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![NRCS This Week](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080917094858im_/http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/images/thisweek.gif)
Friday, December 24, 1999 Washington, DC.
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SPECIAL NOTICE!
Get Connected to Private Land Forums, Summit Info -
Here's a list of products now available, and soon to be available, on the Private Land Forums held in October in Portland, Denver, Sacramento, Syracuse, and Atlanta, and the National Summit on Private Lands Conservation held this month in Ames, Iowa:
From the Forums
Speeches, "Preserving the Health of the Land" video presentation, news releases, and other items are available on http://www.nrcs.usda.gov through the "Major Meetings" hot button. On December 27, summaries of the individual forums and a combined summary of all of five forums will be available. Verbatim transcripts of the forums are available from Scott Hoag, NRCS Strategic Natural Resources Issues Staff, at scott.hoag@usda.gov and on (202)-690-4979, and from John Nordin, Forest Service Cooperative Forestry Staff, at jnordin/wq@fs.fed.us and on (202) 358-3551.
and from the National Summit
On December 27, Scott and John will have verbatim transcripts of the National Summit. On January 10, a summary of the National Summit on Private Land Conservation will be available at the above Web site. Starting January 25, a summary of written comments will be available on the Web site listed above. A Web version of the combined Forums and Summit summaries, including written comments, will be available February 4.
FOCUS ON THE FIELD
A Visit Wtih Ivan: Farmer Praises Performances of Dams -
Nebraska State Conservationist Steve Chick submits this item that is based on a testimonial from Ivan Nord, a farmer in Valparaiso. Twenty-five years ago, Nord donated 10 acres of cropland and 4 acres of pasture land to provide sites for flood control structures in the Oak-Middle and North Oak Creeks Watershed Projects. Why did he do it? "The reason I am willing to participate in the watershed project," said Nord in 1974, "is because it will benefit the community and also help soil conservation that will benefit future generations."
What does he have to say about the structures a quarter of a century later? "All of the dams have served their purpose very well," Nord said in a recent telephone conversation with Chick. "[The towns of] Valparaiso and Raymond have never flooded since the dams were installed. The flood that occurred in the early '60s took out the railroad track, and the floodwater swept across the highway south of Valparaiso killing three people. Similar rains have occurred since the dams were built, but there has been no flood damage."
"It is great to hear a testimonial about how well our conservation practices have performed," said Chick. Your contact is Pat McGrane, State Public Affairs Specialist, on (402) 437-5328.
Symposium Grows Support for Native Grasses in East - Good words are still heard about the Second Eastern Native Grass Symposium held recently in Baltimore, Maryland, which highlighted the use of native grasses to support USDA programs in the Eastern U.S. A District Conservationist said the event made him proud to say that he works for NRCS. Others offered praises for its variety of speakers and attention to detail. Conference sponsors say the symposium's success is due to the diversity of professions and backgrounds of the attendees and presenters. Addressed were the roles native grasses play in protecting wildlife, water quality, and ecosystems. Other topics included invasive plants, erosion control, uses of buffer strips, restoration projects, and seed production. More than 300 persons attended the symposium, more than double the number at the first symposium held in 1997. Proceedings will be published and distributed in early spring 2000. Congratulations go out to the folks in the Plant Materials Program and everyone else who worked hard to make the symposium a success. Your contact is Gwen Meyer, Horticulturist, NRCS National Plant Materials Center, on (301) 504-8175.
WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
Major Newspapers Cover Sprawl, Cite NRI Data - Readers of articles on urban sprawl in the December 16th "Christian Science Monitor" and December 21st "Cleveland Times-Dispatch" saw data from the recently released NRI. The "Monitor" article, which appeared on the front page, took a national perspective on the sprawl issue, while the "Times-Dispatch" piece blended national and local issues. Quoted extensively throughout the "Times-Dispatch" article was Carl Bouchard of NRCS NHQ's Resource Conservation and Community Development Division. Links to these newspapers are http://www.csmonitor.com and http://www.cleveland.com/news/pdnews/metro/c21land.ssf
FY2K Pay Scales, Per Diem Rates on Web -
The FY2000 pay scales are on the Office of Personnel Management's Web site at http://www.opm.gov/oca/payrates/index.htm Per diem rates for travel within the Continental U.S. are now on the General Services Administration's Web site at http://www.policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/homepage/mtt/perdiem/travel.shtml
HONORS AND ACCOLADES
Two Take Texaas Awards for Education, Stewardship - Paul Ellinger and Charles Snowden were recognized by the Northeast Texas Chapter of the Texas Society of American Foresters for providing excellent educational experiences for students and their teachers and sharing knowledge of environmental stewardship. Paul, a Forester from NRCS' Marshall Field Office, and Charles, a Resource Conservationist from the Linden Field Office, shared their know-how and experience at a "Walk-in-the-Forest" event at which nearly 700 4th graders and 73 teachers and sponsors enjoyed "hands-on and heads-on" environmental experiences. Your contact is H. Harold Bryant, State Public Affairs Specialist, on (254) 742-9811.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
CNMP Fact Sheet Now Available - NRCS' Animal Husbandry and Clean Water Programs Division announces the release of a fact sheet featuring Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP). The easy-to-understand fact sheet combines a question-and-answer format with a special section that lists components that should be in a CNMP. To receive a copy by e-mail or fax, call (301) 504-2196. A Web version is expected to be up on the Division's Web site sometime in January.
Place Your Order for NRCS' New Soil Biology Pub - Call 1-888-LANDCARE or send an e-mail message to landcare@swcs.org to place your order for "Soil Biology Primer," NRCS' latest education publication. The pub offers farmers, ranchers, students, and teachers an introduction to soil and emphasizes its roles in agricultural productivity and protecting environmental quality. The pub was produced by NRCS' Soil Quality Institute (SQI) and the Conservation Technology Information Center, USDA's Agricultural Research Service, Ohio State University, and Oregon State University. Persons using the toll-free number should connect to Lori Benge. Mailings will be in early January. Supplies are extremely limited! A fact sheet on "Primer" is available in Portable Document Format on http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/pdf/FSsbp99d2.pdf
SPECIAL EVENTS
- January 2000
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- NEW!
- Farming for the Future Reduced Tillage Conference and Trade Show
- Liberal, Kansas
- January 5
- Sponsored by the Great Plains Crop Residue Management Alliance. Seminars on: USDA conservation programs, no-till and reduced tillage, crop rotations, precision agriculture and GPS, farming and the Internet, changing technologies, minimizing risk in dryland corn production, and more. Contact: Jeff Schmidt on (316) 624-4132, ext. 3.
20th Annual Ecological Farming Conference
- Monterey, California
- January 19-22
- Conducted by the Committee for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) and one of the best annual ecological farming conferences in the West. For more information, call Lamaia Hoffmann, Soil Conservationist, at (831) 475-1967, or contact CSA directly at 406 Main St., Suite 313, Watsonville, CA 95076. Phone (831) 763-2111; fax (831) 763-2112; or visit www.csa-efc.org
National Association of Conservation Districts 54th Annual Meeting
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
- January 30 to February 3, 2000
- Registration information and agenda are at http://nacdnet.org/meetings/00annual/
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- 22nd Annual Zero Till Workshop
- Minot, North Dakota
- January 31-February 1-2
- Sponsored by the Manitoba-North Dakota Zero Till Farmers Association.
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- February 2000
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- Working at a Watershed Level
- California State University, Stanislaus
- Turlock, California
- February 7-11
- An introductory-level training program for watershed group coordinators and members, agency staff, consultants and others addressing watershed issues. Will focus on watersheds in California's Central Valley that support natural production of Chinook salmon, steelhead, and other anadromous fish. Your contact is Ashley Griffen, CSU Stanislaus Foundation, on (209) 667-3062. Her fax number is (209) 667-3026.
- 53rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management
- Boise, Idaho
- February 13-18
- Registration begins November 15, 1999
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- International Erosion Control Association, 31st Annual Conference and Expo
- Palm Springs, California
- February 21-25
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- Agricultural Outlook Forum 2000
- Arlington, Virginia
- February 24-25
- Topics include: Farm Prospects, 2000 and Beyond; Future of Farming and Rural America; Farming Under Contract; Impact of Agribusiness Mergers; New Markets: E-Commerce, Organics, and Industrial Uses. Updates on speakers http://www.usda.gov/oce To get updates by e-mail, send an e-mail to agforum@oce.usda.gov
March 2000
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- Farming and Ranching for Profit, Stewardship, and Community
- Portland, Oregon
- March 7-9
- Innovative agricultural techniques, scientific research, networking, visions of the future, and examples of successful sustainable agriculture. Sponsored by USDA Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, with contributions from land-grant universities and the Federal sustainable agriculture effort. Deadline for scholarship applications is January 21; contact Jim Freeburn or Lori Schafer on (307) 532-8892.
- Check the web site at http://wsare.usu.edu/2000
- NEW!
- Asian Pacific Islander Organization 2nd Annual Training Conference
- March 14-17
- San Diego, California
- Theme: "The Pacific Rim: Leading America Into the New Millennium." Contacts: Mon Yee at (909) 869-2191, e-mail mon.yee@ca.usda.gov, Virginia Lewis at (505) 761-4408, e-mail virginia.lewis@nm.usda.gov, and Quan D. Quan at (602) 280-8832, e-mail qquan@az.nrcs.usda.gov
- NACD Spring Legislative Conference
- March 19-22
- Washington, DC
- For information, see NACD's web site at http://nacdnet.org/meetings Your contact is Robert Raschke on (303) 988-1810. His fax number is (303) 988-1896
- NEW!
- 10th Annual Non-Industrial Private Forest Landowners Conference
- March 20-21
- Moscow, Idaho
- The Clearwater RC&D Council hosts "Forest Stewardship Management: Looking Ahead into the New Millennium." Sessions include: What Can Regulations Do for Us and to Us?; Practicing What They Preach on Their Own Land; Envisioning Your Land in the New Millenium; and Forest Health: Managing the Millennium Bugs and Other Pests. Contacts: Dan Pierce on (208) 882-4960, ext. 4; and Harry Lee on (208) 885-6900; or e-mail: crcdc@moscow.com
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- New Income Opportunities from Specialty Products: Agroforestry in the Northeast
- March 23-25
- Portland, Maine
- A regional conference to help shape the future and success of agroforestry in the Northeast. Sponsored by NRCS, the Maine and New England associations of RC&D's, and USDA's National Agroforestry Center. Visit the Web site at
- http://www.thresholdtomaine.org/agroforestry/, or contact Velma Orcutt, Down East RC&D, at (207) 546-2368 or Velma.Orcutt@me.usda.gov
- Global Sustainability Conference
- Springfield, Illinois
- March 28-29, 2000.
- Carbon sequestration and ecological practices in agriculture and forestry, global warming, water quality, bio-energy, soil health, world food security, production agriculture, and ecological economics. Sponsored by the Gallatin County Soil & Water Conservation District and the Shawnee RC&D Council. E-mail: Michele.Gidcumb@ilridgway.fsc.usda.gov
- For more information, see the conference agenda on the NRCS Illinois web site at: www.il.nrcs.usda.gov
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- April 2000
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- Nation's First Upstream Flood Control Rehabilitation Project Celebration
- Cheyenne, Oklahoma
- April 14
- Site 2 Sergeant Major Creek will be rededicated after complete rehabilitation of the 50-year dam, which will extend its life for another 100 years.
- Forest Utilization Conference & Equipment Expo
- Western Hills Resort, Sequoyah State Park, Wagoner, Oklahoma
- April 26-28
- Contact Ouachita Mountains RC&D on (918) 423-2479, or at omrcandd@icok.net
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- May 2000
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- The Culture, Economics, and Ecology of Ranching West of the 100th Meridian
- Colorado State University at Fort Collins
- May 4-6
- Will bring together people who have devoted their lives to thinking, practicing, and helping change the culture, ecology, and economics of ranching. Sponsored by NRCS, American Farmland Trust, the Western Center for Integrated Resource Management, The Nature Conservancy, and others. For registration information, contact CSU's Office of Conference Services on (970) 491-6222.
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- Use of Conservation Buffers on Urbanizing Landscapes
- Arbor Day Farm, Nebraska City, Nebraska
- May 9-11, 2000
- For more information, please check the National Arbor Day Foundation's web site on
- http://www.arborday.org
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- Sustainability of Wetlands and Water Resources: How Well Can Riverine Wetlands Continue To Support Society into the 21st Century?
- University of Mississippi at Oxford
- May 23-25
- Information is available at http://130.74.129.109/
June 2000
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- Association of State Floodplain Managers' 24th Annual Conference
- Austin, Texas
- June 16-23, 2000.
- "Floodplain Management 2000 and Beyond: A New Beginning in a New Millenium." For reservations, call (512) 477-1234.
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- National Association of RC&D Councils Conference
- Ogden, Utah
- June 18-21, 2000
- Your contacts are the National Association of RC&D Councils on (202) 434-4780, and David Spann, Coordinator, Bonneville RC&D Office, 1030 West 5370 South, Murray, Utah 84123. Phone: (801) 262-6838. Fax: (801) 263-3667. E-mail: mpatten@ditell.com
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- August 2000
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- International Conference on Riparian Ecology and Management in Multi-Land Use Watersheds
- Portland, Oregon
- August 27-31
- An event of the American Water Resources Association, and co-sponsored by NRCS, this conference will provide a forum for discussion of biological, physical, chemical, social, and economic aspects of riparian areas and stream corridors. For more information, visit http://www.awra.org/meetings/Portland/Portland.html or Bruce Newton at the National Water and Climate Center, at bnewton@wcc.nrcs.gov
- Carbon: Exploring the Benefits to Farmers and Society
- August 29-31
- Des Moines, Iowa
- This conference will present the ag perspective on emerging policies and technologies involving carbon management and sequestration as well as other greenhouse gases. It will focus on the impacts and benefits of carbon sequestration affecting ag producers, society and the environment. It will also provide an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and ideas from a cross-section of policy, science and industry perspectives. For more information please contact Jim Cooper, Coordinator, Chariton Valley RC&D at 515/437-4376 or jcooper@cvrcd.org
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- October 2000
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- Third Biennial Conference on Understanding Each Other and Working Together for a Better Future
- October 24-25
- Eugene, Oregon
- A forum for agricultural interests, government, and environmentalists to come together to discuss issues relevant to agriculture and water quality. The intent is to present different perspectives in a non-confrontational forum and others see and understand other points of view. For more information, see the conference's Web site at http://www.agwaterqualitynw.org
- December 2000
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- National Conference on Grazing Lands
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- December 5-8
- Economic and environmental effects of proper grazing lands management. Sponsored by NACD, Grazing Lands and Public Lands Committee, the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), and others. Abstracts for oral and poster papers accepted until April 1. Contact John W. Peterson, NCGL Program Manager, by phone on (703) 455-6886, or fax at (703) 455-6888, or by e-mail on jwpeterson@erols.com
- May 2001
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- National Watershed Coalition Conference
- Richmond, Virginia
- May 20-24
"QUOTE OF THE WEEK"
All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to those individuals who have dedicated their lives to public service and, and through that service, have made invaluable contributions to our Nation's growth and prosperity.
-- Senator Paul Sarbanes, Maryland
"NRCS THIS WEEK" WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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