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The Future of Science and Technology
at NRCS
An article by Bruce I. Knight, Chief
Natural Resources Conservation Service
for the July-August 2002 Issue of
NRCS Technology News
Some of the most exciting things I’ve learned since
becoming Chief have to do with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
activities in the areas of science and technology. I thought I was fairly aware
of the importance of good science in conservation. Certainly, conservation
science and technology have been a part of my thinking as a farmer and rancher,
a college student, a congressional staffer, and a lobbyist. But being Chief –
with all the briefings I’ve attended and the decisions I’m now responsible for
making – has changed that awareness to total amazement.
Science and technology are more than a tradition here at NRCS, they are a way of
viewing the world and a fundamental tool for making conservation work. Our
history in the areas of science and technology is impressive. That history has
included early studies of small stream hydrology, the Cooperative Soil Survey
Program and the National Soil Survey Information System, the Cooperative Snow
Survey Program, the Plant Science and Technology Program, our Field Office
Technical Guides, and many other accomplishments. Our efforts in science and
technology have provided science-based information for all our field activities
and many state and local activities.
As Chief, I am responsible for making our small part of government more
efficient and more accessible to our customers through the Internet and other
electronic means. The President’s e-government initiative directs all agencies
to make more services available electronically. I know NRCS will continue to be
a leader in the e-government effort, because we have been working toward this
goal for several years. The e-government services that are ready for use today
are the result of decisions NRCS made years ago. Some good examples are creating
the Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN); making the Natural Resources Inventory
a continuous survey, rather than a periodic survey; putting the Field Office
Technical Guides on the web; creating software for the Customer Service Toolkit;
and creating our PLANTS database.
Our challenge now is to keep innovating and to stay ahead of the need for
e-government services. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the
Farm Bill) creates opportunities that require new approaches and more efficient
ways of planning and delivering conservation practices. The decisions we make
today and the work we do now will help us deliver new science and technology
applications to meet the needs of the future. The progress we make in science
and technology will help our employees, our partners and our customers put the
Farm Bill to work on the land.
To succeed, we must develop new ways to serve our clients and to meet their
needs through web-based tools and user-friendly decision support tools. We must
continue to provide the highest quality technical assistance to landowners,
based on the most recent technology and economic analysis. We must provide ready
access to technical data through electronic and other means.
Beyond that, we must find ways to get our employees, partners and customers to
use new technologies as they become available. Some people are quick to use new
technology. Other people – most of us, in fact – need to see the benefits of a
new technology, and be convinced that it is easy and convenient, before we will
start using it. Our success will depend on how many people we can reach with our
emerging e-government services.
Getting the right science and technology to the people who need it is a major
challenge. I will support the efforts of our divisions, institutes and centers
and the Science and Technology Consortium to help us acquire, develop, and
transfer technology that meets landowner needs. Our work in science and
technology will continue to support the efforts of people to conserve, improve,
and sustain our Nation’s natural resources and environment.
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