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“Let the public service be a proud and lively career. And let every man and
woman who works in any area of our National government, in any branch, at any
level, be able to say with pride and with honor in future years: ‘I served the
United States government in that hour of our Nation’s need.”
--John F. Kennedy
(1917-1963), 35th President of the United States.
NRCS NewsLinks
NRCS people, projects, and programs appeared this week in the
following newspapers:
NRCS Drought & Snowpack News
Colorado: It’s Fairly Dire (The Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction)
Nevada: Water Supply to Run Short (The Elko Daily Free Press)
Sites to See:
AGRICOLA: USDA's AGRICultural Online
Access
National Association of Conservation
Districts e-Notes
Special NRCS
Klamath Basin Reports
NRCS Legislative Summaries
(NOTE: Links are tested at the time NRCS This Week is cleared. However, by the
time readers try the link, the story may be off its server. In most cases,
readers can go to the paper's homepage, where they will be able to access the
story through the paper's archives).
National
Bruce Knight Begins First Week as NRCS Chief --
Bruce I. Knight, former vice president for public policy for the National
Corn Growers Association, became chief of NRCS on May 6, 2002. At an
all-employees meeting in Washington, D.C., Chief Knight emphasized how honored
he was to join NRCS, an agency with a proud history of providing assistance to
America's farmers and ranchers. He expressed confidence that during his tenure
as Chief, the agency would continue to build on that heritage. He outlined his
focus for NRCS during the coming months.
* First, maintaining our tradition of excellent service throughout the agency;
* Second, maintaining and building on the partnerships we have developed over
the years;
* Third, implementing the provisions of the 2002 Farm Bill
* Fourth, exploring the issues raised for discussion in the Department's recent
Food and Agricultural Policy document.
The Chief challenged NRCS employees to take advantage of the enormous
opportunities created by the Farm Bill for the agency to provide leadership in
helping people conserve, maintain, and improve the Nation’s natural resources
and environment on private lands. Chief Knight was confident that by working
together, NRCS could turn these opportunities into accomplishments. He looks
forward to meeting and talking with employees all over the country during the
coming months.
Knight previously served on the staff of Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole,
Kansas, focusing on development of the conservation title of the 1996 Farm Bill.
He also worked for the National Association of Wheat Growers and as a
legislative assistant to Rep. Fred Grandy, Iowa, and Sen. James Abdnor, South
Dakota. A native of Gann Valley, South Dakota, Knight has been a farmer and
rancher since 1976 for a 1,500-acre diversified grain and cattle operation,
using no-till and rest rotation grazing systems. Knight succeeds Pearlie S.
Reed, who has served as Chief since March 1, 1998.
Your contact is Mary Cressell, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 202-720-0547.
Focus on the Field
Conservation Reserve Program Improves Wildlife Habitat -- A 100-mile stretch of south-central Kentucky’s upper Green River is slated for a
major restoration and protection project. One of America’s most biologically
important water bodies, the Green flows through eight counties and contains a
trove of aquatic life with more than 150 species of fish and 71 species of
freshwater mussels. Numerous agencies and groups are partners in this
incentive-based Green River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) that
will compensate farmers for restoring and protecting 100,000 acres of hardwood
forests, native grasses, wetlands, sinkholes, and caves during the next 10 to 15
years. NRCS determines practice eligibility, develops conservation plans and
contracts, and helps producers apply practices to the land to qualify for CREP
funds. Kentucky’s Department of Fish and Wildlife and Division of Forestry also
provide planning assistance. NRCS district conservationists report that most
producers request to install riparian buffers or plant native grasses, legumes,
and forbs if they have eligible land eligible. Filter strips and conservation
cover on highly erodible cropland are also common conservation practices
installed on CREP-eligible land.
Your contact is J. Douglas Hatchett, NRCS district conservationist, at
270-678-6811.
Lake Dwellers Learn to Protect Lakeshores -- NRCS plant materials specialist David Burgdorf, bio-engineer Frank Cousin, and
geologist Sean Duffey, recently teamed up to hold a 2-day workshop at Michigan
State University (MSU) W.K. Kellogg Biological Station for 25 property owners
and landscape professionals gathered to learn lakeshore conservation practices.
The purpose of the workshop was to teach lakeshore property owners and landscape
professionals about environmentally friendly, economical alternatives to
planting lawns along lakeshores. The use of shrubs and other plants along the
shoreline provides a buffer to capture sediment and nutrients — the primary
cause of lake pollution — more effectively than lawns. After the classroom
sessions, participants went out and got their hands dirty by installing natural
sections of shoreline at a demonstration area along Gull Lake on the MSU campus.
The MSU Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the Potawatomi and Sauk Trails
RC&D Councils worked together to organize the workshop. As a result of the
workshop, homeowners and professional landscapers now have a shoreline
conservation techniques demonstration area. (from an April 18, 2002, Kalamazoo
Gazette article, "Lakescapers Enlightened on Shoreline Protection”)
Your contact is Chris Coulon, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 517-324-5244.
Soil Survey Milestone Celebration and Symposium -- Missouri recently completed its initial soil survey during a “last-acre”
ceremony in a garden adjacent to the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City.
During the ceremony, attended by more than 150 persons, NRCS State Soil
Scientist, Dennis Potter, declared Missouri’s initial soil survey complete as
the final soil cores were extracted by dignitaries attending the event. Roger
Hansen, NRCS State Conservationist, was the featured speaker. Begun in 1899,
Missouri’s Cooperative Soil Survey program is currently led by NRCS, with the
University of Missouri, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and local
soil and water conservation districts providing funding, personnel, soil
analysis, and research support. The program has identified and documented more
than 5,000 soil map units, representing 600 different kinds of soil. The
information obtained from the fieldwork is made available to the public as soil
surveys that are printed, included on compact disks, or are viewable via the
Internet. Soil surveys include maps showing the locations of soils, data about
the physical and chemical properties of those soils, and information about
potential uses and problems associated with various uses. Work will continue
using modern technology to refine Missouri’s soil surveys and to provide more
assistance to landowners, as well as natural resource agencies, so that they can
better manage their land.
Your contact is Norm Klopfenstein, NRCS public affairs specialist, at
573-876-0911.
Word from Washington
National Public Service Recognition Week Mall Event -- NRCS joined nearly 100 civilian and military agencies, non-profit organizations,
and private corporations this week on the National Mall for National Public
Service Recognition Week. The annual event is held during National Volunteer
week to highlight the service provided to the Nation by its Federal employees.
NRCS headquarters Conservation Communications and Soil Survey Division employees
staffed an exhibit and distributed publications to the several thousand visitors
to the event.
Your contact is Ted Kupelian, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 202-720-5776.
Celebrate American Wetlands Month -- Each May, thousands of individuals celebrate the uniqueness, beauty, and
importance of wetlands. The theme of American Wetlands Month 2002 is "Bogs,
Playas, Pools: Protect America's Unique Wetlands." A wetland can be as tiny as a
small wet spot or puddle, or as large as the Everglades, and one can be found in
every State in the U.S. This celebration is an ideal time to emphasize programs
and activities that support voluntary wetland restoration and protection.
During May, conservation districts, grassroots organizations, and government
agencies join individuals and educators across the country to acknowledge the
importance of this valuable natural resource and the role wetlands play in the
health of our Nation. Discover more about wetlands activities and programs on
the NRCS wetlands website at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/wrp/.
What Can You Do to Help Preserve and Protect America's Wetlands?
Participate in Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability Workshops.
Every year, workshops are offered to volunteers, non-profit groups, government
agency staffs, and businesses across the country. Participants learn about
wetland ecology, functions and values, regulations and permits, and wetland
monitoring. Each workshop includes field time getting to know wetlands by
examining hydrology, plants, soil, and surrounding land uses. Call 800-284-4952
for information about workshops, events, and conferences in your area.
Take Advantage of Wetland Technical and Networking Resources. The Izaak Walton League (IWLA) offers American Wetlands Month kits on the
Internet to help local groups initiate on-the-ground projects. The kits include
fact sheets on wetlands, project ideas, contact information, case studies of
projects from across the country, and links to many informative wetland sites.
You can download the kit from the IWLA's website at
http://www.iwla.org/sos/awm/awmkit.html.
IWLA also provides technical and networking assistance to anyone interested in
working for wetlands. Call 800-284-4952, or e-mail awm@iwla.org, to get more
information. Save Our Streams (SOS) sells informative materials including the
Handbook for Wetlands Conservation and Sustainability and a video, "Wetland
Stewardship: A Call to Action." View these and other wetlands publications and
materials at http://www.iwla.org/sos/handbook/index.htm.
Your contact is Fred Jacobs, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 202-720-6790.
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Twenty-three years ago, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution
declaring the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week as May 4-10, 1979.
Eleven years later, in 1990, President George Bush extended the week into a
month-long celebration. Two years after that, Public Law 102-450 designated May
of each year Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The theme for this year’s
Asian Pacific American month is "Unity in Freedom."
Your contact is Virginia C. Lewis, NRCS Acting Asian American/Pacific Islanders
National Program Manager, at 301-504-2194.
Tech Tip
New Video Highlights Landowners Role in Wildlife Habitat
A new NRCS Wildlife Habitat Management Institute (WHMI) eight-minute video and
companion brochure titled, “Our Living Land,” highlight the role of America's
farmers and ranchers in providing wildlife habitat on private lands. “Our Living
Land,” which includes a message from WHMI Director Pete Heard, shows
conservation efforts by farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma, Iowa, California,
Florida, New York, Michigan, Connecticut, Montana, the Pacific Northwest, and
the lower Mississippi valley to help people understand the vital relationship
between agriculture, wildlife, and fish resources on private lands. Contributors
to the project include the American Soybean Association in partnership with
numerous commodity and conservation organizations, with technical assistance
from NRCS. “Our Living Land” was enthusiastically received recently by audiences
attending the 67th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in
Dallas and the National AgriMarketing Association conference in Nashville. The
American Soybean Association has scheduled a presentation for Capitol Hill
sometime in June. Download the brochure from the WHMI homepage at
http://www.ms.nrcs.usda.gov/whmi/new.htm,
by clicking “Our Living Land,” or copies are available by calling
1-888-LANDCARE.
Your contact is Ed Hackett, NRCS wildlife biologist, at 601-607-3131 or
ehackett@ms.nrcs.usda.gov
Accolades
President Recognizes Mohawk Students’ Wetland Project
Pat Sullivan, NRCS district conservationist; Jim Ransome, of the Haudenosaunee
Environmental Task Force; and students from the Mohawk Freedom School near
Rooseveltown, New York, in EPA Region 2; and other locations throughout the U.S.
were recently presented with the 2001 President's Environmental Youth Awards.
Making the presentation were President George W. Bush and Environmental
Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman at a ceremony in the White
House Rose Garden. "I want to thank so much the award winners for turning
idealism into action; for taking a great spirit and love for our country and
doing something about that spirit and love for our country. Communities are
better as a result, but as importantly, you're providing a really good example
of service," said President Bush. "You're showing other people that people can
make a difference in people's lives. Stewardship is the calling of government,
and it is the calling of every citizen. I hope that in the years ahead you'll
never lose the idealism we honor today. Your communities need it, and your
country needs it," he added. With technical assistance from Pat Sullivan, and
funding through the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program, students restored, studied,
and monitored a 30-acre wetland on the grounds of the Mohawk Freedom School, a
traditional, Mohawk language school. The wetland restoration project was part of
a course providing a valuable learning experience for the students. The
President's Environmental Youth Awards have been presented annually since 1971
to honor students grades K-12 who develop projects to help protect their
communities and address local environmental concerns. Winners are selected from
among applicants in the EPA's 10 regions.
Your contact is Marilyn Stephenson, NRCS area conservationist, at 518-431-4110
ext. 202.
Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Recognized
Northeast NE RC&D Honored - Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns recently recognized
the Northeast RC&D Council for planning and opening a welcome center, as one of
the top 10 rural development initiatives in 2001. The Governor presented the
rural development initiatives award to NRCS State Conservationist Steve Chick;
Northeast RC&D coordinator Jan Jorgensen; and council members Carmen Shaffer and
Shana James. The center was built on a site overlooking the Missouri River and
the Lewis and Clark Trail, on Highway 81 near Crofton. The opening of the center
last year attracted over a thousand visitors and it now averages 124 daily.
Trailblazer RC&D Wins Award — Another Nebraska RC&D was recognized recently by
Governor Mike Johanns as one of the top 10 rural development initiatives in
2001. NRCS State Conservationist Steve Chick; Jan Ferebee, Trailblazer RC&D
coordinator; council members Merle Illian, Chuck Burr, and Jim Farmer; and Craig
Schroeder, of the Nebraska Rural Development Commission received recognition
from the Governor for their sponsorship of the “Women’s Wilderness Weekend.” The
“hands-on” style workshop for women features instruction in outdoor activities
like canoeing, hunting, sailing, photography, and other activities. More than
100 women from around the region and the U.S. attended the annual workshop.
Your contact is Joanna Pope, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 402-443-3463.
TO TOP
Watershed Improvements Flowing Smoothly -- The Belle Fourche River in western South Dakota flows through a very large,
diverse area of the northern plains, encompassing parts of three states and
covering 4.1 million acres. Since the 1880's it has become one of the most
heavily impacted watersheds in the plains states due in large part to the
discovery of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the 1880's, and the
development of several irrigation districts in the early 1900's. Through
voluntary participation in USDA programs such as EQIP by landowners, operators,
and through ongoing efforts with the Belle Fourche River Watershed Assessment
and River Basin Study, the condition of natural resources in the region is
improving. To date, in EQIP alone, 91 conservation contracts worth approximately
$1.5 million have been written to apply conservation practices on more than
350,000 acres of the Belle Fourche River Watershed in South Dakota. These
contracts include 300,000 linear feet of livestock water pipelines with tanks,
50 miles of cross-fence to help initiate grazing systems, 150 livestock ponds
with more than 730,000 cubic yards of earth moved, 5,000 linear feet of
irrigation pipelines, and 50 miles of tree plantings to provide protection for
livestock, wildlife and property.
Your contact is David Keith, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 605-352-1228.
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.
You can receive NRCSTW via e-mail by sending an e-mail to: listproc@nrcs.usda.gov (NHQ personnel should send their e-mail to: GW:"listproc@nrcs.usda.gov@i"). Do not use a subject line and put the following in the body of the message: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Firstname Lastname (example: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Rachel Carson). To get help with other commands that are available at the "listproc@nrcs.usda.gov" address, send a message with no subject and the word HELP on a line by itself in the body of the message. "NRCS This Week" is posted on the NRCS Homepage.
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To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The NRCS Mission: The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
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