held at Tuskegee University in
Tuskegee, Alabama. Presenting the Hall of Fame Award to Clark was Leslie
Porter, Vice President for Business Affairs, Tuskegee University. The George
Washington Carver Public Service Hall of Fame Award is given to individuals
working in partnership with the 1890 land-grant institutions. Clark was honored
for his distinguished leadership and creative vision in bringing practical help
to small farmers worldwide, and particularly to the 1890 land-grant community,
in capacity building, research support, and student work opportunities.
Highlights of some of his activities include working with North Carolina A&T
State University, where he increased enrollment and technical expertise in
agricultural and bio-systems engineering. Through his leadership, NRCS funded a
research study at Alcorn State University to collect extensive plant growth and
residue data. For Alabama A&M, he provided NRCS staff expertise to install a
new Soil Climate Analysis Network, which can leverage further funds for soil
monitoring to aid Alabama farmers in planting, irrigation, and pest management.
Working with the Small Farms Commission, he built small
farmers’ needs into all facets of NRCS technology development. In this role, he
developed the first-ever alternative enterprise tool kit, self-paced tutorial on
soil and water conservation, and technical report on affordable precision
farming.
With collaborators in South Africa, Ghana, The Gambia,
Guam, and American Samoa, Clark has contributed to real-time climate monitoring
systems, resource assessments, web-based weather and climate reporting, and
other projects to improve small farmers’ productivity.
Your contact is Fred Jacobs, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 202-720-6794, or
fred.jacobs@usda.gov.
Salt Marsh Restoration Project Wins
National Award
The 2002 Coastal America Partnership Award was recently presented to NRCS
and others for their efforts in restoring 170 acres of prime salt marsh at
Little River in North Hampton at the recent kick-off event for the Corporate
Wetlands Restoration Partnership in New Hampshire. NRCS was recognized for its
key role in the hydrologic assessment, engineering design, ecological
assessment, and project funding through the Wetlands Reserve Program. Accepting
awards for NRCS were Dr. Alan Ammann, Sue Hoey, Gerry Lang, and Jeff Tenley who
were recognized for their team effort on this project. For more on the Little
River Salt Marsh Restoration Project and other salt marsh projects on the New
Hampshire seacoast, visit
http://www.nh.nrcs.usda.gov/Ecosystem_Restoration/Salt_Marsh_Restoration_in_NH/salt_marsh_sample_projects.htm.
Your contact is Laura Morton, NRCS public affairs specialist at 603-868-9931
ext. 104, or lmorton@nh.nrcs.usda.gov.
Focus on the Field
Progressive Farmer Idea House
NRCS will be providing conservation technical assistance for a joint “Idea
House” building project sponsored by Progressive Farmer and Southern Progress
Corporation in Blount County, Alabama. NRCS will provide assistance in
installing various conservation practices on the land adjacent to the house.
The project will serve to demonstrate how environmentally friendly dwellings and
yards can be constructed on land that had previously been use for farming and
ranching. With the migration of conservation-minded urban dwellers to rural
areas over the past decade, the Idea House will serve as a demonstration model
for these rural new-comers. Plans call for two out buildings – a stable and a
shop – and a fenced pasture with optional orchards or ponds. This project will
provide an opportunity for NRCS to familiarize landowners with its programs and
services. The house is scheduled to be open to the public from September –
November 2003.
Your contact is Julie Best, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 334-887-4549 or
julie.best@al.usda.gov.
Farm Show Draws Large Crowds
Over 35,000 ranchers, farmers, and urban residents who attended the 2002
Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show enjoyed the opportunity to view the more than 800
exhibits, including a joint NRCS-Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
booth featuring the agency’s global positioning system technology and Customer
Service Toolkit. NRCS also had on hand its Environmental Systems Research
Institute ArcView Geographic Information System used to prepare conservation
plans and a computer equipped with digital ortho-imagery covering the high
plains and southern high plains regions of West Texas on which landowners could
view their farms and ranches on screen as well as receive assistance from NRCS
conservationists.
Your contact is Quenna Terry, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 806-791-0581 or
quenna.terry@tx.usda.gov.
Word from Washington
Smithsonian Soils Exhibit Project
Unveiled
The NRCS Soil Survey Division has provided its Soil Survey Centennial State
soil monoliths and technical expertise in the planning and design of the
Smithsonian Soils Exhibit Project which was unveiled at the recent Soil Science
Society of America (SSSA) meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jim Ware, NRCS soil
scientist has been working with Dr. Carolyn Margolis, Chief of Exhibit Design
and Development, and Barbara Stauffer, Project Coordinator, with the Smithsonian
Institution National Museum of Natural History on the preliminary design concept
and floor plan recently presented a to a packed room of SSSA members and
guests. The Soils Exhibit will be part of the Museum’s Global Links Forces of
Change program and will feature the Soil Survey Centennial State soil monoliths
as the foundation for various soil and natural resource related themes. Dr.
Margolis indicated that the Soils Exhibit could be on display for 5 to 8 years
or more, depending upon visitor support and sponsorship for the project. She
indicated that 6 to 9 million people visit the Smithsonian annually.
The Smithsonian Soils Exhibit Project is sponsored by the SSSA Outreach
Committee, which has been involved with preliminary planning and brainstorming
with the Smithsonian since mid-summer. Plans are currently underway to develop
a brochure and website to help publicize the Soils Exhibit Project.
Your contacts are Jim Ware, NRCS soil scientist, at 202-720-1808, or
jim.ware@usda.gov, and Valerie Breunig,
Agronomic Science Foundation, Director of Development, at 608-273-8090, ext.
315, or vbreunig@agronomy.org.
Secretary Announces New Confined
Animal Feeding Operation Rule
Secretary Ann Veneman recently joined U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) Administrator Christie Todd Whitman to announce the final EPA rule
designed to control water pollution from the Nation’s largest concentrated
livestock operations. The new rule for concentrated animal feeding operations
will better protect the Nation’s water quality while enhancing the viability of
American farming. The full text of the press release can be read at
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2002/12/4045.doc.
Your contact is Fred Jacobs, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 202-720-6794, or
fred.jacobs@usda.gov.
Tech Tip
Atmospheric Resource
Due to the President’s Global Change and Clear Skies Initiatives, language
in the 2002 Farm Bill, and the current regulatory environment, NRCS has
increased its involvement in activities which affect the quality of our
atmosphere. A review of practice standards currently under way to add language
to address atmospheric resource issues will help us bring technical assistance
to producers who wish to voluntarily reduce emissions from agricultural
operations. Release of two new practice standards for internal review,
Atmospheric Resource Management and Biomass Production, will allow NRCS to give
technical assistance for innovative technologies aimed at reducing agricultural
emissions and for harvesting biomass to be used for creation of renewable energy
or other bio-products. All are encouraged to participate in the internal review
of the practice standards being revised.
Your contact is Dr. Beth Sauerhaft, NRCS National Ecological Climatologist, at
202-720-8578 or beth.sauerhaft@usda.gov.
Please send correspondence and material for "NRCS This Week" to the editor by: e-mail to:
fred.jacobs@usda.gov or by fax to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-720-1564; or by mail to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013.
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