| |
"Man shapes himself through decisions that shape his
environment."
Rene Jules Dubos (1901-1982), American microbiologist and experimental
pathologist
Focus on the Field
Interstate RC&D Promotes Education in Illinois and
Iowa
The SMART (Sharp Minds Are Reading Thoroughly) Bus is a mobile literacy
program started by Interstate Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D)
coordinator Mark Jackson, RC&D council member, Charles Curry, and volunteers who
spent 500 hours converting an old donated bus into a rolling reading resource
center. Kicking-off its summer tour season, the SMART Bus rolled up to Alwood
Elementary School in Alpha, Illinois, providing books to teach 250 students
about the importance of conservation while encouraging the kids to read over the
summer. The Interstate RC&D program – funded through NRCS – provides multiple
services to a 5-county area encompassing and area along the Illinois-Iowa
border. The Interstate RC&D bus provides free books to students and a
one-on-one lesson on the environment, ecology, natural resources, and
agriculture from local experts. On this occasion, Alwood students gathered in
the school gym to hear NRCS National RC&D Program Director, Joan Comanor,
describe the SMART program as “the little magic edge to help you gain better
reading skills by encouraging you to read while you learn about the importance
of the environment.” Lue Walters, NRCS Illinois RC&D Program Manager and
Shannon Bumann, Alwood Elementary Principal also spoke. The SMART Bus has won
the Best New RC&D Project in the State of Illinois for FY 2001 the Regional
Group Volunteer Earth Team Award, and FY 2001 National Group Volunteer Earth
Team Award.
Your contact is Mark Jackson, Interstate RC&D Coordinator, at 309-764-1486 ext.
4 or mark.jackson@il.usda.gov.
Garden State NRCS Hits the Airways
NBC affiliate, MGM-TV, in southern New Jersey ran a news feature last week
on the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) of lower Cape May. NRCS
resource conservationist Jim Wick, spoke about the WHIP program in general and
the importance of the lower Cape May County area for wildlife habitat. Two
local WHIP participants spoke about their experience with the program. Although
lower Cape May County is a globally important stopover area for migratory birds
and insects, over 40 percent of the landscape has been developed for housing.
In order to help protect and develop habitat on their property, homeowners in
the area have been encouraged to apply for WHIP funding.
Contact: Irene Lieberman, public affairs specialist, at 732-246-1171 ext. 124 or
irene.lieberman@nj.usda.gov.
2002 Farm Bill Rollout Session Held
Joseph DelVecchio, NRCS New York State Conservationist and representatives
from the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development met with NRCS district
conservationists and other USDA managers for a day-long session in Syracuse to
share information and hear and presentations by Farm Bill program leaders. The
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 which contains $13 billion for
conservation on private lands over the next 6 years, represents the largest
expansion of conservation programs in State’s history. The record funding for
environmental programs means New York farmers can expect at least $12 million in
expanded, simplified and new programs under the bill’s conservation title. For
soil and water conservation districts; Federal, State, and local agencies; and
private conservation groups, the new Farm Bill presents unique opportunities to
blend and deliver programs to New York State landowners.
Your contact is Kathy Carpenter, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 315-477-6524
or kathy.carpenter@ny.usda.gov.
First Joint Envirothon Competition for North Dakota and Manitoba
The International Peace Garden, which straddles the U.S.-Canadian border,
was the setting for the first joint Envirothon competition between North Dakota
and Manitoba. NRCS staff in North Dakota served in an advisory capacity and
partnered with other Federal, State, and local agencies; natural resource
focused organizations; and businesses to make this event possible. Thirty-seven
teams composed of 185 ninth- through twelfth-graders from North Dakota and
Manitoba tested their knowledge of forestry, soils, aquatics, wildlife, and a
current environmental issue, “introduced species and their effect on
biodiversity,” as they walked three outdoor trails. The students gave a
15-minute oral presentation on biodiversity issues to finish-up the
competition. Many months of planning and more than 100 volunteers helped make
this competition a huge success and provided a unique opportunity for North
Dakota and Manitoba students, teachers, advisors, and committee members to
interact with one another. Your contact is Arlene Deutscher, NRCS public
affairs specialist, at 701-530-2099 or
Arlene.deutscher@nd.usda.gov.
East Regional Technology Workshop
The Stroud Water Research Center, located on the White Clay Creek just south
of Philadelphia, was the setting for the recent NRCS East Regional Technology
Workshop. After a welcome from Pennsylvania State Conservationist, Robin Heard,
attendees participated in sessions on the establishment and management of
forested riparian buffers, the engineer’s role in stream corridor restoration,
pathogens and the riparian corridor, composting, invasive species, odor
mitigation, agro-forestry, and bio-security. The group toured several forested
riparian sites established in the last 10 years as well as a small watershed in
the Stroud preserve that is being used for a long-term, non-point study of
agricultural runoff. As part of an NRCS watershed protection and flood
prevention program project, watershed and research scientists from Stroud have
been studying White Clay Creek for over 30 years.
Your contact is Stacy Mitchell, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 717-237-2208
or smitchell@pa.nracs.usda.gov.
Resource Rendezvous
NRCS and the Big Sandy and Sublette County conservation districts recently
sponsored the Southwest Wyoming Resource Rendezvous – a two-day natural
resources education event held in Rock Springs, Wyoming, where over 1,000 school
children learned about monitoring the health and quality of local streams and
rivers. Kids donned waders and gloves, going into streams to better understand
the role that conservation districts play in protecting water quality. “THAT
lives in the stream?” was the question of one wide-eyed attendee while viewing
samples of macroinvertabrates that live in Wyoming streams. How those
macroinvertabrates provide clues about the health of a particular water body was
one of several lessons during the event. A mobile exhibit showed youngsters how
vegetation, slope, flow, soils, geology, and human activity affect the way a
stream functions within its watershed. Kids also heard how the use of best
management practices, such as buffer strips, water conservation, nutrient
management, and prescribed grazing minimize negative impacts on rivers, streams,
and lakes.
Your contact is Nancy Atkinson, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 307-261-6482
or nancy.atkinso@wy.usda.gov.
Word from Washington
Ag Producers Can Apply for Farm Bill Programs Online
Beginning this week, the USDA will offer farmers, ranchers, and other
customers the opportunity to fill out and submit forms electronically through
the Internet. The USDA NRCS, Farm Service Agency, and Rural Development
are working together to provide customers convenient options to apply for loans
and conservation programs. With USDA’s new eGovernment capabilities, the
nation’s agriculture producers will now have the opportunity to apply for new
and existing Farm Bill programs online. Through the use of a secure login,
producers can apply to receive financial assistance for conservation practices
that improve water quality, air quality, wildlife habitat, and prevent soil
erosion. “We’re making it easier for farmers and ranchers to put
conservation on their land,” said NRCS Chief Bruce Knight. “We’re
streamlining the application process and giving producers the option of
completing and submitting eForms from the convenience of their own homes and
offices,” he added. Once producers register for a secure login at their
local USDA Service Center, they can submit eForms via the USDA’s website at
http://www.sc.egov.usda.gov, seven days a
week, 24 hours a day.
NRCS Klamath Basin Ombudsman Named
Roger L. Bensey, Director, NRCS Watersheds and Wetlands Division, has been
selected by Chief Knight to be the ombudsman at headquarters for NRCS State
activities in the Klamath Basin of Oregon and California. He will help
facilitate the assistance that NRCS State offices (in Oregon and California) are
providing to farmers, ranchers, and conservation partners in the Basin. This
assistance includes EQIP plans being developed for landowners throughout the
Basin to address water quantity and quality, wildlife habitat, and other
resource concerns. Soils information also is being updated for the Basin.
Your contact is Jack Frost, NRCS soil conservationist, at 202-720-9483 or
jack.frost@usda.gov.
It’s WRP Time Again!
Each year, NRCS offers college students with disabilities internship
opportunities through the Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students
with Disabilities (WRP). WRP is a national program for businesses and the
Federal government to identify, recruit, and hire qualified temporary and
permanent employees with disabilities. Program participants must be highly
motivated post-secondary students or recent college graduates with
disabilities. Currently more than 1,800 WRP participants are qualified to
participate. NRCS in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, and Oklahoma
has hired students and National headquarters is considering hiring four who will
be working with office automation, computer analysis, human resources, and
cartography. USDA has established an overall hiring goal of 50 students through
the WRP. NRCS human resource mangers, Denise Decker and Ginny White are
enthusiastic about the program which allows hiring agencies to keep students
through December of this year.
Your contact is Denise Decker, NRCS human resources manager, at 202-690-0648 or
denise.decker@usda.gov.
One-day Wetlands Conference Scheduled
The New England Chapter of the Society of Wetland Scientists will host a
one-day regional conference on Thursday, November 14, 2002, at the College of
the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. Papers will be presented by
individuals who have conducted research or executed innovative projects in the
fields of wetland ecology, management, restoration, policy, or other related
areas. Interested individuals are encouraged to submit an abstract (some of the
data must have been collected and analyzed at the time of abstract submission)
of no more than 350 words describing the topic of research and summarizing the
major results. Abstracts for submitted papers are due by August 1, 2002.
Presentations about plans for future research projects are not acceptable.
Indicate whether your presentation will be written, oral, or poster. A poster
session will be included only if there are sufficient papers submitted.
For more conference information, updates, and a listing of papers submitted, go
to http://www.sws.org/regional/newengland.
Estuary Habitat Restoration Act (EHRA) Comment Period
Extended
Comments for the EHRA draft strategy (published in the June 21, 2002,
Federal Register) must be submitted on or before Monday, July 1, 2002. The
Estuary Restoration Act of 2000, (Public Law 106-457 directed the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS),
and USDA to develop a strategy to accomplish estuary habitat restoration through
a collaborative process to address the environmental pressures facing our
Nation's estuaries. The Act established an Estuary Habitat Restoration Council
that has developed the strategy through an interagency work group consisting of
representatives from the USACE, NOAA, EPA, FWS, and USDA. The strategy provides
for the use of Federal cost share assistance to promote implementation of
technically sound, cost-effective, estuary habitat restoration projects, and
also encourages the use of innovative technologies. The goal of the strategy is
to restore 1 million acres of estuary habitat by the year 2010.
Your contact is Dave Mason, NRCS soil conservationist, at 202-720-1873 or
dave.mason@usda.gov.
Tech Tip
Sunn Hemp: A New Alternative for South Florida
Producers
A study by the NRCS Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Brooksville, Florida,
has concluded that sunn hemp seed can be a viable alternative cash crop for
southern Florida growers. Sunn hemp is an annual legume that suppresses some
types of nematodes and can produce over 5,000 pounds of biomass and 100 pounds
of nitrogen per acre within a few months. Because of its potential use in
alternative pest management systems and as a sustainable biological source of
nitrogen, sunn hemp is a promising cover crop for rotation with vegetables
throughout the Southeastern U.S. Unfortunately, its use has been limited by the
high seed cost – most is shipped from Hawaii as seed production requires a
tropical climate. Two years ago, the NRCS PMC in Brooksville initiated a study
to determine which zones in Florida could most economically produce sunn hemp
seed. Seed was distributed to 15 growers throughout Florida and although many
locations lost their crop to frost, sunn hemp stands in coastal counties below
the 27th parallel consistently produced up to 370 pounds of seed per acre.
Growers in more southern areas, such as Homestead, obtained even higher yields.
Your contact is Clarence Maura, Manager, NRCS Brookville Plant Materials Center,
at 352-796-9600 or clarence.maura@fl.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.
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.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
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.
< NRCS This Week Archives
| | |