<![CDATA[Success Story Reporting System Updates]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/ en-us Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:17:30 CDT Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:17:48 CDT http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss/ Pizon andrewmadsen@fs.fed.us dgomoll@fs.fed.us Public Domain andrewmadsen@fs.fed.us no <![CDATA[Ag Secretary Schafer Keynotes at Alaskan Tribal Ceremony]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4106 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4106

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer joined several Region 10 and Tongass National Forest leadership and staff members at tribal ceremonies to rebury 10,000 year-old Alaskan Native remains on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska September 26 and 27.

Secretary Schafer was a keynote speaker for a ceremonial dinner and tribal dance to honor Shukaá Kaa, or "Man Ahead of Us," whose remains were found during paleontological investigations in a cave site on NFS lands in 1996. The repatriation and reburial of the remains were coordinated with the tribal governments by Tongass NF archaeologist Terry Fifield and Tribal Relations Program Manager John Autrey.

Their working relationship with the tribal governments and leaders of the Prince of Wales tribes was a key factor in the remains being identified through DNA testing, and their being repatriated in 2007 under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990.

"I am deeply honored to be with you this evening," Schafer commented in his remarks. "This is a historic and deeply meaningful ceremony and I am privileged to represent the Forest Service tonight."

Schafer went on to say that the deep and abiding respect that the agency has for the tribal governments and the culture of the recognized tribes in southeast Alaska is a special relationship that will lead to many more positive steps in planning and managing both cultural and heritage sites and the natural resources across the Tongass.

"The Forest Service and the Tongass National Forest have acted as the stewards for much of Southeast Alaska for more than 100 years," Schafer continued. "But tonight we pay tribute to you, the traditional stewards of these lands and your most ancient ancestor we honor tonight, Shukaá Kaa. As advanced as our country and society have become, it has taken a man more than 10,000 years old to bring true understanding and partnership to the cultural and resource management here on the Tongass National Forest."

Schafer concluded his remarks with 'thank you' ('gunalsch-cheessh' in Tlingit), repeated three times as a sign of deep and heartfelt thanks. His remarks and his attendance at the ceremony brought a standing ovation from about 400 tribal and community members who attended the ceremonial dinner.

Schafer was also invited to participate in the tribal dances later that evening, donning ceremonial and traditional garb and dancing with one of the native dance groups. The Secretary also attended the ceremonial Tribal Breakfast in Craig the following morning.

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PhilSammonpsammon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Agriculture Secretary Schafer Visits Tongass NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4105 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4105

As part of his attendance at a Native Reburial Ceremony on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer covered some significant ground on the Tongass National Forest's Thorne Bay and Craig Ranger Districts.

Schafer began his tour of the Tongass on September 26, flying over to northern Prince of Wales to tour and review the extensive karst structures and cave systems that are key to the rich vegetation and vibrant rainforest ecosystem of the northern part of the island. Led by Tongass Geologist Jim Baichtal and Recreation Planner Tory Houser, Schafer accompanied Region 10 Regional Forester Denny Bschor, Forest Supervisor Forrest Cole, and Deputy Supervisor Becky Nourse through the 600-plus foot El Capitan cave system that is open to guided tours.

Schafer was accompanied on the trip by USDA Tribal Relations Program Director Dawn Charging; USDA Special Assistant Yenie Tran from Undersecretary Mark Rey's office; and Fred Clark, the Forest Service's WO Tribal Relations Program Manager.

The Secretary experienced the challenges of travel and work on the Tongass, taking float planes from Ketchikan to El Capitan, and then flying along the west coast of Prince of Wales to Craig. He toured the city of Craig's centralized wood fired boiler facility, which provides heat and hot water for three municipal buildings: the local elementary and middle schools, and the community swimming pool and recreation facility.

Schafer also toured Viking Lumber in Klawock, the source of the woody biomass that powers the boiler in Craig. Owner and operator Kirk Dahlstrom explained the mill's operations, and talked timber with the Secretary during the 90-minute stop.

On Saturday, following the tribal breakfast, Schafer met with Master Totem Carver Jonathan Rowan, Jr., and toured the carving shed and clanhouse in Klawock. He followed this stop with a Forest Service work boat trip to one of the remote cabin locations on a small island 10 miles west of the Craig Ranger District offices. Overall the Tongass has about 150 cabins, mostly in remote locations, including Wilderness and National Monument areas.

Schafer has made numerous visits to locations all across Alaska, but this was his first visit to southeast Alaska and the Tongass National Forest.

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PhilSammonpsammon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Flying Trees to Restore the Au Sable River]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4102 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4102 9

What is large wood and why is it so important to streams? Large wood refers to trees that have fallen into rivers and form log jams by collecting other wood that floats downstream. Fish love it as they use it for hiding cover. And reptiles such as snakes and turtles use it for basking while riparian birds such as herons use it for perches.

Unfortunately, past development practices such as wholesale logging, wood removal ("river cleaning"), and dam construction reduced levels of instream large wood throughout the midwestern United States.

So why have trees been seen "flying" across the skyline near the Au Sable River on the Huron National Forest in northern Michigan? The Au Sable is one of Michigan's premier recreational assets, flowing through the heart of the Huron National Forest.

Since 1998, a unique approach has been used to restore large wood to this river, that being placement of whole trees with a heavy lift helicopter. Approximately 2,250 trees have been placed in 23 miles of the Au Sable, including an additional 130 in 2008. In addition, 175 trees have been placed on two large eroding "high banks" to complement vegetative plantings for stabilization. Average cost per tree placed is $425.

This large-scale habitat restoration has been accomplished through a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), the Forest Service, and Huron Pines Resource Conservation and Development Council (Huron Pines). The majority of funds have come from the MDNR's Habitat Improvement Account program.

The USFS has also been a significant contributor of funding, including a 2005 $100,000 Centennial of Service grant. Huron Pines primary contribution has been "in-kind" services, both for project planning and actual implementation.

The majority of placed trees have remained in place (approximately 80 percent). And it is important to note that those trees that have moved still remain in the river system. They have "weathered" and blend in well with the natural landscape. This large-scale tree placement is felt to be very important for aquatic ecosystem restoration in northern Michigan.

Even though site-specific fish population response to the treatments is inconclusive, there is a plethora of information regarding the importance of large wood in rivers. In fact, at a conference on large wood in world rivers in 2002, one aquatic scientist stated that the importance of wood for biological communities in rivers should focus on the restoration of all range of processes, not just simple wood - fish relationships.

So flying trees will continue to be an annual sight in the Au Sable River for a number of years to come.

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RobertStuberrstuber@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Invasive Species Cooperatives - Pulling together to control invasive plants]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4101 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4101

Invasive species cooperatives are local organizations that integrate all invasive plant management resources across jurisdictional boundaries in order to benefit entire communities. Many are started by local citizens, city, county, state, tribal, and federal leaders to more effectively control invasive species across property ownership boundaries. As in any cooperative, the group gains by sharing the often limited resources available (funds, equipment, time, labor) to control weed populations across several ownerships. This concept started in the western states as "Cooperative Weed Management Areas" or CWMAs.

Why the big deal about invasive species? Besides threatening our natural ecosystems, these non-native invasive species cost us money in higher prices and can be generally problematic and even dangerous. Think about the farmer who has to spend time and money on weeds; you pay more for food. Think about your favorite hunting or hiking area overgrown with buckthorn; you can't walk through it. Think about your yard infested with wild parsnip; you can get blistering burns when you brush up against it.

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is now a major partner in four cooperatives, assisting with the effort to control invasive species throughout northern Wisconsin. The four cooperatives deal with weed issues in the following counties:

* Northwoods CWMA (Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Iron) Contact Matt Bushman, district botanist 715-373-2665

* Upper Chippewa Invasive Species Cooperative (Sawyer, Price, Rusk, Taylor) Contact Ann Hoefferle, zone botanist 715-748-4875

* Wild Rivers CWMA (Florence Co, WI and Dickenson Co, MI) Contact Chantelle Delay, zone botanist 715-528-4464

* Vilas/Oneida CWMA (Vilas and Oneida) Contact Marjy Brzeskiewicz 715-762-2461 or Ted Ritter 715-479-3738

Things that have been accomplished this year:

The Northwoods CWMA won the 2008 Wisconsin Invader Crusader award and was recognized at the National CWMA conference. The NCWMA held five invasive species education and control events as part of the weed free watershed series and had a weekly booth at the Ashland Farmers Market.

Upper Chippewa Invasive Species Co-op held two public participation demonstrations on invasive shrub control. They are currently obtaining signatures on a Memorandum of Understanding to work together in the four counties.

Wild Rivers, the first ever cross-state weed cooperative effort, is flowing right along. They are rapidly organizing by holding bi-monthly meetings and manned an information booth at the Florence County fair.

Vilas/Oneida County CWMA is in the early formation stage and has held five county-wide public meetings to begin building awareness of terrestrial invasive plants. Progress has been made producing maps of known populations of the species of most concern to forest and wetland areas.

You can help. By joining your local CWMA you can provide assistance to your neighbors as well as get help in dealing with invasive species issues in your own backyard. By joining together, we can accomplish much more than any of us can individually. Let's all "pull together"!

Contributed by Marjy Brzeskiewicz, botanist, 715-762-5199

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Emergency Needs Met]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4100 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4100

By: Dan Lentz

Storm events in February and March, 2008, caused considerable damage to Forest roads. Trees fell across roads, culverts washed out, hillsides slumped into roadways, severe rutting occurred and road surfaces washed down the hillsides leaving large holes. The severity of the damage qualified the Forest for Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads (ERFO) funding from the Federal Highway Administration. To date the Forest is scheduled to receive over $1.5 million to permanently repair damage that occurred. These repairs will be made over the next two years and cover almost 50 miles.

One project the EFRO funding benefited was funding assistance for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to do repairs and maintenance of the Big Muddy levee road system located along the Big Muddy River. This levee system protects the community of Grand Tower in Jackson County, Illinois. After numerous meetings with the community leaders of Grand Tower, coupled with assistance from Senator Obama's staff and the Corps, the U.S. Forest Service joined in cooperative efforts to assist in the repair and maintenance of this levee system.

The Shawnee National Forest allocated $600,000 of emergency federal (ERFO) funding for repair and maintenance of the Forest system road along the top of the levee. This money will be fully utilized once the Corps completes their portion of the slumping

repairs along this levee system. Through the cooperative efforts of all involved, the long term protection of the community will be greatly improved.

This is just one example of how the Shawnee National Forest is working across boundaries in cooperation with other agencies to meet emergency needs of our citizens.

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FrankLewisflewis01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ride On! Popular motorized trail gets a facelift]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4099 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4099

Earlier this year, 3.1 miles of new trail were added to the Dead Horse Run ATV and snowmobile trail. The work took place in an area on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF near Clam Lake and the Stockfarm Campground. The new section of trail replaces one that was poorly constructed and located, creating problems with erosion, high water, and possible damage to watersheds. There was a need to minimize such impacts while at the same time providing a safe riding experience for Forest visitors on this very popular trail. Construction of the new section of trail includes new gravel, surfacing, and culverts, and was designed to resemble a mini high standard road.

This project is part of a comprehensive look at the entire Dead Horse Run ATV and Snowmobile Trail. Additionally, new trails will be added in 3 to 4 mile increments over the next 4 years, for a total of approximately 15 miles of new trail. The goals associated with these new trails also align their location within proper management areas as defined by the Chequamegon-Nicolet Forest Plan, and reduce negative impacts to soil and water, while keeping in mind the desire to provide safe and enjoyable riding experiences for all who use the system.

Funding for the new trail was provided by a grant from the Wisconsin DNR ATV registration fund. Additional funding will also be provided by the DNR, along with cooperating with Sawyer County in future trail work.

(Contributed by Jim Mineau, Hydrologist, 715-762-5182)

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[American Ginseng Flourishing in Wayne National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4091 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4091 9

In its second year, American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) population monitoring has been going smoothly on the Wayne National Forest. The monitoring project is intended to assess the impacts that wild harvesting and deer herbivory have on the Forest's ginseng populations and their viability.

Data will be used on Forest, and later provided to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for use in determining what regulations should be applied to the wild harvesting of the plant. This year we also had a new partner join the project, the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Discipline.

There are a total of 10 long-term monitoring sites on the Forest. Data collected within the plots includes the number of plants, the number of leaves (prongs) on the plants, maximum leaf width, reproductive status and plant height. The sites are visited once in the spring and again in the fall to observe population changes over the growing season.

The U.S. Geological Survey joined our effort with their Conservation Genetics mapping project. They collected genetic samples of all plants within monitoring plots to determine the genetic variability of our ginseng populations. The samples were collected by impregnating plant material on a paper card that preserves the genetic material to be analyzed later.

Funding for the USFS project comes from the recovered costs associated with sales of root permits on the Forest. These two projects combined will help to shed new light on the viability of the species under collection and herbivory pressures. Additional plot establishment and monitoring are planned for future years.

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NickGalentinngalentin@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New Discovery Center Breaks Ground on the Chippewa]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4098 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4098 9

Reconstruction has begun on the new Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center in Marcell, Minnesota. On September 30, a special groundbreaking ceremony was held at the future site of this "one-stop-shop" for recreation, travel information and environmental education, to celebrate the project and to recognize the partners involved that have helped turn an idea into a reality.

The Discovery Center will be a transformation of the existing Chippewa NF Marcell District office, located on Highway 38, along the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway. Buildings at the site will be remodeled, added on to, or enhanced to meet the needs of the new Center, and the grounds will be re-engineered to include an amphitheater, a self-guided tour of the historic 1940's ranger station located on site, a handicap-accessible fishing pier on Ranier Lake, and a driveway big enough to accommodate school busses.

The Discovery Center is intended to be the focal point for the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway, an attraction for tourists, students and other visitors that will have a positive impact on the local economy and will serve as a center for learning.

According to written information provided by project organizers, "after visiting the Discovery Center, individuals will have an increased appreciation for the lands, waters, and history" of the region. More specifically, the Center will offer natural resources educational programs (such as logging and forestry tours, wood products workshops, local wildlife programs or hiking trips), interactive interpretive displays on natural and cultural history of the region, information kiosks, a sales outlet and visitor amenities such as rest rooms and pay phones.

It will also allow for a continued presence of the U.S. Forest Service at the site, which had previously been decommissioned.

"This has really been a community project," said Joe Alexander, Deer River district ranger, at the groundbreaking. "We appreciate all the ongoing efforts and work that has been put into this...we're really happy with the results."

The USFS partnered with the Minnesota Highway 38 Leadership Board, Northern Itasca Joint Powers Board and Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Association to plan the Discovery Center and track down funding for the project. Phase I, which was officially kicked off Tuesday, is costing about $360,000, said Mike Martin, USFS public services team leader.

This includes reconstruction of the more modern, highway-facing station building, into what will be the main Discovery Center building. Grants are already being sought for Phase II, Martin said, which will include the construction of the amphitheater and fishing pier. If all goes as planned, Phase I should be complete by mid-May.

Funding for the project has been provided by federal grants, the Blandin Foundation, the Northern Itasca Joint Powers Board, Itasca County, USFS in-kind contributions, the Bigfork Lions Club, North Itasca Electric Cooperative, the Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Association and the Minnesota DNR.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Red-cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Efforts in Aftermath of Hurricane Ike]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4093 Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4093 8

The Challenge

During the week of September 8, 2008, employees of the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas had their eyes on Hurricane Ike as it took aim at the Gulf Coast. Many preparations were being made as the hurricane gathered steam in the Caribbean.

One major concern of district wildlife biologists was the impact on the forest's primary endangered species, the Red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). Currently, the RCW population across the southeastern United States is around 3 percent of what it once was. One of the most limiting factors for the RCW is the lack of suitable or usable cavities. The RCW is the only woodpecker that excavates its cavity in live pine trees.

From past experiences with hurricanes, biologists knew there likely would be damage to cavity trees due to their vulnerability and their propensity for breaking off at the cavity.

The Solution

Materials and supplies were replenished in preparation for damage assessment once Ike had passed. One of the most integral parts in RCW recovery efforts is the implementation of the artificial cavity (inserts) technique. The inserts are installed to supplement areas where a lack of suitable cavities is an issue. In this case, the cause of the lack of suitable cavities was wind-thrown and wind-snapped cavity trees from Hurricane Ike.

Only days after the hurricane, specialist crews from National Forests in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Florida assisted in the initial damage assessment and installation of the much-needed cavity inserts. In areas the RCW call home (clusters), there was extensive damage to cavity trees.

Winds caused damage to hundreds of cavity trees across the National Forests. And in two weeks, crews installed more than 300 inserts across the Angelina, Sabine, Davy Crockett and Sam Houston National Forests.

The Results

Within days, many of the inserts were being utilized by the RCW. A big 'thank you' goes to all the folks for the miles of traveling and many hours of hard work. Although many tasks are yet to be accomplished on the National Forests in Texas, we are one step closer to recovering from Hurricane Ike.

Due to the extra efforts of those involved, an event that could have been a tremendous set back in the population growth of this endangered species turned out to be another success story.

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ErnestMurrayemurray@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Youth Conservation Corps: Challenging Youth…Changing Perspectives on the Superior National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4087 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4087

By Yvonne Schmidt, LaCroix Ranger District

During the summer of 2008, the Superior National Forest hosted a six-person Youth Conservation Corps crew of three women and three men from the local community. The Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a national program that was established in 1971 to introduce teens to land management opportunities in national parks, national forests, and federal wildlife refuges.

This summer employment program permits young men and women to enjoy working, earning, and learning by doing projects that help to conserve our nation's natural resources. Participants are 15 to 18 years of age who typically work for eight weeks during the summer.

Under the leadership of Ben Feiro, timber technician on the LaCroix Ranger District, this year's YCC crew was challenged with a variety of projects on the LaCroix and Laurentian Ranger Districts. Crew members maintained wildlife openings by cutting brush around young oak trees; built water bars, cleaned ditches, and brushed along trails; cleaned campsites, painted outhouses, and stained fishing decks in campgrounds; and improved timber stands by releasing white pine and birch trees.

YCC crew members said that improving trails was a favorite project because hikers passing by could see the effort that goes into maintaining recreational trails - something the hikers probably hadn't thought about before. The crew also enjoyed the satisfaction of knowing the trails are in better condition because of their work.

A highlight of the YCC program is the environmental education aspect. In addition to work projects, the YCC crew helped to band migratory birds; tried orienteering; and toured the International Wolf Center in Ely, Forest History Center in Grand Rapids, Soudan Underground Mine, and Boise Paper Mill in International Falls.

The crew finished their season by presenting a home safety PowerPoint lesson to district employees. In addition to learning about public speaking and computer skills, they researched information for the topic.

The perspectives of the young men and women on the crew changed about the world and about places right in their back yard that they had never visited before, like the falls and gorge on the Vermilion River. They learned a little of what it takes to manage the public lands around them, and perhaps this experience sparked a lifelong or career interest in some aspect of conservation or natural resource management.

For some of the YCC, it was their first work experience or opportunity to learn job skills and team building. For the Forest Service staff it was a rewarding opportunity to mentor local youth.

Overall, the summer 2008 YCC program was a successful and fun summer work experience that challenged and changed the perspectives of the crew and the Forest staff that worked with them. We look forward to hosting future crews.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New Visitor Information/Interpretive Center]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4035 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4035 9

The visitor information and interpretive area at the new Kawishiwi Ranger District office complex on the Superior National Forest is a wonderful example of partnership with numerous people and businesses teaming up to produce an outstanding result.

One example of pulling together contributions from various sources is an aquatics-themed exhibit that features a beaver dam with a "real" trickling stream backed by a mural depicting a scene along a northeastern Minnesota river complimented by an interpretive map. Sticks for the recreated beaver dam were donated by a lake shore owner who discovered the beginnings of an attempted beaver lodge in her boat house.

Students from the Vermilion Community College Natural Resource Class used the "beaver sticks" to help rebuild the dam in the interpretive area. The adjoining mural by local artist Scott Brennan captures the character of our water-rich forest. Adjacent to the mural is a large, interpretive wall map created by the Vermilion Community College GIS instructor and several students.

The mural and interpretive map were made possible through a generous donation in memory of a young man who loved coming to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. District biology technician Fred Ossman combined his carpentry and pond-building skills with his knowledge of water plants and animals to develop a model aquatic habitat which provides a transition between the mural and the beaver dam.

Carpentry work for the display units was provided through a unique federal program. The Forest Service has an agreement with the Federal Prison Bureau's Prison Camp in Duluth, Minnesota, which is set up to provide productive, skill-building work for inmates who earn their way into the program. The inmates, under the direction of their Forest Service crew supervisor, completed our projects using innovative, well thought-out plans. District staff explained what they needed and the inmates used their skills to figure out the best way to accomplish the task.

Several old and new photos in the video viewing area reveal the contrasts and similarities of camping in the past as compared to today. In addition to historic Forest Service photos pulled from the archives at Ironworld, Chisholm, Minnesota, District staff also worked with the Ely Winton Historical Society to locate and reproduce many of these pictures from their collection.

Throughout the displays and tying the various topic areas together is the graphic design work of Josh Hammari, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD). Hammari took on this project while completing his Master of Fine Arts degree.

The District has plans for additional collaborative interpretation. In continuation of a long-standing partnership, a Grey Wolf exhibit is being developed with assistance from our neighbors from across the road at the International Wolf Center. The District's exhibit will provide a wonderful sample of the interpretation available at the Center.

A black bear (who lost its life near the District Office when hit by a car) will be placed climbing up a post in the interpretive area reaching for a food pack as they like to do in the Wilderness. The bear was donated by the North American Bear Center located just west of Ely.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Gunflint Green Up Accomplishes Great Things]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4019 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4019 9

One year after the Ham Lake fire burned across land ownerships along the Superior National Forest's Gunflint Trail and over the border into Canada, the local community banded together and worked with the Forest Service to organize a tree planting event to speed recovery from the fire. They called it the Gunflint Green Up.

On May 3, 2008, as part of the Gunflint Green Up, more than 450 volunteers came together to make a difference for future generations and the land by planting over 50,000 trees on areas of federal land along the Gunflint Trail that were impacted by the fire. A mixture of red and white pine was planted, along with some white spruce and jack pine, on patches of national forest land outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

At the end of the day, there was a celebratory dinner and dance at the Gunflint Lodge. Positive energy from the day was in the air as the volunteers sang a song in harmony about planting the trees.

Volunteers from all walks of life participated in the Green Up. A Girl Scout troop, families, college students, and senior citizens cared for a piece of land that holds a special meaning to them. For some volunteers from Minneapolis or elsewhere, this is a treasured vacation spot. Other volunteers at the event live on the Gunflint Trail and tree planting was a way to recover from the loss of their or their neighbor's homes that accompanied the Ham Lake fire.

Along with the tree planting, several local businesses and organizations offered a full weekend of activities including informational presentations, music, a dance, interpretive nature walks led by Forest Service biologists, demonstrations by the Gunflint Volunteer Fire Department, and a half marathon.

The concept for the public Green Up event began with the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee approaching the Superior National Forest about the possibility for public participation in reforestation efforts along the Gunflint Trail. The Gunflint Green Up was made a reality through the shared vision and extensive cooperation between partners, including the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway Committee, the Cook County Events and Visitors Bureau, and the Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest.

Travis Jones and Myra Theimer and other staff on the Gunflint District worked several months with Nancy Seaton, head of the Gunflint Green Up Committee, along with several devoted committee members to plan this event. Sponsors included a wide range of organizations such as the Quetico-Superior Foundation, Iron Range Resources, Hedstrom Lumber Company, and the Minnesota Sesquicentennial organization.

These organizations contributed key resources such as seedlings, equipment, and funds. The entire Gunflint Trail community poured their heart and soul into making the event especially meaningful. Following the Green Up event, the Forest Service planted and seeded an additional 720 acres in the Ham Lake fire area.

The Ham Lake fire began on May 5, 2007, and, by May 20 had burned 75,851 acres on the Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest and in Canada. By creating young green tree stands, the planting will help reduce future fire risk. The planting will also help restore the historic abundance of these species to the forests of northeastern Minnesota.

Plans are being discussed to make the Green Up an annual event. Many volunteers will remember the experience they had from the 2008 Green Up and return to care for the trees they planted. This will leave a tradition and a legacy for future generations and the land. See www.gunflintgreenup.com for more details.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Come for Lunch at Lake Vermilion Shore Sites]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4017 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4017 9

By Yvonne Schmidt, LaCroix Ranger District.

With its rocky shoreline and hundreds of islands, Lake Vermilion stretches 35 miles between Cook and Tower, Minnesota, within the Superior National Forest. There are resorts, homes, and cabins around the lake, with lots of small bays and large, open expanses of water for visitors to boat and fish, spend a day or stay a week.

As the numbers of resort guests and property owners using the lake have increased, so too has the demand for day use facilities with safe dockage for large watercraft. The public campsites on the lake do not have docks and are not intended for day use.

Over the past fifteen years, The Sportsmen's Club of Lake Vermilion, Inc., has worked in partnership with the LaCroix Ranger District to install boat docks and picnic facilities at six scenic locations on national forest system land adjacent to the Lake. There are two sites on the east end of the lake, two centrally located, and two on the west end. The sites are for day use only, not for camping or houseboat mooring.

Volunteers from the Sportsmen's Club maintain the sites during the boating season and repair or replace docks as needed.

Ray Harris, a charter member of the club, said "It's been a real good partnership. The sites are well-distributed around the lake, and they get a lot of use by residents and resort guests for picnic lunches."

Each shore lunch site has a dock, picnic table, steel firegrate, and wilderness-style latrine. The public can safely dock their boats to enjoy a picnic, fish, swim and relax without occupying a campsite. The dock for the newest shore lunch site was funded through the generosity of a family in memory of a man who loved the lake and had a summer home there. They want others to be able to enjoy the beauty of Lake Vermilion for many years to come.

Two other day use sites are also memorials.

For more information about the Lake Vermilion Shore Lunch Sites including GPS coordinates, go to the following websites: Superior National Forest at www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior (look under "Recreational Opportunities") or The Sportsmen's Club of Lake Vermilion at www.sportsmensclublakevermilion.org.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Land That Somebody Wanted]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4088 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4088 9

A 1977 Conservation Foundation Report stated, "The national forests of the east, in the main, were assembled from land that nobody wanted". However many years prior to the formation of the Hoosier National Forest, John Ploch wanted some of that land. He purchased 80 acres located in Tobin Township of Perry County, Indiana from George Porter in 1851.

One hundred fifty-seven years later two of his descendants, Shawn Brand and Bettina Schneider, while tracing their family genealogy, discovered an ancestor had owned land now a part of the Hoosier National Forest. They sent requests and a 1961 newspaper story to the Forest Service Washington Office and the Hoosier National Forest for any documents showing a land transfer from John Ploch to the US Forest Service in the German Ridge Recreation Area in Perry County. The newspaper story showed a photograph of the old Ploch home on German Ridge and history of the John Ploch families' immigration from Darmstadt, Germany in 1847 to Indiana byway of New York and Cincinnati. A search through the Forests' lands status atlas did not show a land purchase from John Ploch. However, a further search of the land acquisition microfiche records revealed the abstracts of title in the 1800's showing the Ploch and Plock names.

Meanwhile, members of the Forests' Lands team were discussing this request and the Ploch name. Their interests had been sparked and ideas were flowing. The topographic map covering the area showed Plock Knob one-half mile north of the German Ridge Recreation Area. Typically names of many features on the map come from prior landowners. A look at an 1880 county survey plat of that section revealed John Ploch to be a landowner in that section. Adjacent to his property is an old church and German Ridge Cemetery. A discussion with Forest Archeologist, Angier Krieger, produced several pages of headstone readings from the cemetery. Many of them were in German. Eight headstones had the Ploch name on them including John Ploch.

This information including copies of 1937 aerial photographs of German Ridge were sent to Shawn and Bettina. "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you…It will be a thrill for so many. John and Katrine had 15 children…you can imagine the huge number of descendents." was the reply Shawn and Bettina emailed to the Forest after receiving the information.

As a result of knowing the Forests' records and how the information might be helpful, the Hoosier National Forest was able to provide a unique public service.

Thanks go to the Forests' Lands team: Ross Taylor, Kelly Weigel, Ted Senior, Jackie Contreras and Bob Stone.

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BobStonebstone@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Kawishiwi Ranger District Goes Green]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4036 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4036 9

Completion of the Kawishiwi Ranger District office on the Superior National Forest involved many partnerships and creative solutions. The entire office complex incorporates "green principles" that emphasize recycling, reuse, and energy conservation.

Plans for the new complex began approximately 40 years ago when the land was purchased. Some of the initial planning and survey work for the site were used in the final construction of the facilities that were completed in 2007.

The complex includes offices, a multipurpose shop (for field-going operations such as recreation/ wilderness, fire, and timber), a Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness permit issuing station, interpretive displays, a garage, warehouse, employee housing, and offices for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The new office and multipurpose shop building are about 30,000 square feet. This is comparable to the total operations that were previously scattered at four separate facilities in the Ely area (leased office space, permit station at the Wolf Center, old warehouse facilities, and U.S. Customs).

Having district operations consolidated into one site facilitates better communication between employees and eliminates the need for duplicate phone and computer systems at separate locations. Approximately 65 full-time employees and an additional 40-50 seasonal employees or volunteers work out of these facilities.

The new site is more visible and accessible to the public and the visitor center at the front of the office provides information about things to see and do on the Superior National Forest and the Ely area.

Total costs for design and construction of site and facilities was approximately $8 million. Investment in the new facility demonstrates the strong commitment of the Forest Service to the Ely community. Many local and regional businesses were involved in construction of the facilities.

The design, construction and operation of the building are very environmentally friendly. We expect to receive a "silver" rating for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).

Efficient water use, recycled/recyclable materials, efficient electricity use, and storm water management are among the elements integrated into the site design. "Green" messages are posted through out the building pointing out demonstrations and techniques.

With completion of this updated facility, the Forest Service looks forward to continuing to build on past partnerships in the Ely community that span nearly 100 years.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Opens First Wheelchair Accessible Portion of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4085 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4085

The Green Mountain National Forest, Green Mountain Club and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy opened the first universal accessible portion of the Appalachian Trail in Vermont Sept. 13. The celebration was held at the foot of Thundering Falls at the Appalachian Trail crossing of River Road in Killington, Vermont.

"This is an excellent addition to the diverse opportunities we offer on the Forest, it provides something for people of all abilities," said Forest Supervisor Meg Mitchell.

"The Thundering Falls relocation is a great improvement in many ways. It gets rid of the dusty roadwalk on Thundering Brook Road, adds great views of the Ottauquechee Valley and the falls, protects the resource, and takes advantage of flat terrain to make a stretch of the AT accessible to people who use wheelchairs. It took a long time and a lot of work, but the result is worth it," said GMC Executive Director Ben Rose.

The new path descends from Thundering Brook Road through northern hardwood forest to the base of Thundering Falls and then passes through the open Ottauquechee River floodplain across 900 feet of boardwalk built by the Green Mountain Club.

The Green Mountain Club Long Trail Patrol, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the National Park Service and Green Mountain National Forest have worked on this project since the mid 1980s when they acquired a property easement across the Ottauquechee flood plain. Major funding was secured by the ATC and the Green Mountain Club and Vermont Youth Conservation Corps began work in 2005.

Timeline:

2004: GMC and ATC finalized flagline of relocation with US Forest Service following completion of Environmental Assessment.

2005: Vermont Youth Conservation Corps crews built the hiking trail downhill from Thundering Brook Road to the bench above the floodplain where the universal accessible spur trail to the falls begins.

2006: VYCC crews built the accessible spur trail and switchback from the floodplain to the bench; GMC project crew and volunteer crew built bridge across the Ottauquechee River and began building the nearly 900-foot long boardwalk in accordance with plans developed by USFS engineer John Kamb with interpretation and direction by GMC's Matt Wels. GMC crews worked into November.

2007: VYCC crews built the hiking trail relocation from River Road north to the Appalachian Trail and helped with surfacing the accessible path between the boardwalk and Thundering Falls; GMC project crew, Long Trail Patrol and volunteer crew completed the boardwalk between the river and the switchback and moved the gravel for surfacing the pathway; the AT relocation was opened to hikers in September.

2008: GMC project crew and volunteer crew built the ramp from River Road to the bridge, finished the railings, and viewing platform.

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[100 Years 100 Stories from the Chippewa National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4077 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4077

The year 2008 has been a celebration of 100 years of service for the Chippewa National Forest. After establishment as the first national forest located east of the Mississippi River in 1908, one hundred years later we have the opportunity to look back on how we came to be here as well as where we're headed. We've told the Chippewa story this year at a wide range of events and through the Success Story reporting system, and we're pleased to end the centennial year with our 100th Success Story.

This year, the Success Story Reporting System (SSRS) has been a dynamic public affairs tool that has helped the Chippewa National Forest let people know about all the great things we do. Since 2002, when the system began and the Chippewa marked 100 years since it was a Forest Reserve, we have shared events that changed our lives such as the "GIS Teams Support to the World Trade Center Efforts" and "Hurricane Katrina Support".

We looked to the future in "It's All Green on the Chippewa" and linked them together as we wrote about "The Centennial Quilt" and "Partners Make Camp Rabideau National Historic Landmark Shine". We have shared many program accomplishments with the "Firefighters for Yellow Rails", "Chippewa Wetland Restoration Partnership" and "Chippewa National Forest Receives Hands on the Land Grant". The SSRS has given us the opportunity to share fun accomplishments of our employees in the "Local Indian Council Honors Chippewa Employee" story and proud moments such as "Chippewa Partnership Received 2007 Wings Across America".

In any given year, the Chippewa National Forest receives about 1.2 million visitors across our roughly million acre land base. Lands within the boundary are a quilt work of different ownerships, sometimes changing after each 40 acres. We chose to represent the attributes of our national forest in an employee-created centennial quilt that was exhibited at this year's MN State Fair during the State's 150th birthday. Approximately 1.5 million people visit the MN State Fair each year, nearly equal to a year's worth of Chippewa National Forest visitors. There were approximately 5,000 entries on display at the fair's Creative Activities competition, and the CNF Centennial Quilt was awarded Second Prize in the "Group Made Quilt" category. We also took Grand Championship honors at the Beltrami County Fair.

Our centennial year also included hosting a visit by former President Theodore Roosevelt, a highly visible moment interacting with the Tribal Council of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Senator Coleman, the Chippewa Centennial Triathalon organized by a Chippewa retiree and Regional Honor Award winner, and new adventures initiated by new employees such as hosting the North American Fishing TV Show.

We're pleased to have shared so many positive stories about celebrating our past, special events, and current projects. Our emphasis now shifts to stories of our next 100 years: embracing our diversity, finding our role in climate change and energy issues, making our work relevant to urban and younger people, and sustaining a great national forest. Everyday brings us a new story to tell. We hope you will continue to read all about it!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Being Neighborly]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4080 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4080

Mid-day, September 23, the weather was perfect when eight employees from a neighboring USDA office joined employees from the Forest Supervisor's office in Harrisburg, Illinois, for a tailgate luncheon. A tailgate committee, with support from the Shawnee Employees Association (SEA), planned and hosted the event.

The SEA provided the hot dogs and brats that their officers grilled. Forest employees brought home-made side dishes, relishes, and desserts and a variety of chips. The tailgate committee provided tea, door prizes, sport's trivia cards and organization.

To keep with the tailgate theme, everyone was encouraged to wear their favorite sports team shirt or hat and bring a lawn chair. All available trucks in the parking lot were backed into a circle with tailgates down ready to use for serving tea or covered with throws for extra seating.

The tailgate idea provided an informal setting for meeting and greeting fellow civil servants with whom we seldom have an opportunity to interact. Commonalities were discovered, both on a personal and professional level. Even though the Forest's guests were from sister agencies, the tailgate luncheon provided an opportunity for discussions to connect them to lands managed by the Forest Service.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Chippewa's Ruby Lake Camp = More Kids in the Woods!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4073 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4073 9

It could be a dream come true - deep within Chippewa National Forest in the rolling hills and clear lakes of the Deer River Ranger District is the perfect getaway for a large group. If you were a civic or church-sponsored organization or a cultural or rehabilitation center, a place like this could be just what someone is looking for…..with a little work. Okay, maybe a lot of work. Mike Martin, Public Services Team Leader, Bruce Giersdorf, Fire Management Officer, and Dave Roerick Implementation Team Leader came up with a win-win-win idea.

Fuel Reduction Project + Biomass Operation = Kids in Back in the Woods!!!

The Ruby Lake Camp, located approximately 25 north of Grand Rapids, MN on beautiful Ruby Lake, was built in the later 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp for use as an organizational camp. There are 25 structures associated with the camp, with 22 eligible for the National Registry of Historic Places.

For over fifty years it was operated as a seasonal residential camp by the Minneapolis Girl Scout Council, and other permit holders. Too many growing facility safety issues and numerous hazard trees resulted in an unused camp by 2007. With a goal of soliciting a new tenant to operate what (is) could be a prime site, the Deer River District has taken on the work to make the camp safe, and useful in multiple ways.

With no funding to restore the camp, district staff became creative by integrating disciplines to get results. By removing known hazard trees through a small-sale timber contact within Ruby Lake Camp, the site becomes a demonstration site for fuel reduction in Itasca County with a relatively new Community Wildfire Protection Plan. In planning for tree removal, the team has also planned to maintain a buffer strip along Ruby Lake and enlarge the ball field so the camp remains scenic and more useful for a new tenant.

Removing the slash generated through the implementation of the timber sale turned into utilizing slash and downed fuel for local biomass operations. The biomass generated though the project was used by Minnesota Power to create electrical power for the local community.

The team is currently soliciting a new tenant for the operation and maintenance of the Ruby Lake Camp. With new ideas for getting more kids in the woods, reconnecting urban people with natural resources, and sustaining rural communities with local opportunities the possibilities are exciting. It probably will be someone's dream come true.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Fisheries Technicians Design Waterways to Protect Fish]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4072 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4072

"Naturally Meandering" doesn't initially strike one as something that can be easily engineered, but that may be because you haven't spoken with a fisheries technician lately.

Caring for the land, and water, where animals make their home is something wildlife biologists on the Green Mountain National Forest take seriously.

In a recent Rutland Herald Article, "Reading the Batten Kill," author Shelly Stiles, from the Bennington County Conservation District, interviewed Forest fisheries technician Scott Wixsom.

"Scott is a reader of rivers. The objects he's having placed in the Kill, and where, help me understand a little bit better what he sees and what this famous river of ours really wants to be," Stiles wrote.

Wixsom is designing a habitat restoration project for the Batten Kill where cover and shelter structures are installed to provide better fish habitat. The Batten Kill project has been in the works for two years and will mostly protect brook and brown trout.

Stiles continued: "Valley bottom rivers like the main stem Batten Kill are naturally meandering things. Wild valley bottom rivers meander wildly, accessing as much of the floodplain as they have water for. But even in the Batten Kill, where the stream channel has been lowered by people activities, there's a meandering quality to the water itself.

"Pools are good for trout - their waters are colder, their depths provide cover, so Scott likes pools. His restoration design promotes them, by enhancing the bouncing back and forth of the thalweg from one side of the river to the other."

Forest crews are installing boulders, root wads and whole trees to hasten the pace and increase the depth of the water where trout can spawn and thrive.

"Then there's the fine tuning of the design. Scott and his National Forest colleagues Chris Alexopoulis, Justin Myer, and Keith Sargent protect the banks from too much erosion by installing root wads and tying in whole trees along the edges…they will protect the banks and provide cover and shelter for fish," said Stiles.

The project will benefit anglers, who have better fishing holes and healthier fish populations, and the erosion controls help with flood abatement.

The project is sponsored by the Batten Kill Watershed Alliance. In addition to the Green Mountain National Forest, other participants this year include Southwestern Vermont Trout Unlimited, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation.

This is another example of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries."

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Hosts North American Fishing Show]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4070 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4070 9

Lights, Camera, Action…. Those were words heard on the Chippewa National Forest in August when the Fox Sports television show "North American Fishing" came to film on the Chippewa during our centennial year.

While working with the Urban Connections program at the MN State Fish Art Day, Todd Tisler, Chippewa Fish and Wildlife Program Manager, met Steve Pennaz host of the North American Fishing Show. Todd casually invited him to film on the Chippewa and when a cancellation occurred, the crew packed up and headed north!

At an undisclosed "area lake" on the Chippewa National Forest, several scenes were filmed for a program to be aired around April 2009. It's not about advertising a lake, the producers said, Its about encouraging the outdoor experience. The catch of the day was largemouth bass, along with a few northern pike and some panfish. Filming the fishing, said wildlife biologist Todd Tisler, was a lot more work than you'd think. Scenes needed several angles, underwater shots, background information, and of course, everyone showing their sponsor or Forest logo at the right time. The show's host, Steve Pennaz thought it was enjoyable and productive to film at a national forest. Reflecting on the experience, he noted that if all trips went as well as this one he would have the best job on the planet. Todd did a great job on camera, especially when it came to talking about the National Forest and its many facilities/features.

The show features a favorite species each week with nationally-known experts Steve Pennaz, Karen Savik, Buzz Ramsey and George Liddle. It also focuses on how to and where to fish, but likes to emphasize story-telling about an area so the show appeals to a wider audience.

The film crew also gathered information on Chippewa National Forest facts and during filming discussed the Chippewa's extensive water resources, concern for invasive species, and abundant recreation opportunities. There were plenty of out-takes that have made for great story telling around the office and everyone is anxious to see the final product.

The North American Fishing Show is picked up by several networks (Versus, Fox Sports, Lonestar Cable and Comcast) and airs nationally. They will also use information from the show in the North American Fisherman magazine which is distributed to 450,000 people. The Chippewa National Forest episode should be shown around April 2009 and you should, as they say in the fishing world, be sure to Catch It!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Employees Participate in the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4090 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4090

The Ottawa National Forest and the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative (LSSI) partnered together to host a successful environmental education event for 5th grade students at the CJ Sullivan Elementary School.

The students from the L'Anse, MI, school studied and surveyed plots in a Jack pine dominated ecosystem of the Ottawa National Forest. They will compare their results with plots they have taken at their hardwood school forest. The students were able to identify the trees and under-story plants within their plots. They also explored the invertebrate and vertebrate life in a Jack pine forest.

Forest Service employees from several disciplines were present to share different perspectives on the puzzle pieces that make up the Jack pine ecosystem including forestry, wildlife, and fire. The students also had a surprise visit from the Forest Supervisor, Susan Spear, who discussed the Forest Service and management of the forest.

It was an excellent opportunity for the students to experience place-based learning. Forest Service personnel enjoyed seeing more "kids in the woods" and hope to have other similar opportunities in the future.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Employer of Choice Program]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4083 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4083

On September 10, 2008, Shawnee National Forest Employer of Choice Champions, Marlene B. Rivero and Mary McCorvie, participated in the first of several Southern Illinois University-Carbondale (SIU-C) outreach efforts at local community colleges. Entitled the 'SIU College to Careers Showcase Series' (Showcase) the College of Agriculture was the first college to participate. The series features professors from the various academic colleges and departments at SIU-C, such as the College of Agriculture, the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Applied Sciences and Arts, and the College of Business and Administration, to present information about careers in their respective fields. The goal of the Showcase is to attract students from surrounding local community colleges and enroll them at SIU-C.

The Shawnee National Forest set up an informational booth for outreach concerning post-baccalaureate career opportunities within the Forest Service. The Employer of Choice goal is to distribute information to students about possible Forest Service careers after graduation or even seasonal jobs as undergraduates. The idea is to raise the awareness of the community college students about other occupational choices, and to familiarize them with hiring programs such as the Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) and the Student Training Employment Program (STEP). Participating in the Showcase allowed us to reach those students interested in pursuing a career "working in the great outdoors."

The Shawnee Community College (SCC), the SIU-C College of Agriculture and the Shawnee National Forest worked together to provide information to undergraduate students at the first annual SIU-C College to Showcase on the SCC campus. The group in the attached photo is discussing student undergraduate opportunities at the SIU-C and Forest Service career opportunities with representatives and students from SCC.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mingo Job Corps' First Interagency Firefighing Mobilization Successful]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4069 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4069 9

The first interagency approach to mobilizing Mingo Job Corps students to learn to fight fires has been a success.

Six Mingo Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center student employees and one staff member returned August 6, 2008 from a challenging 14-day wildland fire assignment in Northern California on the Canyon Complex.

The six students joined personnel from Mark Twain National Forest, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Dept. of Conservation and the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources to form a 20-person Type 2 "Initial Attack Hand Crew."

According to Mark Twain National Forest liaison Russell Harris, this was the first interagency approach to mobilization for the Mingo Center.

"We are very pleased with the results of this new joint venture," Harris said. "Our Job Corps student firefighters received exceptional mentoring by experienced fire personnel which culminated in an excellent crew rating. We are optimistic that these Job Corps crew members will be an asset to fire operations on Mark Twain National Forest in the near future."

The crew was one of five initial attack hand crews dispatched summer 2008 by the Missouri-Iowa Coordination Center at Rolla.

Situated on the Plumas National Forest near Quincy, California, the Canyon Complex was a "mega fire" exceeding 37,000 acres. Lighting is attributed to the start of the fires on June 21.

The Canyon Complex was characterized by steep, rocky terrain, numerous historic mining sites, standing dead trees and unburned interior fuels.

A complex is a group of fires in one geographical area. Typically, complex fires are the result of a multitude of dry lighting strikes from a persistent, dry cold front moving through a region.

"It was an experience of a lifetime," said Job Corps student Marcus Sneen. "I couldn't have selected a better group of people from which to learn. They helped me to develop key safety awareness skills."

"I had a very positive experience working with the Job Corps firefighters," said Poplar Bluff Ranger District Timber Sales Administrator Clifford Smith, who served as crew boss trainee for the team.

"I believe this crew provided valuable hands-on training and exposure not easily simulated in the classroom environment."

"I think the experience was beneficial to both the students and the joint personnel from other agencies represented on the crew," said Mingo Fire Management Officer "Buddy" Clinton. "The Mingo students have a lot to offer and I think this joint venture may serve as a great first step in the direction we want to go with our fire program. What better resource do we have than our youth…we want to continue to be a valuable resource to the Mark Twain and our communities in time of need."

Over the last 40 yrs, Job Corps has built its reputation as the nation's largest and most successful residential and educational workforce training program for economically disadvantaged youth ages 16 to 24.

Job Corps serves nearly 65,000 young Americans every year and has trained and educated more than 2 million young people since the first center opened in 1965.

Job Corps is administered by the US Department of Labor.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners work with Wayne National Forest to improve wildlife habitat]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4068 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4068 9

In July 2008 the Forest Service signed a Challenge Cost Share agreement with the Ruffed Grouse Society to to remove Autumn Olive, an invasive plant, from grass and shrubland ecosystems on the Athens Ranger District of the Wayne National Forest (WNF). This agreement facilitated the first agreement between the WNF and the Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS), forging a new partnership.

The equipment needed for this project is very expensive to purchase, therefore the WNF worked with RGS to use their equipment to remove the autumn olive. Removal of the woody species will provide more open habitat for wildlife to nest and forage in. The Henslow's sparrow, a declining species range-wide, will benefit from this activity. Likewise, more open habitat will benefit other game species such as grouse, bobwhite and turkey. The areas being treated previously provided Henslow's sparrow habitat, according to district Wildlife Biologist Lynda Andrews, but autumn olive establishment has since resulted in the sparrows leaving. By removing the woody invasive species, the Henslow's sparrow will again be able to use these areas for foraging and nesting.

The woody material is being removed with a Cat 297C skid steer with high flow hydraulics to run a mulcher. This machine, provided by RGS, is capable of removing autumn olive shrubs in seconds. These machines are being placed regionally by the RGS to use for habitat improvement. The machine used for this project was brought from Pennsylvania.

By using a mulcher, the bases of the autumn olive are fractured. By splitting the base of the plants instead of flush cutting with a chainsaw, the likelihood of resprouts are reduced. Additionally, the areas of treatment are part of prescribed burns areas, so Forest Botanist, Cheryl Coon, hopes that future burns of the areas will kill any root sprouts that do occur and continue to maintain these areas as early successional habitat.

Local Ruffed Grouse Society member and Forestry Technician, Art Martin worked to find a local operator that teaches heavy machinery classes at nearby Hocking College. "This is a great partnership for the Wayne and our local chapter, to have the RGS bring in regional equipment for habitat improvement in southeast Ohio." The win-win situation benefits the Forest Service by mechanically reducing fuels and changing the Fire Regime Condition Class towards its desired condition, restoring early successional habitat in the Grassland and Forest Mosaic Management areas (according to Forest Plan direction), removing non-native invasive autumn olive, and restoring habitat for wildlife and a Regional Forester Sensitive Species. RGS benefits by promoting conditions suitable for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and related wildlife to sustain our sport hunting tradition and outdoor heritage.

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CherylCoonccoon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Native Plant restoration project at Grand Island NRA]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4032 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4032 9

This summer Hiawatha National Forest botanical staff, volunteers and partners transplanted 6,912 native wildflower and milkweed plugs in the "old farm field" on Grand Island NRA. All the native plugs were raised at the Forest greenhouse located in Marquette, Michigan and actually got their start from many of the same volunteers who came out to do the four day plantings on the island.

The intent of this project was to get youth and adults involoved with their National Forest by helping restore a degraded site currently infested with a suite of non-native invasive species and in turn create pollinator species habitat especially for Monarch butterflies.

In order to begin this project pre-planning included collecting native seed from the island during late summer of 2007, then raising nearly 7,000 plugs during the winter of 2008 at the Forest greenhouse; contacting Grand Island Association members prior to December of 2007 and staying in contact with them throughout the winter; contacting the many partners needed to make this project successful; and applying for grants needed to fund many facets of the project.

Site prep work began early in June and continued into early July as the first area for restoration selected was the SE corner of the old opening, and comprised approximately.25 acre. Because the site was so infested with weed species it needed two herbicide applications. Youth Conservation Corps members along with Michigan Works youth crew then spent three days removing the invasive species sod cap so native plants could eventually be transplanted.

Prior to the first plantings a Nishnaabe Spiritual Ceremony called a "smudging" was done at the site in order to cleanse it and all those who would participate. While the smoke rose towards the skies that day, local tribal elder Delores LeVeque requested from the spirits soft rain to nourish the new plantings.

On July 17th, the first plantings took place with nearly 100 volunteers from MSU Life of Lake Superior program. Within a few hours after we left the island, a soft rain fell on the thousands of newly-planted plugs. On July 21st the second planting occurred with 44 youth volunteers from Alger Parks and Recreation Day Kamp. Again shortly after we left the island a soft rain fell on the site. The final plantings for this year occurred on July 24th and 31st with volunteers from The Nature Conservancy, Moosewood Nature Center, Grand Island Association and native plant program volunteers from the Forest. Each time within a few hours of planting rain was bestowed to the island.

By the end of the July 31st, 6,912 native wildflower plugs including nearly 1,000 milkweed plants had been transplanted in this once degraded site. It was actually hard to believe that less than four weeks earlier the site had been fully occupied by spotted knapweed, St. Johnswort, orchard and timothy grasses and a myriad of other non-natives such as bladder campion, hawkweed, bindwind, and burdock. A "habitat area for Monarch butterflies" sign was put on the site in order to help island visitors interpret the restoration work being done. A "Go Wild" interpretive panel is already in production and will be placed on the site yet this fall.

Support for this project came primarily from the Washington Office through a native plant grant. These monies were used to purchase the "Go Wild" interpretive sign, to raise all 7,000 plants needed for this year, and to cover costs associated with greenhouse contracts, native seed collection and transportation to the island.

In addition, the Northern Research station of the Forest Service provided funding for materials such as equipment (planting trowels, a water holding tank and a pump)needed to complete this project. Their support also included participating on the site. On July 31st, Mark Twery, project leader at Northern Research Station program for Science, Technology, and Applied Results spent the day with us on the island transplanting native plugs of Evening Primrose and Black-eyed Susan. Mark also participated that day and evening at the final ceremony for MSU Extension's "Life of Lake Superior 2008" youth education program.

Alger Regional Community Foundation also awarded a grant to the project through MSU Extension in order to cover all transportation costs associated with ferry and bus travel on the island for Life of Lake Superior Grand Island experience.

The Grand Island native plant restoration project is an example of how creating engaging science based educational opportunities which promote land stewardship ethics and involving community support will in turn increase awareness and support of our National Forest system lands.

Over the course of the next five years we hope to fully restore native plants this once-degraded site.

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DebLe Blancdleblanc01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Celebrating the Arts on the Chippewa]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4067 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4067

Among the call of loons (and kids) at the lake, visitors to the Norway Beach Recreation Area this summer were also welcomed with the strum of acoustic guitar played by musicians Neil Dietrich and Nick Sanchez. The two were a part of the "Celebrating Arts" program this summer on the Chippewa National Forest.

In 2005, the Chippewa hosted the Smithsonian Exhibit "Inspirations from the Forest," a traveling display that explores ways our national forests serve as inspirations to artists. Each year since, the Norway Beach Visitor Center has brought in artists to highlight the natural and cultural resources of the area.

Along with musical programs, the Forest showcased pine needle and birch bark basket-makers, diamond willow carvers, quilters and watercolor artists this summer. Forest quilters put their skills on display with a three-day show that included the Chippewa National Forest Centennial quilt and the National Forest 2005 Centennial Quilt, part of the Smithsonian's "Inspirations" display.

In July, the Marcell Ranger District hosted the "Celebrating Birch" display, teaming up with the North House Folk School to highlight the "lore, art and craft of an ancient tree."

Naturalist programs held throughout the summer also provide inspiration for young artists, and include nature journaling workshops, painting, and traditional crafts of twining and cattail mats. With the Celebrating Birch Display, campers learned to make birchbark beads, canoes, and Scandanavian birch stars at summer programs. The summer arts season ends with a Forest Service booth at the 6th Annual "Goods from the Woods" Up North Marketplace, celebrating northern forests and promoting a vibrant forest-based economy.

The Chippewa National Forest has found a wonderful way to bring visitors closer to the land.

"It's an amazing way to connect with our visitors, share the outstanding talents of our permanent and seasonal staff, and highlight the natural and cultural resources of the area," according to Visitor Center coordinator Mary Nordeen. "We look forward to welcoming new artists and partners each season, and enjoy building this tradition on our Centennial forest!"

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Washington Office Conservation Education Program Connects D.C. Youth With Nature]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4061 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4061

The WO's Conservation Education (CE) staff established an urban connection by forming a new Day Camp-Fieldtrips program that reached more than 260 students at the Anacostia National Park Urban Tree-House.

Every Friday from July 11 through August 15, 2008, a field trip was held involving students in very high quality environmental learning workshops that included an interactive boat ride and three other exciting environmental learning experiences. Each of these activities focused on aquatics and watershed information that ignited the interest of youth throughout several areas of Washington, D.C.

The CE staff was responsible for planning, organizing and managing this outreach program. In addition to the development of strong partnership alliances with extraordinary partners, they assisted in making these field trips possible.

The CE staff, along with partners, organized four workshop stations that reached students from kindergarten to 12th grade. The partners include the following; The National Park Service, the Student Conservation Association, Anacostia Watershed Society and D.C. Department of the Environment. All helped to make this field-trip program a success.

They were all very dedicated to working together to complete tasks and assignments, and for ensuring that more than 260 participating students and leaders were continually engaged in meaningful outdoor activities.

The students learned about watersheds, value of trees, environmental monitoring, habitats of birds and fish in the park, ecosystem management, the balance of the habitats, and how to conserve natural resources. This was done through hands-on nature experiences, games, and activities to make sure that learning was fun for students of all ages.

The program would not have operated as smoothly without the coordination of site coordinator Vicki Arthur and Sylvia Whitworth, who oversaw transporting students to the event. In addition, the hands-on assistance of Forest Service interns Kenya Richards and Wy'tosha Thacker proved to be a valuable asset.

The program was a great opportunity to reach diverse groups of students and raise their awareness of outdoor recreation and environmental issues.

Being able to offer environmental education to students that would not normally be exposed to these outdoor activities and programs is a great success. In addition to the forming of a wonderful partnership alliance, there are plans to work together in the future to develop many other environmental education programs to reach numerous urban youth in the Washington, D.C, area.

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WytoshaThackerwthacker@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[The Conservation Education Staff Discovers a Bright New Star]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4059 Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4059

The Washington Office's Conservation Education (CE) staff recently brought on board a smart and enthusiastic Job Corps student by the name of Michaela D. Hall. Hall started her career with the Forest Service as an administrative assistant to CE Director Dr. Safiya Samman. Hall was chosen from a large pool of applicants for the position.

Hall is originally from Virginia Beach. She is one of the best and brightest of the Job Corps graduates who initially got started at the Potomac Job Corps Center with the ambition to add purpose and direction to her future plans. Her hard work, determination and excellent work ethic are pointing her in the right direction.

Her position in CE provided Hall with excellent training and knowledge that applies to any administrative support position. Her skills range from knowledge of Forest Service systems, correspondence databases, and FS filing protocol. She excels at navigating Fed Traveler, processing travel authorizations, arranging travel plans and completing travel vouchers. Hall also planned and participated in organizing a number of Forest Service outreach projects, activities and events.

The thing Hall values most in her experience with the CE program is her exposure to a vast amount of professional training and work experience which has led her to other opportunities. Due to her success in CE, she has moved to another position in the State and Private Forestry Deputy's office. This office, led by Deputy Chief Jim Hubbard, oversees and assists six staffs, including CE.

The experience that Hall said she received with the FS is like none other. The supervisor and staff have taught her a lot of benefical skills. This experience has had a positive influence on her life, and is one that she will always treasure.

She said she is very glad to have had an opportunity to be part of the CE program and to her enhance skills and aptitude. She has also increased her prospects for her future. Thanks to FS funding, she is presently enrolled in college for the fall semester where she plans to complete her degree and continue to work for the FS in a rewarding career. She is very mobile and looking forward to explore new and different opportunities in various regions within the Forest Service.

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WytoshaThackerwthacker@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Lincoln and Douglas Return to Jonesboro]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4065 Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4065

By: Mary McCorvie

September 10, 2008

Abraham Lincoln and Stephan Douglas are once again together "in a grove of trees north of town" in Jonesboro 150 years after their historic original meeting. To celebrate and commemorate the sesquicentennial, the citizens of Anna and Jonesboro, Illinois are hosting, along with the Shawnee National Forest, a celebration and commemoration of the Lincoln Douglas 1858 Sesquicentennial.

The people of Anna and Jonesboro have banded together to raise funds toward a lasting legacy of this historic event. The preservation committee commissioned local artist, Tom Allen, to create the new Lincoln and Douglas statues as part of the sesquicentennial celebration. These statues were paid for thanks to the generosity of the citizens of Anna and Jonesboro, $33,000 from Union County, and a $61,000 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission grant. Other improvements at the site include a visitor's plaza made with nineteenth century paving bricks surrounding the new statues, new benches and fencing, and "Looking Lincoln" Heritage coalition interpretative signs.

The 1858 debates catapulted Lincoln into national recognition. Even though he lost his bid to represent the people of Illinois as their senator, his name became recognized across the length and breath of the country for his stand on restricting the expansion on slavery into the new western territories. Jonesboro was the site of the third debate in a series of seven and was held "in a grove of trees north of town." That grove of trees is now the Lincoln Memorial Recreation Area, part of the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District. The debate will be re-enacted the weekend of September 12-14, 2008.

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MaryMcCorvieMmccorvie@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Interpretive Program Goes To The Bats]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4066 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4066 9

After being on the Hoosier National Forest for four years, I am embarrassed to say that I have never attended an interpretative program offered by our seasonal interpreter. On August 9, 2008, Interpreter Becky Denoncour invited me to attend one of her sessions. Becky was the seasonal interpreter at the historical Rickenbaugh House on the Tell City Ranger District and I had heard great things about her programs. So, I packed up my daughter and we headed down to the lake to hear about bats.

The only thing I knew about bats was what I had learned from my mother when I was growing up. The first and most important thing my mother told me was that if you didn't cover up your head at night, you were sure to get a bat stuck in your hair and it would never, ever come out. The second thing she told me was that bats have fangs and if they bite you on the neck then you are going to get rabies and have to receive a lot of very painful shots.

Of course, those rumors where completely false and Becky did an outstanding job of dispelling those old "wives tales." Becky was assisted by Wildlife Biologist, Clark McCreedy, who actually caught a bat and let us all observe it up close. Becky and Clark worked as a team to both educate and entertain us. The comments I heard from the group were all positive and everyone appeared to be impressed with both the program and the employee's knowledge of bats.

During the program Clark put out a sonar device called ANAbat, allowing the participants to hear what bats sound like when they are communicating. He also lead the group on a "bat" hike to several pit toilets so we could see all the wonderful bat guano and to observe how the bats were able to squeeze themselves into tiny crevices to roost.

I left the program in total awe and have a new respect for bats and their ability to maneuver into extremely small crevices. Both Becky and Clark did an awesome job and I know I can speak for everyone when I say that it was an extremely enjoyable experience.

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JackieContrerasjcontreras@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa's Shingobee Recreation Area Celebrates National Trails Days]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4063 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4063 9

Saturday, June 7th, 25 volunteers gathered at the Chippewa National Forests Shingobee Recreation Area to Celebrate National Trails Day. Volunteers came out to enjoy a beautiful summer day and to participate in a variety of trail maintenance projects on the Shingobee Trail System and the North Country National Scenic Trail. Volunteers from the Itasca Moraine Chapter and the North Star Chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), Boy Scouts of America Troop 25 from Bemidji and U.S. Forest Service employees from the Walker Ranger District joined together to complete approximately seven miles of trail brushing, blazing and signing.

The day began with registration and fellowship enjoying coffee, juice and rolls provided by the Itasca Moraine Chapter of the NCTA. That was followed by a brief welcome from Carolyn Upton, Walker District Ranger. Chippewa's Forestry Technician Jon Hanson provided a review of potential safety hazards. Public Services Team Leader Mitch Bouchonville distributed door prizes to all volunteers present followed by Jerry Trout of the Itasca Moraine chapter of the NCTA who divided the volunteers into work groups, assigned work leaders and work areas, and provided specific instruction on proper trail blazing techniques. The groups then made up lunches to be enjoyed on the trail which were provided by Carter and Flo Hedeen of the Itasca Moraine Chapter of the NCTA. Then it was off to work at the various work areas.

At 3:00 P.M. the volunteers re-convened at Shingobee to join Beth Trout on a guided wildflower hike along the Shingobee Trail System. Over 30 different wildflowers were identified along the trail, including Wild Sarsaparilla, Wood Anemone, Downy Blue & Dog Violets, Early Meadow Pussy Toes, White Pea/Pale Vetching, Wild Columbine, Hoary Puccoon, Beach Plum, June Berry/Service Berry, Yarrow, Yellow Corydalis, Snake Grass, Prickly Gooseberry, Downy Yellow Violet, Cow Parsnip, Bracken, Sensitive, Interrupted, Cinnamon, and Northern Maidenhair Ferns, Small-flowered Crowfoot/ aborted Buttercup, Bellwort, Bird on the Wing/Gaywing/ Fringed Polygala, Wild Lily of the Valley, Wild Oats, Anice Root/Sweet Cicely, Blueberry, Wood/Common Strawberry, Marsh Marigold, Bastard Toadflax, Hoary Alyssum, Smooth Solomon's Seal, Wood Betony/Lousewort, Elder Berry, Blue Bead Lily/Clintonia, Lyre-leaved Rock Cress, and Grove Sandwort.

A special thank you goes out to the Itasca Moraine Chapter of the North Country Trail Association, The American Hiking Society, North Star Chapter of the North Country Trail Association and the Chippewa National Forest for a memorable day celebrating your National Trails!!!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Smokey Bear a Head Start Hit]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4078 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4078

On Tuesday, August 26, 2008, the Supervisor's Office of the Shawnee National Forest was the site for community outreach with Head Start. Early childhood education, conservation and fire safety education came together with the assistance of Shawnee National Forest employees.

Approximately 45 children and staff from the Head Start program of the Harrisburg Wabash Area Development, Inc. came to the Supervisor's Office for a conservation education and fire safety discussion, followed by a visit with Smokey Bear. Everyone was given the opportunity to shake hands and have their picture taken with Smokey. Each child was given their own packet, containing fire prevention materials, to take home and share with siblings. To complete their visit, the group moved outside where a Forest Service fire engine and two fire fighters were waiting. The children were allowed to look at the inside of the fire truck, to turn on the siren and lights and to spray an imaginary fire with the water hose.

The visit was a great success and the children received valuable fire safety and conservation education information, as well as learning that Smokey Bear is soft and not all fire engines are red.

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DonnaRanndrann@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[More Kids in the Woods]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4060 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4060

It's hot in southern Illinois during the summer-time. Just plain hot. So where could you better learn about the history of the Shawnee Hills than from paddling a 34-foot Montreal voyager canoe?

The Shawnee National Forest, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake, the U.S. Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) all joined forces for one day to make some fun in the sun for local youngsters, and to celebrate our cultural heritage and the natural world in their own back yard.

Providing outdoors recreation opportunities across agency boundaries allowed the Shawnee National Forest to provide this experience at Lake Murphysboro State Park. IDNR provided the Montreal canoe; Tim Bischoff of the Corps of Engineers was the canoe's French guide; and the Shawnee National Forest provided the physical structure to the day-long event. Crab Orchard NWR provided a number of the campers, as did other local summer day camps.

About 60 kids from across the southern part of the state had the chance to learn all about the French heritage of southern Illinois. They also learned to identify local trees and fish and make a little music, all in one day of fun as they participated in the Shawnee National Forest's More Kids in the Woods conservation education program.

As children spend more and more time at home in front of computers and televisions, they are missing the great outdoors and are not making the connection between themselves and the natural world. This cooperative effort brought these kids out-of-doors for fun activities to begin to form a connection to the natural landscapes in which they live.

The Shawnee National Forest is proud to have been able to foster this connection.

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MaryMcCorvieMmccorvie@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Allegheny NF and Partners Offer Children Fishing Experience]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4038 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4038

In June, the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) partnered with Wal-Mart, Cradle of Forestry of America and Island Run Sportsmen's Club to host the seventeenth annual Kids Fishing Derby at the Forest's Twin Lakes Recreation Area. The event, which had over 50 children in attendance, is sponsored each year as an avenue to connect citizens to the land.

The children, ranging from one to 16 years of age, were awarded prizes in four age categories. Prizes, donated by Wal-Mart, included items such as rods and reels, tackle boxes, sports chairs and other fishing gear. Cradle of Forestry, concessionaires for Twin Lakes, hosted the event. Island Run Sportsmen's Club has raised and stocked the fish for all 17 derbies. The club's dedication to promoting fishing, especially children's fishing, is commendable.

Joan Yohe, resource assistant with the ANF, has taken the lead for the Forest in planning the derby each year. Yohe started working on the derby when her children were little and now her grandchildren attend the event.

"As employees we have tasks that we must do and then there are the tasks we look forward to doing; for me it's the Kids Fishing Derby," Yohe said. "The derby is a family event that has allowed me to watch families grow. I've watched a child win a fishing pole and return the next year to carry on the fishing tradition with the pole won the previous year. Next year's event is already on my calendar."

Fishing can be a life-long hobby, a hobby the ANF and its partners hope to continue encouraging through the annual Kids Fishing Derby.

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lorielmquistlelmquist@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee National Forest Goes Green]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4039 Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4039 9

What is the most environmentally friendly, "Going Green," way to get to work and save money at the same time? Ride a mass transit bus. Thanks to the investigative talents of one enthusiastic employee, Monica Neal, that is what several Shawnee National Forest employees who live in or near Marion, Illinois, and work at the Supervisor's Office in Harrisburg, Illinois, began doing starting in June of this year.

When others heard about the availability of mass transit, they soon followed suit. Besides the route traveling east to west, there is a north south route that is being taken advantage of by employees who live between Harrisburg and Elizabethtown.

Aside from being environmentally friendly and "Going Green," mass transit has the additional benefits of saving pocket money, putting less wear and tear on your vehicle, and giving passengers the opportunity to relax and get to know co-workers and other passengers while traveling to and from work.

For a rider who travels 46 miles round trip per day, you can figure the average savings as:

46 miles per day

X 5 days per week

230 miles per week

X 4 weeks per month

920 miles per month / 26 miles per gallon = 35.4 gallons per mile

X $ 3.85 per gallon

$136.29 saved each month

In a year this totals over $1,600 savings and over 2,500 less miles on each vehicle in a year's time. Add to personal savings, the reduction of negative environmental impacts of using mass transit, and you have a win/win situation.

Those who ride are picked up at designated locations and dropped off in front of the office each morning. What a way to "Go Green" and at the same time have fun and save money.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Chippewa GIS TEAM: Web Mapping Bridges the Gap!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4037 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4037 9

With bridge safety being a concern nationally and locally, the Chippewa's Forest Engineer approached the GIS Team looking for a way for employees to easily access Forest bridge data and reports. The GIS Team went to work with this challenge. Their goal was to provide a tool that would answer employees questions and help solve problems by viewing data in a way that would be quickly understood and easily accessed and shared.

Using ArcIMS software the GIS Team built a web based application that any employee can use. No special training or software is needed for the user. Accessing it through the Chippewa's FSWeb, employees first view a map of the Forest. Then by either zooming in on a specific bridge on the map, or selecting that bridge via a drop down menu, users are brought directly to that bridge location on the map. Hyperlinks built into the program then provide access to photos of the selected bridge from different angles, bridge data and bridge reports, including sufficiency rating reports and old and current inspection reports. The GIS Team has bridged the gap! The next step is adding video!

To view the bridge web mapping go to: http://pcdegjwfh81.chippewa.r9.fs.fed.us/website/bridges/viewer.htm.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Conservation Ed Program Successfully Trains Another Job Corps Student]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4034 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4034

This summer, the Washington Office Conservation Education (CE) staff hosted and mentored another wonderful and very energetic Job Corps student.

Ja'Mielle Franklin is working as the administrative assistant to Conservation Education Director Dr. Safiya Samman in Washington, D.C.

Ja'Mielle is originally from Plainfield, New Jersey. She began her journey at the Job Corps Center in Washington, D.C., with aspirations to improve the future for herself and her son, Malachi. Ja'Mielle's hard work and determination were key elements in making these aspirations come true.

After excelling in the Job Corps program, Ja'Mielle was placed in an advanced program at the Job Corps Center called Transportation Communication International Union, or TCU.

Ja'Mielle's skills have allowed her to go further and be selected for training with the Forest Service. She has come to CE with several beneficial skills, including organization, administrative knowledge, customer service, phone etiquette and on top of that, a charming and down-to-earth personality.

CE staff members are putting these skills to good use! Ja'Mielle is adding to her skills with knowledge of specific Forest Service systems, as well as learning about correspondence databases, filing systems, navigating Fed Traveler, arranging travel plans, processing travel authorizations, and submitting travel vouchers. She has also participated in a number of Forest Service outreach activities and events.

When asked what she enjoys most about her job experience in CE, Ja'Mielle said, "I enjoy the supportive nature of my co-workers and the team atmosphere in CE. Also, working with an amazing supervisor that is a strong leader for the whole team to follow."

Ja'Mielle said that she feels this experience has had a great impact on her life,

"My supervisor has been a great mentor to me and other younger adults in the office," she said. "She has motivated me to want more and achieve more. I am glad that I was offered this opportunity to enhance my abilities through this program."

She is also very thankful to Dr. Samman for the opportunity. As a result, Ja'Mielle is now dreaming and planning to attend college sometime in the near future.

The skills Ja'Mielle has gained working in the Forest Service and Job Corps has prepared her for a successful future. Ja'Mielle's future is a lot brighter than before because of this experience.

When asked what she would take away from her experience with the Forest Service, she stated that "the Forest Service has shown me that you must love what you do and want to make a change, and I feel in my heart that is me, that's what I'm doing."

Ja'Mielle hopes to be placed in a permanent position within the Forest Service focusing on administrative services. She and her son, Malachi, are mobile and looking forward to exploring new and different opportunities in various regions within the Forest Service.

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WytoshaThackerwthacker@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Interpretive Association Sponsors Art Workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4031 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4031 9

Story submitted by Autumn Jauck, Information Assistant

On Tuesday, July 22, 2008, artist Phyllis Northup guided 13 participants in an all-day workshop called THE ILLUSTRATED JOURNAL-LAKE SUPERIOR & THE NORTHWOODS. The day began at the Falling Rock Cafe with exercises in different types of drawing and an introduction to color. Northup provided nature quotes from John Muir, Henry David Thoreau, and others to give ideas and set the mood for the field work.

Bay Furnace Historic Site, located on the shores of Lake Superior, was the setting for the afternoon, where a stream of consciousness writing exercise with writing in circles and patterns started the participants in thinking artistically. Drawings in ink of wildflowers and bark followed practice in drawing plants. Northup taught attendees how to use a plexiglas square and markers to compose a landscape.

Writing about the sounds of the lake and forest followed, then, working in groups, the artists used different colors of paint chips to discover matching greens in the forest. They were encouraged to write about the changing nature of Lake Superior, and about the intimate landscapes around them.

The workshop, a quiet and spiritual experience enjoyed by all, was sponsored by the Hiawatha Interpretive Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the understanding and enjoyment of the Hiawatha National Forest. To learn more about the Association, visit their website http://hiawathainterpretive.com or contact Autumn Jauck at 906-387-2512 x11.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Slippery When Wet]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4030 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4030 8

Most South Carolina residents probably associate the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) with standard images of concrete abutments, orange highway cones, road patches or freeway lane construction. But…fish?

On the Sumter National Forest, Forest Service fisheries biologists are joining forces with SCDOT far from any barricade or flagman to improve a travel way that has nothing at all to do with the flow of traffic.

It's a creek bed in what was, long ago, a bottomland hardwood forest -a once-meandering stream channel deeply damaged by forces completely unrelated to any of the transportation agency's construction projects.

Through a concept called mitigation banking, SCDOT engages in projects designed to restore or enhance a wetland, stream or other aquatic resource within a county as a compensatory measure for the unavoidable impacts to similar habitats resulting from road and bridge repairs or construction.

A mitigation bank project in Newberry County on Hunting Creek will convert some 16,000 linear feet of damaged and eroded creek bed into approximately 17,500 linear feet of stable stream habitat and associated wetlands. SCDOT bought the land specifically to restore the stream channel and establish mitigation bank credits in and around Newberry County.

Ron Ahle, a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources employee, proposed the project to SCDOT after discussing prospective restoration projects with Forest Service Fisheries Biologist Jeanne Riley and Wildlife Biologist Gary Peters.

On site early this year for a monitoring project, Ahle described the stream bed issues as Riley and a team of students and employees prepared to survey the aquatic life in the stream. The crew would record fish species, size and weight range as well as the total number in each species to monitor diversity and reproduction in the population.

"If you look out here right now you see that the creek bed is a Grand Canyon, and that's not natural," said Ahle. "This should be a creek that you could jump across, maybe three feet wide instead of the 10 to 12 feet you see here."

The original hardwood wetland was cleared years ago and the land, at least at one time, was used for dairy farming. Perhaps as many as 80 years ago, Ahle speculated, the meandering stream was probably straightened into a channel, cut to a depth of about six feet and widened to about 12 feet.

The channel would likely have been used for irrigating crops and watering animals. Land on either side of the stream was completely cleared of its trees, shrubs and grasses, exposing the stream banks, which dramatically increased the erosion potential from storm runoff and the deposition of sediment input from the open fields.

"It completely destabilized the channel," explained Ahle. "That's when things started to go wrong. Now you can see where roots and whole trees are hanging down into the channel. The water just cuts at the toe and things start to collapse from the bank"

According to Riley, Enoree Ranger District Hydrologist Jay Swafford plans to restore five lower tributaries to the main channel that flow across Forest Service lands this fall. Swafford seized the opportunity to correct similar issues downstream of the main channel project as a natural complement to the mitigation repairs. The Forest Service tributaries, compensating for hydrologic anomalies on the damaged upper section of Hunting Creek, have developed headcuts and other notable erosional problems of their own.

Because of the extent of the damage, SCDOT will use heavy equipment to restore the stream channel to its original profile, Riley explained. A professional stream mitigation consulting firm designed the restoration projects at both the SCDOT mitigation bank site and the lower Forest Service locations. The firm compared the characteristics of less impacted reference streams within the local area to formulate its design for the restoration of Hunting Creek and its tributaries.

On their most recent visit, Riley, Enoree District personnel and employees from the Center for Aquatic Technology Transfer from the Blacksburg, Virginia branch of the Forest Service Southern Research Station sampled two stream segments of the main channel to compare those findings to earlier data gathered on species and populations.

"The Forest Service and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources set up one fish inventory site that was surveyed in 2001. An additional site sampled this year is located further downstream below stream restoration activities," said Riley. "We're really gathering baseline data so we can come in later and monitor any changes to the aquatic community that may occur with restoration implementation."

Riley fully expects to see some impacts during the restoration and for a period of time after its completion. But, she said, "We do expect improvements in the aquatic community with improvements in stream habitat. We'll be able to go back three or four years later and monitor how the population is doing after the streams have been fully restored."

The entire 306.4 acre Hunting Creek tract, which is bordered on three sides by Forest Service lands on the Enoree Ranger District, will likely come under Forest Service management and protection at the conclusion of the project.

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GwynIngramgingram@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne National Forest Land Purchase of 4100 acres Completed]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4029 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4029 9

IRONTON, OHIO - The U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), ODNR Division of Wildlife and forest users gathered Wednesday, August 13, 2008 to celebrate the successful completion of a partnership that has added 4,117 acres of land to the Wayne National Forest on the Ironton Ranger District in southeastern Ohio.

The Ohio Chapter of TNC transferred 1,665 acres in Lawrence County and 514 acres in Gallia County to the U.S. Forest Service. This 2,179 acre purchase completes a land protection project that began in 2004, when the Conservancy began buying the land from Mead-Westvaco Corp.

"This land is very diverse with numerous fishing ponds, open meadows, and young mixed hardwood and conifer trees. We are excited about the tremendous recreational opportunities that this additional acreage will offer the public, "said Jerri Marr, Acting Forest Supervisor, Wayne National Forest. The property has historic value as well; the historic Pioneer Iron Furnace stack is located on the property. These lands have been operated since 2005 as the Ironton Forest Wildlife Area, a public hunting and fishing area, through a cooperative agreement with the Ohio Division of Wildlife and TNC. The Wayne National Forest appreciates the important partnership with the ODNR Division of Wildlife and the Division of Forestry in the stewardship of private and public lands.

The 4,117 acres is now part of the Wayne National Forest. A portion was named Anderson Meadows Public Hunting and Viewing Area, by TNC, in honor of the late Ora E. Anderson, a former trustee of The Nature Conservancy, who supported the establishment and growth of the Wayne National Forest for decades. The property was purchased by the U.S. Forest Service in four acquisitions over 3 years, bringing the total acreage of the Ironton Ranger District to 104,257 acres and the Wayne National Forest to 240,979 acres.

Since 1989, the Ohio Chapter of TNC has worked with the Wayne National Forest to protect more than 5,475 acres of forest for the benefit of future generations and protect open space. Most of the land has been located in northern Lawrence County, one of the Conservancy's forest conservation priorities in Ohio.

"The U.S. Forest Service has been a great steward of some of Ohio's most iconic forests," said Josh Knights, Executive Director of the Conservancy in Ohio. "The Wayne National Forest is a tremendous resource for all Ohioans, providing recreational opportunities and timber while protecting clean water and wildlife habitat."

Ohio's Appalachian forest is part of the oldest and most biologically diverse forest system in North America. Both the Forest Service and TNC recognize that large contiguous blocks of forest under single ownership are extremely uncommon in Ohio. The greatest threat to Ohio's forest is fragmentation. Consolidating public ownership of these forest lands will help sustain viable populations of southern Ohio's plants, animals, and natural communities. Consolidation also makes it easier for the public to identify and enjoy their public land and improves the ability to manage the lands.

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RichardJonesrkjones@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4025 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4025 9

Pollinators are declining in numbers and even disappearing in some areas - and they are very important to life on earth as we know it. The contents on our dinner table lead us to the conclusion that, "All flesh is grass" (Isaiah 40.6-8). Indeed, with the exception of grasses, 80 percent of the earth's plants are reliant on insect pollination to get seed or produce fruits.

Zaagkii is an Ojibwa word meaning "the earth's gift of plants" according to Rev. Jon Magnuson, the Executive Director of the Cedar Tree Institute. The Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project is in the first phase of a three-year project sponsored by the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community; Cedar Tree Institute, the Marquette County Juvenile Court, and the Eastern Region.

Local youth have learned, accomplished, and contributed much during this first year: construction of 18 butterfly houses; learning visits to a local beekeeper; hand harvest of locally native seed resulting in 26,000 native plant plugs grown and outplanted to several acres at the KBIC's Sand Point Trail. (This section of Lake Superior shoreline was the first tribal Brownfield cleanup site in the Midwest.) Their combined efforts totaled 720 volunteer hours.

Youth were recognized for their fine work in pollinator awareness and protection at the 30th annual Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Maawanji'iding Pow- wow this past July. They were also honored in July at the Cedar Tree Institute annual barbecue. The group raised a six-foot monarch butterfly above the pavilion to represent the effort.

Indian Country Today, the largest Native American newspaper in the country, ran a two-part series on the Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project.

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janschultzjschultz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Part of National Night Out]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4028 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4028

On August 5, Chippewa National Forest employees joined with community members from Walker Minnesota to celebrate National Night Out. The event, organized by the Boys and Girls Club of Leech Lake and Walker Police Department, was held at the Walker City Park. The Office of Justice Programs and the Boys & Girls Club of America share an excellent partnership to support a crime prevention initiative that strengthens and creates partnerships among youth, law enforcement and local agencies.

The free event included a community picnic, face painting, inflatable jumpers, other youth activities, a dunk tank and a flight ambulance display. The Walker Fire Department showcased a fire truck and hovercraft, the Cass County Sheriff's Office provided a K-9 handler and had their Boat and Water Patrol and Dive Team on displays and the Chippewa National Forest brought a Type 6 engine, fire gear and Smokey Bear!

National Night Out is the nation's night out against crime. It is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, local residents are encouraged to join with their neighbors to have an outdoor event to build neighborhood spirit and unity - which is the first defense against crime. Research shows that when neighbors know each other and look out for each other crime goes down. National Night Out has been celebrated in cities and towns across the nation on the first Tuesday in August. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the annual event.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Murphysboro Work Center Work Day a Huge Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4027 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4027

By Brenda Whitaker

August 19, 2008

On August 6, 2008, the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District held a work day at the Murphysboro Work Center. Thirteen permanent employees, fourteen temporary employees, one partner and two volunteers participated in the work day. It took several hours to complete the pre-planning and pre-work necessary to successfully accomplish the goals planned for the day.

All non-native shrubs, bushes and trees immediately adjacent to the office building were removed and 28 tons of top soil was added to level the ground. Seven tons of medium pea gravel, plus landscape rock were hauled to the site. A border was constructed around the office using the landscape rock, weed fabric and pea gravel. The area in front of the office was cleaned and leveled then weed fabric and pea gravel were placed. Grass seed was sown on the lawn where there was bare soil, shrubs and trees were trimmed, windows were washed, the dumpster pad was reconstructed, and the concrete break area under the second story deck and the sidewalks around the office were pressure washed. The Golconda Job Corp contributed their skills by cutting limbs and some large hazard trees.

The Work Center is now ready for the planting of native plant species. This work meets the direction and intent of the Washington Office's emphasis in removing non-native plant species from our administration sites and replacing them with native plant and pollinator species. Once this phase of landscaping renovation is completed we anticipate creating a small interpretive trail with plant placards identifying many of the planted species.

After a safe and successful morning, everyone enjoyed a submarine sandwich lunch. This is another example of how the employees of the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District are protecting ecosystems across boundaries as well as connecting citizens to the land.

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HughSaffordhughsafford@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Celebrates Acquisition of Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness In-holding]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4089 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4089

The Ottawa National Forest, Trust for Public Land (TPL), We Energies, and other partners gathered on August 15, 2008, to announce that the Forest Service has purchased 2,000 acres of land along the Sturgeon River. This property, located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, includes undeveloped and pristine forest within the boundaries of the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness Area and Wild & Scenic River.

In addition to this unprecedented addition to the Wilderness, 6.6 miles of the Sturgeon River will remain preserved and protected as a Wild & Scenic River, thanks to the enactment of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, which celebrates its 40th Anniversary in 2008. The property has now been added as part of the Forest for permanent protection.

The event was held at Bear's Den Overlook, which overlooks the newly protected property and the Sturgeon National Wild and Scenic River.

U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and U.S. Representative Bart Stupak sent representatives to the event on their behalf. The congressional delegation worked to secure federal funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund so that the Ottawa National Forest could acquire the land.

In August 2006, the integrity of the Wilderness area and the Wild & Scenic River corridor were in jeopardy due to the pending sale of 11,000 acres owned by We Energies in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. Rather than sell the privately owned 2,000 acres to developers, We Energies sought to protect and add the property to the Ottawa National Forest. TPL secured the property from We Energies and held it until the Forest Service was able to acquire the land in its entirety.

The Sturgeon River Gorge is a distinctive landform and its unique geologic features are unduplicated elsewhere in the Lake States. Throughout this rugged, steep Wilderness, the Sturgeon and Little Silver Rivers and their tributaries have carved falls, ponds, oxbows, and terraces. With its rugged terrain, mature forests, and remote location, the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, offers outstanding recreational opportunities including hiking, primitive camping, canoeing, whitewater kayaking, hunting, and fishing. A ten mile portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail runs immediately adjacent to the wilderness and its eastern boundary.

"Wilderness plays such an important role in our ecosystems, communities, and hearts," said Susan J. Spear, Forest Supervisor for the Ottawa National Forest. "The opportunity for the Forest Service to work with our Michigan congressional delegation and partners such as We Energies and The Trust for Public Land to preserve this area is an honor. Not only does this acquisition preserve the unique character of the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness, but it also provides for nearly 7 miles of the Sturgeon River to remain preserved and protected a s Wild and Scenic River. We are excited that this area will now be available for future generations to enjoy."

The day's events were a huge success, thanks to the support from the many partners who worked tirelessly to make this happen.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners Complete Biomass Study on Mark Twain National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4026 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4026 9

Several partners tested how to efficiently harvest MO round wood off Mark Twain National Forest during the summer 2008. One of several similar studies in southeastern US, it was the first on Midwestern/oak hickory hardwood forests.

The purpose of the study was to develop, test, and if successful, promote small scale, cost-effective harvest and transport of biomass off Midwestern hardwood forests.

The study was a collaborative effort between academia, government and industry including Missouri's Forest Products Association, Auburn University, University of Missouri, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and Mark Twain National Forest.

A field demonstration was conducted July 19, 2008, the last day of the project, on Poplar Bluff Ranger District, Mark Twain National Forest. During the demonstration, small scale logging equipment was used to harvest 3-9 diameter trees, skidding trees to a landing where they were ground into chips and blown into tractor trailers.

There currently is a very limited market for these smaller diameter trees in Missouri or elsewhere in the Midwest.

"We hope that research and demonstrations such as this will promote more utilization of small diameter trees which need to be removed to meet conservation goals for healthy and sustainable forests in Missouri," said Mark Twain National Forest Deputy Forest Supervisor Paul Strong.

Removal of woody biomass from Mark Twain National Forest, especially in strategic locations, would also reduce hazardous fuels build-up and improve wildlife habitat for species such as the federally-endangered Indiana Bat. In addition, it would contribute to the forest's long term management goals to restore the structure, composition, and function of distinctive Missouri natural communities.

The biomass demonstration study site was located in one of the highest priority restoration areas on the forest. Cane Ridge Pinery has been identified by the Nature Conservancy and Forest as a unique natural community in need of restoration. In the forest's 2005 Forest Management Plan, the area is designated for restoration to its historic conditions of shortleaf pine and pre-oak forest types.

"Combined with selective harvest treatments and periodic applications of prescribed burning, Cane Ridge and other ecosystem restoration areas can begin to move toward these desired conditions," Strong said. Mark Twain and other public and private forest lands require either restoration or stand-tending work. Strong said the high cost of mechanically removing woody biomass off public lands - anywhere from $300 to $1,000 dollars per acre - has been a serious impediment to performing needed forest restoration work.

"These costs, however, can be offset if markets for small diameter trees can be developed within a cost effective hauling distance from an area needing work," Strong said.

More project information can be found on the Mark Twain's web-site at www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/marktwain. For further information regarding Woody Biomass Utilization, visit www.fs.fed.us/woodybiomass.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Arkansas Scout Still Talking About His Awesome MO Experience]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4024 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4024

Becky Dees of Bryant, Arkansas said her youngest son Matt is still talking about the "awesome" experience he had June 7-14, 2008 in Taney County near Ava, Mo.

Matt was one of the more than 500 Boy Scouts from across the country who participated in the Boy Scouts' largest national conservation project since World War II and the largest single volunteer project on Mark Twain National Forest.

"When my youngest son got home he said this was the best thing he's ever done in his Boy Scout career," Becky said.

Using bow saws, loppers and chainsaws more than 500 Boy Scout Order of the Arrow Honor Society members known as "Arrowmen" cleared encroaching red cedars from 134 acres of native dolomite glade ecosystem. Glades, mostly treeless natural communities, are in decline in Missouri due to a number of factors including red cedar encroachment, invasive exotic species, overgrazing, fire suppression and commercial and residential development.

Now that the cedars have been cut, the area will be treated in the future with prescribed burning to help limit new cedar encroachment and increase species diversity of native plants and animals such as yellow coneflowers, collared lizards and roadrunners.

Participants included Boy Scout support staff and Mingo Job Corps Center enrollees. Mark Twain and Shawnee National Forest employees provided oversight through an incident management team. The estimated value of the volunteer work is over $542,000.

"We were glad to be a part of this event and are very happy with the results of this first ever partnership project," said Mark Twain National Forest Supervisor David Whittekiend.

"We really appreciate the help of the Arrowmen and our partners at Mingo Job Corps," said Ava District Ranger Jenny Farenbaugh. "This project is proof of how much can be accomplished working together as partners."

Farenbaugh, Timber Management Assistant Darla Rein, (former) Wilderness Ranger Kale Horton and Forest Staff Officer Kris Swanson were instrumental working on the project first proposed to the Boy Scouts in 2004.

"We also appreciate the support of local merchants and businesses including Branson, Springfield, Rogersville, Mansfield, Norwood, Seymour, and Ava," Farenbaugh said. "Taney County Commissioners and Taney County Road Commissioners and road crews played a very significant role improving the Bateman Road into the project site area."

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mark Twain Employee Selected Administrative Professional of the Year]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4023 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4023

Theresa Wooldridge, Mark Twain National Forest's Eleven Point Ranger District, Doniphan, MO was selected 2008 Administrative Professional of the Year for Ripley County.

The annual award was sponsored by Ripley County's Chamber of Commerce.

Theresa started her career as a secretary in 1970 for the United Farm Agency. She then joined the Forest Service, where she currently works as the district's support services specialist.

"My job is to support and help keep the office running as smoothly as possible by keeping abreast of new rules and regulation, office scheduling, staff and personnel support, purchasing, and supervision," Theresa said. "What a surprise and shock it was to hear my name called as the one chosen for the honor. I looked across the room at the many professionals, friends, coworkers, classmates and community supporters and realized how blessed I was to be in a community that would promote one of their own."

"We're all very proud and appreciative of Theresa Wooldridge and appreciate Ripley County's Chamber of Commerce honoring her with this award ," said Eleven Point District Ranger Tim Bond.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ohio River unites three states and three Forests in byway workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4022 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4022 9

The group gathered in Corydon, Indiana on July 22 and 23, 2008 from across three states. Their common interest was the national Ohio River Scenic Byway (ORSB) which stretches 967 miles from the Pennsylvania/Ohio state line to its confluence with the Mississippi River. The long winding route is paved along the twists and turns of the Ohio River and its surrounding communities. It isn't one road, but a series of roads that roughly parallel the river, the route winding through an area steeped in history both natural and cultural, with many stories to tell.

The group that assembled had as little in common as the route they represented. Most had never previously met. Though the route is designated as a single national byway, it is currently operated as three separate byways with only minimal coordination between the executive directors of each of their boards. For the first time, each of the three boards and their volunteers and the national forests in each of the three states along the byway were able to see what the other states had done, and share accomplishments and frustrations. For most of two days they worked together on how they could develop and share a common vision and goals.

Mark Conley and Curt Pianalto from Americas Byway's Resource Center were both instrumental in planning and facilitating the workshop. Curt's dynamic facilitation and "sticky wall" technique was key in keeping the group motivated and engaged. Claudia Mielke from the Forest Service's Regional Office and Floyd Thompson from the Washington Office were also both involved and helped make the event a success. There were a few key presentations on the secrets of successful byways by Mark Conley, how the Forest Service works with byway communities by Floyd Thompson, and podcasting basics by Gary Chancey, but most of the workshop was focused on group interaction.

One of the revelations from the workshop was the lack of awareness by most participants that the national forests could be key players in byways. The possibilities of this new partnership between the Forests and communities were palpable as the group worked together on future goals. In fact one outcome was for the group to continue to meet quarterly, and hold at least half the meetings via the video-teleconferencing capabilities at the Forest Service offices across the three states.

In addition to the group seeing the advantages of working together, there were several instances of people having individual epiphanies. One was as the group dined overlooking a panoramic view of the Ohio River discussing the byway, Dick Thomas, co-executive director for the Ohio portion of the ORSB, said he'd always been focused on the roads. He'd never thought about the byway really being about the river! Another was when one group suggested the purchase of the Delta Queen, an aging river boat, to tour the river as a mini-cruise ship and roving visitor center, at first many thought it was joke. But soon, the group was on board and agreed it was one of the best ideas of the workshop.

Overall, people were excited and agreed the potential of what they envisioned working together to accomplish was huge. There were some key missing people that need to brought on board, and some of the tasks seemed overwhelming but an exercise Curt led the group through called underlying contradictions helped the group work through obstacles they perceived like "funding issues" to get at what the real issue was, and often helped them see that the obstacle was not insurmountable.

Although there wasn't enough time to accomplish everything the group wanted to do, it was a pivotal point that the group saw the value in continuing to work together and accomplish things as one cohesive tri-state byway. For the communities and byway board members - it was time well spent in reenergizing and focusing their efforts. For the Forest Service it was a monumental step. Claudia Mielke said it well, "I believe the future of the FS rests in communities that value and care about places in and near NFS lands that can then connect with the visiting public. Over the next few years I hope to use the byway program to make, build, and strengthen those connections to communities who in turn will reach out to urban audiences." Staff on the Shawnee, the Wayne, and the Hoosier National Forests agree and look forward to working with these partners in the years to come.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Southern Research Station Receives 2008 Wings Across the Americas Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4021 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4021 8

The chance of a person dying from being struck by lightning is far greater than contracting rabies from a bat. Yet people often associate bats with myths and negative connotations such as this one.

Contrary to popular belief, bats have numerous ecological roles as pollinators, seed dispersers and insect controllers. Their large consumption of insects contributes to healthy forests and agricultural crops; however, bat populations are globally declining mainly due to habitat destruction.

In 2000, to address this issue and the needs of land managers, researchers and scientists whose work affects or is affected by bats, the Southern Research Station initiated a comprehensive research program on the ecology and conservation of southern forest bats. Developed and led by Dr. Susan Loeb, Southern Research Station research ecologist, the outstanding research program conducted by the station and its partners received the 2008 Wings Across the Americas Award (WATA) for its efforts in bat conservation.

"Many benefits have been generated because of the research program including numerous publication and reports to federal and state agencies," said Loeb. "Other benefits include increased visibility and knowledge of bats and their importance, in-depth studies on the ecology of species of special concern, and the dispelling of many myths about bats."

Part of the Upland Hardwood Ecology and Management Research Unit, the research program serves the needs of managers in a variety of ecosystems throughout the southeast. Three main areas of research focus on: the ecology and conservation of endangered and sensitive species; habitat associations of all southern forest bats and the effects of forest management practices on their habitat use and populations; and development and evaluation of robust methods for inventorying and monitoring forest bats.

Results of the work have been used in several biological assessments on the Sumter and Chatthoochee national forests. Additionally, the research program has funded many graduate research programs, summer internships and has provided volunteer opportunities.

Today, the Southern Research Station is continuing its research on bats in southern forests. Current projects include: the ecology and conservation of Rafinesque's big-eared bats in South Carolina; the effects of oak regeneration techniques on bat activity, habitat use, and the insect prey base; the use of stable isotopes to track migration of bats in the eastern US; and testing techniques to inventory and monitor forest bats.

Wings Across the Americas is a Forest Service program that represents an integrated and collaborative approach to bird conservation across agency program areas. The annual awards ceremony celebrates exceptional work that conserves birds, bats and butterflies and their habitats across the Americas. It recognizes the important roles that these sometimes overlooked species play in the environment and in relation to human concern.

The award was shared with the following national forests in Region 8: Sumter, Chattahoochee, Daniel Boone and Nantahala. The Congaree and Great Smoky Mountain National Parks; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Clemson University and MeadWestvaco also shared the award.

"One of the most rewarding experiences of this project is working with a large, diverse group of partners and cooperators," said Loeb. "I have never seen a more enthused group who shows genuine interest in results."

For more information about this story, please contact Michelle Burnett, public affairs staff officer, at michelleburnett@fs.fed.us or at (803) 561-4091.

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TammyMasonttmason@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Enters Into Cooperative Fire Agreements]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4020 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4020

Co-Author: Chris Peterson

August 7, 2008

The purpose of the cooperative fire agreements between the Shawnee National Forest and local fire departments and districts is to provide fire aid and coordination between the parties in order to more efficiently and effectively detect, prevent and suppress wildland fires within the jurisdictions of the participating agencies when resources are available. Fire departments or districts that have entered into such an agreement include: Equality, Shawneetown, Carrier Mills, Vienna, Goreville, Cypress, Campbell Hill, Carterville, Williamson County, Lake of Egypt and Carbondale Township. Agencies that have fire agreements with the Forest Service are the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the U. S. National Park Service and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

It is mutually beneficial to the interests of the parties for the Forest Service to be responsible for prevention, protection and suppression of wildland fires on National Forest lands, and on adjacent State and private forested lands when identified in a written agreement. Fire departments and state and federal agencies that have the responsibility for prevention, protection and suppression of structure and wildland fires within their established fire protection district also derive a benefit. These agreements are in the public interest by providing a means for the Forest and local, state and federal agencies to coordinate their efforts in the prevention, detection and suppression of wildfires in and adjacent to the lands each agency manages or protects.

These agreements provide the criteria for the agencies to work together to coordinate their supporting roles, to establish jurisdiction, to furnish mutual aid, to plan prescribed

burns, to reduce and prevent wildfires and to work jointly to suppress fires once they are discovered. These fire agreements were made possible through the efforts of Shawnee

National Forest Fire Management Officer Chris Peterson, Forest Service Agreements Coordinator Mike Rogers and the cooperating agencies who have entered into them.

These cooperative fire agreements are a prime example of how the Forest is working with others to protect ecosystems across boundaries.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Living History Encampment on the Clarion River]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4016 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4016

On June 28 and 29, Herb Clevenger, an employee on the Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest and Interpretative Park Ranger Brian Reedy of the National Park Service conducted a two-day living history encampment on the Clarion River.

The focus of the encampment was the French and Indian War period with an emphasis on the French fur trade that utilized the water ways of western Pennsylvania. Control of these water ways were essential to the French if they were to keep the English from gaining a foot hold in the Ohio country. The aggressive moves of the French on the Allegheny River starting in 1749 would lead to the French and Indian war, which quickly became a global conflict.

The encampment was held in conjunction with an archeology school that was also conducted by the Marienville Ranger District. The archeology school teamed local high school students with Forest Service archeologists for nearly two weeks. The students visited the living history encampment on June 29 and were treated to a variety of programs ranging from early fur trade to native life ways.

The students also spent a few hours being taught American Indian games by one of the historians. The encampment also had nearly 100 visitors from the local communities and canoe paddlers from the river itself. This encampment was a success due to a partnership with the National Park Service.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Eagle Scout Project a Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4015 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4015 9

Success Story - Stream Improvement Project - Rappe Run, July 22, 2008

As part of his plan to attain the rank of Eagle Scout, Ray Gregg a fifteen year old scout from Marienville requested and received permission to do a stream improvement project on the Allegheny National Forest. Rappe Run was chosen as the site for the project. Rappe Run is a small tributary of Spring Creek located in the dissected plateau country of the Allegheny National Forest's Marienville Ranger District. Ray organized a group of his fellow scouts and a few adults to help with completion of the improvement project.

With the help of a chain saw operator and a technical adviser from the Marienville Ranger District, the scout and his party went to work at two previously selected sections of Rappe Run. Utilizing sound, dead trees where possible, the sawyers cut 10 to 15 foot sections of tree trunk to be used in the construction of the stream management structures. The scout and his friends used three sections cut from the trees to build each of two structures. First, a rough depression was scraped in the loose rocks and sediment in the stream channel and the first two sections of tree trunk were placed in the depression with the third section placed on top of the bottom two. Together, the three sections formed a triangular shape approximately 12 - 14 inches high. The scouts used rocks scattered along the banks of Rappe Run to hold the trunk sections in place.

The first structure was built on the downstream edge of a plunge pool formed by a small waterfall cascading over a few boulders in the stream channel. The effect of this structure was to deepen the plunge pool and enhance the habitat for native brook trout. A second site was selected several hundred feet downstream from the first at a point where sediment deposition had caused channel braiding, resulting in two channels. For this part of the project a triangular arrangement of tree sections was placed at the beginning of the braid, reducing the number of channels from two to one. In both cases the tree trunks were anchored to the stream channel and to each other by rocks, whose weight and careful placement should keep the structures anchored for several years. Both structures were located carefully to avoid the potential for stream bank erosion. In addition to deepening the stream channels, and improving fish habitat, the structures are also intended to serve as sediment traps. When overtopped by stream flows, a reduction in water velocity at the structure should cause sand and other sediment to drop out and be trapped in and immediately downstream from the structure.

After a busy morning of moving sections of tree trunk and stacking rocks, the scouts had accomplished quite a bit of useful stream improvement work within the Rappe Run channel. Ray and his buddies were tired, but the adults in their midst were even more tired!

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[School Field Trip Grants Brings Students and Teachers to Great Outdoors.]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4014 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4014 8

By Michael Belcher

With high gas prices and smaller school budgets teachers looking to take students on field trips are finding it harder than ever. Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (LBL), in partnership with the Forest Service More Kids in the Woods Program, Land Between The Lakes Association, and Murray State University Center for Environmental Education have stepped up to the challenge by helping provide transportation grants for field trips to LBL.

The LBL Field Trip Grant Program provides funds for teachers and administrators to bring their students to LBL for a variety of environmental and conservation education activities linked with curriculum requirements from both Kentucky and Tennessee Departments of Education. Since its inception in 2001, the program has helped over 15,000 young people from five states reconnect with nature through the wide variety of programs and facilities provided at LBL. Just this past year it helped 2,443 students with grants averaging $670 per group.

The program offers kids a chance to enhance their classroom studies and reconnect with nature.

"LBL is a wonderful experience that can not be duplicated in the classroom," writes one teacher from McGavock Elementary in Nashville, TN. "Many of our students live in the city and have not experienced this hands-on study of nature."

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DeniseSchmittoudschmittou@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Success Story: Meet Lylenel Harris]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4013 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4013 9

Lylenel Harris, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, came to Blackwell about a year ago. Since his arrival, he has completed Constructions Craft Laborer vocational training, and is currently in Business Technology training and will be at the center for at least another two months. Lylenel came to Blackwell in pursuit of higher education and "wanted something that was more than just a job."

But, this is just one of the chapters of this young man's life. From the time he was born, he was the youngest in a family of five being raised by a single mother. When he was eight years old, his mother was unable to continue caring for the children, and for about 9 years, Lylenel and his siblings were in as many as ten different foster homes. "Living with many different families gave me the gift of understanding and welcoming diversity. I found it difficult to cope with going from one home to another not knowing where I would end up next. I believe that was the very thing that allowed me not only to accept change, but also gives me the ability to mentor others," he said.

Lylenel was not a stranger to Job Corps (1-800-733-JOBS) as his brother Wayman Harris graduated from a Job Corps Center in Indiana as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Lylenel decided to choose the Blackwell campus for his training because it was smaller, offered more one-on-one educational opportunities, and was closer to home. Now that he is close to completing the Business Technology training, he is again looking ahead into his future. He would like to transfer to Hubert Humphrey Job Corps in Minnesota and continue the training that will qualify him for employment under the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP), hopefully at a Forest Service office in Milwaukee or Albuquerque.

Lylenel's Business Technology instructor, Linda Kau, speaks highly of him. "He has a very professional demeanor and has what it takes to take advantage of what Job Corps has to offer. Being hired for the Forest Service under SCEP is an opportunity he probably wouldn't have anywhere else."

His skills in communicating and connecting with others were also noticed by the residential advisors in his dormitory. Within two months of his stay at Blackwell, he was placed in a leadership role, and eventually became the dormitory vice president. He is also an active volunteer for blood drives, highway clean-up, and helped to build a play set for a local children's park.

"Getting here was scary," he said, upon arriving at the Center, "but now it really feels like home. I'm glad I won't have to look back five to ten years from now and wish I had been more successful. Job Corps gave me that wish."

(Contributed by Cathy Fox, Public Affairs, Chequamegon-Nicolet NF)

email:

JCBLACKWELL@JOBCORPS.ORG

Website:

www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/blackwell

ABOUT BLACKWELL

Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is located on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National forest between Laona and Wabeno in Forest County. Blackwell offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25. In addition to diversity training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or High School Diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile Setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training. For information on Blackwell JCCCC or to arrange a tour, please call Penny McLaughlin at (715) 674-7654. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Joe Kovach at 920-435-1543.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Youth Conservation Crew Completes Summer Season]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4012 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4012

The end of July marks the end of a busy summer season for five local youth conservation crew members and their leader on the Chippewa's Deer River District.

The crew is made up of local high school students: Gary Parrington, Amanda Strickland, Liz Anttila, Jessica Parise, and Dane Heig. Ara Anderson, who teaches and coaches at the Deer River High School, was the crews' fearless leader this summer.

Projects across the district ranging from brushing trails to archeological digs kept the crew busy in June and July.

The district silviculturalist and reforestation technician educated the crew about some of the logging practices and harvest chronology around the area. The crew participated in pathological pruning of White Pine in the Bena area-about 80 acres in total, which entailed removing the bottom one-third of the foliage of the trees-which reduces the risk of White Pine Blister Rust.

Corrective pruning of the tops of the trees was also done, which meant selecting the dominant bud chute from the plant to encourage better tree growth. Removal of slash off of seedlings and saplings in the unit was also incorporated into their activities, which gave established trees more room to grow.

The Ruby Lake Girl Scout camp had a harvest operation and was in need of some clean up to reduce hazard fuels and make the site more aesthetically pleasing after harvest, which the YCC crew dedicated two weeks of their time to accomplishing. The district fire crew and other district employees were also on site to help with chainsaw operations and wood chipping/debris removal, while the YCC crew did much of the ground work pulling, piling, and removing slash from the trails and around structures.

This was one of the June projects, and really the first field experience for the crew. The Ruby Lake camp looks wonderful once again as a tangible result of the crew's hard work.

The Simpson Creek Trail, located near the Cutfoot Sioux Visitors Center, received a much-needed brushing. West Seelye, North Deer, and Clubhouse campgrounds got help from the crew with rehabilitation of trails, retaining walls, campsite clearing for lake views and access, and general maintenance and upkeep.

The crew also spent a few days helping the fire crew pull slash from a logging operation away from mature Red Pine trees in preparation for a prescribed burn that will take place in the future. This process helps to prevent scorching and mortality of the large trees.

Special field visits and educational experiences that Ara and the YCC crew got to be a part of were the Forest History Center, Blandin's operation and tour, Cutfoot Sioux CCC camp, the Lost Forty, Camp Rabideau, and the Joyce Estates. The YCC crew also received safety training throughout the season.

Rainy day activities included making fire protection maps and wood duck and bluebird houses. The crew will be ending the productive and exciting season with a well-deserved cookout at one of the sites they helped to rehabilitate this summer.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Kid's Fishing Day '08]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3987 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3987

Every year, the Huron-Manistee National Forest hosts three Kids Fishing Day Events to encourage kids to "Get In the Woods!" This year's events at Mio Pond, Nichols Lake, and Crystal Lake had a total of more than 300 participants. Starting early in the morning and ending in late afternoon, the children were provided with fishing poles, bait and instruction on how to use both. Attendees ranged from barely walking to 16 years old.

In addition to fishing, each location had an array of activities for the young anglers, including a live turtle tank, a casting contest, and a poster display. Food and prizes were donated at each event by partners. From new fishing poles to new tackle boxes, everyone had something to bring home.

Partners included: From the Baldwin Area: The National Wild Turkey Federation - Chapters: the White River Longbeards, the Bitely/Baldwin Chapter, the Fremont Area Chapter, the Newaygo Valley Gobblers, and the Grant Gobblers, the Newaygo County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the Bitely Better Conservation Club, Nichols Lake Association, Boy Scouts of America, and local business owners. From the Manistee Area: the Wellston Boosters Association. And from the Mio area partners included: the Mio Lions Club, Jigs Up Bait and Tackle, Glens Market, and McDonalds.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[The Forest Service Fosters Healing with Southeast Alaska Tribes]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4010 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4010

By Macky McClung

On April 16, 2008, R10 Regional Forester Denny Bschor and Tongass National Forest Supervisor Forrest Cole acknowledged that the U.S. Forest Service removed traditional Native smoke houses, cabins and fish camps in Southeast Alaska from the 1930s through the 1960s. This acknowledgement took place at the 73rd General Assembly of the Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. The Central Council is the regional federally-recognized Tribe for Southeast Alaska.

There were about 300 elders and other tribal participants from all Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Native communities participating in the General Assembly. The assembly provided an excellent opportunity for Bschor and Cole, along with Thorne Bay District Ranger Jason Anderson, to express their sincere commitment to cooperatively work together and promote a government-to-government relationship as a model for all Southeast Tribes and other federal agencies.

Assembly delegates were given the opportunity to either respond orally during the event or through written comments on a survey. Fourteen of the delegates were interviewed by Valesha Patterson, a local high school student and recent Forest Service student employee.

Bschor and leaders from the Tongass National Forest recognized the importance of acknowledging the past while fostering respectful and honorable relationships. Their actions opened the door for interested Tribes and ranger districts to take substantive actions at the local level to further the healing process.

This is already happening on the Thorne Bay Ranger District on Prince of Wales Island. The Organized Village of Kasaan requested use of national forest land to re-establish a fish camp and smokehouse at the mouth of the Karta River. Anderson and OVP President Richard Peterson are working with Forest Service employees and Tribal staff members to explore ways to make this a reality.

The prior removal of traditional smoke houses, cabins and fish camps in Southeast Alaska was done in accordance with national laws and regulations during that time period. The Forest Service is not authorized to make reparations for actions taken under U.S. law. The Forest Service is responsible for managing national forests and for ensuring that current permittees are in compliance with permit requirements.

Under our current laws, policies and regulations, the region will focus on the relationship aspect of ensuring compliance by engaging in consultation and enlisting the Tribe's support in communicating to the permittee the need to work toward resolution or to remove personal gear. Forest and district staff will endeavor to keep Tribes informed about the processes and the outcomes.

More information about the Acknowledgement Ceremony and additional documents can be found at: http://fsweb/staffs/tgr/index.shtml under the subheading, "Destruction of Fish Camps."

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Juneau Ranger District Wilderness Rangers Develop Best Management Practices]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4009 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4009 10

By John Neary

Having no authority doesn't make us powerless in protecting the character of our Alaskan Wilderness areas. Juneau Ranger District wilderness rangers received a growing number of complaints over many years regarding noise, overcrowding, and air quality in the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. They heard from ship captains and kayakers who felt crowded on the water and concerned for the future of these once-pristine fjords.

Huge increases in the numbers of ship visits, for example, seemed contrary to the intent of the Wilderness Act to preserve opportunities for solitude. Yet most visitors to Tracy Arm don't set foot on the national forest when they arrive on the larger ships to view tidewater glaciers from their floating deck. So what can be done about issues for which the Tongass National Forest has no jurisdiction?

Throwing up our hands was the easy answer but that didn't seem to be in the public interest. Considerable public complaints kept arriving on the doorstep (kayak-step) of the only visible public management agency in the Wilderness. Crew leader Tim Lydon developed partnerships with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to monitor air quality, and with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and NOAA to study seals on icebergs, in an effort to draw interest to the changes occurring.

He worked with vessel captains to provide information aboard ships about their effect on wildlife and other wilderness values. Wilderness Program Manager Ed Grossman then proposed working with the cruise industry to develop voluntary practices that would benefit this Wilderness, similar to flight guidelines previously developed for a portion of Admiralty Island near Pack Creek.

A focused discussion began in April 2007, when Forest Service officials met with representatives of large cruise ship companies in Ketchikan to present a proposal for what became known as Wilderness Best Management Practices for Tracy Arm-Fords Terror.

The initial Forest Service proposal included the following:

* Avoid using external public address systems and unnecessary horn blasts.

* Burn the cleanest fuel at optimum engine conditions to minimize stack emissions.

* Keep away from seals on icebergs and move slowly to avoid wake disturbance.

* Schedule arrivals and destinations to avoid crowding.

At that meeting we began to understand some of the operating limitations the industry faces, while industry representatives learned of our concerns and provided feedback. They asked us to further develop guidelines for the program and to include small and mid-sized tour operators in the discussion.

In February 2008, the Forest Service hosted a much larger Seattle meeting of interested tour company representatives that also included the smaller vessel owners. This meeting was a work session, facilitated by Ed Grossman, John Neary, Tim Lydon, and Pete Griffin. Forest Service interest was in getting tour operators to agree on possible actions to help:

* Preserve quiet

* Curtail flightseeing tours

* Maintain clean air

* Protect wildlife

* Preserve solitude

The discussions were heartfelt. Those on opposite sides of issues were not only attentive and respectful, but willing to offer solutions as well. We wrote up the draft agreement and circulated it among the parties for comments. After a few tweaks, the result was a set of Wilderness Best Management Practices for vessel operations within Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. We intend to meet annually to discuss how well the parties are adhering to the principles and to fine tune the agreement.

In the beginning there was some skepticism that all the interested parties could work together, but we found that having no authority doesn't necessarily mean we are powerless to help protect the wilderness qualities the public expects when they visit Alaska.

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Trail of Time Bridge Uses Local Wood]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4006 Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4006 10

By Eleanor Oman & Rodney Dell'Andrea

There is a new bridge on the Trail of Time, near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on the Juneau Ranger District, Tongass National Forest, Juneau, Alaska. The old trail bridge at the beginning of the trail had been damaged by floods and snow and repaired and rebuilt over the years.

Bridge inspectors finally recommended replacement of the bridge rather than making additional repairs. Landscape architects and engineers worked together to relocate the trail upstream where they found a perfect bridge site-bedrock on both sides of the stream with a crystal clear pool of water under the bridge. The new trail approach to the bridge is along a rock ledge, up out of the boggy stream bottom. The new bridge is single span, 24 feet long, on solid sills, and has nice views of Steep Creek.

This is a great improvement over the old bridge, which was 80 feet long in two spans, with the mid span support in the middle of the stream and the end supports in and out of the stream as the stream changed course.

The new bridge is an Alaska Region standard design, referred to as a nail-laminated slab bridge. This design was chosen because it is built entirely of dimensional sawn lumber in sizes that a local mill can produce. The bridge is unique because the deck is also the load bearing member of the bridge-there are no stringers.

The deck is built from 2"x12" boards nailed together in groups of eight to create a "beam" that is 12" wide by 12" deep. A total of five "beams" are assembled and all five are tied together with 5/8 inch diameter steel rods to make a five foot wide bridge. Nuts at the ends of the rods are tightened to squeeze the "beams" together, allowing them to work together to provide the bridge its strength.

Alaska Yellow Cedar was chosen for the wood because it is naturally durable, which means it does not need chemical treatment to keep it from deteriorating in Southeast Alaska's moist climate. The design also took advantage of strength values for Alaska Yellow Cedar developed by the Ketchikan Wood Technology Center and published in the National Design Standard in 2005.

These strength values place Alaska Yellow Cedar closer to Douglas fir at the high end of the chart, rather than with Western Cedars at the low end. The wood was obtained from D & L Woodworks in Hoonah, a local mill owned and operated by the Fanning family.

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Success Story - Meet Darren Lenore]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4005 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4005

At one time, Blackwell student Darren Lenore had given up on himself. The youngest of six siblings, Darren experienced the unexpected death of his mother at a very young age. The impact of this led Darren down the wrong path. He found himself making poor choices, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and eventually dropped out of a Detroit high school. "I was doing things I wasn't proud of," he said.

Things started to change for him after he saw a TV commercial about Job Corps. About a month after applying for a Job Corps scholarship, he arrived at the Blackwell Job Corps CCC on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF in Wisconsin. Over the past 11 months, he has earned a High School Equivalency Diploma and will graduate from the Business Technologies trade in another two months. His future plans are to transfer to the Hubert Humphrey Job Corps in Minnesota for advanced training in the Transportation Communications Program.

Darren's life lessons at Blackwell go well beyond vocational and educational gains. Early on, staff at the Center recognized his ability to be a leader, mentor, and role model for other students at the Center. He started working as a Dorm Leader, and eventually became a Dorm President. These roles taught him how to work with a diverse group of people, and provide guidance and discipline in a team-like atmosphere. Currently, Darren is the President of the Blackwell's Student Government Association (SGA), where he was elected by a landslide of votes from his fellow students.

Darren would like to eventually return to Blackwell or another Forest Service Job Corps Center as a Residential Advisor (RA) in the dormitories. Tom Morgan, Residential Living Supervisor couldn't be more pleased. "This is the best student I've seen pass through our doors in my 15 years at Blackwell. Darren has been highly successful as the SGA president. He would make an excellent RA, and I would be very happy to see him return to Blackwell in that capacity once he finishes his advanced training."

As the SGA President, Darren has led the recent student "Green Team" at the Center, and is taking a hard look at ways to conserve energy, reduce waste, and recycle, particularly in the four dormitories at Blackwell.

Darren also has a real passion about helping others in the community. He has been very involved with volunteer activities, and would like to see the students become more involved with helping others in the area. "I learned about helping others from my mother. I think it's important for students to experience this here so they continue volunteering in their own home towns once they've left Blackwell."

His mother would be proud. Very proud.

ABOUT BLACKWELL

Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is located on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National forest between Laona and Wabeno in Forest County. Blackwell offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25. In addition to diversity training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or High School Diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile Setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training. For information on Blackwell JCCCC or to arrange a tour, please call Penny McLaughlin at (715) 674-7654. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Joe Kovach at 920-435-1543.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa National Forest Conducts Biomass Workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4004 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4004

With the increased emphasis on renewable forms of energy nationally and in Minnesota, the Chippewa National Forest conducted a workshop for its employees on biomass. The session was designed to raise awareness of its employees and start a dialog on how the forest can produce biomass for the public.

The day started with a presentation on the Minnesota Forest Resources Council's (MFRC)guidelines for biomass harvesting. MFRC's guidelines serve as the states best management practices and are the first such guidelines in the nation. Dick Rossman, a Minnesota Department of National Resources employee and head of the team that developed the guidelines led the discussion. Forest Soil Scientist, Jim Barott then gave a presentation on areas in the Forest Plan that dealt with things to be aware of when considering biomass harvesting, such as retaining slash on certain soil types and maintaining species diversity.

The participants then went to the field. The sites visited consisted of one where the slash was piled and burned, a site where slash was left on site, and a site that had a broadcast burn. The first two sites were designed to show a possible before and after biomass harvest. The discussion centered on the pro and cons biomass harvesting including site impacts, how different harvesting prescriptions could aid in biomass harvesting and how the districts were documenting and providing biomass opportunities to purchasers. The last site was chosen to facilitate a discussion on where biomass harvesting could help with fuels reduction and where fire was still the best tool. There also a discussion on the differences between the amount of material needed to be left on site to meet the MFRC guidelines and whether that would that would meet fuel reduction guidelines.

At the last site the group was joined by Carl Bleiler, a local logger who also has a biomass grinder. Carl gave a good presentation on biomass harvesting from a producers perspective. He talked about the site conditions he looks for in a sale that would be necessary for economical biomass removal. These included the amount of material available, condition of the access road and proximity of the logging site to the delivery point. Carl has been running the grinder for about 15 months and he also spoke to the learning curve his crew went through to be most efficient in the production and some the challenges they overcame in developing his operation.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partnership Creates Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4003 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4003 9

This summer a transformation begins at the Chippewa National Forest's Marcell Ranger District. The district office will remodeled and become the "Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center", thanks to the diligent work of a partnership involving the USDA Forest Service, MN Highway 38 Leadership Board, Northern Itasca Joint Powers Board and The Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Association. Funding for the project has come from Federal Highway Project Funds and Scenic Byway Grants, the Blandin Association and Itasca County.

The center is located off of Highway 38, in Marcell, Minnesota. Highway 38 earned national status as one of the first 20 National Scenic Byways and is now called the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway. The office will be remodeled turning it into a destination point for tourists, locals, scenic byway visitors, local school children and other clubs and organizations. Activities at the "Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center" will focus on natural resource education, interpretation and customer service. Seasonal staff and volunteers will help run the center through a unique partnership that share in the management and maintenance responsibilities.

The partners anticipate the center will bring more tourists and visitors to the Edge of the Wilderness area, as well as enrich the local economy. The center will offer services to outdoor enthusiasts and visitors to increase their appreciation of the lands, waters and history of the Edge of the Wilderness region and National Scenic Byway. It compliments the Chippewa Adventure Tour, Laurentian Divide Wayside Rest, the Edge of the Wilderness Natural Scenic Byway Discovery Tour, and other area opportunities and attractions.

Future plans are to build a fishing pier and an amphitheater on Ranier Lake that is adjacent to the new center. Another special feature will be interpretive tours of the historic Civilian Conservation Corp structures on the property behind the center.

The project is becoming a reality because of a strong partnership that has been committed to the mission and the goals of the center.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Beetle Returns to the Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4001 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4001 9

"Wow, these beetles are big" exclaimed a volunteer and with that Forest Service personnel and partners from the Ohio State University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ohio Dept of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife, The Wilds and the St. Louis Zoo placed 228 pairs of federally endangered American burying beetles (ABB), Nicrophorus americanus, on the Athens Ranger District of the Wayne National Forest.

This 1 to 1.5 inch red and black carrion feeder experienced a serious population decline after the 1920's. It has collapsed to less than 10% of its historic range. American burying beetles (ABB), Nicrophorus americanus, were listed as a federal endangered species on July 13, 1989- the first insect species to be so recognized.

Reintroduction efforts first began in 1998 by the State of Ohio on a wildlife area that bordered the Wayne National Forest. Since that time forest service biologist, Lynda Andrews and Hocking College intern Kelly Harness, identified potential reintroduction sites on the District based on soil and understory conditions. Surveys were conducted for two years prior to the placement of the beetles at two selected areas to determine that the habitat was currently unoccupied by the ABB and an environmental analysis was conducted which led to the project finally coming to fruition on June 25, 2008.

Male and female beetles were placed in excavated holes with a quail carcass. They were covered with a plastic plant pot and then secured with kennel fencing. Twelve days later biologists returned to the area and found that reproduction had taken place and larvae were thriving on several quail carcasses. Biologists will return in mid to late August to set non-lethal pitfall traps, baited with rotten chicken wings and hot sauce (to discourage predators) in an attempt to document newly emerged young and again next spring to document over-wintering success. The greatest impediment to past reintroduction efforts is the failure to recapture ABB's after winter.

"The ABB isn't a species that you consider cute and fuzzy but they are fascinating creatures and were once a part of the diverse historic fauna found in the Buckeye state." said Andrews. "It is wonderful to actively participate in the recovery of this endangered species. This partnership effort has been tremendous".

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LyndaAndrewslandrews@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[12th Annual Kids Fishing Day at Castle Rock Ponds]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3981 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3981 9

Kids Fishing Day is always a favorite outing for youngsters in the St. Ignace, MI, area, and this year was no exception! About 210 young anglers traveled to the Hiawatha's Castle Rock ponds to enjoy Kids Fishing Day activities including fishing from the holding tank, fishing from the ponds, and other activities. Raffles and refreshments added to the fun.

"We especially appreciate our sponsors," noted Lyn Hyslop, Acting Assistant Ranger for Recreation. "Their enthusiastic support is what makes the event so successful."

This year's list of sponsors includes the Straits Area Sportsman's Club, Chairman of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, MSU 4H Youth Program, and St. Ignace Kiwanis Club.

"In addition to a gift packet including Smokey Bear materials, a bobber, hooks, and a raffle ticket," adds Hyslop, "many children received one of the 193 donated prizes that were given out."

With so many children in attendance, the event was definitely a success, helping us in our ongoing effort to get kids into the woods!

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Student Hired as District Information Receptionist]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3999 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3999

If you've paid a visit to the Lakewood Ranger District office lately, it's likely you've been greeted by Holly Moore, who is working for the Forest Service as a full-time Information Receptionist. She was hired under the Student Temporary Employment Program. She is also a student at the Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, where she enrolled in the Business Technology training program.

"It's a pleasure to have Holly here," said Dale Harrison, her supervisor, "She's a smart young woman, a quick learner, and is pleasant and respectful to the many visitors who stop in or call the District office."

Holly came to Blackwell approximately one year ago. She was familiar with Job Corps and was looking to enhance her skills and become more employable, so she first called the Job Corps Hot Line (800-733-JOBS) and indicated an interest in attending a Job Corps Center in her home state of Wisconsin. She had been living in Milwaukee, and was also a student at the College of Menominee Nation in Keshena, WI.

After meeting with a recruiter and supplying qualifying information such as transcripts and letters of recommendation, she was accepted into the program at Blackwell.

"Coming to Blackwell was an excellent way for me to learn structure and discipline and get away from the city and its distractions. I appreciate the opportunity I've been given to be a student at Job Corps because it has opened new and exciting doors for my future," she said.

According to Center Director Jay Lowe, "Holly is an exemplary example of a student who has truly benefited from all that the Job Corps program has to offer young men and women."

At Blackwell, Holly belongs to the Intergroup Relations Committee, helping to organize events for the Center such as a Veteran's Day recognition ceremony. She also volunteers for "Make a Difference Day" that included arts and crafts projects with local schools and daycare centers, and raking yards for elderly and disabled citizens. She enjoys reading, playing dominoes, bike riding, and participating in pool tournaments at the Center.

"We will continue building our partnership and connections with the Forest Service as we give students the opportunity to develop skills that are a good fit for the agency," Lowe said. "Holly's appointment to a position at the Lakewood office is a great start."

ABOUT BLACKWELL

Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is located on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National forest between Laona and Wabeno in Forest County. Blackwell offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25. In addition to diversity training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or High School Diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile Setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training. For information on Blackwell JCCCC or to arrange a tour, please call Penny McLaughlin at (715) 674-7654. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Joe Kovach at 920-435-1543.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Linking Girls to the Land]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4002 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=4002 9

The White Mountain National Forest Heritage Resources Program and the Swift Water Girl Scout Council conducted their ninth annual field school in historical archaeology from July 13 to July 16, 2008, as part of the "Linking Girls to the Land" partnership between the Girl Scouts of the USA and federal natural resource agencies.

Eight Girl Scouts were part of the "Dig the Past" program, and spent four days conducting archaeological test excavations at the Brickett Place in Stow, Maine. An additional eleven Girl Scouts in the "Challenge and Change" leadership training program participated in the field school on July 15. The Girl Scouts were between the ages of 11 and 17, and came from New Hampshire and Vermont.

The goal of the "Linking Girls to the Land" program is for girls to become involved in conservation and natural resource issues on a national and local level through environmental education, volunteer service, outdoor skills development, and career exploration.

The Brickett Place is a brick farm house built around 1830 by John Brickett. The purpose of the 2008 excavation was to determine the extent and condition of the archaeological remains near the foundation of the house in advance of foundation stabilization work, while introducing the Girl Scouts to archaeological excavation and recording techniques. This year's excavation located trash deposits which contained household artifacts such as fragments of ceramic dishes and glass bottles, and architectural materials such as brick, nails, and window glass.

An 1864 Indian Head penny was recovered from the front yard. All the artifacts from the site will be analyzed and curated by White Mountain National Forest archaeologists in partnership with Plymouth State University, in Plymouth, New Hampshire.

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SarahJordanscjordan@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[When given lemons, make lemonade!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3998 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3998

(Contributed by Mark Theisen, Forest Silviculturist, 715-362-1346)

Photo 1: A Spruce Decline area in the Forest

Photo 2: Black-backed woodpecker in a small reserve area

Between 2003 and 2004, employees on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest noticed that some white spruce plantations were looking unhealthy. Upon further investigation, it was determined that thousands of acres of white spruce on the Forest had substantial mortality or had very poor crown conditions. During the summer of 2004, field visits with forest health specialists from the State and Private branch of the Forest Service and from the University of Wisconsin, along with collaboration with State, County, Town and Tribal governments, confirmed we were dealing with an epidemic. The epidemic was called Spruce Decline which is caused by a combination of drought, insects and disease. The dead and dying spruce created a loss of habitat for Regional Forester Sensitive Species spruce grouse, a loss of productive forestland, and a huge hazardous fuel build-up. It also provided an opportunity to salvage a large volume of merchantable product.

In order to commercially salvage the spruce, the Forest needed to complete NEPA analysis and issue a decision in short order as they was deteriorating rapidly. These circumstances were ripe to test a new tool in the NEPA toolbox. Passed in December, 2003, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) provided the opportunity to expedite the salvage of this dead and dying resource. As the District staffs continued to do a rapid health assessment of their white spruce plantations, the Forest formed a NEPA team with the assignment of completing the analysis as quickly as possible, using the new HFRA authority.

Within 6 months, the Forest had gathered the site conditions on four districts, completed the analysis and signed the 2004 Spruce Decline decision. The decision called for approximately 4,500 acres of immediate salvage. However, the decision also called for over 3,100 acres of unhealthy spruce to be monitored. This adaptive decision allowed these monitored acres to be treated if they met damage thresholds established in the decision. This proved very useful as nearly all of the monitored acres did eventually meet the damage thresholds and were treated. Within the next year, another EA (Spruce Decline II) and decision was produced which called for another 1,500 acres of immediate treatment and another 5,700 acres of monitoring. We will continue to monitor these acres. In total, nearly one half of the white spruce acres on the Forest have been impacted. The Spruce Decline epidemic has slowed down as we have not had to treat all of monitored acres from the second EA.

The black-backed woodpecker, another Regional Forester Sensitive Species, actually benefits from these types of disturbances. They feed and nest in dead and dying conifer. The two decisions took this into account and left over 2,000 acres of dying spruce standing. This provided excellent habitat for the black-backed woodpeckers and other species dependent on dead and dying material. In addition to these un-salvaged stands, small reserve areas were left within stands that received treatment. These reserve areas also proved to be beneficial to black-backed woodpeckers.

As a result of the treatment, hazardous fuels have been reduced on approximately 11,000 acres. Of these, 3,500 were located in wildland urban interface areas. Spruce grouse habitat has been or will be restored on more than 1,700 acres. Healthy forest conditions have been restored on 11,000 acres. The commercial salvage operation generated approximately 120 million board feet of timber.

While the situation was something the Forest would have preferred to avoid, the Forest is proud of the lemonade it produced from the lemons it was handed.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wildflower Foray on the Hoosier NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3997 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3997 9

For 23 years it's been a crowd pleaser. We adjust the lineup a bit to offer some variety but this years 25 hikes and activities all were well attended including the three on the Hoosier National Forest. The Wild Hyacinth Hike, led by Botanist Kirk Larson and Public Affairs Specialist Teena Ligman, is restricted to 20 people (10/group) since it's within the Wilderness boundary near Mitchell Cemetery and that particular hike maxes out every year. The hyacinths weren't quite in bloom this year this year since spring seemed to have been delayed by the rains and cooler temperature but the group saw other flowers which we rarely see on the hikes.

Teena was honored to have the well known Kay Yatskievych, author of the Field Guide to Indiana Wildflowers attend her Waldrip Cabin Hike this year. This hike combines a historical hike to the old Waldrip Cabin site and a discussion of the old house sites and fields with wildflowers.

In addition to the Wild Hyacinth and Waldrip Cabin Hikes, volunteer naturalist Cathy Meyer leads a group on the Pate Hollow Trail to look at spring wildflowers and Forest Interpreter Stacy Duke assisted IDNR Biologist Rex Waters with a boat tour of the backwaters of Lake Monroe and looking riparian areas and wildflowers along the lakeshore. As part of each of the hikes, an inventory checklist is completed of all of the flowering plants the groups find which is kept as a monitoring tool.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Reducing Environmental Impacts, One Step at a Time]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3909 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3909 9

The opening paragraph says it all. In the first lines of the newly created Monongahela National Forest Sustainability Action Plan, Forest Supervisor Clyde Thompson describes the importance of reducing environmental impacts.

"In this time of climate change and anemic budgets, we all must do what we can to reduce our environmental footprint, lower energy costs, and be conservation leaders."

Thompson then goes on to challenge the Forest units to reduce energy use by 5 percent a year over the next three years.

Making a difference on a problem as vast as global warming is a pretty daunting task, and all too many people question whether they cannot do anything of significance. By creating the sustainability action plan (SAP) it is hoped that employees will be able to employ small steps that cumulatively CAN make a difference, both at work and at home.

Thompson noted two areas in which he is particularly interested: 1) the Forest's ability to lower energy consumption and carbon emissions through better use of conference calls, car-pooling, and other means; and 2) the ability to provide opportunities for local participation in our projects, purchases, and management needs.

The latter goal provides opportunities to help stimulate local economies, while requiring less energy use and transportation costs for projects related to the National Forest.

The MNF environmental footprint team is a loosely organized group of interested employees led by Ecosystems group leader Jack Tribble. Regular conference calls are held and e-mails exchanged as team members share information and develop materials. The sustainability action plan is the first result of the team's efforts.

Forest planner David Ede took on the task of organizing the team's ideas into an easy to use document that can be readily updated. Some suggestions are simple, time-tested ideas such as installing heat-conserving blankets around hot water heaters. Other ideas, while also simple to incorporate, are less obvious, such as installing timers in vending machine outlets.

While the document includes the legal mandates under which the Monongahela is required to implement sustainable measures, it mostly focuses on seven key areas of conservation. For each area common sense guidance and recommendations are listed to make it easy for employees to actually see how they can be a part of the effort.

The seven areas are: energy use; fleet and fuel efficiency; water conservation; recycling and waste reduction; green purchasing; sustainability leadership; and a unique one - the Monongahela Internal Footprint Grant Program.

The internal footprint grant program was created with the idea of rewarding progress made towards the other goals in the plan. Details of actual implementation are still being worked out, but the concept is to create baseline information on energy use, then compare actual annual use. Using a portion of the hard money saved plus returns from recycling, a pool of money would be created to use for internal "green grants."

Examples of ideas that such funds could be used for include could replacement of older, less energy-efficient equipment with ENERGY STAR items; replacement of inefficient windows with double-paned ones, including reflective E-rated glazing on southern exposures; installation of solar panels; and/or vehicle conversions to electric hybrids.

The new action plan was shared with all employees in an e-mail from Supervisor Thompson, and will be updated and maintained by the footprint team. The document can be accessed via the MNF intranet and intranet sites, under the planning pages. The team placed the document in both places in the hope that many eyes reading it will not only mean many people using the recommendations but that others will be stimulated to offer suggestions for additions and improvements.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Boy Scouts Service Projects Rival CCC]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3995 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3995 8

By Deidra McGee, Office of Communication and Leah Anderson, Region 9

On June 23-27, the Boy Scouts of America's National Honor Society, the Order of the Arrow, in partnership with the James River and Warm Springs Ranger Districts of the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (GW Jeff) in Virginia, conducted one of the five biggest service projects on national forests since the Civilian Conservation Corps

Approximately 685 members of the Order of the Arrow successfully completed the construction of six walk-in campsites at Lake Moomaw and over 8.2 miles of new trails on the James River District. These projects will significantly and positively affect the ability of the public to enjoy the areas the Arrowmen worked on, said Forest Supervisor Maureen Hyzer.

Representing 93 local councils (from over 25 states, Puerto Rico and individuals from the Transatlantic Council in Europe) the Arrowmen provided over 71,300 hours of service worth more than $1.3 million.

According to Hyzer, a legacy was left through this project which will benefit future visitors to the National Forests as well as the sense of accomplishment each of the participants gained through their service and leadership.

Earlier, from June 7-14, the Boy Scout National Conservation Project was completed on the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District on the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. This was the largest volunteer project ever on the Forest.

Glade natural community types are in decline in Missouri due to a number of factors, including encroaching Eastern red cedar, invasive exotic species, overgrazing, fire suppression, and commercial and residential development.

Removing the cedars is an important step to restoring the glades. More than 500 participants removed Eastern red cedar to help restore native limestone glade ecosystems on an estimated 134 acres in the Glade Top trail area of Taney County in southwest Missouri. The estimated value of the volunteer work was over $542,000.

"We really appreciate the help of the Arrowmen and our partners at Mingo Job Corps," said Ava District Ranger Jenny Farenbaugh. "This project is proof of how much can be accomplished working together as partners."

Farenbaugh, Timber Management Assistant Darla Rein, Wilderness Ranger Kale Horton and Forest Staff Officer Kris Swanson were instrumental working on the project first proposed to the Boy Scouts in 2004. Employees on the Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs Ranger District were heavily involved in the onsite project pre-work, prep, and layout as well as other Mark Twain employees brought in to serve on the team during the event.

"We appreciate the support of local merchants and businesses including Branson, Springfield, Rogersville, Mansfield, Norwood, Seymour, and Ava," Farenbaugh said. "Taney County Commissioners and Taney County Road Commissioners and road crews played a very significant role improving the Bateman Road into the project site area."

Now that the cedars have been cut, the area will be treated sometime in the future with prescribed burning to help control the Eastern red cedar and increase species diversity

The Mark Twain in Missouri and the Manti-La Sal in Utah were the first two forests involved with the project. The GW Jeff was the third forest and in mid-to-late July the Shasta-Trinity (Calif.) and Bridger-Teton (Wyo.) will be the last two forests to take part in the project.

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MaxwellSilveramsilvera@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Hosts National Monarch Butterfly Workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3978 Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3978 9

Story submitted by Janet Ekstrum, Wildlife Biologist.

The Monarch Conservation Techniques workshop was held on the Hiawatha National Forest June 3-5, 2008. This workshop, sponsored by the International Programs division of the Forest Service, was led by Forest Service biologist Janet Ekstrum and Forest Service plant ecologist Deb LeBlanc. The three-day workshop taught monarch larva monitoring and butterfly tagging techniques, native plant propagation and site restoration. The Hiawatha National Forest was chosen to host this workshop due to their nationally recognized monarch research project on the Stonington Peninsula and their native seed program and greenhouse in Marquette.

Twenty-five attendees included Forest Service personnel from the Wayne National Forest, Hoosier National Forest, Midewin Tallgrass Prairie, Green Mountain Finger Lakes National Forests, Ouachita National Forest, National Park Service, Michigan State University Extension Service, The Nature Conservancy, Marquette and Schoolcraft County Conservation Districts, Michigan DNR, and educators from Houston Wilderness, El Valor, Monarch Sister School Program and The Cedar Tree Institute.

Presentations included the biology of monarch butterflies, presentation of the recently prepared Monarch Monitoring Handbook, the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, threats to pollinators and reasons for their decline, the upcoming Monarch Live webcast, restoration projects on the Midewin, local restoration projects, Monarch Butterfly Partnership with El Valor, Midewin Tallgrass Prairie, International Programs and Alternare, how-to-create a backyard greenhouse, plant propagation, how-to-create a native garden, how-to incorporate pollinators in your program of work and Monarchs in the Classroom.

Both classroom instruction and hands-on activities were a part of the workshop. The field visits included conducting larva monitoring at the Peninsula Point Larva Monitoring Program site where Dr. Karen Oberhauser demonstrated how to collect larva monitoring data. Groups then collected monitoring data along transects. A native plant restoration project followed the monitoring in the same location. Young milkweed, black-eyed susans and coreopsis that were propagated at the Forest Service greenhouse at the Marquette Interagency Conservation Center were planted. These plants will help provide a late season nectar source for monarchs and other pollinators in an area where St. John's wort, a non-native invasive is beginning to reduce the amount of native flowering plant

Visits were also made to Tressel Park Native Plant Garden Establishment project in downtown Marquette, the native plant garden at Northern Michigan University, the native plant garden at the Munising Forest Service office, and to the Hiawatha National Forest greenhouse at the Marquette Interagency Conservation Center and greenhouse at Northern Michigan University.

Presentations were given by Dr. Karen Oberhauser University of Minnesota, Dr. Ron Sundell of Northern Michigan University, Sue Rabitaille of Borealis Seed Company, Jennifer Durkin and Mike Rizzo of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Jim Chu International Programs Washington Office Forest Service, Pat Landry, volunteer with the Monarch Larva Monitoring Program, Gina Badgett, volunteer with Monarch Watch and the Monarch Migration Association of North American, Angie Lucas, greenhouse manager, Dan McConnell, seasonal Forest Service botanist and Forest Service workshop leaders LeBlanc and Ekstrum.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Memorial WWII interpretive panel dedicated on White Mountain National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3990 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3990 9

On June 26, a memorial WWII Interpretive panel was dedicated at the White Mountain National Forest, Beaver Brook Trailhead parking lot along Route 112 in Kinsman Notch. This project was the result of a partnership between the Kantner Foundation, the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society in Lincoln, NH, and the White Mountain National Forest.

During a blizzard on the night of January 14, 1942, a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a U.S. Army Air Corps B-18A light bomber returning from hunting enemy submarines in the North Atlantic went off course and crashed into the south side of Mount Waternomee in the White Mountain National Forest. Co-pilot Woodrow Kantner, heroically directed the plane to lessen the impact of the crash, and his efforts saved the lives of five of the seven crew members. A rescue party from the towns of Lincoln and North Woodstock worked through the night to rescue the surviving crew members. It is an amazing account that has become part of the story of the north country of New Hampshire.

Several years ago Mr. Woodrow Kantner of Stuart, FL, contacted the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society and White Mountain National Forest with a proposal to commemorate the crash site. He wanted to honor his fellow crew members who survived the crash, as well as those who died. The crash site is in very rugged country with no trail to the site. The goal of the project was to preserve what remains at the site in honor of the crew. The interpretive panel, which tells the story, was located away from the site in the hope that this hallowed ground will remain intact for future generations. Visitors to the site are asked to tread lightly and leave things the way they find them.

The content, design and layout of the interpretive panel and its message was accomplished using a collaboration of the talents of Dick Dow, Clare Long, Karl Roenke, Sarah Jordan, and Alexis Jackson from the White Mountain National Forest. Review and photographs were provided by Rick Russack of the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society. The Pemigewasset Ranger District fabricated the panel's stand and frame and performed the site work for the panel installation.

Through this cooperative effort, the site will remain an important WWII site in New Hampshire. Additional information, photos, and artifacts can be found at the Upper Pemigewasset Historical Society in Lincoln, NH.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[One Man's Slash is Another Man's Treasure]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3989 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3989 8

Hurricane Hugo leveled more than 30,000 acres of the Francis Marion National Forest in 1989. Now, nearly 20 years later, an unanticipated benefit of the storm has emerged for the forest, for the state of South Carolina and potentially for the entire country.

Francis Marion and Sumter (FMS) Timber Sales Forester Jon Dent's practical solution to a daunting surge of vegetative regeneration after Hugo may ultimately help fuel a national movement toward the conversion of forest brush, slash and debris into natural energy sources.

Dog Hair Thicket

In the aftermath of the hurricane, the responsibility fell to Dent to develop a solution to a growing problem -literally a 'growing' problem. Hugo's sustained 130 mile per hour winds flattened about a third of the forest with damage lessening proportionally as the distance from the eye increased. In the hardest hit areas, only some cypress trees and a few hardwoods remained standing.

"For the first 10 years or so after the storm, we had nothing to do but sit and watch things grow," Dent explained. "It was all growing back at once, lots of pine but also lots of hardwood and heavy brush like wax myrtle."

The potential for catastrophic fire soared with such dense growth, exacerbated by the fact that pine needles cast by the young trees hung suspended in the underbrush, providing light fuels to carry fire rapidly from the ground to the canopy.

"Before Hugo, when young stands of pine in that area got up to a merchantable pulpwood size of five to ten inches in diameter, we'd come in for our regular first thinning," Dent said. "Typically we were able to thin about 7,800 acres of timber annually. Imagine 30,000-40,000 acres of that all coming up at once; it's a daunting predicament."

Also facing a new Hugo-related threat were the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker populations in the area, a species that makes its home in cavities in the boles of trees. Already depleted by nearly half when Hugo knocked down or snapped many of the birds' nest trees, the population now faced a heightened threat from predators as the developing understory of young trees reaching about 20 feet provided easy access to the nests.

"The birds won't live in a situation like that," Dent explained. "They'll simply move out."

Prescribed burning was out of the question to combat the problem because of smoke and the resulting visibility issue on roadways. In any case, the emerging buds of young Loblolly Pines in stands of trees less than about 15-20 feet could not withstand the impact of fire.

"So that meant the only option was to go in and mow the understory down with masticators," Dent explained. "Our idea was just to start in along the major highways and in places we knew to have a high potential for wildfire around communities or travel ways, and also in Red-Cockaded Woodpecker communities."

Meanwhile, the Santee Cooper electric utility was facing its own hurricane-induced mess with the emergence of whole floating trees from the lake bed of Lake Moultrie, the result of violent wave action on standing timber that had simply been submerged rather than cut when the lake was created. The churning waters created by the hurricane had uprooted the trees and littered them on the shoreline.

Plant managers at the Jefferies Generating Station near Moncks Corner, SC, hatched the idea to grind up the timber and burn it in their coal furnaces.

"They figured they could consume it that way as well as get a little bit of power out of it. So that's exactly what they did. Ultimately they discovered they could reduce their coal expenses by using a mix of 90% coal and 10% wood," Dent said.

A Natural Solution

So it was a perfectly reasonable that all these years later Santee Cooper would alert to the sudden potential availability of volumes of biomass, and they expressed an interest in buying the chipped material. Smaller companies in the wood industry took note of the potential market too, and began laying plans to provide a service grinding the debris and hauling it to the power company.

"That dovetailed nicely with stewardship," Dent said. "The program allows you to sell a product and buy a service all in the same contract. What we were selling, of course, was the chips, but we were buying the act of thinning; we hired them to thin the stand the way we needed it thinned. They used conventional logging equipment and thinned similarly to the way they would a pulpwood stand. They'd leave the dominant, best trees, then collect the rest and feed it into a chipper - all of it, the needles, branches, twigs and bark. Then they'd haul it to the mill to generate operating power."

That successful practice continues, generating more interest as enterprising loggers and equipment operators take note of its success.

What's next?

An increasing interest in the biomass program seems inevitable given the national spike in fuel costs, the impact of climate change on drought patterns and the potential for catastrophic weather events such as the broad inland reach of hurricanes like Hugo and Andrew. Dent sees the potential for widespread interest.

"There's always been a potential economic breaking point based on the price of a barrel of oil," he said. "They used to toss around the $80/barrel figure, after which they thought it'd be worthwhile to start using biomass other than just for energy. It'd make it economical to produce what they call green diesel and other kinds of fuel that you can burn in vehicles."

Local contractors haven't created anything on a large scale yet, Dent said, but in addition to working on a chip fuel contract for the paper companies, he's working on another contract to develop a process called torrefaction. A U.S. Department of Agriculture grant and researchers from NC State associated with the process are working to find a way to make this process feasible on a large scale.

In essence, the process heats wood chips at a low temperature, driving off gases and water. The gases, in turn, are recaptured to continue the heating process.

"The end product is the chip, basically intact, but free of moisture so it comes out as sort of a charcoal substance still retaining nearly its original btu content," Dent explained. "Just like coal, it can be ground into a fine powder and burned in the ignition chambers in the plants. It's cheaper to use because of the haul costs. If you can get local wood to fuel a plant you don't have to ship coal from West Virginia down here. It's just a small thing right now, but it's an example of the kind of possibilities you can get into when you look into using biomass."

Despite the 10 billion dollars in damage caused by its winds in 1989, Hugo may now be contributing to infrastructure in the very areas it once devastated through the conversion to energy of the debris it left in its wake.

Dent remains humble concerning his role in all this, and is quick to point out the contribution of ideas from individuals at the regional and district levels and from the contractors themselves. Though his accomplishments in the biomass program and local stewardship recently earned him a national award as Stewardship Contracting Champion of the Year, Dent downplays his achievement.

"We just had to figure out how to get a mess cleaned up," he said, "and the chain of events naturally led us this way. When you work out on the forest, there are endless possibilities to improve things."

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GwynIngramgingram@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Unplugging Indiana Kids]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3988 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3988 9

On April 30th, 2008 the Hoosier National Forest provided an all expense paid fieldtrip for local 5th and 6th graders, through a new outdoor program called Kids Unplugged. Kids Unplugged is a program initiated in 2008 that targets underserved, urban schools within the Hoosier's largest communities-Bedford and Bloomington. A total of 132 students, six teachers and numerous parent chaperones were bussed out to the Hardin Ridge Recreation Area for a day of hands-on outdoor learning sessions.

Ten stations ranging from campfire cooking to outdoor games were offered, with each student participating in four of the stations. "My favorite station was the reptile one because we got to touch a snake. I never thought I would ever touch one but I did!" a student commented in a thank you letter to the Hoosier. In addition to free transportation, each participant received lunch and a backpack full of supplies to take home to help interest them in getting outside once the fieldtrip was over.

Teachers were pleased with the "well educated staff and the highly motivated students throughout the day." Feedback and evaluation was very positive and also useful in measuring the value of this program. The Kids Unplugged program was initiated in response to the Forest Services' initiative to get more kids outside.

In addition to the field trip during the school day for the two schools, free transportation was also offered from each school to two other Forest events - International Migratory Bird Day and the Hoosier Fishing Derby to encourage the kids and their families to attend each of these events as well. Kids from both schools with their families attended each of these events as well.

Several partners contributed to the program in various ways, in addition to Hoosier staff. Six of the ten sessions were lead by other agencies; Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Monroe County YMCA, Monroe County Parks & Recreation, The Adventure Center, and Muscatatuck Wildlife Refuge. Others participated through donations; Wal-Mart, Indiana University Outdoor Adventures and Camp Maumee Boy Scout Camp.

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StacyDukesduke@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Federally Endangered Kirtland's Warbler observed on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3984 Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3984

Submitted by Scott Posner (715-373-2667, ext. 240) and Dan Eklund (715-762-5194)

On July 2, 2008, the US Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed an observation of the Kirtland's Warbler on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) in Bayfield County, WI. "The presence of the Kirtland's Warbler is rewarding news for us. We have been planning for and working towards this outcome through our habitat management efforts. The goals in our Land and Resource Management Plan and the needs of the Kirtland's Warbler fit well together." said Jeanne Higgins, Forest Supervisor.

The Kirtland's Warbler, a Federally Endangered Species since 1967, was observed by a bird surveyor working under contract for the Forest. "The sighting of this bird and responses from a second bird are suggestive of breeding activity," said Linda Parker, CNNF Ecologist, who oversees the neotropical migrant bird program. In Wisconsin, there is only one other location known to have nesting Kirtland's Warblers. Dan Eklund, CNNF Wildlife Biologist, added, "This is a location where we will be sure to concentrate survey efforts next year."

Cooperative management efforts have restored the Kirtland's Warbler throughout much of its historic nesting range in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. The presence of a healthy and expanding core population in this area has resulted in the dispersal and appearance of the birds in the Upper Peninsula, Canada and Wisconsin. On the CNNF, large blocks of jack pine (the Warbler's preferred habitat) began dying in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to insects and storm damage. During this period, these blocks were harvested and naturally regenerated. Today, the CNNF has many acres of young jack pine, less than 20 year old, which offer high quality habitat for the Warbler.

"The observation of the Kirtland's Warbler on the Forest is significant in that it is considered one of the rarest North American birds. We look forward to working cooperatively with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and other partners in recovery efforts that will continue to bring this bird back to Wisconsin," said Higgins.

In order to protect the species from disturbance, the US Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are not disclosing the Kirtland's precise location. Attempting to find, approach or photograph the nest will disturb the Warbler. Anyone who disturbs protected birds, their eggs or active nests is violating the Endangered Species Act.

About the Kirtland's Warbler

· The Kirtland's Warbler was first described in Ohio in 1851

· It is commonly referred to as the jack pine warbler

· This songbird is one of 56 species of wood warblers found in North America

· Adult Kirtland's Warblers are lightweight birds, weighing 1/2 ounce, and are less than 6 inches long

· Breeding males have plumage of blue gray with black streaks

· Average life expectancy is two years

· Kirtland's Warblers build nests on the ground under living jack pine branches

· The birds migrate to the Bahamas where they stay for the fall and winter seasons

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha's Soo District Clean Up Day Connects Citizens to the Hiawatha]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3975 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3975 9

Story contributed by Don Mikel, Fire Ecologist.

The Soo District's 11th annual trash collection weekend was held May 17th and 18th. Despite the cold weather and a few snow flakes, 35 volunteers combed the forest for junk. As in the past, trash was found although not in the quantities of previous years.

According to Rudy Johnson, volunteer coordinator, "This year, you could drive for miles without finding enough trash to fill a pick up. In the past, it usually took less than a mile to fill your truck. We are starting to make a noticeable difference in the cleanliness of our National Forest. This year, only 63 tires were found. A few years ago, we found over 300."

In spite of the progress, enough trash was found to fill the dumpster donated by Waste Management, Inc of Sault Ste Marie. The scrap metal bin from A & L Iron and Metal of Kincheloe was also filled. Most of this scrap metal was in the form of replaced and discarded culverts.

Special thanks goes to:

* Furlong Logging Co. (Rudy Johnson, CEO) for organizing the event and providing the use of a log truck to haul and compact trash;

* Michigan Wheelers of Northern Michigan (www.michiganwheelers.com) and

The Boys and Girls Club of Bay Mills whose members came out in force to help with the clean up;

* Maple Ridge Restaurant of Eckerman for lunch on Saturday;

* Lumberjack Tavern of Strongs for lunch on Sunday; and

* Chippewa Township for the use of the town hall and parking lot for this year's event.

* Waste Management donated dumpster.

Bill Kabelman of Strong's, Mi. received the "Prestigious White Hat Award" for his years of volunteer service to the cleaning of the Hiawatha National Forest.

In the 11 years of trash collection, over 1,200 tires, 200 plus car batteries, several hundred (close to 1,000) appliances of all types and 1 piano (who throws away a piano?) have been removed from the Hiawatha National Forest by these dedicated volunteers.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Forest Foundation Grant will Help Hiawatha Wilderness]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3974 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3974 9

In mid-April, the National Forest Foundation announced its first round of 2008 award recipients for its Matching Awards Program. The Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP) and has been awarded the grant in cooperation with the Hiawatha National Forest, US Forest Service. The SWP will utilize the grant conduct invasive inventory, mapping and eradication in the Forest's Rock River and Big Island Lake Wildernesses. The project will move forward this spring and summer.

The Superior Watershed Partnership is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the rivers and watersheds of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The mission of the Superior Watershed Partnership is to protect and improve the natural resources of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on a watershed basis; by promoting responsible individual and community actions that ensure a sustainable environment, encourage a sustainable economy and help improve quality of life.

Carl Lindquist, Superior Watershed Partnership, expressed his enthusiasm for the cooperative project. The Forest Service is equally excited about this opportunity to get a jump on non-native, invasive species within two of its congressionally designated Wildernesses.

According to Ted Schiltz, Recreation and Wilderness Program Manager for the Hiawatha, "This is a great opportunity for the Forest to work with our partners to achieve the NNIS goals of the 10 year wilderness challenge."

Terry Miller, HNF Botanist notes, "We're also excited about this opportunity to make Rock River Canyon Wilderness our first 'invasive-free zone,' especially since it will involve gathering baseline invasives information in such a biologically significant area."

The NFF Matching Awards Program awards grants of all sizes to nonprofit organizations nationwide that perform on-the-ground conservation work to benefit our National Forests and Grasslands. Projects funded through these grants fall within one of four programmatic focus areas: community-based forestry, wildlife habitat improvement, watershed restoration or recreation.

As a matching awards program, recipients are required to raise non-federal dollars to match funds provided by the NFF. The Program effectively doubles the resources available to nonprofit partners to implement projects that directly benefit our 193-million-acre National Forest System.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[RUSSELL-COLBATH HOUSE PLAQUE]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3972 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3972 9

The Russell-Colbath Historic Homestead, located on the White Mountain National Forest's Kancamagus Scenic Byway has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The homestead, located in the Passaconaway Valley, a once thriving community, is the former home of Ruth Priscilla Colbath, a strong and capable woman that lived all of her adult life in the house. She is best known for keeping a light in the window every night for some 40 years to guide her wayward husband home after he went out for the evening and didn't return.

Forest Service employees, volunteers, and a civilian contractor worked together to install a plaque identifying the Russell-Colbath Historic Homestead status as a National Register of Historic Places site.

On June 13 Bob Amidon, Saco Ranger District Visitor Information Specialist, and volunteer Ray Behnke, met with the local contractor and the work began. Rock saws, drills, chisels, and epoxy were used to mount the plaque permanently to a rock that has been placed on the path leading to the house. Three hours later the task was complete and White Mountain National Forest Construction & Maintenance Crew moved the rock into place and the developed recreation crew completed the installation.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Interpretive Association Supports Forest's Outreach Efforts]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3982 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3982 9

Story contributed by Autumn Jauck, Information Assistant.

What is the Hiawatha Interpretive Association (HIA)? Many people may not realize that the Hiawatha National Forest has a dedicated board of volunteers that formed a non-profit group to assist the Forest with their mission. The purpose of HIA is to provide for visitors' enhanced enjoyment and understanding of the Hiawatha National Forest's Munising Ranger District, including Grand Island National Recreation Area, and the Rapid River Ranger District.

HIA assists the Forest Service by providing financial support to accomplish the following educational objectives:

1. Promoting wise stewardship of National Forest lands;

2. Interpreting natural and cultural heritage through education programs, publications and exhibits;

3. Encouraging no-trace camping; and

4. Enhancing forest visitor recreation opportunities and helping visitors learn about National Forest management.

In some areas, interpretive associations are known as "natural history associations;" whatever you call them, these groups play a critical role in helping land managers share improve the public's opportunity to enjoy and learn about the natural and cultural resources of a site.

For instance, in 2007 alone, the interpretive association contributed over $20,000 to a wide array of projects including: outstanding cultural performances in the Hiawatha National Forest funded in part by a CUPPAD Grant, an interagency visitor newspaper "Superior Wildlands", Signage for the Hiawatha National Forest Monument Project, the Artist in Residence Program,the Youth Archaeology Workshop, an educational visitor welcome video to be shown in the Visitor Center, and two Summer Visitor Services Interns on Hiawatha's Munising District.

In order to raise funds in support of its mission, HIA currently manages the bookstores at the Munising Ranger District Visitor Center and the Rapid River Ranger District.

District Ranger Teresa Chase, who has worked with HIA since its inception in 1995, sings praises to the groups volunteer board.

"The Forest greatly appreciates the dedication and hard work of every individual who has given their time and energy to the Association over the years," says Chase.

The current HIA board consists of Mary Snitgen, President; Lora Loope, Vice-President; Martin Pokela, Treasurer; Marcia Cox, Secretary; and Linda Thomasma, and Nancy Mathews, board members.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Free Paint for Rabideau!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3968 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3968

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) recently announced awards of free paint for community fix-up and restoration projects and the "Make Rabideau Shine" project was a recipient of 60 gallons of paint. "Make Rabideau Shine" is a project that several partners have taken under their wings and with resources in short supply free paint is what they like to hear! Camp Rabideau National Historic Landmark, on the Chippewa National Forest, is one of three remaining Civilian Conservation Corp camps being preserved.

The free paint is a collaborative effort between the Valspar Corporation and the "Picture-It-Painted" program. The effort awards paint and other coating materials that are needed for rehabilitation projects in local towns and organizations. The community beautification projects picked add significant social and cultural value to places throughout the area.

Time to get the paint brushes out and "Make Rabideau Shine"!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Celebrates Multicultural Day 2008]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3967 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3967

On June 18, the Chippewa National Forest held its second annual Heritage Day. The day was planned to celebrate both the Chippewa National Forests Centennial and the intertwined history of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO)and the Chippewa.

Speakers included Leech Lake Tribal Chairman George Googleye, who spoke of his ties to the land as he grew up and learned the ways of the forest from his grandfather and how he is now passing this love of the outdoors to his grandchildren. He also spoke of how the Forest Service and the LLBO need to continue to work together to protect the Forest for future generations.

Tribal Elder Larry Aitken spoke about the history of the Ojibwe and how they came to Leech Lake. He wove stories of his life to teach lessons in tolerance of differences, respect of your fellow man, appreciation of life, and being a responsible adult.

Region 9 employee Jane Cliff joined the day and reminisced about her early years in the Forest Service spent as a new wildlife biologist on the Blackduck District. She spoke of the great people she worked with and all the lessons she was taught to be woods-wise.

Everyone enjoyed a walleye lunch and the afternoon was spent playing cultural bingo, planting a tree to commemorate the next 100 years of the forest and watching the Cass Lake-Bena native dance and drum group.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Eastern Region Provides SCEP Orientation]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3961 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3961 9

For the sixth consecutive year, the Eastern Region hosted its very successful regional Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) orientation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year's theme, "Embracing Your Potential," had additional significance - this was the inaugural kick-off of including technical positions into our recruitment landscape through the Job Corps program.

The potential of the students involved was very evident, as their excitement grew by leaps and bounds each day with the interactions with employees and directors. Over the three-day period, 23 energized students, along with several supervisors, had the opportunity to share ideas and officially embark on their new journeys as public servants.

Earlier in December 2007, Eastern and Southern Region leaders each decided to recruit and place six students (12 total) from the advanced programs into the successful SCEP programs of both Regions 8 and 9 from the Schenck Job Corps Wildland Fire and Natural Resources program, renamed the Davidson River Initial Fire Attack Crew. This effort has been a resounding success in the recruitment and placement of top-notch individuals in the Forest Service.

Throughout the week, the SCEP students received very detailed training in Defensive Driving, Employee Benefits, and Ethics and Conduct. They also were briefed on Fire and Aviation, Urban Connections, Financial Accountability, How to Market Yourself to Employers, the National Federation of Federal Employees, and a lively presentation on Law Enforcement and Investigations.

Each year the program strives to "keep up with the times" by providing innovative ways to address current situations the students may face either as employees or citizens.

Margaret Henningsen, Senior Vice President of Legacy Bank in Milwaukee, spoke on the subject of "Managing Your Financial Future," offering the students sound advice in investments, credit worthiness, and potential financial pitfalls to avoid.

Louise Wyche, the CEO of Strategic Recruitment Solutions and a recent retiree of the Forest Service, was on hand to provide tips on how to become successful in school, work and life. The participants explored ways they could maximize their potential to become good students and even greater employees. They were challenged and encouraged to make that favorable and lasting first impression by becoming aware of the 'hidden rules' for professional appearance, communication skills and appropriate conduct in the workplace.

Retired Colonel Jim Paige of Pioneers in Education, Inc., and Carl Butler, President-Elect, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resource and Related Sciences (MANRRS), provided the students with an excellent opportunity to witness firsthand how a successful, interactive mentor/mentee relationship is developed and nurtured in a national network atmosphere.

"Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the SCEP orientation," Paige said. "It was truly enlightening by how well the SCEP students are being orientated. The warm inviting hospitality was very much appreciated. I look forward to working with you in the near future."

Butler was equal in his praise and appreciation "for allowing me to be a part of your program and the hospitality you and the folks in Region 9 extended during my brief visit. I appreciate the support you've been able to harness for the scholars program in Region 9. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

Sharon Crittendon, Region 8 SCEP Program Manager, remarked that "this is a perfect opportunity to share ideas on enhancing both the Eastern and Southern Region programs and develop a model for the rest of Forest Service on collaboration and effective use of resources. Florence Pridgen, Region 9 SCEP Program Manager, and I will continue to bring our programs together in other ways to build the Forest Service of the future."

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FlorencePridgenfpridgen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New Species of Crayfish Documented on the Shawnee National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3960 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3960 9

The Cambarus polychromatus, commonly known as the painted-hand mudbug, was recently identified on the Shawnee National Forest. This crawfish had never been documented on the Forest until it was found in two widely separated locations, Dog Creek in Pope County and a tributary to Cedar Lake in Jackson County.

Melissa Mead, Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) ecologist on the Forest, developed a sampling protocol for crayfish and began surveying in 2007. Crayfish are extremely difficult to identify in the field, therefore, Melissa entered into a partnership agreement with the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University of Illinois to identify species that are collected on the Forest. Under this agreement, Melissa has been working with the Illinois Natural History Survey to better document the locations of crayfish across the Forest.

Melissa's most recent survey effort yielded the discovery of this species of crayfish. The painted-hand mudbug was first recognized by researchers as a new species of crayfish in 2005. The painted-hand mudbug is not rare and is widely distributed throughout Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois. However, the identification of these specimens has documented the painted-hand mudbug for the first time on the Shawnee National Forest.

Melissa's efforts have also yielded critical information on the Indiana crayfish. She has documented the Indiana crayfish, a State of Illinois Endangered Species and Regional Forester Sensitive Species, at two new locations on the Forest, Eagle Creek and Clifty Creek in Saline County. The results of these surveys will play an important role in planning future Forest projects as we continue our efforts to manage and conserve these species of crayfish.

Melissa's partnership with the Illinois Natural History Survey and the University of Illinois is an effective and efficient method of working with partners to protect ecosystems across boundaries.

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MikeWelkermtwelker@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Forest Foundation Grant will Help Hiawatha Wilderness]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3368 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3368 9

In mid-April, the National Forest Foundation announced its first round of 2008 award recipients for its Matching Awards Program. The Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP) and has been awarded the grant in cooperation with the Hiawatha National Forest, US Forest Service. The SWP will utilize the grant conduct invasive inventory, mapping and eradication in the Forest's Rock River and Big Island Lake Wildernesses. The project will move forward this spring and summer.

The Superior Watershed Partnership is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the rivers and watersheds of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The mission of the Superior Watershed Partnership is to protect and improve the natural resources of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on a watershed basis; by promoting responsible individual and community actions that ensure a sustainable environment, encourage a sustainable economy and help improve quality of life.

Carl Lindquist, Superior Watershed Partnership, expressed his enthusiasm for the cooperative project. The Forest Service is also excited about this opportunity to get a jump on non-native, invasive species within two of its congressionally designated Wildernesses.

According to Ted Schiltz, Recreation and Wilderness Program Manager, Hiawatha NF, "This is a great opportunity for the forest to work with our partners to achieve the NNIS goals of the 10 year wilderness challenge."

"And furthermore," says Terry Miller, Hiawatha National Forest Botanist, "we really look forward to the day that our Wildernesses are also 'weed-free zones.'"

The NFF Matching Awards Program awards grants of all sizes to nonprofit organizations nationwide that perform on-the-ground conservation work to benefit our National Forests and Grasslands. Projects funded through these grants fall within one of four programmatic focus areas: community-based forestry, wildlife habitat improvement, watershed restoration or recreation.

As a matching awards program, recipients are required to raise non-federal dollars to match funds provided by the NFF. The Program effectively doubles the resources available to nonprofit partners to implement projects that directly benefit our 193-million-acre National Forest System.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteer Experience Impacts Student's Career Choices]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3956 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3956 9

While up at Minnetriesta Cultural Center for the State-wide Envirothon I ran into an old acquaintance. Stephanie Keevil, the on-site Interpreter for the facility was the Envirothon's contact for the State-wide contest. She came out to greet the Envirothon team and help us set up and when she saw me her face lit up and she asked if I remembered her. It took me a few minutes, but then it came back.

Stephanie had spent a summer providing interpretive summer programs at Hardin Ridge Recreation Area on the Hoosier National Forest a decade or so ago. At the time she was in high school working on her Gold Award for Girl Scouts. To achieve the Gold Award the scout is required to explore career options and spend a minimum of 65 hours developing and completing a project that has a lasting and positive impact on her community. Stephanie's project was to do environmental programs for children in the amphitheater several times over the summer. She did an excellent job. At the end of the summer she received the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting.

Les Wadzinski, Recreation Program Manager remembers Stephanie well and recalls, "That girl had a real passion for interpretation and her mom was also very supportive by bringing her to Hardin Ridge for the programs. And, she was really good at it." Wadzinski reflects, "This one of those rare times where we touch somebody's life for real in a positive way, and can see a direct benefit from our efforts."

At the end of the summer when Stephanie volunteered on the Hoosier I was able to attend an event at her home, which was coincidently her birthday party. On behalf of the Forest I presented her a non-monetary gift for her work over the summer and saw her receive her Gold Award from her Girl Scout leader.

I marveled at the chances of running into her again and Stephanie said she had so much fun that summer volunteering for the Hoosier that she went to college and majored in natural resources. As a result of that summer giving programs, she wanted to became an interpreter for her career and that's what she did! Because of that opportunity we allowed her to pursue all those years ago, Stephanie Keevil is teaching people about natural resources in the Muncie area and still making an impact in children's lives.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New Employee Orientation Gets Seasonals off to a Good Start]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3955 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3955 9

"I learned more than I ever knew I could learn" said one seasonal employee who at the end of the session thanked those who hosted it for taking the time to put the session together. Another said "This was amazingly useful! I think now I know all. It was awesome."

The enthusiastic group spent one day learning about the Hoosier National Forest, its history, highlights of each program area, played games to learn about southern Indiana and Forest Service policy, safety, customer service, and what the GATE group was all about. They were also treated to a barbeque pitch-in luncheon by all employees. The second day they were given first aid training.

The evaluations were positive with upbeat comments thanking the Forest for taking the time to host the training and provide them lunch. One participant noted, "Having each department leader come in and lay out all that their staff accomplished really helped us understand what the Hoosier does."

Eric Sandeno, Brownstown District Outdoor Recreation Planner, believes the orientation has been invaluable to his seasonal employees. "This is the first year we've included the Youth Conservation Corp enrollees for the entire time - regardless of what these kids do with the rest of their lives, if they have a solid understanding of what the Forest Service does, we've done our job." Sandeno said too often seasonals work in one narrow field and may never be aware of the other areas the Forest Service is involved with. "In some cases, they end up working pretty much alone and have limited contact with other employees, so I see this as an opportunity for us to show them what we're about - and what they learn should have a ripple effect with their circle of friends and family."

Les Wadzinski, Recreation Program Manager, agrees, adding that the customer service aspect is also important. "The public is likely to cross paths with most of our seasonal employees. For those people the seasonal employee is the face of the Forest Service and we need to have them make a good impression and it benefits all of us if they know something about what's going on in the Forest, or what the rules are and are able to answer basic questions."

For those who attended, it just is good information to have. Leslie Thaxton, Budget and Finance SCEP Student, back for her second summer, attended again. "I learned so much the first time, I thought I wanted to see how much more I could learn going through it again!" she said with a wide grin.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Changing Behavior re: dumping trash on the Ironton District]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3954 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3954 9

The Ironton District of the Wayne National Forest has long struggled with problems of household trash being dumped randomly on Forest lands. Despite an aggressive plan to work with the county and correctional crews it's often hard to stay ahead of the problem. The District also stepped up law enforcement efforts and has shown some marked success.

Forest Technician Eddie Park took the time to look through some new trash that he'd observed added to an old dump on Aaron's Creek Road. Eddie found a name in the trash and turned over the evidence to Officer Doug Berringer. Berringer said, "The piece of trash had the name and address of a local person on it, and Eddie also provided a good map with directions to the site." Berringer commended Parks on taking the time to stop and find the evidence and encouraged more people to do the same. "This evidence can be gone quick with animals and weather, and it saves a lot of time if you look through it right when you find it and bring me anything with names, numbers, addresses, ect."

Berringer took a little different approach on this case. He worked with the Assistant US Attorney from Cincinnati and the manager of the local Rumpke dumping station (Ohio Valley Transfer) near Ironton. Rumpke agreed to charge $2/bag or $35/ ton to subjects that were cited for dumping if they provided the citation when they came to dump the trash. Then Rumpke would give a receipt of this to the subject to provide proof that they in fact cleaned up the trash and paid to have it dumped instead of just dumping it somewhere else.

The Assistant US Attorney agreed to reduce the fine amount by half - $150 instead of $300 - if the subject did go and clean up not only the trash they dumped, but an equal amount of trash from the National Forest Lands.

Berringer reports, "I just finished the first attempt at handling dumping in this manner and it was a success. The subject cleaned EVERYTHING up from this location, took it to Rumpke, paid to have it dumped properly, gave me the receipt, and paid his fine." He adds, "Thanks to Eddie stopping to find that evidence."

Berringer's creative solution to resolving the dumping issue may create a lasting difference in the values of local people - even if only one household at a time.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet Partners with Others at Youth Outdoor Expo]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3935 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3935

By Shane Schuelke

In today's world of video games and the Internet, many children appear to be losing touch with the outdoor traditions that have entertained residents of northern Wisconsin for generations. In order to revive some interest and curiosity of outdoor recreation, over 200 fifth grade students attended the Taylor County Youth Outdoor Expo on May 23, 2008. This event provided students an opportunity to explore the many forms of recreation that are available away from their television or computer.

Organized by the Taylor County Sportsman's Club (TCSC), this event brought together more than a dozen private organizations, outdoor clubs, and government entities such as the Ruffed Grouse Society and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Children were able to compete in a casting competition, shoot a bow and arrow, and see a live red-tailed hawk!

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest provided their interactive Stream Simulator along with several Forest professionals to provide stream flow education for the event. The hands-on practicum allowed students to visualize how human activities can alter natural stream flow. The students could introduce fish habitat or build culverts and watch how their actions could positively or negatively change the stream.

These students, most of whom enjoyed fishing, were better able to understand how seemingly minor changes can greatly alter their favorite fishing locations.

This event is planned to return in 2009. The TCSC hopes that through continued contributions of organizations such as the Chequamegon Bird Club, Wisconsin Trappers Association, and the Chequamegon-Nicolet, students across Taylor County will be able to get their "hands wet" with recreation opportunities once they turn off their television and computer and step outside.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Birds of a Feather Flock to the Hoosier]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3915 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3915 9

This year's International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) celebration, "Habitats on the Hoosier," was a huge success with over 20 partners helping us to connect more than 150 citizens to the land. International Migratory Bird Day is an annual celebration of one of the most important events in the life of a migratory bird- the journey between its summer and winter homes. This important day was created to focus public attention on the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats through celebrations and education programs. Perhaps most importantly, IMBD is about making connections between people, birds, and the natural world.

The Hoosier's day-long event began with guided bird hikes at 7:30 and 8:30. Over thirty people arrived early to participate in these hikes, and they were rewarded with views of pileated woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, red-eyed vireos, a scarlet tanager, and many others. Public Affairs Officer, Frank Lograsso, was present to welcome the early birds and to kick off the days activities. Guest speakers presented workshops throughout the day on topics such as a mist-netting demonstration, landscaping for wildlife, sharing the wonder of birds with children, and much more.

The event was centered around a "Round Robin" - craft and game booths designed to provide children (as well as adults) with an enjoyable learning experience. Participants had the opportunity to build bird houses, create a variety of bird feeders, identify birds from a birding blind, learn how to make their backyards more appealing to birds, participate in a variety of games, and win great prizes. In addition, children 16 and under were able to decorate banners and to enter them into the Hoosier's downtown bird banner competition. Winning banners are currently on display in downtown Mitchell, Indiana for a month. "Art gives children a way to experience nature," said Cindy Sandeno, Wildlife Biologist on the Hoosier National Forest. "I think everyone will enjoy seeing the connection these children have made to the natural world."

"Habitats on the Hoosier" is designed to motivate people of all ages to get outdoors to learn about birds. The Hoosier National Forest feels that we have an important role in environmental education and in providing a healthy place for children to experience nature. American children now have fewer unstructured outdoor activities than previous generations, especially urban families who often lack opportunities, experiences, and the knowledge to allow them to participate in outdoor activities. For this reason, this year's IMBD celebration was expanded to include elementary students from "high needs" schools within the Hoosier's largest communities - Bedford and Bloomington. Transportation for these students and their families was provided to the event.

Several attendees of this year's event remarked on how much they learned during the IMBD celebration, and they thanked the Hoosier's personnel for putting together such a great event. "I am extremely grateful to the many Forest Service employees who were willing to donate their Saturday to this important event. Their energy and enthusiasm made learning about birds fun as well as educational," said Cindy Sandeno.

The celebration would not have been complete without the numerous partners that staffed booths and gave presentations. Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Celebrate Urban Birds, Delta Waterfowl, Ducks Unlimited, Indiana Bluebird Society, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Indiana University, Manchester College, Monroe County Parks and Recreation, Sassafras Audubon Society, Sycamore Land Trust, and Wild Turkey Federation were all represented at this event. Many other sponsors donated prizes, food, and beverages to assist with the event, and Bloomington Boy Scout Troop 136 cooked hotdogs and wonderful Dutch oven cobblers.

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CynthiaSandenocmsandeno@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partnership Will Allow Riparian Area to Heal]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3906 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3906 9

Cows no longer trample the riparian area of Big Run in the Cheat-Potomac Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest, nor do they have to negotiate the banks of the stream to get drinking water. In a classic "win-win" situation, both the natural resources and the cattle are better off as a result of a partnership between the Forest Service and Trout Unlimited.

Through a challenge cost-share agreement between the Forest and the Trout Unlimited Potomac Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative numerous improvements have taken place on Big Run as it meanders through a 248-acre grazing allotment.

Streams in the Big Run watershed support populations of wild brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) which is a management indicator species in the Forest Land Management Plan for the Monongahela. The Big Run watershed streams are further recognized as priority habitat by the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and the West Virginia Brook Trout Conservation Strategy by virtue of the relatively intact populations of native "brookies" that they support.

With only 7,000 acres or so in grazing allotments in the entire Forest, the Big Run allotment is an important component to the grazing program and to the local farmer who holds the permit. Managing for both native trout and cattle simply isn't possible unless riparian areas can be effectively fenced off, and suitable water sources developed for the livestock.

That's where the partnership between Trout Unlimited and the Forest comes in. A decision memo was signed in 2006 to begin the process of implementing a multi-pronged project to restore riparian and stream channel conditions in Big Run. The ultimate goal of the project is to conserve and restore brook trout populations in the Big Run watershed.

Under the cost-share agreement, the Forest Service provided oversight of the project by watershed technican Lindsey Moore and watershed program manager Mike Owen; materials/supplies for off-channel watering troughs; and $10,000 for reimburseable cooperator costs to implement the items listed in the decision memo. Trout Unlimited provided the labor resources, materials other than watering troughs, and equipment required to do all of the work.

The project has been ambitious, involving 14,300 feet (nearly 3 miles) of fencing to protect 7,200 feet of stream and 37.4 acres of riparian area; planting 37.4 acres of spruce, willow, and silky dogwood in the riparian zone; construction of 5 elevated stream crossings to allow for movement of cattle throught the allotment; and devleopment of 3 new spring boxes and installation of 8 new watering troughs.

In addition both short and long term monitoring efforts have been instituted, including placement of temperature loggers, establishment of photo points, and collection of fish population and habitat data.

The trees, planted by volunteers, are still small and the fences and other improvements still obviously new, but there are no more fresh cattle tracks along the banks of Big Run. The fencing will prevent soiling and degradation of the water quality by cattle, while ensuring the stream banks are not eroded by their hooves.

Over time, as the trees grow tall, the shade will deepen along the stream, protecting the cool, oxygen-rich waters the trout depend on. The cattle still have access to the productive grazing areas, and thanks to the water troughs, have a source of easily accessible water. The permit holder still has pasture for their cattle.

It's easy to note that the net total project value is $69,462 and that the Forest Service achieved the project through a 15.85% match to the 84.15% contributed by Trout Unlimited. Far harder to quantify, but ultimately more satisfying, is the knowledge that the habitat of the Big Run watershed is indeed being conserved for the future.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne NF partners with Ohio DNR to inform sportsmen about aquatic invasive species]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3913 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3913 9

The Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife has been an essential partner in managing fisheries on the Wayne National Forest. They stock our large fishing lakes, monitor fish populations, and annually assist the Forest with aquatic habitat improvement projects, such as dropping recycled Christmas trees into lakes to provide fish habitat.

This year, they took this partnership one step further. Upon learning that ODNR had scheduled Lake Vesuvius for creel surveys in 2008, Ironton District wildlife biologist Kari Kirschbaum saw an opportunity to educate local sportsmen about aquatic invasive species and how they can prevent their spread. Mike Greenlee of ODNR, agreed to allow the ODNR creel clerk at Lake Vesuvius to discuss aquatic invasives and distribute literature after each creel survey. Nick Schmal, Regional Fish & Aquatic Ecology Program Leader, provided approximately 500 "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers" pamphlets, as well as Zebra Mussel and Asian Carp Watch Cards for distribution. These are being distributed to each sportsperson interviewed for creel surveys.

"On a typical day, I interview about 35 fishermen. For the most part, they seem to know a little bit about aquatic invasives, and are very open to learning more, particularly about how they can avoid spreading them. I think this has been a really successful partnership that could be successful at other locations as well" stated Jake Emnett, ODNR creel clerk for Lake Vesuvius.

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KariKirschbaumkkirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Lake Vesuvius Kid's Fishing Derby Draws a Crowd]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3912 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3912 9

The annual Lake Vesuvius Kid's fishing derby was held on May 10 at the Lake Vesuvius boardwalk. Despite cool and rainy weather leading up to the event, the weather on the day of the derby turned out to be beautiful, with sunny skies, and highs in the 80's. Approximately 162 kids participated in the derby, which was sponsored by the Wayne National Forest, the Lawrence County Bass Club, and the Izaak Walton League. A free lunch of hot dogs, chips and soda was cooked and served by Texas Road House. Food and prizes were donated by several local businesses.

The Lake Vesuvius Derby was a long standing local tradition for many years until the lake was drained for repairs in 2001. The Fishing Derby was re-initiated in 2007, and is fast becoming a popular annual event again. One grandmother who brought her grandchildren to the derby this year remembers bringing her daughter, the children's mother, to the derby when she was a youngster. She expressed how pleased she was to see the derby reinstated, and how much her grandchildren enjoyed participating in the event.

Activities at this year's derby included fishing contests, casting instruction and contest, a visit by Smokey Bear, a snake show, and an informational booth by Ohio DNR wildlife officer, Darron Abbott. Prizes were awarded in each age group for the biggest (heaviest) fish, most fish caught, and the casting contest. Door prizes were also drawn for those participants who didn't catch any fish.

Jim Adkins, Lawrence County Bass Club member, observed, "I'm really pleased with how the Derby turned out this year. If we get kids to spend a day outside and they have a good time and maybe learn a thing or two about fishing, I'd say we were successful. By those criteria, this day was certainly a success."

Kari Kirschbaum, Ironton district biologist said, "We're very glad to see so many young people turn out for this event. I hope that we sparked an interest in fishing in some kids. Even if it doesn't become a lifelong hobby for most, I'm glad we got them outdoors for a day to enjoy and appreciate the national forest in their backyard."

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KariKirschbaumkkirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Local Indian Council Honors Chippewa Employee]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3911 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3911 9

Chippewa National Forest employee Mitch Bouchonville was recently honored by the Boy Lake/Kego Lake Local Indian Council (LIC) for his ten years of faithful service.

Bouchonville, who is the Public Services Team Leader on the Walker Ranger Districts, was invited to attend a meeting at the Kego Lake Community Center. Upon his arrival he was surprised with a potluck dinner that had been set up in his honor. Many members of the LIC along with others from the community were in attendance.

In honoring Bouchonville for his service he was presented with a stone sculpture, being told that the rock was solid and dependable like him. He was also presented with a magnet of a Bob Wakanabo (Leech Lake member) painting, titled "The Beginning", and a "Big Mouth Billy Bass" plaque! The gifts were all very special but Bouchonvilles favorite gift was a small plaque that read... In Honor of Mitch 'Zamidoon' Bouchonville, Honorary Member of the Boy Lake/ Kego Lake Tribe of Leech Lake Indians for his many years of faithful forestry service. Congratulations Mitch 'Zamidoon' Bouchonville!

The Chippewa works with 15 Local Indian Councils forestwide.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Enhancing Ruffed Grouse Habitat]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3907 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3907 9

How to manage a large parcel of land once it was acquired by the Forest Service? That question was faced by the Monongahela National Forest when it acquired a 6,812 acre parcel from Mead-Westvaco in 2003.

Known as the Buskirk Tract, the area contained a relative rarity in the Forest today: habitat suitable for designation as a Ruffed Grouse Management Area. There have been significant population declines of grouse in areas where there is no longer a mix of early successional habitat.

The bird, with its distinctive "drumming" during mating season, has been declining throughout the Monongahela and the eastern United States in general. Having designated grouse management areas is one method biologists and land managers use in an effort to "keep common species common."

Designation of the Buskirk Tract as a Ruffed Grouse Management Area occurred during the Forest Planning process which culminated in a new Land Management Plan in 2006. This area was considered ideal for such designation as it had been intensively managed for timber production prior to acquisition by the Forest Service and contains not only a good mix of potential habitat, but also has good access. Grouse are an important game species in the Monongahela, and management to enhance habitat for them leads to recreational hunting opportunities and associated economic benefits.

Designation was only the beginning however, as the land must be actively managed to retain the characteristics desirable for grouse. The bird uses a variety of habitats. Young forests provide optimal habitat, especially when juxtaposed with older forests.

A step towards improving conditions optimal for grouse was taken by staff on Marlinton-White Sulphur Ranger District this spring when they joined forces with the West Virginia DNR and the local chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society to enhance habitat.

District employee Matt Edwards and local DNR area manager Jim Craft led the effort and performed the necessary chainsaw work. They were joined by local Ruffed Grouse Society members as they released 20 hawthorne trees and planted 50 chinkapin oak seedlings to enhance food sources for the grouse in the future. The chinkapin seedlings came from the NRCS Appalachian Plant Materials Center, a federal facility located in Alderson, WV.

A VISTA volunteer, Wendy Campbell, obtained these seedlings and other materials from the Alderson facility at no charge to the Forest Service, for use on multiple projects across the Forest.

The tree planting and hawthorn release day was the first of what is intended to be many projects with the Ruffed Grouse Society, WV DNR, National Wild Turkey Federation, and other partners to improve this Management Area and ensure the continued presence of the grouse in the Monongahela.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Diligence is Required to Control Garlic Mustard]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3884 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3884 9

Pulling garlic mustard isn't particularly difficult in many locations since it often prefers moist, rich soils. Persistence is the key attribute to being able to make any headway against this non-native invasive plant. Efforts in the Monongahela National Forest appear to be having at least a small positive effect in a few areas due to repeated garlic mustard "pulls" being conducted in the same areas over time.

In early May of 2008, Forest ecologist Kent Karriker and NEPA coordinator Bill Shields spent a day pulling up the invasive plants at three locations in the Forest. This was the fourth consecutive year of garlic mustard control at Gaudineer Scenic Area, a well visited, high-elevation location with a thick cover of red spruce.

Plants were pulled from around the parking area, from a disturbed area along the loop trail, and from alongside a Forest Road nearby. It took two hours to pull all second year ("bolting") garlic mustard plants in sight. Removal of all second year plants is critical for successful control efforts because it eliminates seed production for that year. Removal of first year plants ("rosettes") is not necessary because they will not produce seed until the following year.

It is, however, critical that repeated years of visits take place in an area to ensure the seeding plants are removed over time. At Gaudineer, the repeated control efforts appear to be having a positive impact because the population is decreasing and it takes sucessively less effort and time to pull the second year plants here. Pulled plants filled approximately 1/3 of a 32 gallon garbage bag.

The team moved on to a second location, this one along Forest Road 27B. This was the third year garlic mustard has been pulled from this site and it only took a few minutes to pull the handful of second-year plants that were present.

This was the first attempt to control garlic mustard at Camp Pocahontas, the site of the team's third pull of the day. The infestation was simply too large for two people to pull all of it, so they focused their efforts on the edge of the woods to slow the spread of the invasive plant into the adjacent trees. After pulling for 2 1/2 hours, the pair had filled 1 1/2 32 gallon garbage bags with second-year plants.

Follow up site visits were conducted at the end of May by Karriker and seasonal employee Nick Redifer. From these visits it was determined that the initial May efforts were between 75-100% effective at removing all of the flowering garlic mustard in the areas pulled. The site with a very large adjacent infestation did not receive any additional efforts this year as it will require considerable time and people to make an impact.

Because the Gaudineer sites were found to be 90-95% free of flowering plants on the repeat visit, the remaining flowering plants were removed, thus completely clearing those areas for this year. The smallest site was found to already be 100% cleared of second-year plants.

Sadly, as is all too common, this field trip found two additional areas of garlic mustard not far from sites already under eradication efforts. Both patches were small (approximately several hundred square feet each) and dense and fully developed. All the flowering plants located in these areas were pulled and bagged, adding another full 32 gallon garbage bag to the season's count.

Although such eradication efforts are somewhat frustrating since the species is spreading rapidly through the Forest, it was rewarding to see that at least in some areas concentrated efforts can pay off.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa National Forest Hosts Successful Fishing Derby]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3934 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3934

On Saturday, June 9th Ottawa Fisheries Staff hosted their annual Henry Lake Kids Fishing Derby at the Henry Lake Campground and fishing pier on the Bessemer Ranger District, Ottawa National Forest. Sixteen local kids participated in the derby this year with parents, grandparents, and other family and friends joining the fun.

This year's derby featured nice weather and good fishing for all the participants. Awards were given to the lucky anglers that caught the largest bluegill, bass, and bullhead. Along with those awards, the prestigious "casting champion" took home a new rod and reel combo for her performance.

The derby closed with a prize drawing for everyone, which left all in attendance with big smiles.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Fishing for Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3887 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3887 9

With shouts of excitement and smiles on their faces, children across the Monongahela National forest have been reeling in fish, learning how to cast, and winning prizes at fishing derbies. The Forest has sponsored derbies for 18 years, with the event held at Bowden typically one of the largest such derbies in the nation.

It's safe to say that every possible combination of spring weather has been experienced at these events over the years, but they continue to draw devoted crowds, no matter what Mother Nature dishes out.

Four derbies were held in 2008, beginning with the Greenbrier Ranger District May 17 at Lake Buffalo, followed by derbies on May 31 at Summit Lake on the Gauley District and at Horseshoe Run on the Cheat-Potomac District, and ending with the derby at Bowden outside of Elkins on June 7.

While the energy and enthusiasm of the children and their families is the same across the derbies, each event has a character all its own. The Lake Buffalo derby, which takes place on a Forest Service impoundment, is strongly supported by local residents. An area family annually donates money to the event in memory of a member who was a stalwart derby supporter.

Now in its 17th year, this derby also includes a locally run concession stand with all proceeds going back into the derby for prizes and supplies the next year.

The Horseshoe Run derby is unusual in that it takes place along a flowing stream, which requires district staff to place nets above and below the fishing area to contain the fish. Celebrating its 18th year this year, the Horseshoe derby holds casting competitions, other fish related games, offers educational booths and concessions, and provides professional filleting services to those fortunate enough to catch fish.

The Summit Lake derby has been held for 8 years and offers the same fishing experiences and casting competitions as the others, but has the added attraction of an educational snake show. Roy Moose, from the Monongahela's Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, presented his Snakes of West Virginia" program, including live venomous and non-venomous species, to a fascinated audience.

The Bowden derby is unique in that it takes place at a fish hatchery. Formerly operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Bowden Hatchery is now run by the the WV Division of Natural Resources. While the fish in the raceways can be viewed by folks at the derby, the only fishing allowed is in ponds specifically designated for that purpose. The Forest has been a derby sponsor at Bowden for 18 years, and currently runs the casting competition. This is a large event, with multiple casting lanes and plenty of prizes.

Fishing derbies continue to be a fun and effective way to connect children to the great outdoors. Many of the children who take part in the derbies on the Monongahela are already anglers, but for a significant part of the group, this is the first time they have been exposed to the sport.

Despite the work involved in putting on the derbies, the Forest employees who staff the booths, register kids, help them bait and cast, and answer questions will all agree that the work is worth the results.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Reconnecting kids with nature at the Glidden School Forest on the Chequamegon-Nicolet]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3899 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3899

Top photo: Glidden student Brent Beil learns to use a fire hose

Bottom photo: A student dons some loon attire while Biological Technician Kathy Moe talks about this unique wildlife species

Contrbuted by Nancy Borman, Business Management Assistant, Great Divide Ranger District

The Great Divide Ranger District on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF recognizes the importance to expose children, our future conservationists, to nature and our forests. Kids must understand why forests are so valuable so they can grow into citizens who support conservation. The District set up different "stations" at the Glidden School Forest for elementary students to experience the great outdoors and be educated on how the Forest Service cares for the land that surrounds them and how they can care for the land, too.

At the wildlife station, Kathy Moe, Biological Technician, gave a fun presentation on loons. Students were fitted with "loony attire" to resemble the bird while Kathy educated them on the special and unique features loons possess.

Deb Proctor, a soil scientist, was on hand at the next station to talk to students about soils. This involved digging a small soil pit to show them what the soil looks like below the surface of the ground. She explained how forest soils form, how different soils influence what kind of forests will grow, and how they influence what types of forest management practices can occur and at what times of the year. They learned about soil horizons, soil nutrients, organisms in the soil, drainage, texture, and soil color. This was a hands-on presentation as the students handled the soils while they were discussed.

District timber staff Richard Strauss and Chris Lesch led a presentation at the third station and gave demonstrations on how to measure and "age" trees and educated them on the different tools used and also the identification of different tree species. They demonstrated how to plant a tree, and each student received a tree to take home.

At the fire station, Forestry Technicians Andrew Moffitt, Steve Kangas, and Chris Geidel, accompanied by the one and only Smokey Bear, set up an area at the entrance of the school forest with one of the Forest Service fire engines. They educated the students on the importance of fire safety at home and in the forest and also gave demonstrations on the different equipment and tools used to prevent and combat forest fires. The story of Smokey Bear was also read to each of the groups.

At the end of the day, everyone had a chance to meet Smokey and participated in a group photo. Being able to spend time educating youngsters on our forests and wildlife is always time well spent!

About Wisconsin's School Forests. . .

The 40 acre Glidden School Forest, established in the late 70's or early 80's, is one of 357 schools forests that can be found in Wisconsin. School forests are located in 66 of 72 Wisconsin counties and cover 25,000 acres. The parcels range in size from 3 to 740 acres.

The idea of school forests originated in Australia and was introduced to Wisconsin in 1925 by the late Dean Russell of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture. While visiting Australia, Russell watched school children planting trees on public tracts of land as an education project. By 1927, Russell's plan was on its way to becoming reality through legislation he spearheaded that permitted school districts to own land for forestry programs.

The oldest school forest and the first in the United States, is the Laona School Forest, located in Forest County. It began on a spring day in 1928 when a small number of school children near the northern Wisconsin lumber town of Laona marched out to a desolate and burnt over area to plant trees. Today, the Norway pines the students planted more than 70 years ago are stately giants.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Earth Day Partners Grow on the Chippewa National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3898 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3898 9

Posted at an employee's desk was the quote "If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves" by Dale Carnegie. The phrase captured the essence of Earth Week on Chippewa National Forest, where activities on every district were adding up to something good.

Employees were challenged to Get to Work Differently on Earth Day. Leo Johnson, Blackduck District, who rides his bicycle to work every day despite rain, wind, snow, or sunshine, proved it was possible. Joyce Rairdon, Executive Assistant, made an extra effort on Earth Day to commute a 6 mile round trip on hers. Several employees telecommuted or used less fuel by commuting on a motorcycle or with a carpool. It seemed like a small thing when it happened, but for some of the carpoolers it became a new habit.

At the Supervisors Office and the Blackduck District, the local Ottertail Power and Beltrami Electric companies followed up on office energy studies conducted for us last year by presenting energy conservation options employees could use at home. It seemed like simple enough information when given, but the sessions went longer than planned with so many good employee questions.

The Chippewa Green Team partnered with the active Green Team at Grand Rapids High School to plant 500 white pine trees around their high school grounds. As thanks to the school and Forest Service staff, the local Walmart provided reuseable shopping totes and the city Public Works Department followed by helping with a Clean Up event.

Walker District organized a fun clean up day at Mable Lake Campground that drew employees from other offices, students and volunteers who wanted to help make a difference. In the spirit of doing a little job well, they hosted a big potluck complete with grilled turkeys and kept their workers inspired.

Inspiration grew during a conservation education visit to JW Smith Elementary. The biome garden envisioned for JW Smith Elementary School's vacant lot started to become a reality. Mary Nordeen, Public Affairs Specialist, led students through the process of inventorying the natural life existing on the property so students can track the changes as they plant the area for different habitats.

The big job of changing our habits and carbon footprint started to get done as many Chippewa employees gave their time and attention to little things before, during and after Earth Day.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa National Forest Turns 100]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3896 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3896

The Chippewa National Forest had the honor of hosting the first national forest centennial in the Eastern Region on May 23, 2008. We were in good company, as the State of Minnesota celebrated 150 years and the Civilian Conservation Corps recognized 75 years.

The effort that formed the "Minnesota National Forest" started in 1897 when the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs launched a campaign to create a national park or forest reserve in pine-covered lands that were slated for sale to implement the Nelson Act. Unclaimed Ojibwe lands would be removed from tribal use and allowed for sale and to non-Indians or the federal government.

By 1908, the compromise plan was to create a national forest on these lands, one that practiced the "new science of forestry." Women, who did not yet have the right to vote, were influential in the plan's public acceptance. Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot and Minnesota's State Commissioner Christopher C. Andrews were among the few with the foresight to advocate good forestry practices.

At the time the Minnesota National Forest was formed it was the only one located in the eastern United States, a situation hard to envision today with 14 national forests and prairies near major U.S. population centers just in the northeast quarter.

At our Centennial year, we took the opportunity to look back on how we came to be here as well as focusing on where we're headed, the importance of working with partners, and opening the discussion of the challenging issues we face together.

With a series of public open houses May 20 - 22, our Guests of Honor were Forest Service retirees, partners, community and government officials. At the Deer River District, retiree Zig Zasada shared stories of his long life (he's now 99) and Forest Service career while current and recent employees presented historical changes of the land, wildlife, recreational use, and the lasting impact of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Melissa Roberts of Senator Norm Coleman's staff read a congratulatory letter from the Senator and a centennial tree was planted and watered by children of employees.

At the Walker District, the focus was on the future and hopeful plans for construction of a new office building to replace the 1937 structure. An 18-foot Smokey Bear invited people in to see a collection of photo exhibits and select their own centennial seedling for planting. Most of the community stopped in at the Blackduck District, to view a display of historic forest tools, pick up a bluebird kit for assembly or a centennial seedling to plant, and to visit around a campfire as they learned about current work projects. A commemorative centennial tree was planted at this administrative site also.

Historic photo exhibits and an employee-created Centennial Quilt rotated to all open houses and ended the week at the historic log Chippewa Supervisors Office. Forest Supervisor Rob Harper spoke about the opportunities and challenges as we begin our next 100 years. How will we help our forests adapt to a changing climate and an ever-increasing suite of invasive species? What role will the National Forest play in the unfolding exploration of alternative energy sources? How will we make National Forest resources relevant to an increasingly urban population often distant from the lands we manage?

The quilt work of ownerships within Chippewa National Forest provides one of our strengths. Since these are issues that we face across all public ownerships in Minnesota we see ourselves working in partnership with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, three counties, the state and the many other partners to be successful in the future.

These thoughts were echoed by a Centennial visit from Senator Norm Coleman and the Leech Lake Tribal Council as we spoke to employees and the media about our current strengths as governments working together.

With positive stories circulating about celebrating our past, our emphasis now shifts to embracing our diversity and our future goals. Chippewa National Forest will recognize that transition with an Employee Heritage Day in June, and some pride in our work during our centennial year.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Great American Cleanup at Milwaukee's Urban Treehouse]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3838 Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3838 9

The America's Outdoors Center--a unique urban outreach effort staffed by the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management--hosted the annual Great American Cleanup event April 19 at Milwaukee's Urban Treehouse Site at Lynden Hill.

Key partners such as Neighborhood House and the Lynden Hill Garden Club played key roles in assisting with the event.

A large crowd of more than 200 neighborhood volunteers turned out to assist with the cleanup, filling dozens of large trash bags with litter and debris that had accumulated over the winter months. The younger participants were given Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl gift bags that included coloring books, informational brochures, and free admissions to the Milwaukee County Zoo and other local attractions.

This was another example of the Eastern Region's ongoing effort to better connect citizens to the land.

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JeanClaassenjclaassen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cove Hollow Trail Workday]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3996 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3996

The Shawnee National Forest's Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District and the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association co-hosted a trails workday on Saturday, May 3, 2008. This dedicated group of volunteers completed re-alignment work on the Cove Hollow Trail in Jackson County, Illinois.

The realignment project was on the north end of the multiple use hiker/equestrian Cove Hollow Trail. The volunteers included members of the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association, the Shawnee Sierra Club, the Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts, Southern Illinois University - Saluki Volunteer Corps and families who adopted a trail or a trailhead and Mississippi Bluffs' volunteer coordinator, Kelly Pearson. The 17 volunteers worked together for four hours to construct approximately 200 feet of new trail, re-routing it from a vertical steep slope to a more horizontal side trail location.

If you are in southern Illinois and want to take advantage of the work completed by this dedicated group of volunteers, go south from Murphysboro on State Route 127 in Jackson County, then east on Dutch Ridge Trail until you reach the Cove Hollow Trailhead.

The volunteer programs to maintain and construct trails on the Shawnee National Forest help connect citizens to the land.

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KellyPearsonkdpearson@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cove Hollow Trail Workday]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3986 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3986 9

The Shawnee National Forest's Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District and the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association co-hosted a trails workday on Saturday, May 3, 2008. This dedicated group of volunteers completed re-alignment work on the Cove Hollow Trail in Jackson County, Illinois.

The realignment project was on the north end of the multiple use hiker/equestrian Cove Hollow Trail. The volunteers included members of the Shawnee Mountain Bike Association, the Shawnee Sierra Club, the Order of the Arrow Boy Scouts, Southern Illinois University - Saluki Volunteer Corps and families who adopted a trail or a trailhead and Mississippi Bluffs' volunteer coordinator, Kelly Pearson. The 17 volunteers worked together for four hours to construct approximately 200 feet of new trail, re-routing it from a vertical steep slope to a more horizontal side trail location.

If you are in southern Illinois and want to take advantage of the work completed by this dedicated group of volunteers, go south from Murphysboro on State Route 127 in Jackson County, then east on Dutch Ridge Trail until you reach the Cove Hollow Trailhead.

The volunteer programs to maintain and construct trails on the Shawnee National Forest help connect citizens to the land.

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KellyPearsonkdpearson@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Pieces of the Past]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3966 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3966

For the past several years, with the help of many volunteers, the Heritage program on the Shawnee National Forest has been making landscape quilts to celebrate and draw attention to the many layers of history present here in Southern Illinois. Recently, four of our quilts were included in a quilt show in Anna, Illinois sponsored by Promoting Appreciation of Structural Treasure (P.A.S.T.). The quilt show was one of several events planned to honor the sesquicentennial celebration of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates that were held in Jonesboro, Illinois in 1858. The debate site is located on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial Picnic Area, which also happens to be the site of the Mississippi Bluffs District Ranger Station.

The Shawnee National Forest quilts included in the show were two Underground Railroad sampler quilts, a landscape quilt depicting fugitive slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad, and a quilt depicting the cemetery at Miller Grove. Miller Grove was a free community of African Americans founded in 1844-1845 and now exists only archaeologically within the boundaries of the Shawnee National Forest.

These same quilts were included in a quilt show in Eldorado, Illinois this past March. The creation of these picturesque quilts depicting the history of the Shawnee National Forest and Southern Illinois and then exhibiting them at different locations and events is an artistic way of connecting citizens to the land.

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MaryMcCorviemmccorvie@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[To Bridge a Gap]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3957 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3957 9

Archaeologists Mary McCorvie and Ann Cramer, from the Shawnee National Forest and the Wayne National Forest, participated in the 7th Annual "To Bridge a Gap" Conference held this year in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There were a wide variety of presentations, some from tribal leaders and others from Forest Service employees. A number of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPO) gave presentations on their programs and discussed many of the projects in which they have been involved. Many presenters spoke about initiatives to locate or relocate and clean up nineteenth century cemeteries where tribal members have been interred. One session was devoted to the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and included a number of speakers such as Bambi Krauss, President of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, Lee Walters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, other law enforcement officers and tribal NAGPRA coordinators.

The Forest Service also gave a presentation on their infrastructure corporate database information and security system (INFRA) that has the capacity to allow tribal leaders to access information stored in the heritage database. Evening entertainment included a group of Choctaw/Chickasaw fancy dancers directed by Michael Roberts, Tim Tingle, a Choctaw storyteller, and key note speaker Ivan Batun, a native Mayan archaeologist.

Partners involved in the three-day conference included the Caddo Nation, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Nation, and the U. S. D. A. Forest Service. Working together with partners "To Bridge a Gap" is one way to connect citizens to the land.

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MaryMcCorvieMmccorvie@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Searching for Goshawks]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3894 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3894 9

Monongahela National Forest biologists and 21 volunteers gathered on a raw, wet Saturday to search for one of the most beautiful birds on the Regional Forester Sensitive Species list-the northern goshawk. Never known to be abundant in the Forest, despite the availability of suitable habitat, the species is shy and elusive. A handful of historic nesting sites are known and biologists have been monitoring those areas plus other suitable habitat for several years to determine the current distribution of the species.

This year's northern goshawk field search day was coordinated as a student project by Davis and Elkins College student and former MNF seasonal wildlife employee Jennifer Hempel with the assistance of Forest staff. Gauley Ranger District biologist Jay Martin is the MNF goshawk program lead, and he and District bio-tech Cheryl Tanner spent the day with the group in addition to other Forest biologists.

The search group included 21 volunteers ranging from students to retirees, and included people working on master naturalist certifications. Gathering in the drizzle at the Supervisor's Office in Elkins, they first had a tailgate safety session before dividing into groups and trekking to the top of Cheat Mountain, and into prime northern goshawk territory where more rain and colder conditions awaited them.

Focus was on the area around Gaudineer Knob where the birds, or evidence of their presence, had been previously found. Groups fanned out from this area to nearby likely sites. Team members were on the lookout for feathers, nests, and calls from the goshawk as well as the birds themselves.

While no goshawks were observed, a nest was located which represents a new record for the Forest. It appeared to be an active goshawk nest. Goshawks often have numerous nests in a general area, and appear to rotate among using them, perhaps as an area is depleted of prey, so it is difficult to tell if a given nest will actually contain young in a given year.

Once a nest is located, repeat visits are made over the breeding season in an attempt to find breeding birds. While this is a bit of a "needle in a haystack" exercise given the difficulty in even finding nests, it has proven successful in the past on the Monongahela.

In 2007 biologists on the Forest located the first recent known successful nest and banded the young birds. It's hoped that efforts such as the 2008 volunteer northern goshawk field search day will eventually lead to more known successful nests.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mackinaw Wilderness Parcel Added to Federal Ownership]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3888 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3888 9

Story submitted by Sharon Hagstrom, Lands Program Manager

A private tract in the heart of the Mackinac Wilderness on the Hiawatha National Forest was recently acquired bringing total federal ownership within the wilderness boundaries 41 acres closer. Approximately 80 acres of private ownership remain within the Mackinac Wilderness, located along its west boundary.

Acquisition of the Vogt parcel, held for several generations by the same family, meet Forest Plan and wilderness consolidation goals, eliminating the need for non-federal inholding boundary line, providing for more efficient wilderness management, and eliminating a special use permit for access within the wilderness which was protected because it existed prior to designation of the Mackinac Wilderness.

This is another example of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Go Native!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3891 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3891 9

Most gardeners prize color of flower and foliage, its form and fragrance, and sometimes the edible nature of plants. Many rely upon their local garden center or super center to provide them with an array of plants to add to their gardens. Others glean plants from a friend's garden.

Unfortunately these choices often result in the addition of non-native plants to home gardens simply because people are unaware of the inherent beauty of native plants. A surprising number of plant and flower lovers also do not realize that many of the plants they prize were developed from native plants.

As part of a much larger project to increase awareness of native plants and their value to the world around us, Wendy Campbell, a VISTA volunteer working on the Greenbrier Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest, put together a simple but effective one sheet handout listing some choices for those gardeners who would like to reduce their reliance on hybrids and non-natives.

Titled "Go Native!" the handout lists "selected native plants for showiness, edibles, and pollinators from elevations above 2400 feet in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia and Virginia." Adapted, with permission, from lists provided by the West Virginia Heritage Program of the WV DNR, the handout lists 30 wildflowers and herbs, 9 shrubs, 19 trees, 8 sedges, 3 grasses, and 8 edibles for humans that also feed or host pollinators. The next version will include bloom times to increase the usefulness of the information.

Not intended to take the place of any of the excellent field guides that are available, this information sheet can serve as a guide for someone wishing to incorporate native plants into their own gardens. The WV Heritage Program web site contains links to WV plant nurseries that stock many of these native plants since neither the Forest Service nor the WV DNR wish to encourage collection of native plants from public lands.

Once plants mature at the two native plant gardens currently being developed in 2008 on the Monongahela, visitors will be able to easily see for themselves just how beautiful many of the native mountain plants are.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Staying on Top of Administrative Rules and Regulations]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3890 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3890 9

Administrative staff members from across the Monongahela National Forest gathered in early April 2008 for a fast-paced, information-filled three-day workshop aimed at keeping them on top of all the changes coming at them in their jobs. While a little fun wasn't mandatory, they all seemed to get that into the session too.

Speakers included Forest subject matter experts,along with invited guests from the Albuquerque Service Center, the ISO, and the employee assistance program. As would be expected, topics were wide ranging. Paycheck issues, safety issues, Lincpass, training protocols,claims issues, timber permits, temporary and permanent hiring processes, management of personal property, awards procedures, volunteer management, computer programs and many others all were covered during the workshop.

Forest employees turn to the members of the administrative staff for help and answers on topics that often need a quick response for the employee to continue to be able to do their own work. Maintaining a high level of knowledge and customer service is important to the Monongahela admininstrative personnel and the only way they can do this is by taking concentrated time to learn new processes and procedures together.

Because their knowledge and leadership in this arena is so important to keeping the Forest operating, the Forest leadership team supported having ALL administrative personnel attend the workshop for the full session. That meant having offices staffed by people who did not ordinarily work the phones or front desks. More than half of the leadership team members took on at least part of these tasks themselves...probably gaining additional appreciation for the multi-tasking required of frontliners!

In addition to learning new skills and refining old ones, the workshop participants were encouraged to hone their leadership abilities. The session ended with a recogition ceremony before the group disbanded to head home to their units.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Firefighters Work Across Boundaries]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3889 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3889 9

Monongahela National Forest firefighters crossed the artifical boundaries separating both forests and regions in the spring of 2008 as they provided assistance on numerous prescribed and wildfires. Located mostly in Virginia, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests also contain small acreages in West Virginia.

Partly because the boundaries adjoin in some places, and partly because there are ecologicial similarities to parts of the two Forests, staff from the Monongahela and the GW-Jeff have cooperated over the years on many projects.

The GW-Jeff has a much larger prescribed fire program than the Monongahela, and tends to have more and larger wildfires, so having MNF firefighters available to assist is valuable. In addition, Monongahela firefighters gained experience without having to travel great distances.

Firefighters from all over the Monongahela assisted the GW-Jeff on 4 wildfires, totalling 9,400 acres. The fire assignments ranged from overhead staff only to a full 20 person crew plus engine and ARGO. Overhead positions provided to the GW-Jeff included Safety Officer (SOF2), Incident Information Officer (PIOFt), Staging Area Manager (STAM), Incident Commander Type 3 (ICT3t), and three members of the Southern Area Type 2 Team: an Ordering Manager (ORDM),an Incident Information Officer (PIO2t), and an Equipment Manager (EQPM).

A request for an additional 20 person crew had to be turned down as the mountains in West Virginia were receiving heavy snow and travel in those conditions was deemed too dangerous.

Firefighters from the Monongahela were able to provide their neighbors to the east with assistance on 4 prescribed fires in the GW-Jeff this spring. Sixteen MNF people provided a total of 28 person days on 6,255 acres of controlled burns. One of these was of particular interest as it was the first time the GW-Jeff had a prescribed fire that involved private lands and structures inside the burn area. All burns were deemed successful by the GW-Jeff staff and they were quick to thank and recognize the help from the Monongahela.

Given the increasing training requirements in the fire organization and reduced funding for travel and training, these assignments were just as valuable for Monongahela folks as they were for the recipient Forests who were able to stretch their own resources.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Gains Wilderness Parcel Through Partnership with Little Traverse Conservancy]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3886 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3886 9

Story submitted by Sharon Hagstrom, Lands Program Manager.

The East Unit of the Hiawatha National Forest added the final piece to the Horseshoe Bay Wilderness (HBW) puzzle with acquisition of the last non-federal tract within the wilderness boundary. Acquisition of the 25.8-acre tract meets Forest Plan and HBW consolidation goals, provides contiguous federal land ownership within the HBW, acquires .25 mile of Lake Huron frontage, connects miles of contiguous federal shoreline frontage which defines the eastern edge of the HBW, eliminates the need for non-federal inholding boundary line, and provides for more efficient wilderness management.

This new partnership allowed the Forest to acquire a highly desirable tract in the Horseshoe Bay Wilderness while contributing to Little Traverse Conservancy's goals for the St. Mary's River Bird Migration Corridor. LTC's willingness to hold the property allowed the Forest to obtain funding with Critical Inholding money (Land & Water Conservation Fund).

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Fugitive Surrenders in Monongahela NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3885 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3885 9

Cooperation amd information sharing between members of the Forest Service's Law Enforcement and Investigations branch and the National Forest System branch were evident recently by the rapid alerting of employees of the physical and vehicle descriptions of a wanted fugitive believed to be headed for the Monongahela National Forest.

A holiday weekend, in a popular location, is one of the worst times for such incidents to occur, given that many more people visit the Forest and there are often fewer employees around to keep an eye out for trouble. Fortunately this time the issue was resolved quickly.

On Thursday, May 29, 2008, Forest Service officers were notified that a wanted fugitive from Delaware was believed to be travelling to the Cranberry Glades area of the Forest. Information indicated that the man was suicidal, and considered to be armed and dangerous; possibly in possession of bomb making materials and/or explosives. Forest employees were alerted to avoid contact with the suspect.

The drama was resolved after a family friend located the man in the Cranberry Backcountry and encouraged the fugitive to turn himself in to authorities. He did so to the Pocahontas County 911 center. His vehicle was located in a remote parking area of the Cranberry Glades.

Units of the WV State Police Bomb Squad, and Marlinton Detachment personnel along with Pocahontas County Sheriff's Office and US Forest Service LE&I closed and secured the area. A specialized remote robot was used to approach the vehicle and search for explosives.

No explosives were found but an arsenal of weapons and ammunition along with camping and survival gear was seized. Law enforcement officials were able to reopen the Glades area to the public shortly before midnight.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Bridge to the Future]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3883 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3883 9

A gently curving, wide, modern bridge now allows passenger vehicles, motor homes, and log trucks safe passage over the Williams River in the Gauley District of the Monongahela National Forest. Several years of work on both sides of the crossing had brought the Williams River road, and associated campsites, up to a level that increased visitor satisfaction and protected nearby river values. Paving and culvert work had reduced the amount of silt reaching the river, while campsites and sanitation had been improved. The bridge however, remained a bottleneck.

Built in an era when it was acceptable to have one lane bridges and when there was little commerce or recreation activity in the area, the old bridge was located in a sharp curve. The combination of the narrow 12' width and poor approach geometry meant that large trucks or long loads were more than the bridge could handle. With increased traffic in the area, including planned Forest Service timber sales, the old bridge was no longer functional, and concerns were raised about its structural integrity.

The new bridge is 220' long, with two spans supported on 35' columns rising 12' above the stream. With a 24' wide deck and a new alignment, the bridge is safe for log trucks and passenger traffic, and allows for a free flow of the Williams River beneath it. Built mostly by West Virginia contractors, the new bridge came in under contract cost by more than $22,000. Almost without exception the entire process went as smoothly as could be expected of such a large project.

A big success with local residents and visitors alike, the new Williams River bridge attracted sightseers and positive comments even when under construction. The bridge was the next-to-the-last piece of work to be done to complete a multi-year, multi-project undertaking in the area which, when complete in 2008, will have vastly improved Forest Service facilities for many years to come.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteers Plant 5,000 Red Spruce to Celebrate Earth Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3866 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3866 9

With the distinctive odor of wild ramps cooking on open grills in the lunch area, volunteers from the Monongahela National Forest joined dozens of others on Earth Day 2008 to restore an old farm to a native red spruce forest.

The work, done on a steep, scenic mountainside was hard, but very rewarding. Operating under a cooperative agreement between the Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the West Virginia DNR, The Nature Conservancy, and others the project involved 60 members of these groups, along with high school students and members of the landowners' family.

Prior to the massive turn of the century logging in the area, many high elevation ridges in the Monongahela were crowned by dark patches of red spruce, which covered approximately half a million acres. Today only about 50,000 acres of red spruce remain.

Some of these areas still retain seed sources, and from them the red spruce is slowly regaining a foothold in the forest. In others it takes some human intervention to get the process moving. Red spruce habitat is important for several species of threatened or endangered wildlife, including the Virginia northern flying squirrel and the Cheat Mountain salamander.

In an effort to restore at least a portion of the former range, the various signatories to the cooperative agreement have been working on mapping existing areas of red spurce, working with private landowners to encourage planting on their lands, and identifying locations on the Monongahela itself to reintroduce the species.

The Earth Day 2008 red spruce planting effort utilized seedlings grown from native seed to plant about 25 acres of a 350 acre parcel which is surrounded by National forest system lands. By planting spruce on the private land, volunteers were not only recreating a missing habitat, but also connecting it to suitable red spruce habitat on public land, providing connectivity over time for both the spruce and the species which inhabit it.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary Goes Weed Free]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3856 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3856 10

Rising to meet the challenge set forth by the Eastern Region to create weed free zones across the area, the Huron-Manistee National Forests have proposed to create a 72 acre weed free zone in and around the Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary. By posting Loda Lake as an Invasive Free Zone and using it as an area for volunteer invasive removal days, the HMNF plans on using the weed free zones as a tool to increase invasive plant awareness in the private sector.

Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary is a special place in many ways, not the least of which is that it is the only designated wildflower sanctuary in the National Forest system, and is home to over 200 species of plants and wildflowers native to Michigan. But a number of those plants are not native to the area. Species such as autumn olive and purple loosestrife have found their way into the Sanctuary, and as they are prone to do, are trying to take over the area.

Initially, the Forests plans to work on removing the invasive species within the Wildflower Sanctuary and expanding outreach focus to include neighboring private properties that are adjacent to the Sanctuary. Currently many species are pulled by hand, bagged and removed from the property. Some species are removed using a hand spray application of glyphosate or a cut stem application to kill the species.

The Garden Clubs of Michigan have been the primary partner to-date in this new effort, however, the Forest has begun an outreach program to find additional members of the local community who would like to assist in this effort.

The Forest has planted over 90 species at Loda since 2005 restoration efforts began. Much of that planting selection is to enhance diversity; however, the greatest volume of seed that has been sown is for creation of a native savanna habitat that would eventually be vigorous enough to withstand or prevent very much non-native invasive species perturbation.

Loda Lake has an interesting and storied history, including a partnership between the Forest Service and the Garden Clubs of Michigan that dates back to the 1930s. In 1937, the Federated Garden Clubs of Michigan and the local Newaygo Chapter suggested the need for a wildflower refuge. It was designated by the Secretary of Agriculture as a Wildflower Sanctuary on December 15, 1949.

The Garden Clubs of Michigan continue their support to this day and assist in planning and management of Loda Lake.

In 2006 the Huron-Manistee National Forests and the Freemont Area Community Foundation signed an agreement that has enhanced the restoration of and interpretation materials for the Wildflower Sanctuary.

This is another example of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries."

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Fire Simulation on the Huron-Manistee]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3831 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3831

On a chilly, partly sunny and windy Sunday in April, the Forest Service Huron Zone Type 3 Incident Management Team held a fire simulation in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Iosco and Alcona County's Emergency Management, city police, sheriff's departments, and volunteer fire departments.

This was an opportunity for the agencies that would be involved in a real wildfire incident to work together and discover where strong and weak areas are in preparation for the real event.

The simulation lasted three hours with approximately 150 participants. The scenario included a wildfire, traffic accident, evacuation responses, dispatching resources, team deployment, training with the Volunteer Fire Departments during the simulation, and an after action review.

The scenario's strong points were how well all agencies meshed with the Incident Command System. All agreed that communications were the weak point. Some suggestions regarding communications were discussed at the after action review and will be looked at and worked on by our radio personnel. A local TV and radio station were present to capture the action.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Danger Averted in the Monongahela]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3785 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3785 9

A tumbling mountain stream, with the enigmatic name of Barrenshe, is lined with hemlock and rhododendron. A Forest Service road curves into the narrow valley and crosses over the stream. Nothing unusual at all for the remote country of the Monongahela National Forest's Gauley Ranger District.

However, the Forest Service road that crosses Barrenshe over a high culvert with a steep drop off on the downhill side is pretty much the only through road in that part of the Forest, so it is well used by local traffic as well as by the Forest Service. When newly arrived Zone Engineer Jay Chapman first saw how poorly marked the approaches were and how easy it was for someone to miss the curve in a fog or other bad weather he was alarmed.

Why were there no guard rails, he asked. What would it take to get them placed? Where could the money come from?

Chapman's persistence, along with strong support from District Ranger Jay Lowe, Zone Engineering Tech Lois Mamak, and Forest Engineer Randall Biller led to the installation of guard rails that now make this crossing highly visible and much safer. Biller advised Chapman to get the project ready to go while funds could be located. By being ready to go, the Forest was able to successfully utilize year-end funding to get the project into contracting.

Originally estimated at $25,000 the project was contracted and built for $22,788, even after a change order became necessary. At a pre-work meeting, Mamak discovered that standard WVDOT details for post-to-structure connections would require modifications for the site due to super elevation of the aggregate surface. Chapman then determined the new specifications and Mamak completed the change order.

Although a small project both in terms of size and cost, the project has big ramifications to overall safety. While no fatalities are known to have occurred at the site, there have been numerous accidents over the years. In only a day and a half of actual construction time following the advance work, the Barrenshe guard rail project has greatly increased the safety of all who travel this quiet corner of the Forest.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Employees Join Curly Partnership]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3881 Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3881

Two Chippewa National Forest Employees from the Blackduck Ranger District recently partnered with the Minnesota DNR, Itasca County and Dixon Lake Association in a collaborative effort to eradicate the invasive aquatic plant Curly Leaf Pondweed on Dixon Lake.

Forest Service representatives Jeff Allison and Jason Popowski worked with the Minnesota DNR gathering data in an intensive survey of the plant on Dixon Lake. Over 200 GPS points were layed out in a grid pattern covering the entire lake with vegetation samples taken at each location. With the data collected, the DNR can now better gage the location of the herbicide application process which will begin this spring.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa NF: Boy River Partnership Completes Cycle]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3880 Fri, 30 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3880 9

This spring, the Chippewa National Forest's Boy River Prescribed Burn partnership completed one cycle of burning! The prescribed burns occurred each spring for the last five years (2004-2008). The Boy River Prescribed Burn partnership was selected for the 2008 national Wings Across the Americas "Habitat and Partnership" award for habitat improvement affecting the Yellow Rail and for the unique partnership that was developed to implement this fire regime. Partners include the Chippewa National Forest, Leech Lake Division of Resource Management, Cass County, two DNR Regions, and multiple private partners.

There is approximately 7000 acres of land type (LT) 70 (fire dependent wet meadow) within the entire Boy River RX burn boundaries. Each year fire has been applied to several of the 18 different units, usually burning somewhere around 1500 acres per year. The most recent burn to the Boy River Wet Meadows was on completed April 19, 2008, and culminated the first of many fire regime applications to this LT 70. This fire dependent wet meadow has now seen at least one rotation of fire to each part of that ecosystem during the past five spring fire seasons. Some of the primary objectives of this prescribed burn were to reduce the opportunities for arson that threaten the interspersed ownership and adjacent structures, and better protect the Boy River community (on national list of Communities at Risk). The burn also helped restore and maintain large wet meadow communities in their desired open condition, thus restoring/maintaining habitat conditions for sedge meadow associated wildlife species, including Yellow Rail, several species of Sparrow, and Ring necked ducks. The Boy River Wet Meadow ecosystem has been determined to have the highest population of Yellow Rail (listed on the Regional Foresters Sensitive Species list) within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and in the State of Minnesota as stated by the Wildlife experts from both agencies.

The Boy River burn was one of three prescribed burns on the Chippewa this spring for a total of 2619 acres. Prescribed burns have proven to be a great pre-fire season equipment readiness opportunity. Each year the burns have provided an opportunity for several employees to work on task books to meet some of their training needs and requirements.

The 2009 season will start a new rotation of fire application as determined by all agency partners at a summer 2008 partnership meeting.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ultimate Recycling]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3872 Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3872 9

Ron Doyle, Program Support Clerk and Noah Williams, Office Automation Clerk, on the Hoosier National Forest volunteered to organize the Forest's recycling efforts. In short order the two former Navy men had the chaos that was the recycling program on the Hoosier whipped into order and what had been a laborious task was streamlined.

After a few weeks on the job Doyle came up with an innovative idea. On a weekly basis 6-8 large plastic bags were filled with paper and taken to the recycle center. They were usually too torn and stretched to reuse so were then recycled. The cost of the plastic bags on average was about $37.00 per hundred. Doyle thought there had to be a better solution to get the Forest's paper to the recycling center.

Thinking back to his days as a Navy Chief he recalled the large canvas laundry bags the Navy used. After some research he was able to purchase two of the canvas re-usable bags for $17.49 each. The bags have a life of several years of use and if they get too dirty, Doyle said he's happy to take them home to wash them. He's now working on a way to mount one of the bags in the copy room so people can throw recyclable paper directly into the bag which would save him transferring the paper from the large trashcan currently in the room.

Doyle grins happily, "It's just one more way of reducing cost and waste."

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A celebration of recreation trails and historic preservation on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3871 Tue, 27 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3871

Contributed by Mark Bruhy, Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

Top Photo: A view of Hidden Lakes Trail

Bottom Photo: Interpretive team members, from left, Rainey Kreis, giiwe Martin, and Theresa Ford

The Butternut-Franklin lakes area, located east of Eagle River in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, is distinguished by its scenic beauty and ecological diversity. Increasingly, hikers have been drawn to the area and to accommodate access, the Hidden Lakes Trail was developed in the 1990's. The 13 mile trail encircles the Butternut-Franklin lakes area and passes through numerous scenic vistas. Though largely unknown to trail users, it also crosses through or nearby 20 archaeological sites that represent a 4,000 year continuum of Native American settlement and history.

A concentration of inter-related and undisturbed archaeological resources of this nature is rare, and consequently, its importance was recently recognized through designation as the Butternut-Franklin Lakes Area National Register of Historic Places Archaeological District. The numerous investigations that led to this designation were conducted over a 30 year period and a variety of partners participated. They include Nicolet College, Northland College, Beloit College, Commonwealth Cultural Resources Group, Great Lakes Archaeological Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, Butternut-Franklin Lakes Foundation, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Further, hundreds of individuals were recruited to participate in these investigations through the Forest Service's Passport in Time volunteer program.

While the success of the archaeological research was based on collaboration, so too was the Hidden Lakes Trail born of a broad spectrum of partnerships. Those who helped build the trail include Wheaton College's Honey Rock Camp, who provided student labor in trail construction. Inmates from McNaughton Correctional Center, assigned to community service projects, were important contributors. The Wisconsin Conservation Corps also lent a hand as did members of the John Muir Chapter of the Sierra Club. Today volunteers from the Butternut-Franklin lakes area continue to help maintain the trail.

With the trail established and well-used, and the District's historic significance affirmed, there was an obvious need to bring the remarkable story of Native settlement to the attention of trail users. To do so the Forest Service turned to yet another partner, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP), for help with the development of interpretative media. UWSP Department of Environmental Education and Interpretation faculty enthusiastically accepted our request for help and handed the task to two graduate students. To ensure the Native perspective was accurately and respectfully reflected in the interpretive media, the Forest Service approached Ms. giiwegiizhigookway Martin, Lac Vieux Desert Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and she graciously agreed to serve as project consultant.

With Ms. Martin's advice and suggestions, students Theresa Ford and Rainey Kreis completed an interpretive plan in 2007. And, with funding provided by the Butternut-Franklin Lakes Foundation and the Eastern National Forest Interpretive Association, three interpretive panels were recently fabricated and have been placed in a trailside kiosk. Trail users will continue to enjoy the scenic beauty of this remarkable area, and they will now also better understand how Native peoples call this area their home for thousands of years.

To celebrate the popularity of the trail as well as the establishment of the National Register District, a ceremony and celebration is scheduled to take place on June 7th, National Trails Day. It will be hosted by the Butternut-Franklin Lake Foundation and the Forest Service.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa National Forest Centennial Quilt]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3870 Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3870 9

In 1908, Minnesota women did not have the right to vote - yet they successfully campaigned for the Act of May 23, 1908 signed by President Theodore Roosevelt to create the Minnesota National Forest, the first located in the eastern United States.

Sixteen employees of current day Chippewa National Forest (renamed in 1928) fashioned the Cetennial quilt. Located in northern Minnesota, many of the 130 employees donated fabric, money, ideas and provided support to this project. Over 300 voluntary hours were dedicated in 6 weeks to complete the quilt.

The Design

Ojibwe beadwork inspired the handstitched velvet blocks. The Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation are the only place in the nation where a national forest and reservation overlay each other almost completely.

The U.S. Forest Service shield, green uniform shirts and pants, and yellow fire-fighting Nomex fabrics represent our work and workers.

Historic photos show traditional Ojibwe forest activities, unique places on Chippewa National Forest, and the log headquarters office still in use today.

Fish, Soil, Water, Wildlife, Trees, and Recreation are pieces of our 100 years of natural resource management. Representative fabrics are from Emily's Quilt Shop, Bemidji, MN. Machine quilting by Jill Mistic of Bemidji, MN.

Thanks to the dedicated work of Chippewa National Forest employees and the early campaign of the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs for starting the Chippewa National Forest on our next 100 years!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Prescribed Fire Returns to Allegheny N.F.]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3868 Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3868 9

It has been several years since the Allegheny National Forest conducted prescribed burning of warm season grass fields in the Buzzard Swamp Management area and the Hall Barn site.

Buzzard swamp is an approximately 4,000 acre management area for waterfowl and other species dependant on aquatic ecosystems. Approximately 300 acres is kept in cool season and warms season grasses with assistance from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

This spring 25 acres of the fields were burned. The primary objective of this project was to burn a specific area of warm season grasses that were starting to decline and revert to other vegetation due to lack of management. This field was planted 8 years ago and has never been burned or mowed which allowed woody plants to start invading. Through the use of fire the Marienville Ranger District was able to set back the woody vegetation interference and reinvigorate the warm season grasses.

In addition to Buzzard Swamp, the Allegheny National Forest burned several acres in an area known as the Hall Barn. This area consists of several acres of Big Blue Stem and switch grass for wildlife habitat adjacent to a large old barn that houses several thousand bats, including maternity colonies.

This area has been planned for over 5 years to have the warm season grass units burned. Due to the small burn windows on the ANF when weather conditions are right, crews and equipment are available and a burn boss is on staff, regular maintenance of these much needed habitats is very difficult.

More prescribed burning is planned for the future on the Allegheny National Forest to improve wildlife habitat and promote growth of native Forbes and Grasses. In addition to the burning, the militia fire fighters got a chance to participate in prescribed burns and gained some valuable experience. For some people, this was the first fire experience they have had on or off forest.

A special thanks goes to Peter To, an FMO from the Midewin National Tall Grass Prairie, for taking the time to come to the Allegheny National Forest to help us with the burns.

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ShellyWilliamsslwilliams@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Prescribed burn at Mio District Office]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3854 Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3854

It is not unusual to see Huron National Forest fire personnel conducting prescribed burns. In fact, during the 2008 spring season, crews have safely accomplished 14 prescribed burns to date, encompassing approximately 3500 acres of Forest Service lands.

However, the prescribed burn that occurred on April 29 was unusual in that it took place on the 26 acres of Forest Service land around the brand new Mio District Ranger Station complex. The new facility was completed in 2006 and prior to the burn, was surrounded by land containing high levels of hazardous fuels.

If a wildfire event were to occur, both the new Forest Service buildings as well as the neighboring residences and businesses would be at an elevated risk of potential damage.

"We always talk the talk about the value of prescribed burns in reducing hazardous levels of fuel loading," said Huron NF Fire Management Officer Chris Johnson. "It was time for us to walk the walk."

April 29 was chosen as the day to conduct the prescribed burn because of the specific weather conditions that were present. Temperatures were cool and helped to keep the fire at a low intensity. Also, the winds were slight and were moving in a direction that kept the majority of the smoke away from populated areas.

When the decision was made to conduct the prescribed burn on the morning of the 29th, fire personnel went door-to-door informing businesses and adjacent residents of the plans for the day. The burn was ignited at noon and was completed by 4:00 PM.

The fire was ignited slowly and in sections that were staffed and observed by fire personnel. The smoke column drifted away from the site to the southeast. During the burn, visibility along the adjacent highway was fine. Fire personnel directed traffic on a secondary road for a short time to ensure public safety. During the burn, the Mio District office remained open for business as usual.

Employees continued with their duties and customers were able to come in and do business. Following the burn, fire personnel worked onsite to monitor the smoke and to ensure that the fire was completely out.

Planning for this prescribed burn took more than a year and involved site analysis and examination of the anticipated environmental effects. Concerns were raised by members of the public during the planning phases which were taken into consideration in the development of the project.

The primary concerns were regarding the effects of smoke in town and the potential for the fire to escape from the prescribed area. By choosing the right day and the right weather conditions, the possibility for either to happen was greatly decreased.

Assistant Fire Management Officer Charlie Patterson was very pleased with the end results of the prescribed burn.

"All aspects of the prescribed burn went smoothly and there was a minimum disturbance to the community," Patterson explained. "We met our objectives of reducing fuels and re-introducing fire into the environment."

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Earth Day Efforts on the Mio Ranger District]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3853 Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3853

In celebration of Earth Day, twenty-five employees of the Mio Ranger District of the Huron-Manistee National Forests spent their work day involved in hands-on projects to improve the scenic beauty of public lands. The focus of their efforts this year included clean-up of a former dump site near Luzerne and removal of scrap materials from a site near the Bull Gap trailhead south of Mio.

Work at the former dump site will continue later this year when trees will be planted to help revegetate and naturalize the area.

Two large dumpsters were filled as a result of the clean-up efforts. One ten-yard dumpster was completely filled with scrap steel that will be recycled locally. The total revenue from recycling the metal was $562 and these funds will help to offset the cost of disposal.

The dumpsters for the project were secured through a partnership with the Adopt-a-Forest program of the Michigan Coalition for Clean Forests. To find out more about efforts to help keep Michigan forests clean, visit their website at: www.cleanforests.org

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Two Northern Wisconsin lakes entirely protected]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3867 Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3867

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) announced today the protection of 1,135 acres of natural land located within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) in Sawyer County, Wisconsin.

Large contiguous parcels, like the 1,055-acre Moose Lake property, are relatively uncommon within the CNNF. The tract contains two small lakes and 50 acres of wetlands. An additional 80 acres includes frontage on Little Cranberry Lake and adjoins the 1,040-acre Venison Creek parcel protected last year.

"Wisconsin is losing lakefront and forest properties like this at an alarming rate, and this is a particularly special place," said Shaun Hamilton, TPL's Northwoods Initiative Director. "Thanks to the leadership of the Wisconsin congressional delegation, TPL, working with the Forest Service and Plum Creek Timber Company, who was willing to be a partner is this effort, was able to move quickly to protect this shoreline for the public."

The property and the national forest share a common eight-mile boundary. TPL secured the property from Plum Creek Timber Company using its Northwoods Land Protection Fund, a capital revolving fund established to support high-priority conservation projects. The CNNF then purchased the land from TPL through an appropriation from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), with the strong support of Wisconsin's congressional delegation including U.S. Senator Herb Kohl, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Representative David R. Obey (WI-7), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

"The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is one of the most magnificent areas of our state, and I'm pleased that these conservation efforts are moving forward to protect this land for generations to come," Sen. Kohl said. "It's a proud and important Wisconsin tradition to preserve these valued wildlife and recreation areas, and I applaud The Trust for Public Land and the U.S. Forest Service for their dedication to this project."

"Like most of the public lands east of the Mississippi River, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest was protected in fits and starts, as donors and willing sellers offered their land to the government to create a patchwork of forestland," said Rep. Obey. "This process continues today, and because the government isn't always ready to buy when the landowner is willing to sell, TPL provides an important bridge to make the process work so the character of the Northwoods is protected for our children and we can all enjoy these special places."

Large in holdings, such as the Moose Lake tract are essential to maintaining quality recreation for the public, providing watershed protection and viable habitat for wide-ranging animals. The CNNF is home to gray wolf, elk, fisher and a variety of other game and non-game animals. The recreational demands on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which receives 2.5 million visitors annually, are steadily increasing due to the influx of second home development.

The action announced today was the result of a strong partnership among the Forest Service, TPL and Plum Creek Timber Company who worked together in a conservation solution instead of subdividing the land. Subdividing of forest lands creates a kind of "Swiss cheese effect," with pockets of different types of ownership scattered throughout the forest. This type of fragmented development raises the very real threat of less accessible land for hunting and public recreation, greater degradation of lakes, streams and forests, more loss of timber jobs, and a dramatic decline in wildlife habitat and wildlife.

"The US Forest Service recognizes the unique attributes of Wisconsin's Northwoods. On the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest we believe supporting a land acquisition program that is focused on acquisition of undeveloped lakefront properties and the consolidation of publicly owned land will enhance public benefits such as additional recreation opportunities, continued public access and the conservation of open spaces. We are pleased this property near Moose Lake will become a part of the CNNF and be available for current and future generations of forest users." says Forest Supervisor, Jeanne Higgins.

"We are extremely pleased to be a partner in helping conserve this unique part of Wisconsin," said Lynn Wilson, General Manager for Plum Creek's Lake States Region. "We recognize that many of our lands have special qualities that make them truly one of a kind treasures, and we commend the hard work, cooperation and foresight of all the partners to make this conservation project a reality."

The Wisconsin Wild Waterways program has been supported through annual funding through the Land and Water Conservation fund and over the last ten years has completed the protection of more than 10,000 acres and more than 10 miles of undeveloped shoreline along critical lakes and streams.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), established in 1972, is a national nonprofit land conservation organization specializing in conservation real estate, applying its expertise in negotiations, public finance, and law to conserve land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Across the nation, TPL has helped protect more than 2.2 million acres. Through its Northwoods Initiative, a regional conservation program focused on northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, TPL is assisting communities and public agencies in identifying and protecting sensitive and threatened lands. The Trust for Public Land depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve its land for people mission. For more information about TPL visit www.tpl.org.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Stewardship Week]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3879 Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3879 9

By: Monica Neal

This year was the 19th annual environmental educational program hosted by the University of Illinois, in partnership with the Shawnee National Forest, at the University's Resource Center in Pope County, Illinois.

This four-day program has over 35 activity stations set up around their facility grounds that children, kindergarten through 6th grade, can attend to learn about the environment. The stations' topics included environmental education games, the weather, caves (a temporary mock cave was built on the site), nature hikes, fire prevention and much more. This year the program hosted 3,188 students, bringing the 19-year total to over 55,000 students who have experienced this hands-on environmental education adventure. For the first time this year a "second generation" child attended Stewardship Week. What a great feeling this must have been for event coordinator, University of Illinois Forest Resource Center Interim Director, Diane Murphy.

The Stewardship Week program has won regional awards in the past and continues to maintain excellent educational standards. The Forest is only one of the several agencies and partners from southern Illinois who donate time, money or both to this worthwhile program that reaches so many children each year. Besides the hosting Forest Resource Center and the Forest, other agencies and organizations that participate each year include the Trees Forever, the University of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the University of Illinois Extension Office, the USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Southern 7 Health Department, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Southeastern Illinois Electric Coop, the Southern Illinois Electric Coop, the USDI - Fish and Wildlife Service - Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, the Illinois State Geological Survey, the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, 12 local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, the Quail Unlimited River Oaks Chapter, the National Wild Turkey Federation Shawnee Hills Longbeards Chapter, the Pope County Sportsman Club, WSIL - Channel 3 TV and WSPD - Channel 6 TV.

This is definitely a program that connects children to the land and teaches them about protecting ecosystems across boundaries.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee National Forest "Green" Bags]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3878 Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3878

By: Monica Neal

The Shawnee National Forest's Green Team purchased recyclable shopping bags to sell to employees, family and friends as a green project to help reduce the amount of plastic used to bag purchases from grocery stores, discount stores or anywhere else they might shop.

The Shawnee's cloth bags are in several colors with the Forest logo and "Go Green, Shawnee National Forest" printed on them. Forest employees support has been excellent and after only being available to purchase for a week, a re-order is already being discussed. The idea for using cloth bags for shopping is common, but other uses have been suggested. One or two employees are buying them to use as gift bags. Not only do you avoid using wrapping paper or paper gift bags that end up in land-fills, but you are also including a reusable shopping bag as part of the gift, and at little to no additional cost.

The commonly used plastic shopping bags are made from polyethylene, a petroleum product and can take as long as 500 years to degrade. Meantime the discarded plastic bags hang from trees, catch on power lines, float on oceans and lakes and clog storm drains, killing birds, fish, turtles and sea mammals unfortunate enough to ingest them or become entangled in them. According to the Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research and advocacy group in Washington, D. C., less than 1 percent of the 100 billion plastic bags Americans throw away each year are recycled.

This is just another step in the Shawnee's quest to support the Forest Service's "Green" mission by walking the talk for sustainability.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Marienville Ranger District Holds an Open House]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3863 Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3863 9

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, the Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest hosted an Open House for the general public showcasing management practices for natural resource stewardship. Sixty-three members of the public enjoyed information and displays related to specific areas of resource management, including archaeology, recreation, silviculture, timber marking, and wildlife.

A highlight of the afternoon was Bob Zumstein, Field Team Leader for Site Assessment and Inventory Project for Pennsylvania Timber Rattlesnakes with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Bob provided information on timber rattlesnakes and included a display of live snakes during the Open House.

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ShellyWilliamsslwilliams@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Saga of the Chainsaw Sisters Saloon]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3848 Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3848 9

The real estate advertisement read: "This tremendous piece of real estate includes a bar, living quarters, and a large garage on approximately 33.51 acres with 900+/- feet of shoreline on Picket Lake. Property directly adjoins the BWCAW and features a beautiful creek that flows into Mudro Lake. This secluded location is one of the most popular entry points into the BWCAW. This setting is truly one-of-a-kind and the possibilities are endless!"

Despite the glowing description, no serious buyers responded.

Since 1988, two sisters owned and operated the popular establishment known as the Chainsaw Sisters Saloon located approximately 18 miles from Ely, Minnesota, off of the Echo Trail on the Kawishiwi Ranger District of the Superior National Forest. The name came from the fact that, earlier in their careers, Michele Richards and Marlene Zorman had worked with chainsaws doing stand thinning work for the Forest Service.

In 2006, they decided to sell their business, including the property, and move on.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and the Forest Service were keenly aware how "tremendous" this opportunity was to establish permanent and free public access to a beautiful setting and to Boundary Waters Canoe Aarea Wilderness Entry point number 23 into Mudro Lake and the area beyond.

TPL joined with the "Friends" to work out a deal to secure and hold the property until the U.S. Forest Service would be able to purchase the land and add it to the Superior National Forest. Nationally, the Trust for Public Land often leverages funds and facilitates transfer of properties to public agencies. In this case, the owners were glad to negotiate an agreement that met their financial goals while allowing the Forest Service to obtain the property and manage it for the public good.

TPL has an interim agreement with the Forest Service to maintain and operate the parking lot and they are working to salvage and remove the buildings prior to deeding the land to the Forest Service. Memorabilia that once decorated the saloon, including photos, old chainsaws, etc., have been saved and moved to an informal museum of sorts in Ely.

TPL plans to auction some unique pieces, such as the 18-foot long bar top, with proceeds to go to the Edge of the Wilderness Funds which will be used to help purchase other important properties adjacent to the BWCAW.

The saloon was a favorite stop for visitors including people on their way in or out of the BWCAW. Many will miss the cold drinks and comfortable atmosphere the Chainsaw Sisters provided for 18 years. However, in the long run, this is one real estate deal that makes the public a winner.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Detroit Urban Connections Hosts USDA Undersecretary and Regional Forester at Greenfield Village]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3861 Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3861 9

In celebration of Earth Day and Arbor Day, USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment Mark Rey and R9 Regional Forester Kent Connaughton teamed up with Detroit Urban Connections to plant a sugar maple tree at The Henry Ford's Greenfield Village on April 29.

They were assisted by students from The Henry Ford Academy in planting the large sugar maple. The tree was planted on the Village Green and will provide shade and beauty for millions of THF visitors to enjoy. The planting was also attended by THF's mounted historic ranger.

Following the planting Rey and Connaughton took time to tour THF and learn more about the many facets of the Region's long standing partnership with The Henry Ford and Greenfield Village.

"This was a splendid opportunity for me to get a first-hand look at our partnership with The Henry Ford, and it gave the Undersecretary a chance to examine some larger connections for the Department of Agriculture," Connaughton said.

The partnership between The Henry Ford and the Eastern Region is another example of the Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Connecting Citizens to the Land."

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KatieArmstrongkarmstrong@fs.fed.u.s
<![CDATA[Chippewa Teams Up to Address Earthworm Invasion in the Great Lakes Region]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3860 Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3860 9

European earthworms have been invading hardwood forests in the northern US and Canada since European settlement. Forested ecosystems in this region have developed over thousands of years in the absence of earthworms. Historically these forests have had thick layers of leaf litter that serve as rooting medium for many herbaceous and woody species. Non-native earthworms in North America feed heavily on forest floor material and can eventually create large areas of exposed mineral soil. Many native plants cannot survive these conditions. Resource managers, residents, and tourists are expressing concern about the potential widespread loss of native forest species as well as the overall sustainability of northern hardwood forests.

Research conducted across the northern US and Canada in the past ten years has begun to illuminate (i) landscape patterns of invasion and impact of earthworms, (ii) dynamics of forest change in response to earthworms, and (iii) differential consequences of earthworm invasion in different ecosystems. Results indicate that invasions of northern hardwood forests by earthworms are occurring throughout the range of this ecosystem in North America. The magnitude and regional scale of these invasions suggest that a substantial portion of these forests will be impacted to some degree within the next few decades. Nevertheless, findings suggest that local control of invasions into areas that are currently earthworm-free or minimally impacted may be possible. Understanding the growing body of research into patterns, mechanisms, and impacts of earthworm invasion will be critical to the development of management strategies to address this threat.

Following invasion of a northern forest by non-native earthworms, a cascade of ecological effects can occur. The most obvious change initially is the loss of the previously thick forest floor. This loss is associated with large declines in native plants and tree regeneration. In addition, surface soil in these forests is compacted, soil erosion increases, and nutrient leaching occurs. These structural and functional changes in a forest result in loss of habitat plus the collapse of a previously diverse arthopod community. This, in turn, can contribute to large declines in forest salamanders and ground-nesting forest birds. In addition, compositional changes may occur in populations of small mammals.

The magnitude and types of impact by non-native earthworms on forested ecosystems are related to biomass and species of earthworms present. In general, large and diverse populations of earthworms are supported in forests with mesic soil conditions and palatable hardwood litter. Hence the impacts on forest structure and function may be great in these types of forest. By contrast, forests with sandy, dry soils and acidic, coniferous litter support few if any species of earthworm. Thus these forests may experience minimal impact from introduction of worms.

Human activity is the primary source of earthworm introduction. Studies reveal a distribution mosaic in which earthworm diversity and abundance is strongly associated with duration and intensity of human activity. Urban areas are largely colonized by a wide variety of earthworms. In rural landscapes, however, earthworm populations are concentrated around features such as boat landings, fishing resorts, roads, campsites, and trails. Moreover, these areas often include fewer species of earthworms than do urban areas. Nonetheless, because there are no mechanisms to significantly reduce earthworm numbers or to reverse their impacts once they have been introduced to a susceptible landscape, the prevention of future introduction is key to the protection of northern forests and the resources they provide.

The natural spread of established earthworm populations is slow, with a leading edge advancing about 5-10 meters per year, on average (0.5-1 km or 1/6-1/3 mile per 100 years). However, the spread of earthworms across the landscape is primarily facilitated by human activities such as dumping unused fishing bait, transporting compost or soil from earthworm-infested areas, or driving all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and logging equipment that can transport earthworm eggs or cocoons on tires and underbodies. Action taken now could substantially limit the spread of non-native earthworms and prevent the further introduction of additional species. For example, decisive action now could mitigate against the introduction of a species of Asian earthworm that is still uncommon in most of North America yet is known to cause sever impacts outside of its native range.

Actions to limit the ecological impact of non-native earthworms could potentially affect a wide variety of stakeholders. These include natural resource managers, timber harvesters, anglers, recreational visitors, and residents. Through this project, we aim to include diverse perspectives in the development of strategies to manage earthworms. For example, tourism is a large part of the economy of the Great Lakes region. Annually, thousands of birders come to observe birds that breed in northern forests, while ATV enthusiasts seek to expand the trail systems available to them. Inclusion of these stakeholders in the development of strategies to limit earthworm introduction may allow for the continued enjoyment of northern hardwood forests by both groups. In addition, the forest products industry aims to manage these forests for sustainability and profit. Limiting the spread of earthworms could require prescriptions for logging equipment hygiene (i.e., washing and/or freezing), harvest timing (i.e., winter-only for some forest types), or other actions specific to forest type based on risk assessment. By bringing together potentially affected stakeholders plus the most complete science available, we can develop effective strategies to deal with the threat of non-native earthworms.

The time is ideal for a collaborative synthesis of the current state of knowledge on non-native earthworms in North America. Research has been ongoing for years and conclusions are being formulated. Forest managers across the Great Lakes region are anxious to use a synthesis of emerging research to help develop strategies and techniques to prevent and limit future earthworm invasions. Forest managers also hope to explore methods for mitigation and restoration of sites that are already heavily impacted. More to come!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha NF landscape analysis experiences help U.S. A.I.D. program in Republic of Niger]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3851 Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3851 9

Story submitted by Dave Maercklein, Staff Officer for Ecosystem and Fire.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the largest non-military provider of US aid to countries needing assistance. The guidelines for donating this aid are set forth in the Foreign Assistance Act. A requirement of this act is that no aid program should have detrimental effects to the biological diversity and sustainability of natural resources of the host country. To identify and prevent adverse effects, biological diversity assessments are prepared for every nation receiving US aid. These assessments are similar to landscape assessments completed on National Forests with the difference being the landscape is the entire country.

These assessments identify biodiversity and forestry assets in the country, discuss the impact of USAID activities, and identify actions within current and future programs where USAID could promote conservation. More than a legal requirement, these assessments can provide important advice to help guide proposed programs toward a more sustainable use of the country's renewable natural resources. To help USAID with it's aid program in Niger, Dave Maercklein, ecosystems team leader for the Hiawatha National Forest and former Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger ('75 - '78) recently prepared the biological diversity assessment for Niger (http://www.encapafrica.org/documents/biofor/Niger%20118_119.pdf).

Niger is currently listed as the poorest country in the world with an estimated 61 percent of the population living on one U.S. dollar per day, and much of that population depending on agricultural activities for survival. Niger has experienced more than 40 years of persistent drought, and falls within a sub-arid climatological zone south of, and including, the Sahara Desert. Historically rural in nature, the population has experienced a five fold population growth since gaining independence from France in 1960. Today, Niger's economy is focused primarily on subsistence agriculture, livestock grazing, and uranium mining. Since 1972, Niger has been able to grow enough food to meet the country's demand for on an average of three out of 15 years so depends heavily upon food aid assistance from other countries.

Niger's natural resources are threatened by both environmental and human activities. Persistent drought and encroaching desertification are punctuated with periods of severe drought. Pressure from population growth and the corresponding increased demand for agricultural products are threatening an ever-diminishing natural resource base. Land and soil degradation in agro-pastoral areas and oases, shifting sands and soil erosion, and deforestation of remaining vegetative resources due to overgrazing and land clearing for agriculture all decrease the ability for the natural environment to support native flora and fauna, and migratory populations of birds and animals. Changes in the water table and salinization of areas surrounding irrigated agriculture also contribute to the decline in productivity and the overall health of ecosystems.

Niger has established key protected areas to help safeguard its biological resources that now comprise eight percent of the total territory of the country. Niger has the largest population of elephants, buffalos, giraffes, and large ungulates of West Africa. Primary threats to endangered species include over-exploitation of resources through poaching and increasing pressures of agriculture and grazing activities onto a limited land base. Increased fragmentation of natural habitats is particularly detrimental for migratory wildlife and for threatened species found throughout the region. In addition, the negative impacts of mining industries present significant threats of pollution and related impacts.

Niger possesses few remaining forest resources, and these are disappearing at an alarming rate. Forest cover makes up less than four percent of Niger's national territory. Another six percent is made up of lands classified as a wooded savannah. There is no large-scale forest industry in Niger, despite attempts to establish forest plantations to counter desertification and soil erosion. Threats to these forested areas include drought, overgrazing, and clearing for agriculture.

Soil erosion and degradation resulting from overgrazing and harvesting of trees for firewood and building materials are to blame for desertification impacting crop fields, irrigated garden plots, and villages. Since the forests have decreased along with wetland areas, there are limited natural refuges for wildlife and migratory birds. In the Niger River valley, the extent of land under cultivation together with poor drainage practices are the main causes of soil deterioration and loss of productivity.

As bleak as it may appear, there is hope for Niger. In the past 20 years in some rural areas of Niger, there has been an increase of tree coverage ranging from 10 to 20 times with at least 250,000 hectares of degraded land have been thus reclaimed and restored to crop production. Farmers in these areas are beginning to protect and manage naturally regenerated trees and shrubs in their crop fields. Lands with increased tree densities includes regeneration of nitrogen fixing Gao trees (Faidherbia albida) over extensive areas, and windbreaks to protect the soil from wind erosion caused by the harmaton winds off the Sahara. The effects of this increased tree densities on the rural communities has been:

* A greater positive outlook, greater self-reliance, improved social status of women, and increased capacities;

* Crop fields with increased yields, greater supplies of fire wood and fodder, and larger livestock herds;

* Increased household income, food security, and reduced vulnerability to drought;

* Increased land values and improved access to land, and income generation for women, widows, and landless poor; and

* Reduced out-migration of youth and migrant labor to urban areas.

This transformation on these lands and communities are the results of a variety of programs that have increased investing in people creating opportunities for improved livelihood and attention to enabling conditions. The initial response to the droughts of the 1970's consisted of food aid, health care and assistance with reforestation including village forests and fire wood plantations. In the 1980's, there was a programmatic shift with more attention to micro-finances, literacy training, enterprise development, update to laws and policies, economic incentives and creating partnerships. As a result, farmers and the rural populations have taken interest and invest in natural resource management because of the changing options related to their environment. For example, there has been a changed perception about rights to trees from State ownership to individual property rights. And, cumulative results and impacts associated with 40 years of investments in natural resources by aid donors and developmental assistance agencies.

As an ex-Peace Corps volunteer in Niger with continued interest and concern, learning of these changes is encouraging and gratifying because maybe we were successful by playing a small part in the cumulative efforts of improving the livelihoods of the people of Niger.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners Host 5th Annual Wheelin' Sportsmen Event on Wayne NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3857 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3857 9

The Wayne National Forest and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) held the fifth annual Wheelin' Sportsmen fishing day at Lake Vesuvius on April 3rd, 2008. This was the very popular fishing day's fifth year. Many local residents commented on how they thought this event is great, especially for providing the physically challenged individuals the opportunity to fish and enjoy the outdoors.

The event was a success with partners like the Ohio DNR, Ohio University and Nature Center, Collins Career, NWTF and the Lawrence County Bass Club. It did rain during the event, but enthusiastic anglers still stayed and fished for the hungry trout.

An estimated 70 Wheelin' Sportsmen participated in this event. Forest Service employees from Ironton, Athens, and Marietta aided the participants with baiting hooks and casting lines.

According to Robert Burcham, president of the Ohio State Chapter of the NWTF "This event was another great success with all the hard work from everybody and especially all of the participants." The boardwalk continues to be great for accommodating the fishing participants, and provides ample space for wheelchairs. The Wheelin' Sportsmen program is going strong and is a great outreach for the physically challenged individuals.

Howie Damron was on hand to sing the National Anthem. The Lawrence County Commissioners proclaimed April 3rd as the Wheelin' Sportsmen Fishing day in Lawrence County. Troy Conley, the NWTF Regional Coordinator in Ohio was also on hand to let everybody know that he appreciated the fish that were stocked by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

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EddieParkepark@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Two Trackers 4 Wheel Drive Club's Annual Earth Day Clean Up on the Baldwin/White Cloud RD]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3855 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3855

This year marked the 10 year anniversary of the Two Trackers 4 Wheel Drive Club's Annual Earth Day Clean Up. The group received the Golden Presidential Service Award: Take Pride in America for volunteering over 4,000 person hours over the past 10 years.

They began with one site located on the southern portion of the Huron-Manistee National Forests and have adopted almost 12,000 acres of land in three townships. During the past 10 years they have picked up 650 yards of trash, 2,255 tires, 111,000 shingles, 189 gallons of used oil, 2 junk vehicles and 1 stolen vehicle.

During a short presentation during lunch, District Ranger Les Russell and NEPA Planner Chris Fredericks presented the group with an award and read a letter from President Bush commending the group for their years of service to the Forest and the community.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Stewardship Contracting a Success on the Allegheny NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3843 Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3843

Through diligent, hard work by all parties involved, the Allegheny National Forest's first stewardship contract has produced substantial results. A variety of work was performed at five campsites at the Beaver Meadows Recreation Area to improve drainage and correct erosion and sedimentation problems at the recreation area.

The Allegheny exchanged timber volume for the improvements. In exchange for doing the work, timber was removed from about 10 acres within the 50-acre contract area. Some thinning was accomplished along with the salvage of timber that was down and/or damaged after a wind-throw event. In keeping with the spirit of improving problems with soils at the site, logs were skidded using a team of horses. For a smaller project such as this, horses are an ideal way to minimize soil compaction and reduce the widths of skid trails.

Firth Maple Products was awarded the contract and employed long-standing philosophies to accomplish the work. Both the timber removal and campsite improvements improve public safety at the campground by reducing hazardous fuels and removing hazard trees and by improving conditions at individual campsites. Of course natural resources benefit as well.

Given that this was the Allegheny's first venture into Stewardship End Result Contracting, it was a learning process for the staff.

Diane Peffer, an Allegheny Natural Resources Data Management Specialist, shepherded the contract through the process, overcoming many obstacles along the way.

"Without Diane's hard work and dedication, this project never would have come to fruition," said David Cotterman, a Timber Sale Administrator on the Marienville Ranger District.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[2008 ENVIROTHON focuses on Recreations Impacts on Natural Resources]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3852 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3852 9

Across North America this spring found high school students studing resources related to recreational impacts on natural resources. Each year the Envirothon - a competition held across the US and Canada sponsored by Canon, the Forest Service, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, focuses on core subjects: forestry, soil, wildlife, and aquatics. Then one current issue is selected annually at the national level. For 2008, the issue was recreational impacts on natural resources. High School students across the county in 4-5 person teams representing their school science classes, 4H, or FFA group compete first in regional contests and then at the State level. The winning team at the State level goes on to the North American competition held this year in Arizona.

Teena Ligman, Public Affairs Specialist on the Hoosier, had helped with Indiana's Envirothon before, so when Indiana's Envirothon Committee heard what the current issue was, they immediately called Ligman and asked if she'd take the lead in the current issue. Ligman agreed saying, "It was an amazing experience. I wrote the questions for both the regional and state contests and developed the presentation that was given at the six regional Envirothons in Indiana." Since two of the regional events ended up being held on the same day Stacy Duke lent a hand and gave the presentation at one of the events.

Ligman explained that each of the regional events is organized by local Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Educators. Each all-day regional event draws an average of 20 teams which attend a series of presentations on five topics and then are tested on each subject, including a hands-on component. "It was an incredible opportunity for us to tell the story about impacts caused by recreation on public lands." Ligman explained, I tailored my presentation to Indiana and talked about the impacts to caves, karst and to wetlands and watersheds as well as all the usual impacts of recreation; but across North America each state was doing the same thing."

The top three teams, (four if there were any ties) from each of the regional competitions went to the state competition held at the Minnetrista Cultural Center in Muncie, Indiana. "This," said Ligman "Is where it REALLY gets cool." Each team at the state competition had to take another version of a test on each of the five core subjects including an outdoor component with test questions. "But the real meat of the competition was the presentation," said Ligman.

Each team was required to do a 20 minute presentation. The problem they were given was to select a tract of public land in their local community that was under-developed and to assume the role of a planning committing to develop a recreational plan for the property. Every member of the team had to participate equally and make use of maps, photographs, zoning ordinances, budgets, graphs, etc. "Those presentations were phenomenal!" said Ligman. The committee posed as the town planning board that they had to present their plan to, and served as the judges for the presentation. "It was really hard to pick, because there were so many amazing presentations and those kids had worked so hard on their presentations," said Ligman. "I swear they had put as much time into their plans as we do some of our environmental assessments and tried to think of everything that we might ask, and gotten opinions and facts from experts in different fields. It was just very impressive how hard those teams had worked on their plans and how they'd dug into the project and really come up with some great ideas."

Ligman said people often wonder if people are listening when they make presentations. As she sat with the judges listening to the presentations she was pleased how many of the techniques and suggestions she'd made in her presentation weeks before at the regional competitions had been wrapped into different recreation plans. "One judge said they didn't know where that boot brush station idea came from, but boot brush stations to wipe invasive seeds off shoes at trailheads showed up in almost every plan," said Ligman. "It made me laugh because that was one of the examples I gave for mitigating invasive problems. She said there were also a lot of signs proposed to warn fishermen not to dump their bait or requiring anglers to buy their bait at the local nature center. "It did my heart good to know that the kids had gotten several of the messages!"

A team from Clinton County won the Envirothon for 2008. They scored high marks on the written tests but clinched the competition with their presentation to take an abandoned industrial park and dump and clean it up and create a city park and ball field. "This group had their presentation choreographed down to the minute and had done an incredible amount of research on how to accomplish their goal including paving their parking lot with a new material that absorbs rainwater - so as not to disrupt the watershed." Ligman acknowledges that though the Envirothon teams may have learned from her, it was inconsequential to what she learned from them.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hoosier Purchases Land for Administrative Site]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3850 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3850 9

The land for the future Brownstown Ranger District/Supervisor's Office administrative site was acquired on April 15, 2008. The United States acquired 43.88 acres of land and ingress/egress easements for $430,000. The site is located between Bedford and Mitchell on the west side of SR 37. It is one-half mile south of Roots RV.

Approximately 25 acres are covered with hardwood trees, while the remainder is open land with scattered hardwood trees. The rolling topography has ten sinkholes scattered throughout the property. Seven of the sinkholes are located on the north portion of the 25-acre wooded piece. There is sufficient land for an administrative building, three warehouses, employee and visitor parking, barn, pasture, and corral. An additional feature could include an interpretive/employee wellness trail.

An Office Site Development Team (OSDT) was charged with looking for available sites and determining which site would best meet the Hoosier's needs. The initial criteria included: minimum of 10 acres, along SR 37 or easily accessible and visible from SR 37, water or sewer located on or near the property, and within Lawrence County. A prospectus was drafted which included the features that would be required for a ranger district and supervisor's office, including office, warehouses, parking, barn, corral, pasture, and possibly a heliport and temporary employee housing. Five properties were dropped from further consideration due to poor access or location, lack of developable acreage, or speculative pricing. Four sites were brought forward for further analysis and ranked. The Architect and Facility Manager of the Eastern Region Technical Services team met with the OSDT to review their findings and process. The Architect and Facility Manager's findings concurred with the ODST's findings.

The purchase process included many challenges, including obtaining Secretary of Agriculture approval to purchase the property, obtaining funding, and working to obtain a clear title through contact with various oil and gas companies to obtain no surface development on the property and defining the location of vaguely described utility easements.

The next phase will be the design phase and obtaining facility funding. However, this is based on Regional priorities and currently there is no timeline for this phase. Early in the process employees may make design suggestions during a design "cherette." Most likely "green" building techniques and native stone will be incorporated into the design of the facility.

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KellyWeigelkweigel@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New Field Guide Targets Non-Native Invasive Species]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3847 Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3847 9

They may be creeping into your yard, dropping from the sky, or even riding along, undetected on your clothing, outdoor equipment, or boat. Exotic plants and animals known as non-native invasive species (NNIS) are threatening our forests, our waters, and wildlife habitat. These aggressive "aliens" do not respect ownership boundaries, state lines, or even international borders.

As they spread across the landscape, they can irreversibly alter natural habitats and replace the native plants and animals that belong there.

The Superior National Forest has a unique opportunity to limit the economic, environmental, and social impacts caused by NNIS. Compared to other Midwestern states, the Eastern Region has relatively low levels of NNIS infestation. However, this could change quickly without help from the public.

To help spread the word about stopping NNIS, the Superior teamed up with the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness and REI, Inc., to produce a new field guide that is specific to our area. In addition to color photos and descriptions to help the reader recognize NNIS that may be found on the Forest, this pocket-size guide includes tips on how not to help these exotic pests spread. There is also a pull-out post card in the guide for people to use to report sightings of NNIS.

Every person that picks up a Wilderness permit or requests information from the Forest receives a copy of the guide. Copies of the guide are also being distributed by the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. The entire guide, including a quick click to report sightings, is posted on the Non-native Invasive Species section of the Superior National Forest web site: www.fs.fed.us/r9/superior.

During the first season, the guide was a "hit" and literally flew off the shelf. The reprint for 2008 will extend references to include Ontario, Canada where land managers are concerned about many of the same species.

This is another example of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goals of "Connecting Citizens to the Land" and "Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries."

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Protecting Air Quality on the Superior National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3846 Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3846 9

Air pollutants have the potential to degrade forest resources in a number of ways, including visibility impairment, mercury contamination of fish, acid deposition, and direct injury to vegetation. The Superior National Forest (SNF) is addressing these concerns with a twofold approach: monitoring conditions on the Forest and participation in the air quality regulatory process.

The SNF directly monitors the effects of air pollution from sources inside and outside the Forest by measuring the chemistry of the air and precipitation, and indirectly by monitoring the health of sensitive parts of the ecosystem. Since the late 1970s, continuous monitoring of air quality and precipitation has taken place at the Fernberg station located 20 miles east of Ely, Minnesota.

Due to this long data record, the station provides invaluable information regarding trends over time as well as tracking existing conditions. Data from the Fernberg station also adds to regional and national tracking of air quality. In addition, the Forest uses mobile monitoring stations during wildfire and prescribed fire to monitor smoke levels.

Along with direct monitoring of air quality the Forest partners with other agencies and organizations on various studies regarding secondary effects of air pollutants particularly mercury deposition. One example is a continuing partnership between the Forest Service and State of Minnesota to capture and analyze fish as part of the statewide monitoring program.

A preliminary report indicates a decrease in mercury levels in approximately half of sampled lakes while levels have increased in a quarter of the lakes sampled and stayed the same in the rest since cooperative monitoring began in the 1970s.

Some work was accomplished as part of a different study, funded through the Federal Joint Fire Sciences Program, which focuses on determining if and how prescribed burning in the BWCAW affects lake chemistry and whether any associated change occurs in the amount of mercury in fish in those lakes.

In July 2005, a crew of Forest Service employees, tribal members, volunteers, and contractors captured and released loons on selected lakes across the Superior National Forest. This survey was part of a national cooperative effort led by the Biodiversity Institute to determine the amount of mercury in loons throughout North America.

Because loons primarily feed on fish, body, blood and feather samples collected from chicks and adults are tested for mercury and lead as an indication of contamination in the lakes they frequent.

Data collected during monitoring is also critical information for our participation in the air regulatory process. Two pieces of Federal legislation are the basis for SNF's participation in the air quality regulatory process.

The first is the Clean Air Act which gives national forests with wildernesses classified as "Class I" certain legal rights such as notification of new industrial sources locating nearby and consideration of the Forest's comments on the impacts of the source by the permitting agency. These Forests have an "an affirmative responsibility" to protect the visibility and other resources affected by air quality.

For example, in 1977 Congress set the following goal in the Clean Air Act to improve visibility: "Congress hereby declares as a national goal the prevention of any future, and the remedying of any existing, impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I Federal areas which impairment results from man-made air pollution." Congress recognized that experiencing clean, clear air was important to visitors to these areas.

The second piece of Federal legislation is the Wilderness Act, under which the Forests have the responsibility to administer their Wilderness areas to maintain their Wilderness character and natural conditions. Air pollution can degrade the natural character of wildernesses. Consideration and mitigation of the Forest Service's concerns is accomplished by working with state permitting agencies and EPA through the issuance of air emission permits for each new facility and on comprehensive air management plans.

The Forest's comments are considered by the relevant permitting agencies in setting emission limits and other conditions (such as adding pollution control equipment) in the permits and plans issued. The SNF's ability to work well with a multitude of partners including regulators, industry, consultants, interest groups, and citizens has led to innovative approaches to reducing air pollution from the local industrial base.

In addition to commenting on permits for individual facilities, the SNF is actively involved with other agencies in a holistic approach to addressing two issues of particular concern: visibility and mercury. Minnesota has recently proposed draft plans to reduce visibility (i.e. Regional Haze) and mercury impairment.

For example: Over the past two years the Forest Service has worked with its partners (National Park Service, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, EPA, and advocacy groups) to develop a comprehensive plan to address the explosive growth of new industrial development adjacent to Minnesota Class I areas.

This effort has lead to development of a Northeast Minnesota (NE MN) Plan which is part of the draft MN State Regional Haze Plan. The NE MN Plan was developed in an effort both to streamline the new source permitting process, and to move from a source-by-source approach to a cumulative assessment approach in analyzing potential impacts to visibility.

To the best of our knowledge, Minnesota is the only state going the extra step to address new source growth in this way in its regional haze plan. Visibility in the Minnesota Class I areas is predicted to improve by 2018 due to enforcement of federal and state emission control programs.

The challenge for the future will be to manage additional growth on the Iron Range in such a way that visibility and other air quality conditions are protected.

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Stocking of small lake insures successful fishing experiences for everyone]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3844 Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3844

Contributed by Tom Moris, Wildlife Biologist, Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

Top Photo: The trout were hand-carried from live wells to the lake in 5-gallon buckets

Bottom Photo: Troute being released into Little Cub Lake

The Forest has been actively managing Little Cub Lake for over 15 years to maintain water quality. The lake has been treated each year with 1000 pounds of lime to keep the water's pH near neutral. Tests on the water quality were conducted in 2007 and indicated the pH levels were almost perfect for trout. To determine if the lake had winter kill, a common occurrence in some small bog lakes, dissolved oxygen levels were measured at the end of March 2008 and were at an acceptable level. Some years small numbers of trout are caught between 10-12 inches, indicating they survived over the winter.

Little Cub Lake is a bog lake that has no inlet or outlet, making it a perfect candidate for stocking brook trout. This year 1,000 7 to 8 inch brook trout were placed in the lake. It has been managed as a "put, grow, and take" trout lake for more than 15 years. The term "put, grow, and take" means that the lake is stocked with about 1000 7-8 inch brook trout with the specific intent that they will be fished for and utilized by the public. The stocking contributes to approximately 180 anglers per year. A fishing license and trout stamp from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) is required, and for this lake the daily bag limit is 5 trout with no size limit - if it's caught, it can be kept.

The WDNR is responsible for stocking this lake. They have been very pro-active in their stocking efforts. As an example, this year's fish came from the WDNR Brule hatchery which is outside the Lake Michigan watershed. This alleviated the threat of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), known to occur in the Lake Michigan watershed.

The lake can be reached by a 200-yard, freshly graveled foot trail off Bear Lake Road near Bear Lake Campground in southeastern Forest County. A parking area for five cars is available at the trailhead at no charge.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee National Forest Volunteers Receive Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Awards]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3873 Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3873 9

By Jennifer Sublett

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C) traditionally selects students and registered student organizations to recognize for their dedication to service and leadership. This year, Shawnee National Forest shared in celebrating the successes of students, particularly the SIU-C Geography Club, for their volunteer work during Shawnee National Forest trail workdays and participation in the Forest's Adopt-A-Trail program on the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District.

The Saluki Volunteer Corps and Environmental Ambassador Award for service above and beyond the expected was awarded to Anita Eckhart, Leah Otten and Karen Clauson. The Award recipients were required to complete at least 30 hours of volunteer service on environmentally-based programs, whether it was working to improve the sustainability of a wilderness trail on the Shawnee National Forest, planting trees at the local park or picking up trash along the highway.

Through a successful and ever-expanding partnership with the Saluki Volunteer Corps (Corps) at SIU-C, student Corps volunteers have attended volunteer workdays and participated in trail maintenance, construction and the clean-up effort at Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds located on the grounds of the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger Station. These service opportunities brought out dedicated and curious students. Some had never participated in trail projects, but for others it was part of ongoing environmental stewardship work. Both experienced and inexperienced volunteers learned trail skills, made new friends and developed a connection to the land.

Leah Otten took the initiative to organize students at the SIU Newman Catholic Center to volunteer at the Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds. Through her organization and dedication efforts, and the hours the SIU-C and local volunteers spent at the site, they successfully cleared away brush and branches, picnic tables were painted and the butterfly garden was re-planted in time for the 150th Lincoln and Douglas Celebration in September 2008.

The Geography Club at SIU-C became Shawnee National Forest volunteers in January of 2007. They adopted the Little Grand Canyon on the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District and do maintenance there every fall and spring. The Forest is pleased with the partnership. Professor Julie Weinert, the sponsor of the Geography Club mirrors this sentiment saying, "The Geography Club's relationship with the USFS through the Adopt-A-Trail program has provided a great opportunity for SIU-C students to become involved in environmental service. I look forward to working with the U. S. Forest Service for years to come."

Janel Spaulding, a past Geography Club President, received the Registered Student Organization Outstanding Officer Award at SIU-C. Janel was nominated by the Forest for her past and present work initiating and carrying through the process of establishing a strong and lasting partnership between the Club and the Forest, as well as her leadership in coordinating with other community organizations to provide them with a ready force of volunteers.

Partnerships with the Geography Club and the Saluki Volunteer Corps help sustain and provide justification for working partnerships and volunteers and the effect they have on the health and sustainability of forest resources in southern Illinois. We look forward to celebrating future successes with volunteers who walk the talk of sustainability.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Programmatic Agreement Streamlines Compliance with National Preservation Act]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3845 Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3845

The Shawnee National Forest and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois have developed a Programmatic Agreement (Agreement) to streamline the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 compliance for a program of prescribed burning. The burning program - an important environmental effort - is designed to set controlled fires on hundreds of acres of Forest Service lands to reduce hazardous fuels and promote the growth of desirable vegetation. The burning program covers thousands of acres annually and has the potential to adversely affect historic properties. The Agreement provides a streamlined approach to this process and will enable the Forest Service to reduce costs and time associated with consultation and identification efforts on federal lands.

Specifically, the agreement allows the Forest Service, during the implementation of its prescribed burning program, to consolidate the initial steps (identification, evaluation, and assessment of effects) of the Section 106 process without consulting with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) on a case-by-case basis. The agreement also establishes a series of standard treatments which, if employed, will permit the Forest Service units involved to have a no adverse effect determination and not require case-by-case consultation. The agreement establishes how the Forest will use the National Environmental Policy Act process, and other means as necessary, to facilitate public participation and identification of consulting parties. The Agreement also establishes a program of submitting annual reports to the SHPO and consulting Native American tribes.

This Agreement is an excellent example of the Shawnee National Forest and the Midewin Tall Grass Prairie working together with the State Historic Preservation Office in revolutionizing effectiveness and efficiency to meet compliance requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act.

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MaryMcCorvieMmccorvie@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Take a look and you might find! Botanists locate a new population of Fassett's locoweed]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3842 Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3842

Submitted by Steven Spickerman, Zone Plant Ecologist, Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

Top photo: Fassett's locoweed

Center photo: Fassett's locoweed habitat on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

Bottom Photo: Annual monitoring includes invasive plant control such as hand ulling Canada thistle.

Fassett's locoweed (Oxytropis campestris (L.) DC. Var chartacea (Fassett) Barneby) is a rare member of the legume family endemic or known only to the state of Wisconsin. This species was listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1988 and is listed as endangered by the Wisconsin Bureau of Endangered Resources. Fassett's locoweed was first observed and described in Wisconsin in 1928 from Bayfield County's Pigeon Lake, located in the northwestern part of the state. This site was last observed in 1934. It was again recorded in Wisconsin from several locations in the central part of the state in the mid 1930's and again from several more central state locations in the late 1960's, 1978, and 1990. These sites, totaling 8, were regarded as the plants only extant sites globally and are more than 240 km south of the original site at Pigeon Lake.

Enter Donn Ambrose and Kristin Westad, seasonal botanists who worked for the U.S. Forest Service on the Chequamegon National Forest in the early 1990's. One of Ambrose and Westad's tasks during the 1992 field season was to monitor known rare plant sites. Although Pigeon Lake, which is on the Washburn Ranger District of the Chequamegon National Forest, had not yielded Fassett's locoweed in nearly 60 years, the lakeshore was home to several populations of the state endangered legume alpine milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus). After monitoring the milkvetch populations, Ambrose and Westad decided to take a look at a nearby lakeshore that at least on aerial photos had similar looking habitat. As it turns out, they were perhaps the first botanists to walk the half mile from the well known Pigeon Lake site to a lake as yet surveyed and were rewarded by what they found!

When they broke out of the mixed conifer and hardwood forest onto a sand and cobble beach of a small seepage lake on that late June day, they were immediately confronted with the rose-pink flowers of Fassett's locoweed in full bloom. Subsequent surveys over the next few days revealed 591 individual plants scattered from just above the waterline to just inside the forest edge along several hundred meters of shoreline. Alpine milvetch, a relative of Fassett's locoweed and previously known in the state only from its sites at Pigeon Lake was also found in this new location.

Over the past 15 years, U.S. Forest Service botanists have continued to monitor rare plants at this Bayfield County site with continued rewards. Monitoring in 2007 brought the Fassett's locoweed population to well over 1000 total plants. Additionally, the alpine milvetch population has doubled and three additional plants regarded as rare in Wisconsin, Huperzia selago, Huperzia xjosephbeitelli, and Senecio congestus, have also been found at the site. Fassett's locoweed has also returned to its original site at Pigeon Lake with a single plant found in 2006.

This exceptional rare plant site has now been protected through the forest planning process, being recognized as a "Special Management Area" in the 2004 Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan. These areas are characterized by their unique and significant physical, biological, or cultural features and include areas noted for their botanical values. Annual site monitoring helps to insure that this unique area remains intact.

This special rare plant site indeed owes a note of thanks to Donn Ambrose and Kristin Westad for taking that extra look.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Beetles to Wage War on Noxious Weed]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3841 Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3841 9

The Leith Run Embayment is an important nursery area for Ohio River fishes, such as smallmouth bass and sauger. It is also one of the Wayne National Forest's Nature Viewing sites, offering nature enthusiasts opportunities to see a variety of birds and wetland animals. Unfortunately, the integrity of the embayment is being threatened by a non-native invasive species - purple loosestrife.

Purple loosestrife, a native of Eurasia, is a perennial herb that can grow from 4-10 feet high and produces a showy display of magenta-colored flower spikes throughout much of the summer. It readily adapts to natural and disturbed wetlands. As it establishes and expands, it outcompetes and replaces native grasses, sedges, and other flowering plants that provide a higher quality source of nutrition for wildlife. The highly invasive nature of purple loosestrife allows it to form dense, homogeneous stands that restrict native wetland plant species and reduce habitat for waterfowl and other birds.

The Forest Service has embarked on a multi-year effort to control the spread of this species through the use of tiny beetles. "We are going to introduce leaf-feeding purple loosestrife beetles to the Leith Run embayment as a biological control method", said Cheryl Coon, Forest Botanist. "These beetles also come from Eurasia and are host-specific to purple loosestrife, meaning they feed only on these plants. They feed on its leaves and buds and weaken the plants".

"We are currently rearing beetles for release into the Leith Run embayment this summer", stated Nick Galentin, Botany Technician. Nearly 100 purple loosestrife plants from the embayment were dug up and placed in pots. Wayne National Forest employees traveled 4 hours north to the Lake Erie marshes and hand collected over 1,000 adult beetles from a previous beetle introduction site at the Ohio Division of Wildlife's Mallard Club Wildlife Area. The plants and beetles were placed in three special rearing structures at the Wayne's Supervisor's Office.

The captured beetles are actively feeding on the potted purple loosestrife plants and have begun mating. "The adults we collected will live for a couple months and during that time each female beetle can lay up to 10 eggs a day, for a period of 20-30 days. If we do the math, the 1,000 adult beetles we collected and cared for could produce over 100,000 for our Leith Run embayment introduction effort", exclaimed Galentin.

In July or August, the potted plants and newly emerged beetles will be placed in specific areas of the Leith Run embayment. "The beetles will begin to feed on the purple loosestrife in the embayment, and then burrow into the soil and leaf litter during the winter", stated Coon. "It is our hope that the life cycle will begin once again next spring as the adults emerge at Leith Run, lay their eggs, and produce a new generation of hungry larvae and adult beetles".

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RebeccaEwingrewing@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa National Forest Tree Planting Serves a Unique Purpose]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3904 Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3904 9

Last month, employees from the Ottawa National Forest planted trees. In a forest of millions of trees, that could seem like an odd thing. After all, trees have been growing in the North Woods by themselves for about 10,000 years. But, the purpose of the planting was to prevent something else from growing: non-native invasive weeds.

At the end of a forest road near the Presque Isle River, a former gravel pit was starting to be taken over by knapweed, a non-native invasive species. Instead of repeated applications of herbicide, Wildlife Biologist Brian Bogaczyk decided to lay siege to the weeds by depriving them of food and water. He chose jack pine and white pine as his weapons.

The jack pine were planted on the drier sides of the pit and along the rocky bottom; white pines were planted in more moderate conditions. With casualties predicted to be high, these trees were planted only a few feet apart.

Forest Service employees Sean Dunlap, Amy Rockwell, Randall Wollenhaup, Scott Pearson, Brian, and Melanie Fullman planted about 1,500 trees at the 2-acre pit in the course of about 4 hours. The technique for planting so many trees must be simple, not the more time-consuming dig-a-hole procedure one might employ in their own yard. Using a "hoedad", the planter swings the tool briskly into the earth and pulls back slightly to create a larger opening. A 2 year-old, bare root seedling is selected from a planting bag that the planter wears on his/her hip. The tiny tree is maneuvered into the narrow slot, making sure that all roots are fully in the hole and pointing down. The planter uses his/her heel to reclose the gap (called "heeling-in"), then moves on to the next planting site. Professional tree planters can plant a seedling every 5-10 seconds.

This planting project was funded by the Forest Service with Knudson-Vandenberg (KV) Funds. The Knutson-Vandenberg Act of 1930 established a constant source of funding for the Forest Service to reforest harvested lands. The act allows a portion of the receipts from timber sales to be put into a Trust Fund. In 1976, Congress expanded the use of these funds to include the protection and improvement of non-timber resources, such as fish and wildlife habitat, and outdoor recreation. Projects can include: piling and burning of logging debris to reduce the chance of wildfire; control of invasive species; surveys to determine if adequate restocking of trees has occurred naturally; tree planting; erosion control; harvesting or planting trees to improve wildlife habitat; construction of fish cribs; and, other similar activities. The money for this project, about $1,000, was collected as part of the Iris Timber Sale. Use of KV funds allows the Forest to complete many of these types of projects where needed.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Region 9 Offers All-virtual Training on NRIS Invasive Species and FACTS]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3821 Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3821 9

Where are all the students? What do you do when you offer a training session and no one shows up in person? No worries, if they are all participating virtually.

In a new experience for the Eastern Region, the first all-virtual, week-long training/workshop on an Natural Resource Information System (NRIS) application and Forest Service Activity Tracking System (FACTS) was held the week of April 21.

Students from across the Region were able to remain at their home offices, work from their own desktop PCs, and learn about the NRIS Threatened, Endangered and Sensitive Plants (TESP) Invasive Species application, set-up and use of Portable Data Recorder (PDR) for collecting invasive species inventory and treatment data, and gain first-hand experience using the ArcMap-based Geospatial Interface to get reports and summaries of their data out of the corporate system stored at FS-NITC and the I-Web in Kansas City, Missouri.

Additionally, students worked on their own real, live data, and received support for installing requisite software on their PCs, and PDRs. The training covered the data managment from begining to end, collection to output, in a modularized fashion, so that students could join for any day or section they needed.

Trainers from the WO NRIS did travel to Milwaukee, where, in a state-of-the-art training room, demonstrations were web-cast and students received support and "over-the-shoulder" help, using the training room PCs, which were connected back to the students' desktop PCs. Some of the what was accomplished:

* Approx. 15 Students from across the Region did NOT travel to Milwaukee, saving the Region about $30,000 in travel dollars;

* Approx. 15 Students not traveling meant that a reduction in the carbon footprint through reduced air travel and travel-related resource use.

* Loss of training knowledge (the "week-after syndrome") was minimized as students worked on real, live data on the production servers, set up and received support for their own PCs and PDRs with the requisite software that would take them through the complete data management process from collection, entry, manipulation and output.

* Students received hands-on support for problems with use and installation of the applications on their own, real systems, saving helpdesk tickets and resources.

* As a training experience, valuable lessons were learned in delivering quality training virutally, familiarity with communications software (web-casts), and planning and scheduling training modules.

Over the long run, through customer and trainer feedback, lessons will be learned continuously on how to make virtual sessions more effective and efficent, not to mention cost- and resource-saving. But, without a doubt, this was a successful first step.

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JosephMillerjbmiller@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Secretary of Agriculture Visits White Mountain NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3840 Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3840 10

The White Mountain National Forest recently hosted USDA Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer on his trip to New England. Secretary Schafer included a stop at the Bartlett Experimental Forest Field Station to celebrate National Volunteer Week where he awarded five White Mountain National Forest volunteers for their commitment and service to the Forest.

Each awardee received an official President's Volunteer Service Award lapel pin; a personalized certificate of achievement; a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States; and a letter from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Also attending the White Mountain National Forest event were Jim Bedwell, Director of Recreation, Heritage, and Volunteer Resources in the Washington Office, Kent Connaughton, Regional Forester Eastern Region, John Brisette, Project Leader, Northern Research Station, USFS, Bob Fitzhenry, Northeast Station, State and Private Forestry, USFS. Local and State officials also participated.

The following individuals were recognized:

o John D. Knieriem was honored for his long-term commitment to the Mt. Washington Volunteer Ski Patrol, receiving the President's Call to Service Award.

o Doug E. Mayer also received the Presidents Call to Service Award for his long term commitment to maintaining trails and facilities on the White Mountain National Forest.

o Robert B. Smith, Valerie E. Gray and John A. Gray each received silver level Presidential Volunteer Service awards for their continuous service to visitors and resources of the White Mountain National Forest.

In 2003, President Bush created the President's Council of Service and Civic Participation to find ways to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in our Nation. The President's Volunteer Service Program thanks and honors Americans, through their demonstrated commitment and example, who inspire others to volunteer.

Immediately following the volunteer ceremony, White Mountain National Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner, along with several White Mountain National Forest employees led a small group - Secretary Schafer, Director Jim Bedwell, and Regional Forester Kent Connaughton on a hike of the Sugarloaf Trail. The group also visited the construction site for the new Forest Headquarters and District Ranger Station being built to Silver "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED) certified construction standards.

All were very pleased to have an opportunity to take off the suit coat, put on their boots, and experience the White Mountain National Forest.

The Secretary proclaimed the hike as the highlight of his trip!

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha's Aquatic Passages Project Improves Murphy Creek]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3833 Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3833 9

Story submitted by David Silvieus, District Ranger

The primary purpose of the Murphy Creek Aquatic Passages project was to remove an aging culvert and the barrier the culvert posed to fish and aquatic organisms. The existing culvert was too small, and as a result the channel above the culvert was impeded and was wide, shallow and allowed sediment to settle in. The water coming out of the culvert was above the elevation of the stream and provided a barrier to fish and other organisms. The 8-foot metal culvert was replaced with a 36-foot concrete span prefabricated arch. Over time the channel above this crossing will narrow and deepen and return to a more natural condition similar to that downstream. The diversity of aquatic habitat will also increase. Funding for the project came primarily from the fish passage Congressional earmark-with a total cost of $661,000.

The Forest collaborated with the Schoolcraft County Road Commission, the US Postal Service, Schoolcraft County emergency services, Big Bay de Noc School District and the community to coordinate the timing of the construction and nature of the detour. Residents along the Thunder Lake Road were concerned about having a 12-mile detour from July 15 to October 20. Public meetings took place to describe the purpose and need for the concrete arch, and many residents understood the benefits and were willing to support the project.

Now that the project is complete we have an improved crossing and improved aquatic habitat in Murphy Creek. The success of this project may build public support for similar planned projects that will require detours.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Centennial Green finds a new home on public television]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3836 Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3836

April 21, 2008, was a day that went down in history for this special performance as it aired on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 36 for the first time. It will be shown again on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10 in June.

"Centennial Green: The Over and Understory of the Forest Service in Song" is a historical musical developed and written by Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua's Musical Director Warren Nelson to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Forest Service. Through a partnership with the Forest Service, Nelson was supplied with historical materials, photos, songs, photographs and films that provided him with the inspiration to tell the story and pay tribute to the men and women who care for 193 million acres of public forests and grasslands. Nelson was further inspired by a road trip through many National Forests in the eastern and southern regions of the United States. Centennial Green debuted under Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua's 900-seat tent theatre in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and became a part of their many original productions. The show was also performed at USDA's Jefferson Theatre in Washington, DC, and other venues throughout the Midwest.

Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) expressed an interest in recording the show to eventually broadcast in their 11-county viewing area. Centennial Green was filmed by MPTV in high-definition before a live audience at Milwaukee's historic Pabst Theatre in 2007 under the direction of Raul Galvan and Dan Braovac. Award winning U.S. Forest Service videographers Dave Steinke and Steve Dunsky (of The Greatest Good fame), teamed with MPTV to produce the movie Centennial Green and provide project direction. Pro Video Productions, Inc. of Duluth, Minnesota, provided additional film of Nelson exploring Wisconsin's Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to compliment the musical.

The performance, by Big Top's own Blue Canvas Orchestra, tells the story of the U.S. Forest Service through songs, readings, skits, scenic images and historic film footage.

The Centennial Green high-definition DVD will soon be available for purchase at Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua by calling 888-244-8368 and also at their web site, www.bigtop.org.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet recipient of More Kids In The Woods funding]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3835 Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3835

At a speech in Denver, Colorado on April 24, Gail Kimbell, Chief of the Forest Service, announced that the Chequamegon-Nicolet will be one of 16 Forest Service project leaders and their partners from around the country to receive funding through the "More Kids in the Woods" project. Partners in these projects represent schools, environmental and youth non-profit organizations, Native American Tribes, and other federal, state and local governments. The projects will help urban and rural children connect to the land in a hands-on way.

The Schoolyard Habitats Across Wisconsin - Sowing the seeds of Environmental Literacy and Stewardship project was developed by Project Leader Nicole Shutt, a Biological Science Technician on the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District. Involving two Districts on the Forest, the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center (NGLVC), the Region's Urban Connections Program, and 12 other partners, this project links urban and rural kids through distance learning, and brings student-directed ecosystem restoration to communities across Wisconsin. It will occur in the northeast, northwest, and southeast regions of the state from May 2008 to October 2011. On the Lakewood-Laona District, students at the Crandon, Laona, and Wabeno School Districts will create schoolyard habitats using field trips to National Forest lands, UW Madison Arboretum's Earth Partnership for School's (EPS) curriculum, Nicolet Distance Education Network's interactive television sessions (available state-wide), and help from Arts Vitally Enrich Communities (AVEC) and the Sokaogon (Mole Lake) Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. In addition, selected students will work alongside District personnel in service-learning summer internships. On the Washburn District, students at the Bayfield and Washburn Schools will create schoolyard habitats with the help of the District, EPS, NGLVC, and Northland College. In southeast Wisconsin, EPS, the Urban Ecology Center, and Urban Connections will be working with the Milwaukee Public Schools to restore habitats on their school grounds. AVEC will help all the students enlist support through community mural projects, and will also assist the students in creating a video program and companion book about their Schoolyard Habitat development. Meanwhile, EPS will provide teachers with training in schoolyard restorations and will start a new Facilitating Center to support the northeast part of the state. A Student Summit will occur in 2011, in which the students from the three regions will gather in the northwoods to share the results of their restorations and science inquiry projects. The Schools will donate some of the video/book sets to libraries (to encourage more people to restore natural landscapes) and will sell other sets for money to maintain the Habitats.

Forest Supervisor Jeanne Higgins was thrilled to hear this project was selected. "It is important for kids to understand the natural world and to know how important wildlands are to their quality of life. I want kids to know that forests provide clean air, clean water and multiple goods and services for their benefit and for the benefit of their future grandchildren and that the conservation of these lands is important. I want kids to experience the great outdoors, whether it is a remote wilderness or a spot of nature in the heart of a city."

According to the Forest's More Kids In the Woods Coordinator, Becky Dinsmore, "We were very honored to receive this since more than 270 proposals were considered for the awards nationally. The Forest Service sought proposals focused on underserved and urban youth; recreation and environmental stewardship; solid, broad-based partnerships; and innovative techniques. While many of the projects funded will take place on national forests, others aim to bring nature to children in their schoolyards and communities."

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Strong Winds Drive Hoxeyville Fire on the Huron-Manistee NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3832 Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3832

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, a wildfire was reported in South Branch Township, Hoxeyville, Michigan, burning in grass and hardwoods. With strong, gusty winds driving the fire, it consumed 133 acres in a short time. The fire burned 2 barns and 2 seasonal residences before it jumped 48 Road and continued to make another run. Several other structures were threatened but saved.

A joint effort of the U.S. Forest Service, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, six township fire departmanets, and the Salvation Army helped prevent the fire from reaching an even more destructive potential.

A Type 3 helicopter, contracted to the Forest Service, was dispatched to the fire and made numerous water drops, considerably slowing the head of the fire. One of the residents who lost his seasonal home, which he used for a deer camp, agreeed to an interview with a local television station and praised the Forest Service for their promptness, experience, and professionalism while fighting this fire.

The alleged cause of the fire was the dumping of ashes from an outdoor woodstove. The man responsible said he thought the ashes were extinguished when he dumped them on the ground.

The fire was contained late Wednesday evening and called controlled on the evening of April 17, 2008. There were no injuries during the course of this fire thanks to the interagency firefighting efforts and quick response.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[2007 Conservation Education Intern Team Connects with Milwaukee Youth]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3830 Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3830 9

The Forest Service's Eastern Regional Office Conservation Education Team reached over 3000 urban youth in the Milwaukee area from June through August 2007. The team, made up of four college students majoring in natural resources or elementary education, operated out of the America's Outdoors Center (USFS, NPS, BLM, USFWS and NRCS).

The interns visited sites such as the Urban Treehouse Site, Summerfest, Boys and Girls clubs, summer schools, YMCA's, the Hispanic community Center, and other community centers, sharing nature programs aimed at helping the youth appreciate nature and make a connection between local greenspaces and our federal lands.

The diligent work of the Conservation Ed Team went a long way towards meeting the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Connecting Citizens to the Land."

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JeanClaassenjclaassen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Woodsy Owl Earth Day Visit]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3828 Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3828 9

Woodsy Owl visited with over 200 4-6 year-old students at Cumberland School in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, on Earth Day, April 22, 2008, to share his inspiring message with the exuberant kindergarteners.

Jean Claassen from the America's Outdoors Center opened the visit by talking with the children about Earth Day, the importance of gettting outside to play, animals who depend on forested areas, and Woodsy's message of "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle."

Then Woodsy made his grand entrance and, along with Jean, led the children in an excercise of growing from a seed to a full-grown tree. Hands shot up into the air when Jean asked if any of the kids had questions for Woodsy. The children each had a chance to shake hands or give Woodsy Owl a hug as they headed back to their classrooms.

Woodsy's visit is in keeping with the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Connecting Citizens to the Land."

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JeanClaassenjclaassen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Participate in Community Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3827 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3827 9

Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl visited the Marquette University Day Care Center along with the Milwaukee Fire Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department, and other public service groups to celebrate Community Day on April 15.

The event was held throughout the morning in the parking lot next to the Day Care Center. Other attendees were the US Navy ROTC, Milwaukee Public Works, and Marquette University Public Safety.

Classes took turns coming out to the parking lot to visit each station, meet the firefighters and sheriff, and learn more about the vehicles and equipment each of the agency's use. Over 100 children were able to visit with Smokey and Woodsy and learn about fire prevention and how to "Lend a Hand and Care for the Land."

"We were so excited to get Smokey and Woodsy to take part in our annual Community Day," said Kari Westemeier, an instructed at the day care center. "The children were simply enthralled by their presence."

This visit is in keeping with the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of "Connecting Citizens to the Land."

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JeanClaassenjclaassen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[America's Outdoors Center Participates in Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sportshow]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3826 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3826 9

America's Outdoors Center (FS,NPS, BLM, USFWS and NRCS) participated in the annual 2008 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sportshow, which ran from March 12-16, 2008, at State Fair Park in Milwaukee. The estimated attendance at the Sportshow was in excess of 100,000.

The America's Outdoors booth featured a display about America's Outdoor Center and one about recreation opportunities on public lands across the country. Tables displayed information on: federal lands in WI, federal lands across the US, careers in natural resources, and Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl.

Smokey Bear made weekend appearances at the show. The booth was staffed by employees and family members from USFS, BLM, NPS, USFWS, and several volunteers.

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JeanClaassenjclaassen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Planting of American Chestnut on the Wayne National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3825 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3825 9

The Wayne National Forest's Ironton Ranger District, in cooperation with the USFS Northern Research Station (NRS) in Delaware Ohio, has recently completed the planting of 376 American chestnut tree seedlings.

American chestnut trees were very common in eastern hardwood forests prior to the onset of the chestnut blight. The few trees that have demonstrated resistance to the disease are now the genetic stock that makes up the 15/16 American chestnut. The remaining 1/16 is Chinese chestnut. As a result the seedlings have the qualities of the American chestnut but with the disease resistance of the Chinese variety.

The trees were planted on approximately one acre of previously strip mine reclaimed in 2002 by Mead Westvaco. The land was then sold to The Nature Conservancy and later acquired by the Forest Service in the Anderson Meadow purchase of 2007. The road crew from the Allegheny National Forest got things started by removing the fescue layer from the planting site with an excavator. Forest Service employees used a tractor equipped with an auger to create the holes for the seedlings. Several inmates from the Federal Corrections Institute in Ashland KY assisted in planting the trees during the week.

Boy Scout Troop #38 from Proctorville, OH came out on the weekend to lend a hand. The Scouts staked the trees, placed matting around them to prevent vegetative competition and positioned tree tubes to add support and discourage deer browsing.

The Ironton District is very excited to be involved in planting a disease resistant strain of American chestnut back on the forest. The loosening of the sub-soil and the site preparation performed by all of the hardworking people involved provide every confidence that the trees will do well. With all hope, perhaps later this century, the American chestnut will once again be prolific on our landscape.

Special thanks to:

Gary Willison - Timber Group Leader

Marsha Wikle - ADR, Operations

Shivanand Hiremath - Research Biologist

Eddie Park - Forestry Technician

Mike Freidhof - Timber Program Manager

Roger Boggs - Forestry Technician, Recreation

Chad Fitton - ADR, Natural Resources

Scott Means - Forestry Technician, Special Uses

Lynne Swinimer - Forester

Chad Kirschbaum - Botanist

Kari Kirschbaum - Wildlife Biologist

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LynneSwinimerlswinimer@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Acquires 42,000 acres of Mineral Rights]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3824 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3824 9

Story by Jessica Stuntebeck, Geologist

The Hiawatha National Forest recently acquired 42,000 acres of mineral rights in a donation from the Stearns Coal & Lumber Company. The Stearns Company reserved these mineral rights when the USFS purchased the property back in the mid 1930s.

With this generous donation the United States will increase its mineral ownership by 5% under Hiawatha National Forest Lands taking our total to 35%. Prior to this donation there were about 275,000 acres (30% of the total net federal ownership) of leasable federal mineral ownership within the Hiawatha National Forest. About 14,500 acres of federal mineral ownership have been withdrawn from entry under the current mining and mineral leasing acts, due to Congressional designations. Wilderness, National Recreation Area and wild portions of Wild and Scenic Rivers lands have been withdrawn to provide maximum protection against some or all forms of entry. In addition, about 65,000 acres of federal minerals have been identified as areas where surface occupancy is not allowed due to sensitive resource protection.

The remaining 65 percent of the mineral rights under National Forest System lands on the Hiawatha are owned by parties other than the federal government. This ownership is generally a result of two situations that took place when the lands were acquired:

1. Outstanding mineral rights. This means the mineral rights were vested in a third party and were not conveyed at the time of acquisition.

2. Reservation of mineral rights by the second party at the time of acquisition. (this is the most prevalent case)

This means that these parties have the right to access and remove their minerals, within reason, and we as the surface owner have to honor their rights.

The Hiawatha has not seen much mineral activity over the years compared to our neighboring Forests. However, there has been some activity that has taken place. The forest has leased a number of acres (Federal minerals) for oil and gas. We have had some exploration (on private minerals) for diamond bearing kimberlite pipes. Occasionally we receive calls on interest in gold prospecting (mostly small scale gold panning). Our largest mineral activity involves Mineral Materials (sand & gravel pits and a limestone quarry). Under most mineral reservations, mineral materials are not included in the reservation.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hoosier Employees Plant Trees for Earth Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3819 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3819 9

On the Hoosier National Forest, Earth Day found most employees out in a field of tall grass planting tree seedlings. The group divided up in pairs and while one partner dug a hole the other readied a small seedling to plant then tamp it in before moving on. The crew made quick work of the 22-acre field which had been planted earlier with a spotty survival rate.

Forest Silviculturist Tom Thake coordinated the planting and kicked the morning off with a quick safety brief and demonstration of planting techniques. Thake noted, "We provided a large selection of trees including hickory, oak, persimmon, Kentucky coffee tree, black gum, cherry and walnut seedlings. We interspersed the species across the field with roughly a 20-foot spacing."

Thake said he often uses volunteers to help him with spring tree planting. Though many of the 50,000 seedlings the Hoosier plants each year are planted with machine planters he values the opportunities to use scouts or school children to plant trees. "This was even better- planting trees with my friends; it doesn't get any better than that! We all came to work for the Forest Service because we loved the outdoors and wanted to make the world a better place, but somewhere along the way, many of us ended up with jobs that kept us in the office. However," grinned Thake, "What better reminder than to come out on Earth Day, wear our uniforms, and plant trees together. It was sort of an affirmation that we're in the right business."

Forest Interpreter Stacy Duke took charge and organized the event. Duke is a member of GATE (Group Advocating Terrific Employment) which sponsored the workday. She did an excellent job of pulling together the event and recruited Program Support Clerk Ron Doyle to coordinate the noon meal. Duke said, "Ron did an incredible job. He is a dutch oven chef and talked to fellow chefs Eric Sandeno, Bob Stone, Jackie Contreras, and Kevin Amick and each of them brought their dutch ovens and the results were just awesome!" While the tree planters planted, the chef's cooked a veritable feast for their fellow employees and when the dinner bell rang and everyone returned for lunch - no one went hungry.

Another bonus was that a reporter from the Bedford newspaper spent the morning with us and did a photo essay for the local paper on the Hoosier's tree planting for Earth Day. Duke said, "I think he had as much fun as we did and he was happy to join us for lunch as well. The article turned out great so we even got some good publicity out of the day!"

Forest Supervisor Ken Day who spent the day planting trees with the rest of his employees noted, "A great day, great lunch, great fellowship, and lots of trees went in the ground. What a bunch of chefs we have! Hopefully the tree planters are as successful as the chefs"

In 2008 the Forest will plant 42,000 seedlings and reforest 57 acres of newly acquired open fields as well fill-in plantings. With the Earth Day planting as a kickoff, the Forest is off to a good spring planting season.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Harvesting in Forested Wetlands]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3652 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3652 9

Story Submitted by Martha Sjogren, Forester.

Roughly half of the Hiawatha National Forest is classified as wetland and much of that is forested. Fortunately, cold winter temperatures and heavy snow loads provide the opportunity to allow timber harvesting activities to occur on some portions of these areas through the application of mitigation measures.

Cold weather timber harvesting in wetlands (or uplands where access is across wet areas) requires special mitigations. Low PSI and tracked equipment is part of the answer. Frozen soil three to six inches thick or twelve inches of compacted snow OR a combination of both can support equipment. Brush added to major skid trails also works. Pulp sticks placed parallel to support forwarder tires across short stretches of weak soils with unfrozen water within 12 inches of the surface can support the load in some cases, and the sticks are easily removed when no longer needed.

Another example of successful mitigation involves requiring a temporary crossing of an ephemeral drain to access a stand. For instance, in January 2004, a contractor was required to place an 8-inch culvert using minimal blading. Water was flowing at that time and freezing would not have occurred without providing for the flow. Snow was packed as fill over the culvert to provide a travel surface and the crossing was ready to use within three days with overnight cold temperatures freezing the pipe in place. No gravel, sand, or brush was placed on top. The culvert was easily removed the following summer during dry conditions.

Mats constructed of old tires have proven to have excellent durability. These tire mats weigh about 1500 pounds and can be moved easily with logging equipment. In one example, rubber tire mats were placed during dry summer drought conditions on a temporary access road across an intermittent wetland. The flow of surface water across the access road was unimpeded. Weak soils here would likely have rutted if mats had not been used. Use of the mats reduces impacts to soil and water resources and allows operations to proceed.

Mitigation measures used recently on the Hiawatha National Forest to meet Michigan Best Management Practices and protect soil and water include:

1. Roads: Pre-harvest road planning; Identify perennial and intermittent stream crossings; Winter freeze down (winter use only roads); Use of rubber (or wooden) mats; Rock and geotextile fabric crossing

2. Culverts: Never place fill on wetlands without designed crossing to allow cross drainage; Use summer roads only when water table is at least 36 inches below surface; Put roads and trails on contour where feasible;

3. Restore temporary roads to non-road use including:

--Removing all materials used for temporary crossings

--Restoring contours

--Leveling any ruts

--Replacing displaced topsoil

--Placing grubbed stumps on roadway

--Scattering slash along the entire road length

--Retaining a few trees along road to use afterward to help prevent vehicle use

--Minimizing disturbance

4. Harvest Units:

--Require winter freeze down (6 inches of frozen soil or 12 inches compacted snow)

--Establish cutting unit boundaries when wetlands can be readily identified

--Establish buffer strips

--Do not allow operations during spring breakup

--Give preference to skidding on upland areas, even if skid distance is a little longer

--Cease operations if conditions cannot prevent repeated rutting deeper than 6 inches and longer than 10 feet

--Minimize disturbance

In summary, foresters on the Hiawatha have successfully worked with loggers to implement mitigation measures that allow logging in some wet areas. Loggers working with a combination of flotation tires or tracked equipment, cold weather, snow, additional matting (brush or rubber tire mats) and a healthy dose of patience are able to create and support conditions which allow them to access forested wetland for harvesting while keeping negative soil and water impacts to a minimum.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Plant Program's 2007 Volunteer Accomplishments]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3523 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3523 10

Hiawatha National Forest plant program volunteers donated approximately 1,396 hours in 2007. Their hard work and contribution of time,devoted energy and enthusiasm helped the Forest plant program meet our regional target for non-native invasive species management.

HNF plant volunteers accomplished so much in 2007, including removing weeds on more than 80 acres of forest lands, prepared 15,000 native plant plugs for use across the forest for restoration projects, seeded more than one mile of fireline, restored approximately 5 acres of wetlands,collected two 33 gallon tubs of warm season grass seed and completed a two year native plant restoration project at Bay Furnace and Grand Island NRA.

Many of the HNF plant program volunteers are long-term participants such as Marilyn Lindberg who has been volunteering on restoration and seed collection projects since the mid 1980's and has never missed a National Public Lands Day Event on the Hiawatha National Forest. Other long time volunteers Bob Kahl, Kathie Carlson, Ginny Josi, Jan Jeffcott and members of the The Nature Concervancy and Wild Ones of the U.P. have been the heart and soul of native plant restoration sites, NNIS removal projects and rare plant monitoring at Grand Island National Recreation Area.

New volunteer partnerships in 2007 included Northern Michigan University, where on 6 occassions, students from the Ecological Restoration Course, Bio-geography and Nature Writing Classes came out and participated in projects on the West Unit of the Forest. They pulled weeds, planted native plants, seeded firelines, monitored Regional Forester senstive species, Leymus mollis, on north beach at Grand Island NRA and collected warm season grass seed for future restoration needs. Their work in 2007 has created a legacy in restoration.

Volunteers have done so much for the native plant program on the Hiawatha that without their help we would not be able to complete many targets and goals set for the Forest. Their energy and devotion is contagious. Their commitment towards caring for the land exemplifies the mission of the Forest Service.

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DebLe Blancdleblanc01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Meet Al Beaulieu--One of the Hardest Working Volunteers on the Francis Marion NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3816 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3816 8

What can you accomplish in 2000 hours? Ask 79-year-old Al Beaulieu who volunteers 2000 hours a year on the Francis Marion National Forest (FMNF) in South Carolina and on the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. From October through April, Beaulieu volunteers on the Francis Marion and then migrates to Green Mountain. Each day he diligently begins work around 7 a.m. and works eight-hour shifts.

The beginning of Beaulieu's volunteer experience with the Forest Service was serendipity. While fishing at one of the campgrounds on the White Mountain National Forest, located in northern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine, a host informed him of available volunteer opportunities. A then recent second-time retiree, Beaulieu began his volunteer experience with the Forest Service as a campground host in 1991.

Tongue-in-cheek, Beaulieu asked the compliance officer who interviewed him, "What do I do, and what do I get?"

"I received a uniform, a radio, a car, $15/per day and was able to stay free on the site," Beaulieu reminisced. "I was only intending to serve as a host for Memorial Day weekend and for the Fourth of July; however, I stayed three years."

Not realizing the after effects of Hurricane Hugo, Beaulieu then moved to Charleston, SC, in 1991 to be close to his son. With a benevolent spirit, he helped the FMNF with maintenance of property damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Hugo. From 1992-1993, he served as host of Buck Hall Recreation Area.

Beaulieu wears a myriad of hats on the FMNF. It's never a dull day for him. Rotating his volunteered time, he works as an information assistant at the Sewee Visitor & Environmental Education Center, helps with trail maintenance and helps with smoke patrol. Additionally, he routinely looks for and replaces missing trailhead and road signs.

"I don't ask what has to be done," Beaulieu said. "I see what needs to be done and do it."

"He is a wonderful asset to the unit, and frankly, I do not know what we would do without him," said Amy Fore, program manager of developed recreation and land on the FMNF.

Beaulieu's presence on the Forest is one of the most valued services he provides. His being there helps reduce vandalism and increase customer service. A liaison between officers and forest users, people are used to seeing Beaulieu in a green Forest Service truck patrolling the area.

Beaulieu grew up 35 miles south of Boston in Tauton, MA. A four-year Navy veteran, who served in the Korean Conflict, he worked as an electrical engineer for 20 years and later worked as a salesman for 15 years. While not volunteering for the Forest Service, Beaulieu enjoys spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He has made friends all over the country and is a member of the American Legion Post #69 in Arlington, VT.

Asked what drives him to continue to volunteer with the Forest Service, he stated, "It's my forest, my country and my world, and of course, personal satisfaction."

Beaulieu has created his legacy of service to the Forest Service and the FMNF eagerly awaits his return from Vermont.

"We look forward to his return each fall and hate to see him leave each spring," said Fore. "Words cannot express all he does for us."

For more information about this story, please contact Michelle Burnett, Public Affairs Officer, at michelleburnett@fs.fed.us or at (803) 561-4091.

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TammyMasonttmason@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Wild Turkey Federation Honors Sumter National Forest Wildlife Program]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3813 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3813 8

The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) recently honored staff from the Sumter National Forest by giving them the 2008 National Making Tracks Award. This award recognizes people and projects that best incorporate conservation education, partnerships and active wild turkey management into ecosystem projects.

"Without the tremendous level of staff and partner commitment for habitat management, restoration efforts and wildlife management strategies would never succeed," said Anne Kiser, district ranger on the Long Cane Ranger District. "I am proud of their accomplishments and of the well-deserved award they received from the National Wild Turkey Federation."

The recipients-Chris Holcomb, Tarri McKinney Donna Ray and Donny Ray-were recognized for the Sumter Zone Wildlife Program (SZQP) which incorporates the above listed activities with other Forest Service actions such as ecosystem restoration, habitat management, conservation education and recreation management.

Additionally, the SZWP incorporates natural resource management by working with fire, recreation and timber to accomplish wildlife habitat goals. Providing hunting and fishing opportunities for youth and physically challenged hunters, the program builds new relationships and does an outstanding job leveraging funds for support.

Program partners include the NWTF, Quail Unlimited, SC Department of Natural Resources, and Ducks Unlimited among others.

For more information about this story, please contact Michelle Burnett, Public Affairs Officer, at michelleburnett@fs.fed.us or at (803) 561-4091.

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TammyMasonttmason@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet Partnering with Ruffed Grouse Society to Improve Wildlife Habitat]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3812 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3812

Submitted by Juliet Gifford, Wildlife Biologist

Since 1986, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) and Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) have been working in partnership to improve wildlife habitat throughout the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in northern Wisconsin. This joint venture has fostered 15 designated ruffed grouse and American woodcock habitat management areas on the CNNF, for a total of 26,000 acres. It has also provided both financial and volunteer labor resources to the Forest to manage other wildlife openings and hunter walking trails providing additional wildlife and recreational benefits.

In 2008, a new five year cooperative agreement was initiated between RGS and the CNNF to continue important habitat work. This partnership works towards sustaining early sucessional aspen and alder habitats to benefit those species that need this habitat. Wildlife species that benefit from this partnership include: ruffed grouse, American woodcock, and golden-winged warbler, to mention just a few. They use young forests and lowland alder thickets to feed and nest in, as well as rearing their young and performing breeding displays.

Benefits are derived from both the RGS and CNNF as well: the RGS is a non-profit sportsmen's organization dedicated to improving young forest wildlife habitat, and the CNNF is responsible for providing suitable habitat for game and non-game wildlife species on National Forest lands. Both parties mutually benefit by cooperating in projects that create, enhance, or maintain early successional wildlife habitat. Wildlife habitat is improved on the CNNF with funding assistance provided from the RGS and labor from dedicated RGS volunteers/staff and CNNF employees.

Mike Peczynski, Wildlife Biologist for the Eagle River-Florence Ranger District, has worked with the RGS in the past, accomplishing many acres of wildlife habitat improvement from the partnership. "We have worked cooperatively with the RGS for a great many years and really value this partnership in achieving mutually beneficial goals for grouse management", says Peczynski. He continues: "The volunteers that participate in the work days are a very dedicated group, often driving long distances to the work sites and then back home again."

Jeanne Higgins, Forest Supervisor of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, talks about the critical and positive aspects of partnerships like this one: "The Forest Service appreciates the long standing relationship with the Ruffed Grouse Society to improve habitat on the CNNF for species such as the ruffed grouse and American woodcock. The partnership allows for leveraging of funds the Forest receives to complete more habitat restoration and development."

The future looks bright for sustaining young aspen and alder habitats. The President of the United States signed an Executive Order on August 16, 2007, giving Federal agencies direction to "facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat", while still accomplishing their agency's mission. This Executive Order illustrates the need to increase hunting opportunities on public land, including the CNNF.

Gary Zimmer, Regional Biologist for the Ruffed Grouse Society, says, "The Society looks forward to expanding this cooperative effort even further on these public lands in the future, one that ties in closely with the recent Executive Order promoting the management of wildlife and wildlife habitats on our National Forests."

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteers Contribute to Wildlife Program Successes]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3811 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3811 9

Story submitted by Steve Sjogren, Wildlife Biologist.

This success story sings the song of three heroes of the Hiawatha. These volunteers have given thousands of hours of their time and demonstrated a sustained high quality effort to better understand the native bird-life and supporting ecosystems on the Hiawatha NF. Each of them has spent over a decade working with wildlife biologists and others on the Hiawatha. Their willingness to roll up their sleeves, donate time, and accomplish some tough field work is commendable. The Hiawatha really appreciates it when concerned, dedicated people like these take an active interest in management of the Forest.

Volunteer John Ries; Holland, MI.

John Ries has donated thousands of hours over the last 15 years as a volunteer working on the conservation of sharp-tailed grouse on the Hiawatha National Forest and across the Eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Sharp-tailed grouse is a Management Indicator Species for barrens adapted species on the Hiawatha (i.e., eastern bluebird, black-backed woodpecker, sandhill crane, upland sandpiper, etc). Working out of his cabin in Strongs, MI., John spends most of April and May each year, on the Forest surveying sharp-tailed grouse and finding new leks. John's efforts have contributed to a much improved understanding of sharptail population viability. His long-term efforts have provided a unique opportunity for us to work together to collect long-term monitoring data to document the sharp-tailed grouse population on the Hiawatha.

John is also the President of the Michigan Sharp-tailed Grouse Association and has actively recruited other volunteers to help us survey sharp-tailed grouse. He serves as a consultant on sharp-tailed grouse and barrens management issues. John has also worked with other groups to acquire grant funding for Hiawatha projects (i.e., purchase of radio transmitters and contracts for wildlife opening maintenance). He facilitates interagency coordination and cooperation by organizing and conducting meetings to discuss sharptail and barrens management across landscapes and ownerships (i.e., MDNR, Lake Superior State University, Seney National Wildlife Refuge and Private Landowners). John Ries is an energetic and enthusiastic volunteer catalyst for the management and conservation of grassland and barrens ecosystems in Michigan. Through his volunteer efforts the sharp-tailed grouse population on the Forest has remained viable while our understanding of sharptail population dynamics is increasing.

Volunteer Mike Berg; Rapid River, MI.

Mike Berg has donated countless hours over the last 15 years as a volunteer working on the conservation of the Endangered Kirtland's Warbler (KW) on the Hiawatha National Forest. In addition to many years of high quality census work, Mike has volunteered to assist with mist netting and banding Kirtland's warblers. Mike's high degree of skill in finding and documenting this rare species, plus his advanced skill in reading band combinations in the field has made his contribution invaluable.

Mike's extremely high quality and sustained work has contributed to a better understanding of Kirtland's Warbler population dynamics, especially as his contribution came during the expansion of the species range into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which began in 1992. Mike's volunteer work with Kirtland's Warblers on the Hiawatha has been acknowledged in published scientific papers, and by the interagency Kirtland's Warbler Recovery team. Previous team leader Rex Ennis, discussing his work stated; "Mike's contribution to KW management in the UP has been great, he adds alot to the information and has been a huge success to our overall understanding of the KW in the UP of Michigan". A conservation reliant species, KW populations continue to grow, and birds continue to expand into breeding habitat in the UP of Michigan, as a direct result of the work of dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers like Mike.

Volunteer Kimberly R. Hall, PhD; East Lansing, MI.

Kimberly has worked tirelessly since 1996 to build a multi-faceted monitoring, inventory and research project to investigate various aspects of forest-dwelling migratory songbirds on the east unit of the Hiawatha. She has conducted research and developed a clearer understanding of songbird response to deer-browse pressure, and songbird population dynamics related to understory composition, particularly balsam fir beneath mature hardwoods. Kim's enthusiasm and insights resulted in several additional graduate level bird-ecology research projects, on the Hiawatha, by other students from the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources. Several published articles from these studies have been produced.

In addition to her valuable research work, as a volunteer Kim has provided consultation and advice to managers on the Hiawatha, helping bridge the gap between research and management. As a liaison to the research community Kim has shared her expertise to improve our understanding of the complex plant-animal relationships in the northern hardwood ecosystem. This has improved our ability to manage the forest for multiple-uses. Kim has also assisted with point counts and several other bird surveys including piping plover, Kirtland's Warbler, woodland raptors and others. Kim's valuable volunteer work over many seasons has contributed to a much better understanding of songbird ecology and has helped to keep the Forest wildlife program dynamic and up-to-date on the latest science dealing with bird ecology. The Forest continues to work with Kim to explore even more opportunities to understand the interaction between management, forest structure, and songbird ecology.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa National Forest Celebrates Earth Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3862 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3862

Earth Day and Michigan's "No Child Left Inside Day" was celebrated on April 26, 2008 at the Porcupine Mountains Folk school in Silver City, Michigan through a cooperative effort between the Ontonagon Ranger District of the Ottawa National Forest, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Friends of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

Events included mini-workshops on Bio-Diesel, Soy-based lubricants, environmentally safe household cleaning alternatives, composting, and natural cold remedies along with informational displays on recycling resources and options, invasive plant education, and comparisons of energy consumption of many household appliances and light bulbs.

There was also a class on letterboxing, which is the children's version of the popular sport of Geo-caching. This activity combines hiking, riddle solving, and treasure hunting activities that gets kids outdoors and fosters appreciation of the natural environment. A nature hike was led by the Park Interpreter and Woodsy Owl was on hand to greet visitors and put on a slideshow on recycling and mining treasures from garbage. Visitors also received a white pine or spruce seedling to take home and plant.

Attendance at the event was highlighted by Brownie Troop 353 led by Ranger Darla Lenz who also posed as the "Bag Monster", wearing over 100 plastic shopping bags as a cloak.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[To the Woods!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3790 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3790 9

Submitted by L. LaBumbard, Forester

Every October, students from Michigan Technological University spend a day touring the Munising District of the Hiawatha National Forest. Students in the fields of Forestry, Applied Ecology & Environmental Science, and Wildlife Ecology visit a range of forest types and learn about forest management, "Forest Service-style".

The field tour is part of MTU's Integrated Field Practicum (aka, "fall camp"). The purpose is to expose students to forest management philosophies and practices from a variety of organizations & agencies. The students also spend days with the Michigan DNR, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, Plum Creek Timber Co., and Toumey Nursery (on the Ottawa NF).

The Hiawatha tour was started in 1999 by then West Zone Silviculturist Al Saberniak. While silvicultural practices have always been a focus, the tour now includes presentations by wildlife biologists and botanists, as well as foresters. Students learn about the Forest Service planning process, environmental analysis projects, management areas, and integration of resources. Presenters have included Tim Baker, West Zone Silviculturist; Lauri LaBumbard, Forester; Deb LeBlanc, Botanist; and, Luke Langstaff and Janet Ekstrum, Wildlife Biologists.

Each year, prior to the tour, LaBumbard confers with Linda Nagel, MTU Associate Professor and IFP coordinator, regarding sites to visit and topics to cover. Some sites are repeated year to year, but new ones are added to reflect what's currently going on, on the Forest. "I think it's really important for the students to see "the Forest Service way of doing things", says Nagel, "and you've all done an excellent job of conveying that..."

The 2008 Hiawatha field tour included visits to intensively managed northern hardwood stands on the Upper Peninsula Experimental Station ("Dukes"), as well as an adjacent CRNA; a red pine stand; white pine restoration sites previously occupied by poor hardwood stands; jack pine stands in the aftermath of a budworm outbreak; a hardwood/hemlock stand; and a large wildlife opening recovering from a recent wildfire. The annual tour always features an active timber harvest and a lakeside lunch spot.

At the end of the day, the students head to the Clear Lake Educational Center, where they spend the night before heading out to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

(All photos taken by Linda Nagel.)

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Boy Scout Troop Becoming a Forest Tradition]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3789 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3789 9

On the weekend of April 12-13, members of Boy Scout Troop 58 of Leeper, Pennsylvania, spent their time conducting light maintenance on the Beaver Meadows Trail system on the Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest.

This is Troop 58's second year in the District's Adopt a Trail program. The Forest's Joe Langianese recruited Troop 58 in 2006 as a way of maintaining the trail system and re-connecting youth to the woods. The Scouts trim back encroaching vegetation, remove branches and small trees that have fallen on the trail, and maintain the trail markers. At the same time the Scouts learn about wildlife, forestry, the environment and much more from the adult leaders.

The Troop camped at the Beaver Meadow Campground courtesy of site administrator Michael Paraska.

This is another excellent example of the Forest's commitment to growing strong partnerships and is in keeping with the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation vision goal of "Connecting Citizens to the Land."

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Protecting Running Buffalo Clover by managing ecosystems across boundaries]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3788 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3788 9

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), a private landowner and the Wayne National Forest (WNF) are working together to fight invasives and protect a population of a Federally Threatened plant, Running Buffalo Clover. This month the two agencies and the private landowner signed cooperative agreements to treat 72 acres on private property adjacent to WNF land. "We are very excited to be partnering with the Forest Service to aid in the recovery of running buffalo clover on private and public land" said Sarena Selbo an endangered species biologist from the USFWS.

Biologists from the WNF and USFWS have been working together on invasive species issues in Southern Ohio since the formation of Ohio's first Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA), the Iron Furnace CWMA, which was started in 2006. A steering committee led by representatives from 15 county, federal, state, university and private organizations are seeking to develop a strategic invasive plant management plan for the area. "I'm excited about working with folks at Wayne National Forest to protect endangered species," said Kristin Westad, the Biologist from the USFWS Private Land Office who initiated this project. "This project blends their expertise with local biology and with my program's ability to restore habitat on private land. I think we're going to really please the landowner by removing invasive species, and we're specifically reducing important threats to the running buffalo clover," Westand commented.

A grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Wildlife program is channeling funds to the Forest Service. Using these funds, the Wayne is working with the private landowner using Wyden Amendment authority which allows federal funds to be used on private land. A total of 75 acres will be treated for NNIS.

The non-native invasive species (NNIS) that will be treated include garlic mustard, Asiatic stiltgrass, tree of heaven, multiflora rose and Japanese honeysuckle. These NNIS will be controlled using chemical and mechanical methods based on the 2007 Wayne National Forest NNIS Control Environmental Assessment.

Running Buffalo Clover was discovered on Forest Service land in 2005. The WNF and the USFWS has been monitoring the plant each year. "The number of plants found and the number of flowering plants have been increasing steadily over the last three years," said Selbo. Shortly after the plant was found, the District Botanist counted 34 rooted individuals. In 2006 and 2007 the WNF and USFWS team counted 69 and 87 rooted plants each year respectively. The number of flowering plants has also grown each year, from 17 in 2006 to 21 in 2007. Monitoring will continue in May 2008.

The major potential threats to this species at this site include too much sunlight, Asiatic stiltgrass and intense ATV traffic. In 2006 trees were felled to create a barrier for ATV traffic. This may lessen the traffic somewhat but ATV riders have found a way around the barriers and over the running buffalo clover population. Each year stiltgrass has been cut at the site and some competition for tree saplings was removed to provide more shading and area for the running buffalo clover.

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chadKirschbaumckirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners plant blight-resistant American Chestnuts on Wayne National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3774 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3774 9

For the first time on the Wayne National Forest, hundreds of American Chestnut seedlings are taking root in southeast Ohio thanks to a partnership between researchers, forestry organizations and volunteers that are working to restore the once dominant tree to its natural habitat.

Workers and volunteers from the Wayne National Forest; The American Chestnut Foundation, Ohio Chapter; Ohio University, Department of Environmental and Plant Biology; and researchers from the U.S. Forest Research Lab in Delaware, Ohio recently planted more than 100 disease-resistant American Chestnut seedlings on a reclaimed strip mine site on the National Forest; with plans to plant up to 600 more throughout the spring. Dr. Brian McCarthy, Ohio University professor and member of the American Chestnut Foundation was integral in pulling all the partners together for this planting event.

The American Chestnut was nearly wiped out by a blight that killed an estimated four billion trees in the eastern United States in the early 20th century. The naturally surviving trees remain vulnerable to the fungus, however through years of cross breeding with its disease-resistant counterpart, the Chinese Chestnut, researchers are seeking to develop a blight-resistant American Chestnut.

The American Chestnut Foundation's backcross breeding program produces seed that combines the disease-resistant traits of the Chinese Chestnut with the superior size and timber traits of the American Chestnut. In order for the seedlings to grow in the poor soil conditions of the reclaimed mines, Forest Service Researchers inoculate the chestnut seedlings with mycorrhizal fungi that will aid in the survival, growth and development of the seedlings.

"Mycorrhizal fungi play a vital role in reforestation by providing the plant several benefits that are critical for its survival and growth in a nutrient poor and hostile environment such as in reclaimed mined sites," said Shiv Hiremath, a Forest Service biologist in Delaware, OH. "Reintroduction of this species will serve both reforestation efforts of reclaimed lands as well as restoration of the American Chestnut tree."

The re-establishment of native vegetation like the American Chestnut & American Elm has been made a priority for the Wayne National Forest. In the Forest's 2006 Land and Resource Management Plan, it lists the Forest's initiative to promote the planting of disease-resistant species on the Wayne as varieties become available.

Learn more about the work of U.S. Forest Service researchers by visiting the Northern Research Station website at http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/. Also, visit the Ohio Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation website at http://www.oh-acf.org/ to learn more about their work.

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CherylCoonccoon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[OGM Activity on Allegheny Fuels New Federal Partnership]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3787 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3787

The Allegheny National Forest and the National Energy Technical Laboratory (NETL) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have formalized a new working research partnership that allows the Allegheny to promote Forest Service values through the Eastern Region vision of "Courageous Conservation."

Increased oil and gas production within the Forest prompted long-term informal talks to quickly formalize with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) when NETL secured new oil and gas research funding. The objective of this partnership is to gather four or five years of data related to the siting and installation of oil and gas infrastructure and conduct cooperative research, development, testing and evaluation activities for innovative, alternative and best-in-kind environmental and energy security solutions.

For the 2008 field season, NETL and the Allegheny will be partnering with Clarion University to sample macroinvertebrates, as well as physical stream data and water quality data. Forest Service specialists have been coordinating with NETL project managers to identify over a dozen watersheds to be studied, selecting sampling sites, as well as sample design methods and potential contractors.

With a total of 10,000 wells, of which 1,300 were permitted within the last year, the Forest provides NETL with an opportunity to collect vast amounts of data. The information gathered and tested here in the East will then be evaluated for broader application across the energy industry in the western United States.

Successful coordination and collaboration will result in an 'effective and efficient' process to identify areas and activities of concern or non-concern, update the Forest's Geographic Information System, hydrologic data and provide rare species information to the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. It is believed this effort will result in better environmental management and improved energy conservation, as well as enhanced resource use.

Last but not least, the Allegheny can 'walk the talk for sustainability' and 'protect ecosystems across boundaries.'

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lorielmquistlelmquist@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ironton 2008 Spring Cleanup- An Even Better Year Than The Last]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3786 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3786 9

Residents and the general public will benefit greatly from the recent beautification of the areas roadside trash cleanups. The Ironton Ranger District has just completed its most successful spring cleanup of illegal trash to date. Although last year's efforts was the most trash cleaned up since 1968, according to retired Forest Technician Ed McFann; this year we devised a plan and accomplished even more, building upon the framework and success of last year's efforts.

Chad Fitton, Assistant Ranger for Natural Resources took the lead in lining out the logistics of what needed to be done. He coordinated with the two USFS Forest Recreation Technicians Sean Gwin and Glenn Finley who worked with inmates from the Federal Corrections Institute in Ashland, Kentucky and made sure vehicles and roll-off dumpsters were available. Fitton also acknowledges the work of Forest Technician Eddie Park and said, "Eddie Park, along with the enthusiastic staff from the Ironton Ranger District devoted a lot of hours making sure the multi-week cleanup went smoothly and safely."

According to Park, this year we cleaned up over 28 illegal trash dumping sites as well as 10 miles of roadsides in the area of Lawrence and Scioto Counties in the Poplar Flats and Pine Creek areas. The contents filled 5 1/2 roll-off dumpsters, as well as collecting an additional 188 used tires. Park noted, "Most of the trash is miscellaneous household debris, but we've been surprised how many old gas tanks and hazardous things we've found as well." He said finding that type of thing has caused them to adjust course but the excellent relationship they have with the prison crew has made all the difference. Park explained, "We discovered the landfills wouldn't take the fuel gas tanks unless they were cut up for safety reasons. The prisoners said that wasn't a problem and proceeded to cut them up for us using electric saw-zaws with metal cutting blades."

Fitton and Park agree that this is certainly an awareness the public could build upon. They said most people don't realize there are free options for disposal of gas tanks. If people take the initiative, there is money to be made from recycling the old metal gas tanks. Plastic tanks can also be easily discarded in regular trash receptacles after cutting them up.

Fitton continued, "funding for the project was again very limited, but each year we are getting more creative and building upon the work we did the year before. In 2006, we did good work and used the same small budget to award a contract to cleanup only five sites. In the same lean budget years since, we funded our staff but with a creative approach using prison crews we were able to make a difference on the District and clean up 100 dumps the last two years."

Fitton said they are also planning to work with the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste District is also working with them to clean up dumps. Currently, this two-county agency has been very active in the area cleaning up dumps both on federal and private lands. "Between us we've got way more dumps to clean up than any one group could ever accomplish. The job seemed overwhelming," said Fitton. "But when we realized that other groups were interested in helping and saw how many hands there were out there to pick up trash and help, it became do-able. So each of us are pecking away at what we can and communicating our cleanup locations and accomplishments."

Fitton said together they hope to work more effectively to raise the awareness of the issue of illegal dumping, increase enforcement, while making the Wayne a place to remember for what it has the most to offer; it's beautiful forested hills. New residents and visitors to the area are always surprised at how much trash our roadsides and remote areas have. Doug Berringer, new USFS Law Enforcement Officer for the Ironton Distict, was immediately surprised at this regional problem and has said he will be taking a hard-line on illegal dumping as he pursues cases.

Dan Palmer is the District Coordinator for the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste District. He has one crew leader for each county who work with correctional community service crews on dump cleanups. Palmer agrees that the dumping problem is serious in both counties and said, "It's good to see the Wayne National Forest and Counties working together to address the issue."

Palmer and Fitton agree that by cleaning up the dumps they are improving watersheds and water quality. "Those hazardous substances are draining right out of the dumps into our water," said Fitton, "and that affects the health of our streams and lakes as well as drinking water."

The USFS and the Lawrence-Scioto County Solid Waste District Law Enforcement Officer, Bob Stearn, are working together on the cases. "We are also working together to develop a surveillance strategy for active locations". Dan Palmer noted the County Officials are very serious in stepping up efforts to address the issue, including raising fines and a No-Tolerance Policy on issuing fines for persons dumping. He is also trying to lead an effort to increase awareness of the issue with state legislators to increase the penalties for illegal dumping.

"The last part of the success," said Fitton, "is that this trash isn't just being hauled from the woods to the landfill, we're recycling as much as possible." He said the tires and metal gas tanks are being taken to be recycled and the dumpsters they've filled are taken to a new Rumpke Transfer Station site within Lawrence County. At that facility they separate out the metal and any other recyclable materials before land-filling the rest. "The recycle station in our USFS parking lot that we host with the Lawrence-Scioto Solid Waste District also continues to get a little more use by the community, so we're hoping recycling is catching on!"

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ChadFittoncfitton@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet Works With Partners to Preserve Historic Site]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3784 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3784

(Contributed by Mark Bruhy and Phil Barker, Chequamegon-Nicolet NF)

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has been working for over 25 years to acquire a 240 acre parcel of land in the middle of the Medford unit of the Medford Park Falls Ranger District. The property was occupied by up to 130 members of the Potawatomi and Ojibwe tribes from 1896 through 1908 and was known as Indian Farms.

The history of Indian Farms is both interesting and tragic. In the late 19th century, Wisconsin Potawatomi people were forcibly moved to a reservation near the Kaw River in Kansas. Vastly different than their homeland, the move forced them to abandon their traditional life ways. Because the reservation experience in Kansas was horrendous, many escaped back to northern Wisconsin settling at Indian Farms and related locations.

While the first few years at Indian Farms were without serious hardship, a smallpox epidemic during the winter of 1900-01 took the lives of up to 80 residents. Those who died were buried in a cemetery at Indian Farms. Following the epidemic, many residents moved to a nearby settlement and by 1908 Indian Farms was completely abandoned.

Sadly, the tragedy of Indian Farms did not end with its abandonment. Sometime during the 1930s looters began to desecrate the Indian Farms cemetery, and looting continued through the years. Today, the cemetery is clearly visible in that it is located on a small knoll marked by dozens of looters pits.

The last episode of looting was discovered in 1980, and although the cemetery is on private land, this discovery led the Forest Service to initiate protective actions. First, the property owner was contacted and gave permission for the Forest Service to monitor the cemetery.

Second, the Forest Service was allowed to nominate Indian Farms to the National Register of Historic Places. And finally, the Forest Service promised the descendants of those who lived at Indian Farms that an attempt would be made to purchase the 240-acre privately owned tract.

Efforts at Acquisition

Beginning in 1981, Forest Service and Tribal representatives made repeated attempts to engage the landowner in selling the Indian Farms property. For over 25 years the Forest Service was unsuccessful in its attempts to purchase Indian Farms.

In 2005, the land owner suggested they would like to sell the property to someone who may pursue site development. In light of this potential threat, the Forest Service brought the property to the attention of Trust for Public Land. Consequently, numerous discussions and meetings were held with Tribal Governments and the Trust for Public Land to develop an acquisition strategy.

During the summer of 2006, a gathering was held at Indian Farms that included Native descendants, Forest Service representatives and the Trust for Public Land project manager. The purpose of this gathering was to share common goals and clarify the importance of property acquisition. All in attendance felt that Forest Service acquisition would provide the greatest opportunity for the protection and stewardship of Indian Farms.

Acquisition of this important piece of property preserved a unique National Register Site, allowed the Forest Service to exert full control and enforcement at the site, enhanced our relationship with all tribal governments in the state, and consolidated National Forest public land ownership.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Inyo National Forest Participates in National Park Service User Capacity Symposium]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3782 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3782 5

In early February, representatives from the Inyo National Forest presented at the User Capacity Symposium held in Yosemite National Park. The event played host to over 150 attendees and served as a collaborative platform for resource and recreation managers to share and develop innovative management approaches for popular recreation destinations.

District Ranger Garry Oye and Wilderness Manager Brian Spitek responded to the National Park Service's invitation to give a presentation that highlighted past, present, and future management challenges on the Mt. Whitney Trail.

First climbed by John Muir in 1873, Mt. Whitney continues to attract a growing crowd of climbers and hiking enthusiasts eager to summit its 14,496 foot granite walls. With 23,000 annual visitors, Mt. Whitney receives a large volume of use, predominantly during the summer hiking season. As administrators of the highest point in the contiguous United States, Oye and Spitek outlined several of the largest management challenges facing the Mt. Whitney zone.

Of these, human waste disposal served as a relevant issue for land managers grappling with user capacity concerns in high-use, environmentally sensitive areas. In 2004, in an effort to address the growing problem of human waste management, the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks removed toilet facilities along the Whitney Trail.

Prior to their removal, 4,000 pounds of human waste generated by hikers and climbers had to be removed annually from the toilets and flown out by helicopter for disposal off National Forest System lands. With the removal of the costly and inefficient toilet facilities, the Forest introduced a human waste pack-out program.

Last summer marked the program's third year of operation and its overwhelming success: three tons of human waste was voluntarily removed by users from the Mt. Whitney zone in 2007.

"Visitors want to do the right thing," explained Spitek, and 2007's remarkable efforts in the voluntary human waste pack-out program supports this assertion. What had been an enduring management problem evolved into a feasible resource management tool and demonstrated to symposium attendees that viable solutions to user capacity resource concerns can be developed.

"This real-world example," Garry Oye observed, "and the Forest Service's commitment to managing this significant natural resource was greatly appreciated by audience members."

In addition to the above resource challenge, several other management concerns involving visitor safety, historical access, day-use, and transportation were addressed. With visitor numbers on the Inyo National Forest projected to increase by 98,000 people annually, these user capacity concerns will continue to present challenges to resource managers.

Oye and Spitek explained that efforts are already underway to reduce visitor safety incidents via improved website and trailhead information as well as increased ranger patrols and outreach. Improved public access through alternative transportation also remains another priority for the Whitney zone managers who recently submitted funding requests to the Federal Transit Administration's Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands grant program.

Day-use visitation presents innumerable carrying capacity challenges; an alternative transportation system serving the Mt. Whitney area would help resolve many of these resource and recreation issues.

The Inyo National Forest's presentation provided land managers and recreation planners with a tangible example of troubleshooting user capacity concerns.

"Brian and I gave folks an opportunity to see how the Agency works, with field input and decision-making," said Oye.

By sharing and discussing case studies such as Mt. Whitney, participants of this year's User Capacity Symposium gleaned useful insight into the growing challenge of carrying capacity facing land management agencies today.

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JeffMarsolaisjmarsolais@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Allegheny Earth Rangers Visit Local Schools]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3781 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3781 9

In February of 2008, Marienville Ranger District employees Cindi Talkington, Steve Forry and Shelly Williams visited the Forest Area Elementary Schools as "Earth Rangers." In cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and VISTA volunteer Erin Knolles, these Allegheny National Forest employees were invited to be presenters at an after-school program.

Talkington, Forry, and Williams presented the students with information about the Allegheny and the opportunities available to them and their families. They touched upon the relationship between humans, plants, animals and the environment, and the interdependence of all to survive and exist together.

They also discussed the water cycle and groundwater.

A "Family Day" was held on a Saturday morning, and the Earth Rangers presented a slideshow about the history of the Allegheny National Forest, and then engaged in a lively game of "Jeopardy," with categories on plants that grow in the Forest, critters who live in the Forest, activities that can be done in the Forest, ways people can affect our environment, and managing your National Forest.

The Marienville Ranger District hopes to foster a relationship with the youth of our area by continuing educational programs such as the "Earth Rangers."

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ShellyWilliamsslwilliams@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Investigating the Past to Preserve the Future]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3780 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3780

The Clarion River, one of the primary drainages in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) Region, has been used by people for centuries. One of the most extensive Native American trails, the Catawba Path, crossed the river within what is now the ANF. This travel route later became the Olean Road, a state road meant to encourage Euro-American settlers and trade in the region.

These days, people enjoy camping in this area so much, that overcrowding and resource damage have become concerns for the ANF and Millstone Township. Educating the public and designating campsites were the first steps to handling the recreation demand in a sensitive way. Next, parking areas will be created in order to alleviate congestion on the River Road.

But before that could occur, Forest Service archaeologists needed to conduct a field survey to determine what historic or prehistoric resources might be present at specific campsite and parking area locations. Since almost no archaeological work has taken place in the Clarion River Valley in this location, geomorphological trenches allowed us to determine how deep any archaeological sites may be.

As a result of the trenches and shovel testing, several finds were made: multiple prehistoric fire pits were identified, carbon samples from the fire features were removed for carbon dating, pottery and lithic artifacts were recovered, an historic roadway was recorded, and the geological history of the Clarion River valley is better understood.

The Forest was able to accomplish this survey in a short amount of time, and on a very limited budget, thanks to help from our partners.

Millstone Township Supervisor Eric Patton directed Forest archaeologists to known historic site locations, made his crew available to help, and provided backhoe work. Dr. Frank Vento of Clarion University of Pennsylvania provided his expertise in geology and geoarchaeology, drawing conclusions about the natural and cultural history of the Millstone area. Dr. Vento also brought a university soils class, along with Dr. Paul Ryberg, to examine the soils in shovel tests and bucket auger probes.

The Marienville District Youth Conservation Corps crew enthusiastically got their hands dirty in efforts to help find artifacts. Forest Service personnel who contributed to the project, in addition to the Marienville District Heritage crew, included Jack McLaughlin (on "loan" from the Bradford District), Cara Farr (soils scientist), and several others who visited the site for a district work day event.

Input from Gail Thompson of the Seneca Nation of Indians Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and Steve McDougal of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, also contributed to the development of the survey methods and emphasizing the importance of conducting this survey prior to project implementation.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Indian Valley Heritage Site Revisited]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3779 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3779

In the summer of 2007, the Allegheny National Forest once again partnered with Clarion University of Pennsylvania (CUP) to conduct an archaeological fieldschool on the Marienville District.

Dr. Susan Prezzano, an anthropology professor at CUP specializing in Late Woodland cultures and ceramic technology, has led several prehistoric fieldschools on archaeological sites within the Allegheny River valley. For the 2007 season, Dr. Prezzano and her 15 students returned to reopen an excavation on the former Indian Valley campground, now Forest Service property.

CUP students spent five weeks meticulously excavating, screening, measuring, mapping, photographing, and documenting their findings. Students receive college credit as well as plenty of valuable hands-on experience. This partnership enables intensive excavation to occur on a small budget, and the entire archaeological community learns from each new find.

On June 27, 2007, an Open House was held where the public was invited to visit the site, learn about the rich cultural history of the area, and observe archaeology in action. A local newspaper also ran an article describing the students' experience. This field season uncovered several important aspects of the Indian Valley site.

One nice find was a piece of prehistoric pottery that was made by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. The pottery has cord-impressed decorations on both the outside and inside of the vessel, characteristic of the Vinette I pottery type. Such pieces of information can be fit together with other details, such as depth of features, carbon dates, and proximity to other artifacts, like puzzle pieces, coming together to form a more complete picture of the site and the people that created it many years ago.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[King Farm Heritage Survey]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3778 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3778 9

The old King Farm fields were being overgrown with multiflora rose and other invasive species. Allegheny National Forest biologists wanted to eliminate the invasive species and revegetate the fields with native grasses.

The Marienville District Heritage Resource Crew dug a few shovel test pits to determine the depth of the historic plow zone, so that new plow work did not impact soil that had not been previously disturbed. Pennsylvania Game Commission plowed, disked, and cultipacked the fields, planting them in native grasses.

Heritage Resource specialists then conducted a controlled surface collection survey. This entailed walking transects across the fields, identifying artifacts. Artifacts were marked with pin flags and placed in bags.

Then, a total station was used to map each artifact. The artifact bag was labeled, the point was recorded by the total station, and a log was kept for cross-referencing. The artifacts were then collected.

We recovered about 700 artifacts total, including approximately: 300 flakes, 20 cores, 9 projectile point/knives, several pieces of prehistoric pottery, over 100 pieces of thermally altered rock (possibly from fire pits), 1 Indian Head penny, 1 sleigh bell, several pieces of historic ceramics, more than 30 pieces of some coal and slag, modern shotgun shell wads and other miscellaneous items.

The Heritage Resources crew only had funding for the last two weeks of the fiscal year to conduct this survey. The survey was completed in very hot, dry conditions - less than ideal for surface collection. Later rains really made the artifacts pop out of the soil.

Clarion University of Pennsylvania conducted some additional walkovers of the fields to give their students the experience of conducting this type of Phase 1 archaeological survey. The artifacts have been catalogued and are awaiting curation.

The King Farm was one of the first archaeological sites to have been recorded in Forest County. We hope to use our finds to update the site record and share this information with other interested archaeologists.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Partnership Receives 2007 Wings Across the Americas Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3777 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3777

The Chippewa National Forest's Boy River Prescribed Burn partnership was selected for the 2007 national Wings Across the Americas "Habitat and Partnership" award for habitat improvement affecting the Yellow Rail. Partners include the Chippewa National Forest, Leech Lake Division of Resource Management, Cass County, two DNR Regions, and multiple private partners.

The Leech Lake Reservation in the Boy River area is home to the highest population of the Yellow Rail in Minnesota. Yellow rail is a beautiful, small waterbird on the Forest Service Region 9 Sensitive Species. The habitat of this bird is fire dependent wet meadow, an uncommon habitat type on the Forest. Though prescribed burns have been conducted for more then twenty years, not until 2001 did the idea of restoring the near-natural fire regime to this unique land type emerge. Research has shown that the use of controlled burns in wetland areas can be a useful management tool for maintaining Yellow Rail habitat. Thus, a new partnership was formed - to provide and enhance habitat for the Yellow Rail as well as the LeConte's Sparrow, and Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Partners included the Chippewa National Forest, the Leech Lake Division of Resource Management, Cass County, two Regions of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and multiple private partners. The partnership continues to provide other benefits including fuel reduction and ensuing fire protection for many neighbors and local communities, and improving nesting habitat conditions. Success of this multi-agency habitat improvement project has been due to the efforts of the many dedicated partners

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners Make Camp Rabideau National Historic Landmark Shine]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3776 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3776

When resources are in short supply and the need is great, it's fortunate to have enthusiastic partners who share the same vision for a project. Camp Rabideau National Historic Landmark, on the Chippewa National Forest is a project that several partners have taken under their wings.

Though the partners have different missions there is something at Camp Rabideau that meets their needs and mission. For some partners it's the lure of benefiting an historic tourism attraction, other partners realize the benefit to their clients of performing meaningful work and public service at the camp. Another partner has a direct tie to the Civilian Conservation Corps. Connecting citizens to the land through restoration work is the goal of another partner. These missions meld well with the Forest's mission to maintain and preserve the structures at the camp, interpret its unique history and look for opportunities to reuse the camp for a conservation academy.

Involvement from the Forest Service and its partners Lady Slipper Scenic Byway, Camp Rabideau Coordinator, Beltrami County Sentence to Service, National Forest Foundation, Minnesota Conservation Corps, Beltrami County Highway Department and local Volunteers have made a difference over the past year and have plans in place for this year.

The Forest Service and Beltrami County are leveraging limited funds to match grants that would be used to stabilize and restore buildings at the Camp. The Lady Slipper Scenic Byway is a non-profit organization that successfully applied for grants for building stabilization and to fund a coordinator for the Camp. The coordinator will engage other partners and work to gather more funding to fully restore buildings for public interpretation and for use as a youth conservation academy. Beltrami County Sentence to Service has contributed hundreds of hours of labor to paint and repair doors and windows at the camp, and the Minnesota Conservation Corps has also spent weeks at the camp aiding with restoration. In 2007 the National Forest Foundation funded a Friends of the Forest event with Minnesota Conservation Corps and local volunteers to paint buildings and learn about the rich history of the Camp. This fall the Forest will host a Passport in Time program at Rabideau for restoring the interior of the Recreation Hall. Mary Nipp a local volunteer with a passion for history prepared a winning grant for 60 gallons of paint and primer to make the restored buildings shine.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Chippewa's 100th anniversary. On August 16th we will invite our partners and the public to an ice cream social at the camp to celebrate our collective efforts.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Wetland Restoration Partnership]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3775 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3775

On July 4, 2002, an oil pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy L.P.(Enbridge), near Cohasset, Minnesota, ruptured and spilled crude oil into surrounding forested and scrub-shrub wetlands. The spill and subsequent response activities impacted roughly 11 acres.

In response to the incident, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (collectively the "Trustees") had conducted a natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) on behalf of the public under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. The goal of NRDA was to address adverse impacts to natural resources and their services as a result of the oil spill and compensation for irretrievable losses.

After public review of their Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment, the Trustees chose off-site restoration as their preferred alternative to address the oil spill. The Trustees and Enbridge solicited the Chippewa National Forest's help in identifying potential wetland mitigation sites inside the forest boundary. Out of several possible sites they chose a location on Forest Road 3725 near Federal Dam, Minnesota.

A portion of the road currently obstructing flow into the river and flooding several acres of wetlands will be removed. Native vegetation lost to flooding will be reestablished through natural regeneration and planting.

Under an agreement signed on March 2, 2008, between the Forest Service, private landowners, the Trustees, and Enbridge, approximately 28 acres of forested and shrub-scrub wetlands on National Forest and private lands will be restored upon completion of the project.

In the agreement Enbridge has agreed to fund all costs of implementation and monitoring, including Forest Service staff facilitation and oversight. The clearing and brushing of the site was completed on March 28, 2008, with the road removal, recontouring, and revegetation estimated to begin in May 2008.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Huron-Manistee Interagency Fire Use Module]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3751 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3751 9

Shrinking budgets, increased targets, fewer qualified personnel...what is a Forest to do? The Huron-Manistee National Forest picked up on this need and in the spring of 2007 decided to form an Interagency Fire Use Module.

The purpose of a Fire Use Module is to conduct operations involving fire use, prescribed fire and wildland fire suppression involving monitoring, ignition, holding and suppression, prescribed fire preparation and implementation support, hazard fuels reduction, and fire effects monitoring. The module is available to help local, regional, and national Units manage fuel reduction and wildfire incidents.

The crew consisted of 7 to 10 people from the Huron-Manistee National Forest, Sleeping Bear National Park, The Nature Conservancy, and Savannah River National Forest. The forest statused its first crew on July 10, 2007. This crew was dispatched to Ely, Nevada, where they were tasked with helping the District manage the Telegraph Fire, handle suppression tactics, perform fuel plots, set photo points, and develop a fire use plan.

The crew was next off to Sthekin, Washington, to the Tolo Fire in the North Cascades National Park. This was a suppression fire in confine/contain status. The crew spiked out for the week performing burn-out operations, constructing hand lines, hazard tree removal, installing sprinkler systems and monitoring fire activity.

The summer ended with assignments on the Dixie National Forest, in Utah, on the Toad and Hog Fires, a brief hiatus on their home unit the Huron-Manistee NF assisting on the Galion Road Fire, and then to East Zone Complex in McCall, Idaho. During these assignments they continued to work on monitoring, fuel inventory plots, photo points, safety zones and escape routes, suppression tactics and structure protection.

This winter the module is working on full certification as a National Type 2 Fire Use Module. Crew members participated in the National Fire Use workshop in Denver and are working to develop a comprehensive training plan and acquire additional equipment to outfit the crew.

In all, it was a very successful inaugural season for the Huron-Manistee Fire Use Module as we seek to revolutionize effectiveness and efficiency.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partnership Grows Between the Forest Service and The Henry Ford]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3755 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3755 9

The "More Kids in the Woods" challenge cost share has strengthened an already thriving partnership between the Eastern Region of the Forest Service and The Henry Ford. Formalized by an agreement in 2004, the mutually beneficial relationship has grown steadily and now includes a full-time SCEP student, Wytosha Thacker.

Thacker was brought on to be the on-site project manager of the More Kids in the Woods project at the Henry Ford Academy. She works closely with Detroit Urban Connections as well as other project partners to move toward the creation of a "Student Scientist Edition" of the Natural Inquirer.

Barbara McDonald, Science Quality Services Staff (Washington Office), has been instrumental in shaping the efforts of the Academy students into a fascinating collection of articles. Students worked with Forest Service scientists, designed outdoor experiments, collected data and ultimately wrote the scientific articles that will appear in the Student Scientist Edition of the Natural Inquirer!

In addition to the More Kids in the Woods project, ongoing activities at The Henry Ford promote the great outdoors through a variety of Forest Service programs. Two of the most popular are the distribution of thousands of seedlings each spring and 1908 Forest Rangers that ride through the village and talk with visitors about the early days of the Forest Service.

The Henry Ford is a history destination that brings the American Experience to life. Every year, The Henry Ford hosts over a million school children and visitors from across the country. With a rich and varied offering of exhibits, demonstrations, programs and reenactments, The Henry Ford provides the Forest Service an opportunity to reach a diverse and predominately urban audience.

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KatieArmstrongkarmstrong@fs.fed.u.s
<![CDATA[Management Efficiences: Chippewa Timber Program]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3756 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3756 9

In a three year timeframe, with fluctuating budgets and increased demands on peoples' time, how many businesses can: increase their productivity by 30% in one year, reduce unit costs more than 20% over 3 years and maintain those reductions and increase their shelf stock more than 30 fold over 3 years? The Chippewa National Forest did it.

The Chippewa's timber unit cost was once almost twice as high as the average unit costs among the Lake States Forests. At the same time there were struggles to produce the targeted amount. In 2002, the pipeline timber volume for the Forest hit an all time low.

The Chippewa made a commitment to incrementally reduce unit costs and the Forest achieved this goal in 2005. In addition, the forest set a hard line of delivering what it promised and resumed meeting our timber commitments despite challenges and obstacles. The third strategy was to build up timber pipeline volume which in the long run is the key to reducing costs.

A national forest's ability to reduce unit costs by approximately $10 to 15.00 per ccf while maintaining or increasing pipeline, increasing volume sold, and focusing on organizational and procedural changes to increase efficiency depends on the dedicated work of employees and their ability to accept change. The Chippewa NF Vegetation Management Team not only lived up to expectations, but increased productivity and helped improve procedures and techniques by making them routine practice.

Improving data systems and processes:

* Developed and utilized new computer mapping tools in the National Forest Management Act stage and National Environmental Policy Act stage that resulted in better on the ground decisions, as well as tracking our accomplishment to reach Forest Plan Objectives and Desired Conditions.

* Tied these computer mapping tools into our database for planning and monitoring.

Better program management information:

* Reduced field survey costs by 25% and increased number of acres cleared for treatment in 2007 by 10%.

* Increased and invested in the number of certified silviculturists on the Forest.

* Set up and invested in a streamlined, centralized field survey team.

* Initiated and awarded additional stewardship contracting for two projects in FY 2007.

Improving Communication with the public and customer services:

Re-established credibility for the Chippewa National Forest vegetation management program among the timber industry, stakeholders, state DNR, and local governments.

Eliminating inefficiencies in general operations:

Focused and streamlined our planning activities to complete Environmental Assessment with decisions that reduced our planning production time from 18 months to 6-9 months per project.

Developed a plan to lengthen the re-entry period in analysis areas from the current 5-6 years to 10 years.

Demonstrating outstanding level of accomplishment and support:

Increased the acres treated per decision from an average of 1600 acres in 2003 to 3800 acres in FY06, as well as doubling the outputs from an average 16,000 ccf to 32,000 ccf.

Invested in Common Stand Exams to secure better decisions.

Increased sell amounts by 30% in one year; approximately 47,000 ccf in 2006 to over 62,000 ccf in FY007.

Increased pipeline in 3 years from 2003 to the end of 2006, to having approximately two years of shelf stock.

Dramatically increased the number of acres implemented under our new Forest Plan. In 2004, the Chippewa completed analysis on 5,400 acres annually and in 2007 that number is approaching 8,200 acres.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Providing a Little Sugar: A Working Forest for Vermont]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3731 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3731 9

Maple sugaring is a major industry in Vermont, and one that melds well with the Green Mountain National Forest's multiple-use mission. The Forest recently renewed five maple tapping permits and is working with Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, Senator Patrick Leahy's office, and other groups to look at areas for expansion of maple production on the Forest.

"We produce more maple than any other state in the country and it is high quality," said Catherine Stevens of the Vermont Maple Syrup Industry.

Vermont maple syrup is in demand because of the high standards sugar makers in the state have for storage, tubing and their commitment to keeping it natural and organic. Many restaurants are even demanding the syrup as a preferred sugar substitute.

But as the demand rises "the state is becoming more developed and there are fewer lands available for sugaring," said Stevens. And the industry is looking to state and federal public lands to provide areas for sugaring as the industry grows and the trees decrease.

Four out of five permitted sugarbushes are in operation on the Green Mountain National Forest this spring, a total of 3,720 taps, with the possibility if yielding 770 gallons, around $30,000 of revenue with current maple prices. The taps are located in Lincoln Stockbridge, Pomfret, and Mount Tabor and the Forest is considering reopening two to three additional historic maple tapping sites.

"Supporting maple production contributes to the local economy and supports the rich history and culture of sugaring in Vermont. It also helps fight forest fragmentation due to the desire to retain the maple grove and the grove's economic value," said Forest Supervisor Meg Mitchell, "It is a strong desire of ours and Vermont citizens to manage the Green Mountain National Forest as a working forest."

This was a desire repeated during development of the 2006 Forest Plan. The Forest hopes to become a larger player in providing trees for the maple production industry, and help contribute to the local economy.

"During fluctuating markets and uncertainly, the forest can help provide a steady economic base by providing and sustaining resources, more than just maple syrup, for the local economy and supporting employment through contracts and stewardship work," Mitchell said.

"The National Forest and the State could really have an important role to play in providing and maintaining maple sugaring and there is strong support for keeping the Forest a working Forest," said Rick Marsh of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association. "This is land that is not going to be sold off for development."

That helps sugar makers opt for longer-term investments because they know the trees will be there for a long time.

There are challenges to sugaring on National Forest lands, one of them being distance and drive time.

"If a sugar-maker abuts the Forest and simply expands their operation on to the National Forest, it is more economically feasible," Marsh said. When producers have to drive and haul equipment a great distance, the production becomes less cost effective.

Forest Service research personnel from Durham, New Hampshire, actively monitor all the sugarbush areas for forest health related concerns such as insects, pests, and diseases. The Green Mountain National Forest has the authority to suspend tapping if monitoring shows stand health has been compromised by insects or disease.

Forest staff monitor the sugarbushes for compliance with their permit terms and conditions, ensuring impacts on public lands and resources are minimized.

"We evaluate the operations and make sure proper erosion control is in place, and taps are properly placed on appropriately sized trees," said Dave Bosch, Special Uses Manager for the Forest.

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Urban Connections Partners with Cabela's in Detroit]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3753 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3753 9

Detroit Urban Connections engaged and educated thousands of vistors to Cabela's in Dundee, Michigan, over two weekends in March. The partnership was initiated by Student Career Experience Program participant Wytosha Thacker and was held in conjunction Cabela's Spring Days.

The Forest Service display was staffed by Katie Armstrong and Wytosha Thacker (Detroit Urban Connections), as well as Ken Arbogast, David Riegle and Becky Riegle from the Huron-Manistee National Forest. Booth staff informed customers about the fun experiences that await them on Michigan National Forests. Additionally, messages concerning fire, employment, recreation and Urban Connections were shared.

Every weekend Cabela's gets an average of 5,000 visitors from throughout the region.

Many visitors to Cabela's are new to outdoor recreation. Both the experienced and those who were simply curious stopped by the Forest Service booth to ask questions and pick-up some of the many education pieces that were available.

Cabela's is the third largest retail store in the world. Cabela's showrooms feature educational and entertainment attractions, animal displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals interacting in realistic re-creations of their natural habitats.

This experience at Cabela's was beneficial for the Forest Service as well as to the visitors to Cabela's. This experience was very positive and we look to expand our partnership in the future. The Forest Service received several complements on our display and presence at this event. The store manager of Cabela's in Dundee Scott Kegerreis and Steve Zollar extended an invitation to the Forest Service to take part in future events and have a steady presence in-store.

The friendliness and cooperation of Cabela's will make for a mutually beneficial partnership for years to come.

For more information about Detroit Urban Connections: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/urbanconnections/cities/detroit/

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KatieArmstrongkarmstrong@fs.fed.u.s
<![CDATA[Urban Connections Partners in 9th Annual "Government on Display" at Mall of America]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3654 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3654 9

The Eastern Region's Urban Connections Program manager Arlene White-along with volunteers from State & Private Forestry, North Central Research Station, and the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural Science-participated in the 9th Annual Government on Display event held at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, January 26 and 27.

A diverse group of approximately 300,000 people attended the event. Many attendees stopped by the Urban Connections booth, asked questions about the Forest Service, and took brochures and other information. The goal of participating in the event was to raise awareness of the Forest Service and to build a bridge connecting citizens to the Superior, Chippewa, and Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests.

Thousands of forest maps, "Islands of Green in a Sea of People" DVDs, and Leave No Trace CDs were distributed, along with information on State & Private Forestry, North Central Research Station, and careers in natural resources. Volunteers from State and Private Forestry and the North Central Research Station were on hand to help provide information and greet visitors to the display.

Woodsy Owl was available both days to remind everyone to "Lend a Hand and Care for the Land." Many attendees were not aware that the Chippewa NF was celebrating its centennial this year and that Superior NF will celebrate 100 years of land management in 2009.

"The Forest Service has not participated in the Government on Display event for several years," according to White, the Twin Cities coordinator. "I believe this is a great opportunity to connect with the public to tell them who we are and what we do. I hope to be here next year."

The "Government on Display" event provided an excellent opportunity to reach a large number of citizens and network with other natural resources agencies, and other agencies with a shared interest.

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ArleneWhiteabwhite@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteers Keep Hiawatha Native Plant Program Growing]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3754 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3754 9

Story by Terry Miller, Forest Botanist

A series of three volunteer workdays held earlier in the year marked the second annual "Volunteer days" at the Hiawatha National Forest Native Plant Program Greenhouse, in Marquette, MI. Over the three workdays, thirty volunteers from a variety of organizations contributed 118 hours and prepared and planted 15,000 individual plugs of more than 35 species of native plants, the majority of which will be used for HNF restoration projects throughout the forest.

The first of three volunteer workdays was a "tray-prep party" held on January 24th, 2008. The trays for the native plants range in size, and contain anywhere from 24-96 cells (or plugs). Each individual cell within the tray had to be prepared with soil prior to plantings. By the end of the day, nine volunteers had contributed 28 hours of volunteer time (and 5 USFS staff members) and all 15,000 plugs were prepared and ready for the upcoming greenhouse plantings in February.

With so many trays prepared by volunteers at the first workday, the second workday on February 7th was a great success. Twelve volunteers contributed a total of 36 hours and planted 11,012 plugs with native seed.

The third workday on February 28th was also very productive thanks to 18 volunteers who contributed a total of 54 hours. Volunteers reseeded and planted 7,876 plugs with native seeds during the day. Five of the volunteers, from Marquette Senior High School, made seed mixes for HNF restoration projects, organized the seed room, and transplanted black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii), a R9 Sensitive species grown in the greenhouse from seed, into larger containers.

Outreach efforts included posting flyers, newspaper announcements, as well as radio and television interviews. Terry Miller, Forest Botanist for the HNF, was interviewed by TV6 News at the February 7th planting workday and Angie Lucas, Greenhouse contractor, was interviewed for 98.3 WRUP and 101.9 WKQX radio station announcements on air. Flyers advertising the events were displayed around Marquette and Munising at various businesses. The dates were also posted in the calendar of events for the Marquette Monthly, Public Radio 90, TV6 and the Mining Journal, which also published a photo of volunteers planting in the greenhouse.

Volunteers came from a variety of organizations including the MSU Master Gardener program, Marquette County Conservation District, Northern Michigan University environmental science program, Superior Watershed Partnership, Marquette Senior High School, Marquette-Alger Regional Educational Service Agency (MARESA), Moosewood Nature Center, and retirees from Munising, Marquette, and Ishpeming.

As a result of the work done by dedicated volunteers, and with the continued support of the local communities, these three volunteer days were a great success for the Hiawatha NF native plant program. The ongoing involvement of volunteers and local organizations is an integral part of the operations for the native plant program and provides a valuable support network for further USFS restoration projects.

For the past twelve years, native plants propagated at the Marquette facility have been used for reclamation and restoration projects on the Hiawatha NF, such as utility corridor restoration, seed germination restoration, power line restoration, ATV damage, gravel pit, and stream bank or road stabilization. Also, native plants are used to restore areas infested with non-native invasive plants. The plants from this year's project will be used for restoration projects on FS properties at Grand Island, the Stonington Peninsula, and along the Indian River.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Centennial Connects Citizens to the Land]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3752 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3752

The Chippewa National Forest kicked off the Centennial Year on December 29 with a Family Day at the Historic Shingobee Hill Recreation Area. Over 90 people stopped by the historic Shingobee Chalet for cocoa, treats and a little history. The sledding hill was full of families throughout the day, making it a perfect backdrop for "More Kids in the Woods"

Shingobee is named after the Ojibwe word for the cedar, spruce and balsam trees which border the Shingobee River and Shingobee Bay of Leech Lake. Ski slopes, trails and a toboggan slide were developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s. Crews were led by Max von Dalen who had experience in winter sports development in Germany. Shingobee was one of the first downhill ski areas in Minnesota and attracted visitors from throughout the Midwest to try the "new winter sports fad". Shingobee operated as a downhill ski area until 1984.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne NF Employee Assists GIS Efforts on Tongass NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3750 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3750 9

Aaron Burk from the Wayne National Forest had the opportunity to go to Alaska to assist with the centralization plan for the Tongass National Forest GIS. The Tongass is operating with several GIS staffs located at the District offices. Under a new plan the Forest would centralize the work and reduce the number of employees. According to Public Affairs Officer Phil Sammon, "We did not have a clear idea of how it could be done without causing problems in delivery of services to the district planners and project folks, so we were looking for some outside help."

Aaron came up for a week to review what the Forest currently had as far as databases, workload, personnel and geographic distribution. Sammon explained Aaron helped with a potential staff structure for a centralized work force; helped identify needed and likely roles and responsibilities for those in the new staff structure; identified potential training needs for the staff; and helped our Operations/GIS coordinator develop an outline for an Operational protocol for how the District planners and project staffs would work with the centralized GIS work force.

Under the new organization the overall GIS staff was reduced by seven employees, so Tongass Forest staff agreed it helped to get insight from an outside source on how to proceed with the centralization.

For Aaron, the assignment presented unique challenges and opportunity. This was his first trip to Alaska and he was able to look around some on his off hours. "I appreciated the opportunity to aid the Tongass NF with the planning the centralization of their GIS program. I have worked in GIS and Information Management for several years and it always nice to apply previous experience to assist colleagues from another Forest. I also enjoyed to opportunity to meet many of the wonderful people around Ketchikan and explore a few of the beautiful sites in the area."

The Tongass National Forest covers an area roughly the size of West Virginia, and stretches for almost 500 miles form north to south. There are 10 ranger districts and three offices that house Supervisor's Office staff. Employees live either on an island or in a remote location that you cannot drive to - so you either fly or take a boat or ferry to get around. Sammon notes that, in and of itself, presents some supervisory and logistics headaches that other Forests do not have.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cooperative Effort Makes Progress on Illegal Dump Site Cleanup]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3730 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3730

Which would you prefer to look at - flowers or a pile of old tires? Everyone but tire recyclers would likely say flowers. We all know that pollution comes in many forms and that it is an environmental public health and safety risk.

In 2007, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe's (LLBO) Department of Solid Waste and the Department of Resource Management along with the Chippewa National Forest teamed up to clean up 21 illegal dumps on public land. The sites were near the communities of Bena, Ball Club and Inger. The focus was on dump sites that were near open water, a wetland or had a high water table that could pollute the water. Old appliances, shingles, car batteries, couches, mattresses and household refuse were some of the many items removed by the LLBO Solid Waste Department. They even found a kitchen sink or two. Approximately 30 dump truck loads of waste were removed from Forest land through this Tribal-Federal cooperative effort.

This cooperative cleanup effort focused on cleaning three of the more high profile areas instead of scattered sites. Those involved in the Tribal-Federal cooperative effort are confident that success on a small scale can be accomplished on a larger scale as well.

Additionally, we wanted to make a visual statement while at the same time allow law enforcement to more readily patrol the cleaned up areas. Law enforcement from LLBO and the Chippewa National Forest have been notified to patrol these areas to discourage further dumping. Conifer trees will be planted in the small clearings where the dumps have been cleaned up. Planting trees is a natural way to discourage illegal dumping.

It appeared that many of the sites had garbage that had been there a long time, with little new garbage. A handful of sites had recent garbage. We believe that the successful implementation of Tribal and County solid waste transfer stations has increased community awareness and more residents and visitors are properly disposing of their garbage at these transfer stations.

A new one-page brochure is nearing completion that will show people the location of transfer stations within and near the boundaries of the Chippewa National Forest. The idea is based on the belief that most people want to do the right thing by disposing of their garbage in the proper manner. By reaching out and educating the public about transfer station locations and hours the amount of illegal dumping will decrease.

In 2008 with the Tribal-Federal cooperative effort plans to clean up additional sites within the Leech Lake Reservation and Chippewa National Forest boundaries. Working together, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the Chippewa National Forest will continue to make this area a cleaner and healthier place to live and visit.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Dale Weigel Receives Indiana Society of American Foresters Distinguished Service Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3709 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3709 9

Dale Weigel, Forester on the Hoosier National Forest, was honored at the Indiana Society of American Forester's (SAF) Winter Meeting with the prestigious SAF Distinguished Service Award. SAF member Lee Huss presented the award to Weigel for his service to the Indiana Society.

Weigel has most recently served as chairman of the Society's Investment Committee from 2001 to present. With a balance of approximately $155,000 the ISAF has certainly invested well and Weigel takes his job very seriously.

"The Indiana Society is one of the more financially stable societies in the country, and uses the income from the investment to promote forestry in Indiana," Weigel said.

Weigel credits State Forester Jack Seifert for initiating several projects years ago such as tree planting and timber stand improvement that members could work on that generated the funds.

"A lot of times we only had a handful of people show up, but we planted a lot of trees and invested the money we earned and it has paid off over time," he said.

Weigel said though he has chaired the committee there are many people who have contributed to the financial success of the society and with the money they've been able to do several beneficial things.

"For instance," Weigel said, "for the Hoosier Association of Science Teacher's convention this year, we were able to purchase quantities of two different publications to promote forestry to kids."

Weigel also served as Chair of the Indiana SAF in 1999, Vice Chair in 1998, and Secretary and Treasurer. He has also been on the Science and Technology Committee and been the Continuing Education Coordinator. He is a graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor Degree in Forest Management and Master's Degree in Forest Ecology.

The Society of American Foresters is a professional organization of foresters which promotes the science, education, technology and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish standards of professional excellence; and to use the knowledge, skills and conservation ethic of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Courageous Archaeology: Reconnecting Families to the Land Through Archaeological Investigation]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3689 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3689 9

The expansion of U.S. industrial society into the Upper Great Lakes during the late nineteenth century affected the organization of Anishinaabe (i.e., Odawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi) life and labor in a number of socially and economically significant ways. Paramount was the transition from self-sufficient producers during the fur trade to market-dependent wage laborers.

Struggling to negotiate this time of transition, many Anishinaabeg pursued work opportunities provided by the logging industry as a means to ensure the survival of their households and communities. While some found employment with sawmills, others worked in the logging camps and even established their own logging operations as independent loggers, or "jobbers," who worked under contract with the lumber companies.

In 2002, archaeologists with the Hiawatha National Forest initiated the Sandtown Historical Project, designed to explore the nuanced ways in which members of one late 19th- and early 20th-century Anishnaabe community negotiated the tensions and demands of industrial capitalism by articulating logging and sawmill work with other kin-based social and economic practices and pursuits (e.g., hunting and trapping, maple sugaring, fishing, berry picking, and the sale of traditional craft items).

The Anishinaabe community of "Sandtown" grew up on the opposite side of the Sturgeon River from the lumber town of Nahma, Michigan, located along the north shore of Lake Michigan at the head of Big Bay de Noc. The town was established by the Bay de Noquet Lumber Company and derives its name from the Anishinaabe word for sturgeon, "nahma."

The company logged the Sturgeon River basin and operated a sawmill in Nahma from 1881 to 1951 when the entire town went up for sale. Today, the former site of Sandtown is located on public lands managed by the Hiawatha National Forest.

The Sandtown Historical Project is a multifaceted endeavor combining documentary research with archaeological testing of Anishinaabe jobber camps and oral interviews with former Sandtown residents and their descendents. In the summer of 2007, Forest Service archaeologist and heritage-SCEP student, Eric Drake, conducted archaeological testing at one of three known Anishinaabe jobber camps with a small crew of volunteers to determine the site's eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.

The site was operated sometime between 1928 and 1932 by Adam Lambert, who was born near Nahma in the late 1880s and proved to be one of the more successful jobbers working for the Bay de Noquet Lumber Company between 1921 and 1932. Most of the Native Americans who worked in the local lumber industry, including the Lambert family, are descendants of the original Ojibwa and Odawa inhabitants of northern Michigan who ceded vast areas to the United States by treaty in 1836.

The volunteer archaeology crew was comprised of two of Adam Lambert's grandchildren, Beverly Louis and her brother Clifford Lambert, Jr. The small crew of three focused its efforts on investigating the function of seven structural features located at the site. Through a combination of describing the associated artifacts found on the surface, and the systematic excavation of shovel tests inside the earthen berms which outline the structures, the crew was able to identify the location of the cook's camp, the men's bunkhouse, the barn, a machine/tool shed, and the living quarters for Adam Lambert and his family.

Although the analysis of the recovered artifacts is ongoing, the assemblage reveals that the structures were wood framed with tar paper covered roofs, were heated with wood stoves, and lit with kerosene lanterns. Objects of note include an alarm clock and eating utensils from the cook's camp, pocket change and items of personal adornment from the men's camp, and tools, like files, from the machine/tool shed. Further test excavations of three sub-floor cellar pits were conducted later in the Fall of 2007.

Oral interviews with former Sandtown residents suggest that the labor force for the Anishinaabe logging camps consisted of extended family groups comprised of men, women, and children, and at times as many as four generations. The presence of families in these camps is further confirmed by photographs provided by the Lambert family and previous excavations of similar Anishinaabe camps located on the Hiawatha National Forest.

The Anishinaabeg were not the only ethnic group to bring their families into the logging camps. The Finns, for example, were notorious for being "clannish" as their camps were also comprised of closely related immigrant households. The difference, however, is that unlike their Anishinaabe counterparts, Finnish families and cultural practices were never the target of federal "civilization" programs (e.g., the BIA boarding school system) designed to disrupt and discourage Anishinaabe family structures, language, religious beliefs, and communal forms of ownership.

Consequently, the Anishinaabe logging camps became more than just sites of industrial logging; they became sites of social refuge where family members literally and figuratively worked to stay together.

Unfortunately, the father of Beverly Louis and Clifford Lambert did not tell many stories to his children about his childhood in the logging camps. However, like his father, he often took his children into the woods to cut cedar posts and pulpwood when the markets were good, as well as to collect pine boughs and evergreens to make Christmas wreaths and funeral garlands. Excavating sites like the Lambert Camp, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to examine the silenced past of a people who struggled to maintain their families, communities, and sense of identity in the face rapid political, economic, and social change.

Indeed, as Mrs. Louis asserts, "my grandmother, Marian Lambert, died before I was born, and I only vaguely remember my grandfather. Visiting these camps, touching the artifacts and the ground where they walked, gives me the opportunity to communicate with my grandparents in a way I never knew possible.

"I want to learn everything I can about my family's history," she laughs. "Even the skeletons in their closet."

The Hiawatha Heritage team, together with members of the Lambert family, will continue its cooperative pursuit of the past in 2008 with the mapping and documentation of a second, older jobber camp that was also built and operated by Adam Lambert. The long-term goal of this research is to see both Lambert camps listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which will help the Hiawatha National Forest better manage these unique sites for future generations.

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EricDrakeericdrake@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Job Corps Students Welcome Stedman Graham]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3669 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3669 9

Ripe with anticipation, students, faculty, employees, contractors and guests gathered in the Golconda Job Corps Center gymnasium, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the best-selling author and long-time Job Corps supporter Stedman Graham.

Accomplished, and well-respected, this 6'6", down-to-earth entrepreneur quickly had the crowd spellbound.

"Introduce yourself," Graham told a group of students he pulled from the crowd. "What is the most important word in the world," he asked an eager group of 16-to-24 year-old young adults.

"I ask you this for a reason. Knowing who you are determines how the world sees you," he said to both the small group and crowd of 300. "Knowing yourself keeps your mind free. It allows you to be whatever you want to be. The world sees you as you see yourself.

"Equally important is knowing what you love," he went on to say. "The most powerful word in the world is love. I challenge each of you to learn to love yourself. When you do, you will see that love becomes inspirational, it stays in your heart, it unites people and it sets you on a journey that no one can stop. Remember, you are what you love and your destiny is determined by what you love."

Graham went on to share seven additional steps for success from his book, "Teens Can Make It Happen: Nine Steps to Success."

Throughout his life, Graham has focused much of his time on the issue of empowerment, particularly for black youth. His views are summed up in the following quote: "The future of this country depends upon what we give back to our youth and community, and we should always build with the desire of bringing someone else along to share in the success."

When Eastern Region Diversity Coordinator Bettie Maultsby suggested the use of Stedman Graham as a speaker at one of the Region's Job Corps Centers, no one could have anticipated the excitement that resulted seven months later during Graham's visit.

Graham's personal story about his life challenges, and his ability to connect with positive mentors, made his presentation powerful and memorable. He left the Job Corps students with a message of hope, and wanting more.

"I love Job Corps. It's a great program," Graham stated.

Clara Johnson, Eastern and Southern Regions Job Corps Liaison, had the opportunity to engage one-on-one with Graham during a tour of the Center.

"I was amazed at his sincerity and genuine interest in young people," Johnson explained. "Stedman exemplifies the kind of people we need to help connect young adults to the world of entrepreneurship and inspire them to become future leaders."

For many in attendance, it was hard to leave Golconda that day.

For more information on the Eastern and Southern Region reconnect efforts with Job Corps, contact Clara Johnson, 414-208-8052 or cjjohnson01@fs.fed.us.

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ClaraJohnsoncjohnson01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[SnowDaze Event at St. Ignace Public Schools]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3644 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3644 9

-- Story submitted by Kari Vanderheuel, St. Ignace/Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District

On Friday February 16, 2008, several Forest Service employees participated in the St. Ignace Area Schools Annual SnowDaze event. SnowDaze is a special school day for kids where outdoor activities abound! Stations that teach kids about various outdoor winter activities are set up around the schoolyard and are staffed by community volunteers. Some of the stations include ice safety, mushing with sled dogs, horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding, and snowshoeing.

Sara Davis (Botanist) and Kari Vanderheuel (Recreation Planner) were in charge of the snowshoeing station this year. Sara and Kari strapped snowshoes onto 15 groups of school-aged children ranging from K-8th grade and took to the trails.

In total, there were approximately 160 kids that participated in the snowshoeing hike throughout the day. Teaching the kids how to put on their snowshoes was the most difficult part, but once everyone was ready to go, Sara and Kari led the groups on 15-minute hikes on the trail just behind the school.

The trail was full of snow-ladden cedar trees and it was a beautiful, clear day. While on the trail, kids learned about and listened for black-capped chickadee songs. Sara and Kari also taught the kids how to look for animal tracks and showed them the difference between squirrel and rabbit tracks.

Kids asked many questions about other types of wildlife living in the Upper Peninsula woods -- animals like deer, bear, and even wolves. The differences between coniferous and deciduous trees were also discussed. The kids noticed that there is very little wind once the trail went into the coniferous stand of trees compared to the open field where the hike started.

They also learned that if they walked too close to the person in front of them, they would accidentally trip over their oversized feet! Everybody had a fantastically fun day.

Engaging kids in outdoor activities is especially important in this day in age. Participating in this event as Forest Service employees is not only beneficial to the kid but is rewarding to us as well. The Forest has participated in SnowDaze for the past three years, and we look forward to connecting with our younger generations by participating in SnowDaze again next year.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Grand Island Archaeology Project Logs Another Successful Year]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3347 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3347 9

-- Story by John Franzen, Archaeologist

The 2007 Grand Island Archaeological Project took on an international flavor as a team of college students from the U.S. and Brazil excavated part of a Native American campsite nearly 5,000 years old. Archaeological research at Grand Island National Recreation Area has been ongoing since 2001 under a Challenge Cost-Share partnership between the Hiawatha National Forest and Illinois State University.

Field work in 2007 took place during July and August and was directed by Professor Jim Skibo and Forest Service Archaeologist Eric Drake. They were joined by Professor Adriana Dias-Schmidt from the University of Rio Grande dul Sol in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and two of her students. The project provided advanced training in the field techniques of archaeology for credit to 12 university students.

In addition, they were joined by local middle-school students from Alger and Marquette counties for a one-day Youth Archaeology Workshop. The youngsters worked side-by-side with the college students and got a first-hand look at real archaeological excavation.

Although today it is located slightly inland and high above Lake Superior, the site was closer to the water in the past when lake levels were much higher. Radiocarbon (Carbon 14) testing of charcoal samples from this site, which is located near the southern tip of the island, provided a series of dates going back as far as 2600-2900 BC.

Major finds during the project included several stone points chipped into distinctive shapes characteristic of what archaeologists call the Late Archaic Period. These were notched or stemmed so they could be attached to the tips of spears or heavy darts propelled by a lever-like throwing stick. Similar styles of points have been found in other Great Lakes states to the south and east.

Some tools were made from types of stone that are only found around Grand Traverse and Saginaw Bays, showing possible long-distance trade or migration connections to southern Michigan. However, most of the site appears to be a workshop where locally available stones like quartz or quartzite were chipped with hammer stones to produce simple cutting or scraping tools.

Large amounts of fire-cracked rock were also uncovered, likely evidence of using heated rocks to boil or bake food. Artifact samples from the site are currently being analyzed for traces of the plant or animal resources that were being used.

During the 2007 excavations, guided tours were given several times each day as visitors arrived. Bikers and hikers were encouraged by temporary signage to stop and learn more about the island's past. Special prearranged tours were also given to groups, such as 20 members of the Northern Center for Lifelong Learning, an affiliate of the Elderhostel Institute Network and Northern Michigan University, who spent an entire afternoon at the site.

It is estimated that approximately 400 people visited while excavations were in progress and a presentation by Professor Skibo at the Alger County History Museum attracted an audience of 30 people.

Brazilian student Fernanda Neubauer has remained in the U.S. to attend Illinois State University and is currently studying artifacts from the site to learn details about how stone cobbles were made into tools. A summary of the project's findings about Native American activity on Grand Island between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago will be presented on March 28 at the 2008 Society for American Archaeology conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, in a paper authored by Jim Skibo, Eric Drake, Fernanda Neubauer and Michael Schaefer.

Congress established Grand Island National Recreation Area to preserve and protect resources like the island's incredible number and variety of historical sites and also provide recreational and educational opportunities for visitors. Archaeological excavations that include public outreach programs help accomplish these objectives by promoting a better understanding of the ancient connection between Native Americans and Grand Island's natural environment.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Leaders Make Wise Investment]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3653 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3653 9

Never losing sight of their core value to be the "Employer of Choice," Eastern and Southern Region Forest Service leaders unanimously agreed to expand the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) to include forestry technician disciplines.

Their first critical decision came when they committed to sponsor 12 students from Job Corps Centers located on National Forest lands within the Eastern and Southern regions.

Traditionally, the SCEP program has focused on students who are pursuing a college degree. Taking the bold step to expand this authority to technician disciplines is just one of many ways the Eastern Region seeks to offset the anticipated skill loss of baby boomers retiring within the next three to five years.

The success of the Eastern Region SCEP program in large part is due to Florence Pridgen, the Regional SCEP Program Manager. Under her leadership, students have been placed in successful careers. In partnership with local leaders, mentors and hard work by the enrollees, the program has produced 40 students with Bachelor degrees, 14 with Master degrees and 1 PhD. The program boasts a 98 percent retention rate.

Clara Johnson, the Job Corps Liaison for the Eastern and Southern Regions, is working to encourage leaders to recruit and hire from Job Corps, incorporate students in forest work projects, expose them to the natural environment, and encourage them to become future Forest Service employees.

"This was a major decision," said Terry J. West, Sr., the Eastern Region's Director of Civil Rights. "This positive step by our leaders to take advantage of this valuable resource in our own backyard speaks to their desire to live out the 'leaders growing leaders' concept."

West said the commitment to shaping young folks into leaders is a primary goal.

"Now that the decision has been made, we will recruit some of the best and brightest students from our Job Corps Centers," he said. "Through this initiative, we will be able to create a diverse cadre of future leaders. We are excited about the opportunity to meet, mold and mentor these young folks who will some day take our place."

Since 1964, Forest Service Job Corps centers have served as an education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor at no cost to eligible young people ages 16 through 24. Each year approximately 62,000 students take advantage of what the Job Corps program has to offer. Last year, 90% of Job Corps graduates started new careers, enrolled in higher education programs or enlisted in the military.

For more information on the Eastern and Southern Region reconnect efforts with Job Corps, contact Clara Johnson, 414-208-8052 or 414-297-1262 (office), or via e-mail at cjjohnson01@fs.fed.us.

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ClaraJohnsoncjohnson01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Reconstructing the Carter Lake Gabion Dam]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3650 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3650 10

Fisheries biologists, ecologists, and technicians from Seward Ranger District, Chugach National Forest, joined their counterparts from the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game to rebuild a collapsed 75-foot gabion dam at Carter Lake. Gabion is a cage of riprap (broken stone) materials used for erosion control or dam building.

Gabion baskets have some advantages over loose riprap because they can be stacked in various shapes. They conform to ground movement, dissipate energy from flowing water, and drain freely.

The old dam at Carter Lake was built in 1975. Over the years, the gabion structure had collapsed to the point where fish were able to freely swim through the cages, with vegetation and debris built up on top of the structures. The lake is stocked with triploid (sterile) rainbow trout from the Fort Richardson Hatchery.

The dam is necessary to keep the stocked rainbow trout in the lake and to prevent them from entering the Kenai River system. Even though the stocked fish won't breed, they will consume salmon eggs from the Kenai wild salmon runs.

The precise dam location was unknown for years since thick vegetation surrounded the site. It was eventually relocated through examination of aerial photos from the 1980s, followed by field reconnaissance. In the past, reconstruction funds were limited. Some cages were rewired in 2001, but by 2005 most the integrity of the structures was gone.

In 2007, employees Eric Johansen and Ruth D'Amico gathered together a crew to finally rebuild the dam.

Gabion cages were flown in by helicopter with help from the district fire crew. Mark Kromrey transported gear via an ATV. Workers traveled about a mile up the main trail, and then took a sidetrack to the banks that overlook the lake outlet through willow flats, alder thickets, and mountain hemlock stands.

The first step in reconstruction was to set up a net dam across the lake outlet, propped up by alder sticks, to prevent both stocked rainbow trout and resident Dolly Varden from swimming through the gaps in the gabion dam as the construction progressed south to north.

Although the outlet pool water level dropped after reconstruction began, the water level was high enough to require the crew to work in hip or chest waders for the duration of the project. Heavy gloves and warm clothes were also necessary, along with bug nets and raingear.

The work was done in stages.

First, the old gabion cage wires were cut piece by piece and all the rocks were removed and stacked on adjacent cages or on the banks. Next, the stream bed was raked flat by shovel and Pulaski in preparation for a newly constructed empty cage. The cage was carefully filled rock by rock in a partially artistic fashion to prevent the cage from bulging out due to overfilling.

The final stage was to wire the top of the new cage shut and fill in gaps with smaller rocks. The process was repeated for each cage, with the old wire eventually stacked up and hauled to the top of the bank for removal by snowmachine in the winter.

A challenge was creating a bend in the dam using large rectangular gabions that are designed to lay straight and side by side. Some creative manipulation and wire latticing of the cage shape allowed a perfect curve in the dam, fitting the site precisely.

After shutting the final cage, the net dam was taken down from across the lake outlet, and fish were almost instantly seen swimming around the clear area of the outlet pool where the crew had been working all week. Regular monitoring of the site is planned for the coming years. Participants were gratified to have worked on a project with such a lasting legacy for their district, forest, and state.

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Leaders Scout Schenck Job Corps Center For Employees]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3631 Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3631 9

What is it about Schenck Job Corps Center that has people buzzing with excitement?

On January 16, 2008, Forest Service leaders traveled to Schenck Job Corps Center to find out. What they discovered was a fire and natural resources crew so talented that it left them wanting to hire the nine participants into the Eastern and Southern Regions workforce on the spot.

Orchestrated by Clara Johnson, Eastern and Southern Regions' Job Corps Liaison, District Rangers and other decision makers met, interviewed, dined with, and discussed career options with students enrolled in the newly established Fire Management and Natural Resources Advanced Forestry Training Program.

After learning about the operations of the Advanced program and gaining a better understanding of the Student Career Employment Programs (SCEP), leaders sat mesmerized as nine students shared their brief biography and fielded questions in a manner well beyond their youthful years.

"I was impressed," said DeVela Clark, Athens District Ranger on the Wayne National Forest. "These students are poised, articulate, and ready to be hired into a Forest Service career. I would be honored to have any of them work for the Athens Ranger District."

The Schenck Job Corps Wildland Fire and Natural Resources program could not have been timelier. Earlier in December 2007, Eastern and Southern Region leaders each decided to recruit and place six students (12 total) from the advanced programs into the successful SCEP program. The SCEP program (formerly known as the CO-Op Program) has been a resounding success in the recruitment and placement of top-notch individuals in the Eastern Region.

Since May 2003, more than 50 SCEP students have been converted to the Eastern Region permanent workforce. Many SCEP students possess a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD.

"Visiting Schenck was an awesome experience," said Florence Pridgen, the Eastern Region's Civil Rights Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist. "Programs like this match up well with our national Civil Rights efforts to diversify the Forest Service. We could not have asked for a better recruitment source. The funding supplied by the Fire and Aviation Management Workforce Diversity Committee demonstrates what can be accomplished when a plan comes together."

For more information on the Eastern and Southern Region Job Corps efforts, contact Clara Johnson at 414-208-8052, or by email at cjjohnson01@fs.fed.us.

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ClaraJohnsoncjohnson01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Teaming with Students to Accomplish Soil Monitoring]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3648 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3648 9

-- story submitted by Jim Gries (Soil Scientist) and Dan Range (Hydrologist)

In a mutually beneficial agreement, twelve students from a Lake Superior State University (LSSU) Soil Science class spent a day in the field with soils and hydrology specialist from the Hiawatha National Forest. The students were able to get hands-on experience with soils classification, mapping, monitoring, and evaluation of management effects to soils and at the same time add to the Hiawatha's monitoring data set.

The students dug and evaluated several soil pits and classified the soil to ascertain if they matched the published soil mapping. For the monitoring and evaluation portion of the exercise, they helped sample a timber harvest payment unit using the Forest's sampling protocol, then processed the samples as part of their follow-up back in the lab at LSSU. The lab work determined the soil density of each sample and will be used with other samples collected on the Forest to help determine harvest equipment soil compaction impacts.

Samples taken using the Forest's protocol are taken within harvest area on skid trails, but because of the additional help, we were able to pull paired background samples in addition to standard sample. The information the students collected will be incorporated into the Hiawatha monitoring data, and the additional samples will help increase the confidence level in our conclusions for this type of monitoring.

The students got to see first hand how different soil monitoring techniques are used in the field to evaluate harvest operations and learn some of the nuances of soil classification and mapping.

During the day, many informal conversations were conducted about a range of topics including professions in the natural resources including the Forest Service, soil development, techniques of soil monitoring, hydrological changes, and harvesting methods and impacts.

The trip was a great success and plans are already in process to be available for another presentation next year.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Water System Improvements Completed at Hiawatha Recreation Facilities]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3647 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3647

-- Story information submitted by Joe Lenoir and Ken Guillard, Engineering technicians

In the fall of 2007, the Hiawatha National Forest's East Unit engineering staff implemented a Water Systems Improvement Project at three recreation facilities in the St. Ignace and Sault Ste. Marie areas -- the Big Pines Picnic Area, Carp River Campground, and Soldiers Lake Campground.

Big Pines Picnic Area is located on the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway. Improvements at the site included installation of a solar powered, easy access push button Yard Hydrant. Solar charging equipment installed in back of restroom thereby eliminating the need to build new structure.

At the Carp River Campground, three new ADA Compliant, frost-free Yard Hydrants w/ anti-splash grates and self closing faucets were installed. An electrical meter and breaker panels for pump control; separate buried electrical line, meter and breaker for pump control; 800 ft new 1" buried water line; anti-freeze glycol line, pressure switch & gauge for easy system maintenance; and two in-ground curb valves for system control completed the new system. In the process, the Forest abandoned one well, closing it off for safety.

At Soldiers Lake, several improvements were installed. First, two fully enclosed well buildings were installed. Each of the buildings, which operate entirely on solar power, includes an easy access, self-closing faucet and information bulletin board for visitor use. At the same time, two old wells were abandoned.

Three water hydrants were also installed at Soldiers Lake -- two easy access Yard Hydrants with self-closing faucets and anti-splash grates, and one solar powered, easy access, push button model. All three hydrants have surface drains with in-ground curb valves for seasonal waterline drainage. To support the new wells and hydrants, 1540 feet of 1" buried water line was also installed.

The Water Systems Improvement project accomplishes several objectives: First, it provides visitors easy access to fresh water by simply pressing a button or operating a lever on a hydrant. This is especially beneficial to senior citizens and visitors with restrictive disabilities.

Also, each improvement was designed and built to increase accessibility. New facilities meet ADA specifications for access, faucet height and ease of operation.

"In addition to the benefits for the visiting public, we're also excited about the improvements from the operations side of things," explained East Zone Engineer Ken Guillard, the contracting officer's representative for the project. "Replacing older style (open) hand pumps with enclosed wells and submersed pumps will greatly reduce or eliminate well water contamination. It's a win all around!"

Maintenance will also be simplified because the new systems offer easy seasonal start-up and shut-down procedures, low maintenance frost-free hydrants and self-closing faucets, and low maintenance 50-year steel roofing system on Well Buildings.

The project also addressed safety concerns by enabling the Forest to abandon and seal unneeded wells.

"We're also excited that using solar power to operate well pumps adds to the Forest's ongoing effort to "green" its operations," noted Joe Lenoir, project inspector.

For more information please contact: Ken Guillard or Joe Lenoir (906) 643-7900.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Lone Pine Project helps Hiawatha Achieve Aquatic Passages Goals]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3646 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3646 9

-- story submitted by Ken Guillard, Civil Engineering Technician

The Lone Pine Road crossing of the Pine River was reconstructed in the summer and fall of 2007. The road is a national forest system collector road maintained for passenger car travel. The original river crossing structure, installed in 1950, was a 7'6" X 11'10" X 42' structural steel plate pipe arch. It was in poor condition overall. The steel was deteriorating, and the culvert was undersized for the river bankfull width, not long enough for the road width, and set too high in elevation impeding fish passage. In a nutshell, the culvert was having adverse effects on the river and the road crossing had safety issues.

As a result of these concerns, Forest fisheries/hydrology/engineering staff developed a plan for reconstruction of the road crossing and sought funding through the agency's road and trail restoration fund as a stream restoration and aquatic organism passage improvement project.

Design for construction of the crossing included a number of features including spanning the bank full width; setting the new culvert below the stream profile to allow for a natural bottom; constructing the road to double lane width with slope and ditch work, gravel, asphalt, and guardrail; and erosion control including cleaning out an existing sediment basin in the river 0.25 mile downstream.

The site was surveyed, designed and drawn by Hiawatha National Forest Engineering personnel. The contract was awarded in April, 2007, to Burton Excavating of Sault Ste. Marie. The contractor began work at the site in June and completed the project by October.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Helps Michigan Battle the Emerald Ash Borer]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3645 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3645 9

-- story submitted by Doug Born (East Zone Silviculturist) and Jean Perkins (Forest Silviculturist)

The third emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula was recently found in the Straits State Park in St. Ignace, Michigan in October, 2007. Emerald ash borer is native to eastern Asia. It was first identified in North America in 2002 in the area surrounding Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. EAB is highly fatal to all native species of true ash (Fraxinus).

The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) has conducted EAB delimiting surveys to determine the extent of the infestation. The size of an infestation affects the cost-effectiveness of potential treatments to control the infestation. Emerald ash borer's food supply consists of the inner bark of live ash trees. Potential treatments to control EAB infestations reduce or remove EAB's food supply by felling ash trees, cutting them into pieces, and leaving them on the site; cutting and destroying ash trees; or using herbicides to kill ash trees. Other control activities may include using insecticides to kill EAB. EAB can also be attracted to specific ash trees by girdling the trees to stress them. These girdled trees can then be removed and destroyed after female EAB have laid their eggs in them.

The MDA requested help from the Hiawatha National Forest to complete the delimiting surveys by January 18, 2008. As a training and partnership opportunity, seven Hiawatha National Forest employees worked with MDA employees from January 9-18 to complete these surveys. These employees include Ralph Colegrove, John Maciok, Sara Davis, Derek Huebner, Jeb Backe, Daryl Ulberg, and Mark Vonderwerth.

EAB delimiting surveys go out a half-mile from the outermost tree known to be infested and work back inward, sampling at least one ash tree in every 2.5 acres. The sample ash trees are felled and the outer bark is peeled to inspect the tree for evidence of EAB (larvae; tunnel-like galleries in the inner bark that are created as larvae feed; or exit holes made when adult EAB emerge from a tree). Whenever signs of additional EAB infestations are found, the half mile boundary is expanded another half-mile out from the new infestation. When no additional infested trees have been found within a half-mile of the outermost infested tree, a less-intensive survey is done for another half-mile out from the previous boundary. If no additional infested trees are found, the delimitation is complete.

The first EAB infestation found in the U.P. was at Brimley State Park in 2005, and EAB was successfully eradicated. This infestation site is currently being monitored to ensure that no other EAB remain at this site. The second infestation was also found in October, 2007 at Moran, Michigan. MDA conducted delimiting surveys on this site through December, 2007. Like the other two infestations, this site will need to be monitored for at least the next few years to determine whether any additional EAB might be present. Unlike the others however, the area surrounding the Moran infestation includes some National Forest System lands. The skills gained by Hiawatha National Forest employees this year in conducting delimiting surveys will be useful in monitoring efforts on the affected National Forest System lands.

The Hiawatha National Forest is currently working with other agencies, including MDA, USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to select and implement treatments to control the EAB infestation near Moran.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps selects Employee of the Year for 2007]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3637 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3637

(Submitted by Mike Jones, Blackwell JCCCC)

Penny McLaughlin was selected as the Employee of the Year for 2007 at the Blackwell Job Corps Center. Penny has been employed in the Administration Department as an Office Automation Clerk since May 2006. Penny's most noteworthy attribute is her enthusiastic approach to working with and inspiring others. She always expresses a positive, energetic attitude and gets things done right. Her caring attitude and attention to detail make a critical difference in the quality of service provided to the public under the Job Corps Program. Her job performance reflects great credit upon herself and the mission of Blackwell Job Corps. Penny lives in Wabeno, WI. with her husband Tim, and a daughter Breanna, and son Brad. Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 through 24 get a better job, make more money, and take control of their lives. Funded by the United States Congress, Job Corps has been training young adults for meaningful careers since 1964. Job Corps is committed to offering all students a safe, drug-free environment where they can take advantage of the resources provided.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee NF and Illinois DNR Donate Fire Trucks to Local Fire Departments]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3641 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3641 9

The Shawnee National Forest, with assistance from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), acquired two surplus federal wildland fire trucks. These trucks were subsequently donated to the Pope County Fire Protection District and the Cypress Fire Department on February 19, 2008 during an afternoon ceremony held at the Forest Supervisor's Office in Harrisburg, Illinois.

Forest Supervisor Allen Nicholas opened the ceremony by welcoming everyone and recognizing those present for the ceremony that included Holly Healy and Deb Detmers representing Congressman Shimkus office; Gary Stratton from Illinois Department of Natural Resources; Cypress Fire Chief J. O. Fadely, Assistant Chief Jake Perkins and Safety Officer Rick Acuff; and Pope County Fire Chief Vincent Baker, Chairman of the Fire District Board Leonard Jackson and Fireman Eric Wood.

Holly Healy and Gary Stratton both spoke briefly to the group of dignitaries, media and Forest employees who were present. Shawnee National Forest Fire Management Officer Chris Peterson thanked everyone who helped make the donations possible.

The grand finale of the ceremony was when Peterson handed the fire truck keys to fire chiefs of Pope County Fire Protection District and the Cypress Fire Department. The Fire Chiefs acknowledged receipt of the keys to the fire trucks with broad smiles and words of gratitude. Each department has great plans for their donated piece of equipment.

The two trucks are different styles and will benefit the needs each of the departments. The truck donated to Pope County is a 1986 International 1900 4x2, capable of carrying 500 gallons of water, foam capability and five personnel. The truck donated to Cypress is a 1995 Ford F-350 4x4 with 125 gallon slip-on unit and will be used to fight wildland fires in the Cypress Fire Department's response area. Both trucks previously served the Angeles National Forest in southern California protecting the wildland urban interface.

The Forest Service was able to acquire the truck for Pope County, since the devastating fire in July 2007 destroyed their Dixon Springs fire station and most of their equipment. The truck donated to Cypress will augment their fire suppression capability.

"The partnership between forest fire personnel and IDNR was instrumental in acquiring these trucks for local communities in the face of nation-wide competition." Forest Supervisor Nicholas said. "It was a definite case of being in the right place at the right time with counties whose needs matched the available resources. I am very pleased that the Shawnee was able to assist local departments and hope the trucks will benefit the counties' residents. The efforts expended to acquire these vehicles by Chris Peterson, Forest Fire Management Officer, Shawnee National Forest and Tom Wilson, IDNR State Fire Supervisor are to be commended".

The donation of the two fire trucks to local fire departments is an effective and efficient way of cooperating with other agencies that will help protect ecosystems across boundaries.

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ChrisPetersoncapeterson@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[ANF Fire Safety/Career Day A Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3630 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3630 9

Clarion County Home Schoolers' Fire Safety/Career Day

Jerry Jordan, District Silviculturist from the Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest did three presentations before the Clarion County Home Schoolers Association on November 13, 2007 as part of the Home Schoolers Fire Safety/Career Day. The Home Schoolers had a full day of presentations scheduled from a variety of occupations. Most speakers were in the health and safety, fire, or public protection fields.

Jerry gave presentations to Grades 7-12. There were about 20 students in attendance. The first presentation was on the History of the Allegheny National Forest. The Allegheny became established in 1923 under the Weeks Act. In the beginning the new forest was known as the "Allegheny Brush Patch" to locals because of the extensive use of the trees in the area for chemical wood, tanneries, and lumber. The students enjoyed the old photos and the historic use of the local area.

Wildland and Prescribed Fire on the Allegheny National Forest was the next presentation, and was presented by Marienville Districts Fire Management Officer (FMO)Gary Kolesar and Assistant FMO George Fusco. The Allegheny uses prescribed fire in primarily two vegetation types; oak forest types for oak regeneration, and grassy areas at Buzzard Swamp Cooperative Wildlife Management Area to promote warm season grasses. The students loved the prescribed fire slides. After the presentation the students gathered around a Type 6 engine where a question and answer session was held about the capabilities of the engine and the use of the equipment on the engine. The question and answer session was attended by students and their parents.

The final topic covered was Forestry as a Career. Jerry went over some of the tools used by foresters and the wide variety of jobs done by foresters. The presentations were well received and held the attention of both students and adults.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Regions Join Together for Vegetation Inventory and Mapping]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3629 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3629 8

Regions 8 and 9 have joined forces to revise the way they inventory and map vegetation of the national forests in an effort to revolutionize effectiveness and efficiency. The new system is designed to build on the FIA grid, intensifying and focusing inventory on the specific information needs of each national forest in the two regions.

Mid-scale mapping will be done using remote sensing and models to provide periodic snapshots of existing vegetation for forest plan implementation and monitoring. The plan provides for forest by forest implementation and will lead to systematic inventory and periodic remapping of national forests.

This program builds from advancements made by Forest Service Research and by RSACC in expanded, customized and annualized forest inventories and in remote sensing mapping technology.

Regions 8 and 9 are following national technical guidance and the pattern established in other regions to establish a system that will address information needs of forest-wide fuel condition, habitat, composition and structural attributes important for integrated vegetation management to meet desired conditions of the eastern U.S. national forests.

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DavidMeriwetherdmeriwether@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Dog Sledding Legend Continues]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3608 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3608 9

By Paul Dallavia

In the middle of the Minnesota winter, when the snow is falling and the temperatures drop below zero, a unique event, the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon, takes place on the edge of the Superior National Forest. It all started with a man, John Beargrease, and his dogs.

Born in Beaver Bay, Minnesota, in 1858, John was the son of an Anishinabe Chief, Moquabimetem. In John's early years, a mere footpath existed as the main means of travel from Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ontario. The path, utilized first by the Anishinabe, was adopted later by settling European fur traders and fishing families.

By the time John Beargrease was in his early 20s, the North Shore had become home to numerous small settlements of fishing families which had planted themselves in the many coves of Lake Superior's rocky shoreline. Then, as now, severe temperature changes, heavy rainfall and violent storms made travel extremely difficult. Communications with the outside world were very limited though most other parts of the nation were receiving regular mail delivery.

John Beargrease and his brothers were avid hunters and trappers and made regular trips up and down the Lake Superior shores. Recognizing the opportunity, John and his brothers picked up the job of delivering mail by simply tossing a mailbag or two into existing packs. For almost 20 years between 1879 and 1899, John Beargrease and his brothers delivered mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais.

Through the seasons, the Beargrease brothers used a variety of methods to transport mail including horses, canoes and large boats.

But it was John Beargrease's winter travels by dogsled that has left an enduring legacy. The trip was made once a week and loads weighed as much as 700 pounds - an incredible feat for one man to accomplish over jagged terrain. John's fastest trip on dogsled was 28 hours from Two Harbors to Grand Marais, with only a team of 4 dogs.

Without the weight, and with today's advances in technology, Beargrease mushers can accomplish the same trip in little better time, with teams of up to 12 dogs allowed the Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. With successful mail delivery to support growth, the population and economy stabilized and permanent towns dotted the landscape.

The Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon pays homage to this legacy annually with the running of both the Mid-Distance and the Marathon events. The first marathon was run in 1980, and then picked back up in 1984. It has never been cancelled because of lack of interest but it was cancelled due to a lack of snow in 2007.

Currently, the route covers 150 miles for the Mid-Distance race, and 390 miles for the Marathon. The North Shore State Trail and the Gunflint Trail are part of the marathon route. The course takes the teams through the Superior National Forest, so a special use permit is required. Special use permits help the Forest Service to work with organizations and everyone involved in a special event and help to relieve the impact to the Forest or any conflict that may come from an event.

Duluth is the official start for the marathon, but as the race travels northward there are several checkpoints that are either in or near the Forest, making this natural resource a vital pathway to re-living the past.

In 2006, the Beargrease started a new tradition that enhanced the glimpse into Northland heritage: official US Mail, carried by dogsled as a part of regular mail delivery. There is only one other place in the world that allows this: the Yukon Gold Rush Mail Run held in British Columbia. Mushers are sworn in as honorary mail carriers and carry mail part of the way to its final destination.

The John Beargrease Sled Marathon, Inc., is a 501-c-3, non profit organization completely run by volunteers. From ham radio operators coordinating communications in these remote areas, to directing traffic at road crossings, the volunteers come from all over the country to spend a week in Minnesota's wooded wilderness.

For some, the connection to the Forest goes beyond a competition. Several local mushers working with the Superior National Forest provide critical transportation of materials into remote locations.

John Stetson, who has won the Mid-Distance Race in 2005 and 2006, has worked with the Forest Service, using his huskies to haul materials and supplies in the winter to reduce the impact of travel on the wilderness. Historically, the Forest Service has used dog teams to patrol the Forest including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The Beargrease is considered one of the most prestigious sled dog races in the world and is the longest sled dog marathon in the lower 48 states. It also holds the distinction of being a qualifying race for those who aspire to run Alaska's famed Iditarod.

Provided there's plenty of snow, the 25th running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon will hit the trail on January 27, 2008. We hope to see you on the trail, and be a part of this unique experience on the Superior National Forest. For more information on Beargrease check out the official website: http://www.beargrease.com

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KrisReichenbachkreichenbach@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Employees Take on Wellness]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3628 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3628 9

Employees of the Ottawa National Forest recognize the importance of a healthy life style and feel fortunate to be able to participate in wellness activities during lunch hour or after hours.

Because of office locations, employees are able to take advantage of opportunities right outside their back doors. Employees of the Supervisor's Office and Bessemer Ranger District, which are both located on the same site, recently took time during their lunch hour to get together and snowshoe a trail behind the complex. Despite the cold temperatures, 9 employees ventured out on the well packed trail. All came back refreshed and ready to get back to work.

Other units on the Forest take part in similar activities throughout the year, including cross country skiing and hiking.

Another unit reports their district has a support group that meets during break-time once a week. They track their weight-loss and exercise goals, share info on healthy eating, exercise, etc., and every week someone brings in a healthy snack to share. As one of the group members put it "Most weight loss articles I've read say it's important to have a support system. We're doing that for each other!" And, they are having a lot of fun doing it!

In today's workforce, with increasing workloads and stress both at home and in the office, Ottawa employees are grateful to have the opportunity to fit wellness into their busy schedules. It's a win-win for all.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Improvements Completed at Garden of the Gods Recreation Area]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3627 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3627 9

By: Bobbi Archdale

February 15, 2008

One of the most visited recreation sites on the Shawnee National Forest, the Garden of the Gods recreation area in Saline County, Illinois, has just gotten better. Trail access to the rock formations has been improved, accessible pull offs have been added and water systems have been updated to provide a more accessible, enjoyable recreation experience for a diverse public.

The Garden of the Gods Observation Trail was originally constructed in the mid 1960's by the Golconda Job Corps Center. Little improvement has been completed since that time. The trail, constructed of native sandstone, was in desperate need of repair and improvements to increase access for all users. Uneven and damaged sections of the trail were removed and rebuilt. New sections of the trail were constructed near Table Rock to improve traffic flow. These improvements will help prevent future erosion created by an ever increasing number of visitors to the area. There were four new trail benches and 255 feet of new split rail cedar fence added along the trail to reduce visitors' excursion off the trail and preserve the natural beauty of the area.

The main parking area accessing the trail also got a face lift with the construction of a tiered block retaining wall that will prevent further erosion of the steep bank along its edge. Junipers were planted and mulch was placed along the top of the walls to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the site while serving to prevent access to the slope.

Other improvements associated with the Observation Trail include the installation of a 4,000 gallon potable water system with a traditional hand pump drinking fountain; roof repairs and ventilation of the restrooms; and the removal of old toilets.

The Pharaoh Campground at the Garden of the Gods also had a major makeover that included replacing the old water system with a new 4,000 gallon potable water system and installing the first hand pump on the Shawnee that is accessible for persons with disabilities. The new restroom facility at the Pharaoh Picnic Area includes parking and walkways accessible to persons with disabilities.

These improvements make the Garden of the Gods picnic area, campground and a portion of the trail accessible to persons with disabilities, while improving access to the rock formations along the Observation Trail. Facilities Engineer Cindy Morris and Civil Engineering Technicians Bobbi Archdale and Mike Hancock were instrumental in planning and implementing this project. The Garden of the Gods renovation is a perfect example of walking the talk of sustainability in a way that connects citizens to the land.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Winning Combination: OHV Access and Stored Roads]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3626 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3626 10

Civil Engineer Reid Stovall went to school to learn how to build roads, not "un-build" them. However, that was the task he was given at the Craig Ranger District on Prince of Wales Island, Tongass National Forest. Declining budgets and money for maintenance meant that low priority roads must be "stored," or closed, to passenger vehicles.

Stovall knew that one of the simplest forms of road maintenance is vehicle traffic. Balanced traffic volumes can keep vegetation down and road materials compacted. With too little traffic, Southeast Alaska's alders and rain will smother the roads out of commission. With too much traffic, tire friction and persistence will erode the surface away, creating pot holes, ruts, and even ditch drainage issues as materials get pushed off the road surface.

Road storage is simply the removal of some or all of the drainage structures (culverts, bridges, etc.) from a road segment to restore natural stream morphology. Waterbars are added where needed to enable a self-maintaining road prism. (Waterbars are ditches and/or humps installed across roads and trails to divert runoff from the surface.) The road is then closed to motorized traffic, which nearly eliminates recreational opportunities and makes even foot traffic difficult. Hikers must climb in and out of steep waterbar sites.

In 2007, Stovall, Hydrologist Brian Barr, and Engineer Dan McMahon came up with a new idea: combining road storage with Off Highway Vehicles access functions. They constructed fords at all removed pipe and waterbar locations to improve OHV access. This process minimized road maintenance requirements while allowing the public to access the roads by OHVs or on foot.

The first OHV accessible stored road was completed in November 2007. The project saved money while continuing public access to the forest.

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[The Wayne attends the Bob Evans Festival]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3625 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3625 9

It was a team effort as usual for the Wayne to participate in the annual Bob Evans Festival. The Smokey trailer (maintained by Ironton district fire) was pulled to the festival grounds by Scottie and Jason. The trailer was staffed by Nelson Krueger and Scott Means, special uses; Glenn Finley and Sean Gwinn, recreation; and Eddie Park from Eco. also helped. Glenn and Nelson camped on site with their families, Jenny and Janie who both pitched in; Jenny as Smokey and Janie who gathered additional supplies.

The temperatures were in the low seventies and it was a cloudless beautiful day. Ironton District had an Eastern National Forest Interpretive Association (ENFIA) display with many interesting items available, from socks to books and pins. The display was staffed by Edie Gillenwater and Donna Stephenson, front desk and Ironton's support person. Working throughout the event they sold over $3,000 worth of ENFIA items during the three day event.

Friday was student day, and the Smokey trailer was very busy with handing out balloons and any and all Smokey related material. Sean was convincing as a 6'-3" Smokey wandering near the vendor tents. Jenny made a cheerful little Smokey with hugs for everyone. Nelson helped folks looking to explore the forest. Everyone contributed to getting it done; we gave away every bit of Smokey material we had. Teachers were very interested in any poster sets and additional school material we might have. We attempted to hold back some items for them.

Saturday and Sunday were also chamber of commerce days, and the great weather continued. More families arrived with more hiking, fishing and hunting questions to ask; and were surprised to find that the forest was just a couple of miles from the festival.

The Bob Evans Festival is a family oriented event which attracts over 30,000 people each year. The 2007 festival was the 37th year Bob Evans Farms had held the event and the Forest Service is pleased to continue to participate in this excellent venue to connect with the public.

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ScottMeanssmeans@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[One Hundred Years of Monitoring Northern Minnesota Weather]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3624 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3624

In northern Minnesota, many people use the adage "If you don't like the weather, just wait a few moments." On the Chippewa National Forest, they actually research that statement.

In October 2007, the National Weather Service and NOAA recognized Chippewa National Forest for 100 years of weather observation. One hundreds years of accessible weather records, faithfully observed and recorded every day by Forest Service employees in Cass Lake, Minnesota, since 1907.

National Weather Service Program Leader Steve Gohde noted, "The Forest has consistently provided error-free data through the years, and the length of service is remarkable. Through the use of the WxCoder, the Chippewa National Forest has supplied the Duluth weather station with near real-time data."

As we focus on topics such as climate change, water, More Kids in the Woods and the Chippewa National Forest Centennial, one hundred years of weather data is an amazing resource. For instance, as this article was written, the temperature is a bone chilling -25 degrees. We can look back and see that on January 30, 1908, the temperature in Cass Lake at the Forest Supervisor's office was -17 degrees. Another beautiful day on the Forest.

Weather data can also help to pinpoint our notable historic events. In a Forest publication about Camp Rabideau, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp near Cass Lake, it is noted that the original CCC crew moved to the site in January 1936 in -42 degree temps and started construction of the camp. The actual date can be verified by looking again at the records.

On January 22, 1936, the temperature in Cass Lake was -42 degrees below zero. The next day it was even colder, -45 degrees below. Not a pleasant weekend for the CCC crew.

National Weather Service records observed on the Chippewa include daily and monthly temperatures, precipitation and storm events. The Walker Ranger Station has also recorded weather observations since 1939, another notable achievement. The database is accessible through the University of Minnesota at comate.umn.edu/doc/historical.htm.

Weather station information can also be viewed through out Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r9/chippewa Congratulations to our current and past weather data collectors on the Forest for a "historical" job well done!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Charleston County Awards Greenbelt Grant to Francis Marion NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3617 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3617 8

Have you ever heard of a county government awarding grant money to a federal government entity? Charleston County in South Carolina made an unprecedented decision and did just that.

On September 20, 2007, the U.S. Forest Service received a Charleston County Greenbelt Rural Grant in the amount of $200,000 to help fund the purchase of the Murrell Tract, the only remaining private inholding between the Wambaw and Little Wambaw Swamp Wilderness Areas on the Francis Marion National Forest (FMNF). With this acquisition, an additional 96 acres has been consolidated within the Forest.

Accolades go to Peggy Jo Nadler, FMNF Lands Specialist for writing the unusual grant proposal.

"This is very unique and it is great we are able to benefit from Charleston County raising money to protect land," Nadler said.

The Charleston County Rural Greenbelt Program primarily funds land conservation and minor improvements that provide for public access and use of conservation lands.

The Murrell Tract is located in the St. James-Santee Parish in eastern Charleston County. The tract contains acres of loblolly, longleaf, and pond pines with a dense understory of hardwoods and briers. Approximately six acres of isolated wetlands exist within those 96 acres. Two blackwater cypress ponds located just south of the road that traverses the tract and are easily accessible by foot.

The tract is also accessible by vehicle from Forest Service Road 220, a well-maintained National Forest System (NFS) road. The public now has additional access to FMNF land and water for recreation opportunities and outdoor health-enhancing activities. In the past, the tract was inaccessible, locked and gated by a private landowner.

Now that there is no longer the threat of development on this tract, the FMNF will be able to better manage the delicate ecosystems that are so fire-dependent in this area.

"When development happens, it restricts how and where prescribed burning take place," said Nadler. "On the coast, roads have been closed because of the smoke."

In the vicinity where the tract is located, human occupation dates back at least 12,000 years. Before prescribed burnings, lightning and Indians who inhabited the area ignited the fires. As such, the landscape has evolved over thousands of years.

Species, plants and animals have adapted to periodic fire; when fire is absent, the plants and animals that depend on it either do not survive or learn to adapt again. Forty-eight species of mammals, 249 species of birds, 43 species of amphibians and 58 species of reptiles occupy the FMNF.

Along with the $200,000 grant received from Charleston County, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF) partnered with the FMNF on this project, contributing $12,500 and $13,500 respectively. The FMNF contributed $185,120 in funds received from Congressional appropriations. The grant allowed TNC to immediately sell the Murrell Tract to the federal government through a bargain sale.

The Murrell Tract is just the first federal land acquisition using Greenbelt funds. Charleston County has awarded additional grants to TNC to help them buy tracts of land that will eventually be sold to the FMNF. These grants ranged from $600,000 to $4 million, and TNC will reduce the cost of the land to the NFS by the amount of the grants.

That is what you call a true partnership-entities working together to help protect the land.

For more information about this story, please contact Michelle Burnett, Public Affairs Officer, at michelleburnett@fs.fed.us or at (803) 561-4091.

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TammyMasonttmason@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Franconia Brook Bridge]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3615 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3615 9

This fall employees of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) and dedicated local volunteers, with the support of Region 9 Engineer Art Johnston and Nez Perce rigging expert Ian Barlow, completed the replacement of Franconia Brook bridge on the Lincoln Woods trail on the Pemigewasset District.

The Lincoln Woods trail is an important gateway to the heavily visited Pemigewasset Wilderness, an area that was heavily logged in the early 1900's. The bridge is on the site of a former logging trestle and is supported by three historic piers of river rock and concrete. The piers were sound, but the wooden structure had to be completely replaced.

There was interest in replacing the bridge quickly during the off-peak season to mitigate impacts to hikers.

The stringers of the 121' bridge were last refurbished in the 1950's, and were in dangerous condition. It had looked as though engineering staff would have to condemn the bridge before funds would allow its replacement. An efficient coordinated effort by Forest and Region staff led to the quick production of plans for the new bridge and the securing of a 2-week detail for Ian Barlow.

The Forest Construction and Maintenance crews moved the 12 I-beam stringers 3 miles up the trail to the site, and on the appointed day, the crew assembled. The project was special because so many diverse people supported the construction, and because the stringers were placed across the span with hand winches. Trees were cut into 25'+ spar poles which were installed and guyed off on either end of the bridge. A high line cable was suspended from the poles and the I beams, the longest of which were 40 feet long and weighed over 1800 pounds, were cabled to the high line. Within a week, all 12 stringers were across and secured, and a few weeks later the decking and railings were complete despite an early snowfall.

The Forest Service leveraged resources for this project, and WMNF employees in a variety of positions crossed district boundaries to fully staff this important trail project. Perhaps most significant was the cadre of volunteers who love the White Mountains enough to turn out and spend long hours on heavy labor to get the bridge completed. Many of us were moved by their contributions.

The Franconia Brook bridge project helped all involved learn new skills and gain confidence in our abilities to successfully tackle a big project and get it done safely, quickly, and at about a quarter of the cost of contracting the job.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Partners Celebrate New Silver Creek Bridge]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3585 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3585 9

Story information submitted by Justin Carrick.

The Hiawatha Shore-to-Shore Chapter of the North Country Trail Association recently celebrated National Public Lands Day by sponsoring hike highlighting a newly-opened trail bridge. The Silver Creek Bridge, installed by Hiawtaha National Forest in autumn 2007 near St. Ignace, replaces an old bridge that was in need of repair.

According to Kay Kujawa, hiking coordinator for the local branch of NCTA, the purpose of the hike was to acknowledge the Forest Service for its efforts to maintain the trail. It was also an opportunity to highlight the volunteer efforts of the local club members, who maintain 122 miles of trail (70 of which lie in the National Forest.)

According to Recreation Technician, Justin Carrick, who headed up the bridge installation, the new bridge incorporates accessibility features into its 18-foot span with more than one hundred feet of approaching ramps and boardwalks.

"It's a nice spot. People like that creek," added Carrick, recalling many hikers and the occasional anglers he's seen enjoying the location. Carrick worked with other Forest Service employees and a prison crew to remove the old bridge and complete the installation.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa NF Early Career and Development Leadership Program - Aquatic Field Trip]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3614 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3614 9

Ottawa National Forest's new career employees gained valuable hands-on experience learning about the Forest's aquatic resources during an Early Career Development and Leadership Program field trip.

Aquatic Ecologist Sean Dunlap and Hydrologist Ellen Lesch, with assistance from Fish Biologist Holly Jennings led the field trip activities, which included aquatic insect surveys for monitoring water quality and road culvert surveys for evaluating aquatic organism passage.

Interesting discussions occurred throughout the day as well and the lunch break was strategically taken at a small recreation site on a Wild and Scenic River where the group talked about how to utilize the Forest's new Comprehensive River Management Plan to determine how the river should be managed and learned what the "Outstandingly Remarkable Values" are.

The group also learned about dam management and the concerns managers face when deciding whether to maintain or decommission a dam. Other discussion items included the Forest's strategy for riparian management and the complexity of water rights issues.

The day was fun and educational for all attending.

(For more information about this new program, see the Ottawa Success Story posted August 3, 2007, entitled "Ottawa Establishes Early Career Development and Leadership Program.")

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Two New Species Found on the White Mountain NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3612 Tue, 29 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3612 9

Rumney Rocks, located on the Pemigewasset Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest, is one of the premier sport climbing areas in the eastern United States. It is also one of the most botanically diverse areas on the Forest. The summit of Rattlesnake Mountain (where Rumney Rocks is located), the craggy cliffs, and enriched soils of the lower slopes harbor at least seven rare plant species.

The local climbing community acknowledges the presence of these species and strives to protect the plants from their activities. In guide books to the area routes with populations of the rare fragrant fern (Dryopteris fragrans) are identified with a fern logo.

In preparation for the development of a climbing management plan at this site, the New England Wild Flower Society, a regional plant conservation organization, was contracted to conduct botanical surveys of the area. During their first week of work at the site they discovered a previously undocumented plant species at the site: cut-leaved toothwort (Cardamine concatenata).

Cut-leaved toothwort was known historically from the Town of Rumney, but the only location data for it was "Rumney." Initially this discovery may not seem unusal; new populations of both common and rare plants are discovered all the time. What makes this so surprising is the location of this new population...right along a main access trail to the climbing area and only 100 feet from the parking lot!

Cut-leaved toothwort is a small white flowered member of the mustard family that is quite striking in appearance. The mystery of how it went undetected for so long relates to its life history. It is a spring ephemeral and these plant species compact their entire above-ground life cyle into a little over a month. The toothwort is only visible from late April to early June. All the previous botanical inventory work at this site had taken place later in the season.

Less than one month later, while performing surveys for a proposed integrated management project, forest botanist Chris Mattrick located a population of smooth rockcress (Arabis laevigata). It was found on a highly enriched slope with maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), and squirrel corn (Dicentra canadensis).

While certainly less attractive than the toothwort, this discovery was even more of a surprise. Prior to this discovery smooth rockcress was considered State Historic (not present) in New Hampshire.

In response to these new finds, the proposed projects are being modified (via trail relocation and reserve areas) to protect these populations. These species will also be added to the Regional Foresters Sensitive Species list for the White Mountain National Forest which will add further protection to them in the future.

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ChrisMattrickcmattrick@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Allegheny's Fruit Tree Pruning Demonstration a Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3613 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3613 9

Fruit Tree Pruning Demonstration at King Farm a Collaborative Effort

At the behest of Doug Carlson of the Forest County Conservation District, the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) hosted a public pruning demonstration. Joined by several private citizens, Forest Service and Conservation District Employees met on November 8, 2007, at King Farm.

The King Farm property was purchased by the Forest Service from the Nature Conservancy in March 1991. This 437-acre parcel was operated as a dairy farm for close to 100 years, and is now managed to meet wildlife habitat by the Forest Service.

The ANF's Marienville Ranger District proposed activities in the area to enhance wildlife habitat, restore the apple orchard and control the spread of non-native invasive species of vegetation. In September 2007, 25 acres of old field was mowed, plowed and seeded with warm season grasses. In addition, 12 bluebird boxes, 2 bat boxes and 4 duck boxes were installed. Non-native multi-flora rose was cut and put into piles to be burned.

As a part of the orchard restoration, Doug Carlson of the Forest County Conservation District suggested that there was an opportunity for the public to learn about pruning malice root stock apple trees. As a result, the pruning demonstration was scheduled.

Scott Sjolander, an urban forester with Penn State cooperative extension office, demonstrated the proper methods to prune fruit trees. He opened his presentation by showing the many types of saws and loppers that can be used to prune fruit trees and which tool is best for which jobs. Before pruning began, he completed a thorough tail-gate safety session. Sjolander started by demonstrating pruning methods on an adjacent pear tree.

After a question and answer period, he encouraged the attendees to practice by pruning 10 large apple trees in the adjacent apple orchard. The class worked for two hours and piled the branches to provide deer browse and slash piles for rabbits.

Carlson provided roasted hot dogs, chips, drinks and doughnuts for lunch. This field activity was very informative, involved the public and also provided the Forest Service with a presence in the community where management activities are less abundant.

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Botanical Treasures Discovered on Mount Washington]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3611 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3611 9

The summer of 2007 was a good year for botany on the White Mountain National Forest, and in particular on Mount Washington.

In late July, a group of Forest Service and partner botanists spent several days surveying Oakes Gulf on the southeastern side of the Mount Washington. Oakes Gulf, named for Reverend James Oakes, was once described as a "seemingly bottomless abyss." This area is known to harbor a number of rare alpine and sub-alpine species.

During the three-day botanical foray, more than thrity occurrences of rare plants were updated. The crown jewel of these discoveries was a small population of black sedge (Carex atraitiformis) which had not been observed in the State of New Hampshire since 1952!

Another re-discovery took a slightly more extreme approach. Nodding saxifrage (Saxifraga cernua) was first discovered in Pinnacle Gully in 1939, and it is the only known location in the eastern United States. Located on the eastern flank of Mount Washington, Pinnacle Gully with its shear overhanging walls made slick by the gush of a perennial alpine stream is a treacherous place: climbing equipment and skills are a must.

The plants were last positively observed in the early 1970s, and several recent attempts to locate them turned up several possible but no postive observations. The population was apparently just far enough up the gully to be out of sight.

On August 2, 2007, a team of three rappeled into and through Pinnacle Gully to search for the plants. The team was composed of the Forest botanist, a botanist from the New England Wild Flower Society, and the Backcountry and Wilderness Supervisor from the Androscoggin Ranger District. The rappel, from the summit of The Pinnacle (an imposing buttress jutting out from the south wall of Huntington Ravine), was an adventure in itself.

Aptly named "The Pinnacle Plunge," it began with a sheer drop of 40-50 feet from the summit of the Pinnacle to the floor of the gully. The rappel then continued down the steep streambed, often requiring the team to travel in the stream itself and over several waterfalls.

Many other rare speces were observed growing at the top and throughout Pinnacle Gully, including Mountain Avens (Geum peckii), Pickering's Reed Bent Grass (Calamagrostis pickeringii), alpine willow-herb (Epilobium hornemanii), and White Mountain saxifrage (Saxifraga paniculata). The further the team decended through the gully the more discouraged they became: no plants could be found. They were beginning to think that the torrent spring run-off may have wiped out the population.

Nearing the bottom of the gully, now searching locations that are clearly visible to an observer at the base, a small colony of nodding saxifrage was observed growing on a tiny shelf protected from the rushing waters by the morphology of the gully wall. Success!!

The plants, appearing to be healthy and reproductive, occupy an area less than one square meter. The number of people who have actually observed these plants at this location is as small as the four or five plants that constitute the population. But for these three team members--two plant fanatics and a rock climber--they can now add their names to that list.

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ChrisMattrickcmattrick@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[It's All Green on the Chippewa]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3610 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3610

In March of 2007 the Chippewa National Forest launched the "Green Team," and now, one year later the Chippewa is quickly becoming established in operating sustainability.

The Chippewa's "Green Team" initially explored all sorts of energy consumption issues, recycling, fleet, paper consumption, and how we could improve upon them. The early data made an impression on the Chippewa Leadership Team.

The team learned that we were using over a million sheets of paper a year, going through 4,500 rolls of toilet paper annually, consuming more than 81,000 gallons of gas a year, consuming over $80,000 of gasoline to drive a million miles a year. These numbers served as a catalyst for taking action immediately. And action took place with the following accomplishments:

* An established carbon footprint from which we can measure our improvements. Established a Green web page, and made our data available to employees.

* Evaluated our recycling efforts across the forest and determined specific items and areas needing improvement. Initiated recycling efforts for alkaline batteries (1,200 pounds annually), computer monitors, and tree marking-paint cans (3,000 to 5,000 annually).

* Conducted energy audits on all administrative units across the forest. Awarded contracts for implementing items identified as high priority in energy audits on two administrative units

* Developed computer use guidelines to voluntarily reduce energy consumption and Identified 30 obsolete computer monitors needing replacement. Have worked with End User Support to begin replacements.

* Held a kick-off event for the Chippewa National Forest featuring Anna Jones Crabtree, Sustainable Operations Coordinator from Region 2. During this event, we also initiated a dialogue on sustainable operations amongst our partners in Northern Minnesota including: Minnesota DNR, Itasca Community College, Superior National Forest, University of Minnesota, Itasca County, Grand Rapids High School, and the Northern Research Station

* Evaluated our fleet and all vehicles up for replacement in 2008. The Chippewa National Forest made a 5% to 10% reduction in our fleet for 2008 which should reduce our fuel consumption dramatically. We also developed a five year fleet plan that addresses right-sizing our fleet.

* The Deer River Ranger District is working with Anna Jones Crabtree to conduct an "Extreme (sustainable operations) Ranger District Makeover" and become a National showcase.

The Chippewa National Forest has come a long way in a short time. The data showed us how much work we needed to do and what a difference one Forest can really make. It has been exciting to see the collective energy of the Green Team and the employees' willingness to change and create sustainable operations.

The Chippewa National Forest "Green Team" has set high goals to become a leader in the Eastern Region and a leader for sustainable operations "how to" in northern Minnesota. The focused efforts and networking of the Green Team is helping spread actions and vision for sustainable operations throughout our region and local communities, inspiring our employees to be change-agents in their own homes and communities.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Garden of the Gods]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3609 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3609

By: Bob Monroe

The Shawnee National Forest's Hidden Springs Ranger District's recreation technicians and trail crew joined forces to complete a restoration project at the Garden of the Gods Developed Recreation area in Saline County, Illinois. The Observation Trail made of flag stone, winds along a small bluff through a designated natural area for quarter of a mile, and offers panoramic views of the Shawnee Hills and the Garden of the Gods Wilderness.

Thousands of visitors each year hike the trail to view the fall colors and explore the unique geological features with names such as Camel Rock and Devil's Smokestack. Interpretive signs tell how the 320 million year-old sandstone formations were created by a giant inland sea. The Garden of the Gods Observation Trail is truly among the premier sites to visit on the forest.

Over time, visitors taking a short cut off the trail had impacted areas of the bluff's fragile topsoil. Thousands of hikers veering off the trail had caused erosion and areas of bare, hard-packed soil. Gullies, formed by rain-water runoff, were cut into the bluff.

In an effort to restore these areas, the District's recreation technicians installed additional sections of split rail fencing to discourage visitors from leaving the trail. Signs were installed to inform the public of restoration efforts and to encourage them to remain on the designated trail system.

The restoration process completed by the trail crew included installing twenty-five gully plugs made of native sandstone and cedar logs. Native materials, such as fallen tree limbs, rocks, stumps and brush, were positioned in the restoration area. The gully plugs will help arrest erosion, while the brush will deter visitors from veering off the trail, helping to facilitate restoration of a natural appearance.

The two areas along the trail where these restoration efforts were applied totaled approximately 2,000 square feet. Over time, through the process of freezing and thawing and the biodegradable aspects of leaf litter, added to the soil type at these sites, the possibility increases that the earth will retain seeds and produce native vegetation.

The two areas will continue to be monitored to determine if and when to place additional native materials to the restored areas.

Restoration of the two areas along the Garden of the Gods observation trail in an effort to improve and protect the national forest's resources is a way the Shawnee National Forest employees walk the talk for sustainability.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Unique Union Contract Shared With Monongahela Employees]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3485 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3485 9

Quick...can you name the labor relations Union which covers the Monongahela National Forest? If you answered NFFE you can be forgiven since that is the union for most of the Forest Service. You would, however, be incorrect.

The Monongahela is the only National Forest in the country under the auspices of NAGE (National Association of Government Employees). This can create some confusion, especially for new employees coming from another FS unit, or on national issues where NFFE serves in a first level negotiation status but where NAGE may have rights to negotiate aspects of that issue at a local level.

Current employees of the Monongahela have had an opportunity to better understand Union coverage on the Forest and what it means to them, as a result of a day long training for all employees. The training came about as a result of a new Management-Union agreement which was negotiated on the Forest.

"Since the contract affects most Forest employees, either as bargaining unit members, or supervisors and managers, we felt it was important to begin implementation of this new contract with as wide an understanding as possible," said Union Local R4-88 President Lois Mamak and Forest Admininstrative Officer Debra Holler.

Both were heavily involved in the negotiations. Holler served as the chief negotiator for Management, while national NAGE representative Mark Bailey served as the chief negotiator on the Union side .

Two training days were set up to allow as many employees as possible to attend training close to their office location. About 90 percent of the Forest workforce was able to attend one of these sessions. Another training opportunity will be offered for those employees who were unable to make the initial sessions.

The new agreement replaces one developed in the 1990s. While that served the Forest well it was outdated and didn't include articles on all of the relevant issues that came up in normal business. A team of 10 people represented the two sides (Management and Union) to review, update, and revise the existing document.

The process worked extremely smoothly, with various team members researching aspects of the agreement and the whole team meeting to go over changes. While many hours were involved, the team was able to agree on a draft document in only 8 days:a very quick process for efforts of this sort.

The draft document made it through all necessary upper level reviews with only minor changes, reflecting the dedication and effort put into the project by all team members. It is the intention of both Union and Management leaders that the teamwork that went into developing and presenting the new agreement be carried over into implementing the contract.

"I'm sure we'll face challenges that will require us to negotiate within the contract," said Forest Supervisor Clyde Thompson. "We're in a good place to be able to do that because of the good faith effort that got us to this point."

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Leadership in Botany Recognized on the Wayne NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3596 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3596 9

Wayne National Forest botanist Cheryl Coon and Ironton District botanist Chad Kirschbaum were recently awarded an Eastern Region Honor Award for Natural Resources Leadership in recognition of their work in establishing a strong partner-based botany and non-native invasive species program.

"The Wayne has been very fortunate to have the leadership of two such instrumental managers in our botany program," said Becky Ewing, Forest Biologist. "They have made an incredible difference in the last few years and we are very pleased that they were recognized for all the extraordinary work that they have done."

Ewing notes that their efforts over the past couple years have led to such accomplishments as the completion of an environmental assessment for control of non-native invasive species. The selected alternative allows for rapid response to newly discovered NNIS infestations, which eliminates the need for full-blown site-specific analysis for each treatment. This is significant in that it reduces the expenditure of funds for analysis and makes them available for knocking out NNIS before they can establish themselves into large areas of the Forest.

Kirschbaum led an effort to establish the Iron Furnace Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) in 2006 and organized a steering committee of partner agencies, organizations and landowners in 2007. The CWMA encompasses all of the Ironton Unit and will enable partners to work together to more efficiently control the spread of NNIS, on both federal and non-federal lands. Coon initiated meetings with interested people in 2007 with the intent on establishing a second CWMA that would improve NNIS control efforts in the vicinity of the Athens and Marietta Units in 2008.

Both have initiated efforts to replace non-native landscaping at the Wayne's administrative offices with native plants and shrubs. They are actively working to further efforts to establish native plant and seed sources for use on the Wayne. In addition to annual seed and plant collecting efforts, Coon has developed and maintained an important partnership with the Rural Action Appalachian Resource Center, a local organization that promotes economic and environmental sustainability in Appalachian Ohio. Rural Action and the Wayne hosted several "Plant Saves" - the goal was to rescue as many native woodland plants from the future U.S. Highway 33 Bypass corridor prior to construction. These plants are planted at the Wayne's Supervisor's Office and will then be replanted along the Bypass after construction to give the landscape a more natural appearance, and to reduce the spread of non-native species.

Ewing notes that both Kirschbaum and Coon have developed relationships with Forest Service and university researchers to help address native and non-native plant issues on the Wayne. Both have assisted researchers with grant applications to study botanical resources on the Wayne and continue to establish relationships with botanical experts throughout the region, such as the Ohio Moss and Lichen Association. Working with Coon and Kirschbaum, these expert lichenologists and bryologist recently discovered a biodiversity hot spot on the Forest that is being recommended for Special Area status.

As with all good leaders, Coon and Kirschbaum do their share of mentoring. Each year they each have several students enrolled in the Wayne's Student Temporary Employment Program. They provide the students with opportunities to experience all facets of working for the Forest Service. In 2007, they had 18 high school and college students working on such projects as NNIS control, native seed collection, monitoring of Research Natural Areas and Regional Forester Sensitive Species populations, biological data collection in areas where future landscape restoration projects will occur, and development of native plant and pollinator gardens.

Both are involved in several botany-related organizations outside the Forest Service, such as the Ohio Invasive Plant Council (OIPC). Coon serves on the management subcommittee and Kirschbaum is co-chair of the research subcommittee that organized the 2007 Ohio Invasive Plant Research conference. Both were involved with organizing and leading OIPC invasive plant workshops for landowners and interested citizens in southern and central Ohio in 2007. Kirschbaum is also a leader in the West Virginia Native Plant Society (WVNPS) and leads plant hikes in southern Ohio, northern Kentucky and West Virginia. Recently, he organized a winter lecture series on botanical topics for the WVNPS. Coon is an active member of the Athens Forest Stewardship Group that involves community members in NNIS control, and a member of the Natural Resources task force for the Athens County Regional Planning team. Outside of work, she has completed the Master Gardner program, which has led to more and stronger relationships with other community members who are interested in native plant propagation and conservation.

"As a team, Cheryl Coon and Chad Kirschbaum have made significant strides in the development of the Wayne National Forest's Native Plant Program over the past two years," said Ewing. "Cheryl and Chad provide strong botanical leadership and knowledge to other agencies, foster partnerships with local communities and organizations, mobilize local volunteers as stewards of the Forest, and provide career building opportunities for aspiring botanists. They are inspirational leaders who have made a difference in the management of natural resources on the Wayne!"

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Agency Partnership Help Clean Up Illegal Dump Sites]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3595 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3595 9

Thanks to a partnership of local, state and federal agencies, a large illegal dumpsite in a Phelps County sink hole will soon gone. Conical Sink is the largest of at least five illegal dump sites on Forest Service property in Phelps, Crawford and Washington counties.

In continuing its illegal dump cleanup program, Meramec Regional Planning Commission and the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District are partnering with Mark Twain National Forest, Phelps County Highway Department, South Central Correctional Center in Licking and volunteers to clean-up the nearly 100-foot deep sink.

The project kicked off in early November 2007 when Klaus Leidenfrost, a wildlife biologist with the Mark Twain Forest Service¹s Houston/Rolla/Cedar Creek Ranger District, and eight inmates from the South Central Correctional Center began separating tires and appliances and bagging trash at the bottom of the sink.

Leidenfrost is in charge of the Conical Sink cleanup with MRPC's Nongluk Tunyavanich coordinating volunteers, equipment and providing food and drinks for workers involved with the cleanups. Inmates also bagged trash from the less steep areas of the sink. Leidenfrost and five volunteers from the Missouri Speleological Survey (MSS) and Missouri's University of Science and Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla) continued bagging trash Nov. 4.

At the close of the first weekend, the Phelps County Highway Department delivered two truck loads of bagged trash to the transfer station. On Nov. 9, MRPC hired Gabriele Crane Co. and its 75-ton crane with a 202 foot boom to assist with the project. Work began early that morning withGene Gabriele and his crew preparing his 75-ton crane for work.

By 8 a.m., eight inmates, two guards as well as five Forest Service staff, six county employees and one MRPC staff person were on hand to remove the appliances, bagged trash and tires from the sinkhole. The Phelps County Highway Department provided five dump trucks and a back hoe. The crane was used to lift debris out of the deep sinkhole. Material was placed in a cargo net and hooked to the cable and lifted out of the sinkhole with the crane. It was then loaded into waiting dump trucks.

That day, seven dump truck loads of metal (which were recyled), one dump truck load of trash and 126 tires were removed from Conical Sink. Additional trash was bagged and two more truck loads of trash were hauled to the transfer station Nov. 10.

Later in November, inmates helped Leidenfrost gather 54 tires in Slaughter Sink, also in Phelps County, and also worked to clean up a newer illegal dump on Phelps County Road 8520.

On Nov. 16, 17, 30 and Dec. 1, crews from the South Central Correctional Center in Licking continued to bag up trash at Conical Sink for future removal. There are still several more days of work required at Conical Sink to bag trash before the crane comes back to the site. Due to the recent icy conditions in the area, work has been suspended until weather conditions improve.

Once all the material is removed from Conical Sink, a dirt berm and chain link fence are planned to prevent future dumping.

To the west in Washington and Crawford counties, Chris Woods, district fire management officer of the Potosi/Fredericktown Ranger District, was mounting clean up efforts along two county roads. Nearly 28 tons of trash were removed from scattered illegal dump sites along Harmon Road in Washington County. Clean up of a dump site on Hobo Road in Crawford County is being planned.

The disposal costs and equipment rental is being covered by a $21,700 grant from the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District. Grant funds come from a landfill tipping fee imposed by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, with a portion being returned to Missouri solid waste districts for competitive grant awards.

"We really appreciate all the cooperation and assistance we had on all these cleanups, especially Conical Sink," said Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager. "The Phelps County Commissioners and the county highway crews are to be commended for their efforts and the use of their equipment. It would not have been possible to cleanup the dumpsite of this size without the help from so many agencies."

Snodgrass also took time to praise the coordinators.

"Klaus and Chris are to be commended for their dedication to these efforts," Snodgrass continued. "People travel great distances to enjoy our state and federal forests, and it is unfortunate that some choose to use these resources for their personal trash disposal."

About three years ago, MRPC completed a survey and documented 69 illegal dumps in the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District, which includes Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. Water sources are particularly vulnerable to the effects of illegal dumping as hazardous materials can seep through the ground and contaminate water supplies.

Besides being aesthetically unpleasing, illegal dumping lowers property values and poses an unsanitary risk to residents living near a dumpsite. Dumps in sink holes threaten underground aquifers that residents and municipalities use for drinking water.

"When you dump in a sink hole, you are threatening the very water we all drink," said Snodgrass. "Sinks often times are directly connected to underground streams that supply our water."

MRPC and Ozark Rivers now has a surveillance camera to monitor dump sites in the region in hopes of securing evidence to prosecute illegal dumpers as part of the Forest's ongoing efforts to Protect Ecosystems Across Boundaries.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Service Contributed to Conference Success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3594 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3594 9

Fish and wildlife management professionals and students from Midwestern and Northern Plains states gathered December 9-12, 2007 for the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference where scientific papers about current and emerging issues were presented and discussed. Not only was the Forest Service a key financial sponsor of the event, nearly 40 Forest Service employees attended the conference. Many of these employees offered up their time to help out on various tasks before and during the event.

Organizing a conference for nearly 1,200 attendees is no small task, and planning often begins a couple years in advance. Nick Schmal, Region 9 Fish and Aquatic Ecology Program Manager served as a Fisheries Program Committee member. "Over the past year or so, the wildlife and fisheries program committees were tasked with developing workshops, symposia, and general sessions that addressed important aquatic and terrestrial wildlife issues," said Schmal. "I was very impressed with the quality of the papers and posters that were submitted this year, but was especially happy to see that several presentations were made by Forest Service employees."

Eastern Region biologists, ecologists, and hydrologists presented results from a variety of monitoring efforts and administrative studies. Forest Service research scientists were also on hand to present findings from their projects. "There is a lot of good work being done on the ground," commented Schmal. "There were Forest Service presentations on the schedule that covered an array of topics such as aquatic organism passage, salmonid spawning habitat, brook trout genetics, jack pine habitat management for Kirtland's warbler, grassland restoration, butternut regeneration, and monitoring marten distributions".

Continuing education opportunities were offered to attendees prior to the start of the conference. Schmal pointed out that Mark Fedora, a shared-service hydrologist with the Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy, helped develop and teach a workshop on aquatic organism passage. "Mark has a tremendous amount of on-the-ground experience with aquatic organism passage inventory and assessment, and he helped put together a great course for this conference". Under Schmal's leadership and with assistance from experts like Fedora, the Eastern Region has developed an aggressive aquatic organism passage program that balances inventory and assessment with passage restoration.

Forest Service employees assisted with other important tasks throughout the conference. Schmal noted that Forest Service employees served as moderators for a couple of the sessions, judged papers for the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, represented the Forest Service at the Janice Lee Fenske Award Ceremony, and mentored students at the Student Career Fair and Graduate School Mixer. "The Forest Service really made an impact on this conference."

Abstracts for papers and posters can be found at the conference website, available at http://midwest.ncd-afs.org/index.asp. Columbus, Ohio will be the site for the 69th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, scheduled for December 14-17, 2008.

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RebeccaEwingrewing@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mark Twain NF Keeps Train Derailment Clean Up On Track]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3593 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3593 9

Every day of the year, several times a day, trains carrying open loads of coal from Wyoming to Georgia cross through parts of Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri.

On April 7, 2007, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train, with 126 cars each carrying 100 tons of coal, left the tracks 10 miles south of Willow Springs. Thirty-five railroad cars came off the rails, spilling 3,300 tons of coal from 33 cars, each valued at $73,000 each. The closed rail line cost the company $1 million dollars an hour.

Trains began running again within 32 hours of the derailment.

Mark Twain National Forest Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs Ranger Jenny Farenbaugh established an incident command team to support clean up, restoration, recovery and to protect resources. National Forest resources at risk included a heritage homestead site, a wetland and forest soils in the spill area.

Incident Commander Beth Hardman, a district silviculturist, incorporated into the team James Halpern, zone archaeologist; James Murrell, wilderness ranger and para-professional archaeologist; Darla Rein, timber management, and Antoinette Sitting Up, wildlife biologist focused first on safety, then on determining extent of the damage and coordinating clean up efforts.

The clean up was completed mid July 2007 and included clearing tracks, removing ties and damaged rails, and installing pre-constructed rail segments. Temporary roads were constructed to handle trucks carrying approximately 80,000 lbs. each. A major Show Me Electric power line right of way was used instead of the pre-existing single lane access which runs parallel to the train tracks.

Coal was removed and trucked to a local landfill. All coal buried under overturned cars was also removed.

Cutting torches cut railcars apart on site so sections could be hauled away. The temporary access road was removed, and final contouring and seeding completed the cleanup.

The Mark Twain National Forest Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs District was awarded the 2007 Region 9 Honor Award for Heroism and Emergency Response for their outstanding work with the train derailment and its aftermath.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Allegheny Walks the Talk for Sustainability in Latin America]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3589 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3589 9

In July 2007 Dave Lombardo, the Operations Team Leader on the Allegheny National Forest, Andrea von der Ohe from the Forest Service's International Programs staff, and Rex Baumback, a retired Washington Office Forester, served as technical experts in support of the USAID/Colombia Mission - MIDAS program on the development of a pilot log tracking system and other related projects.

Lombardo provided insight into log tracking methods used by log buyers in the northeastern United States where high value hardwood logs are equipped with a bar code tagging system to track chain of custody. The proposed system is intended to identify legally harvested timber and discourage illegal harvesting.

The team visited the village of Turbo along the Panamanian border where timber that originates from upstream sources on the Atrato River (within the project area) is off-loaded by hand from boats directly to trucks or horse carts or stacked on the dock for later sale.

In addition the team also discussed with the project coordinators areas where the Forest Service may be able to provide future technical assistance.

"Foresters spend most of their lives in the woods, and it is very rewarding to share our Forest practices with developing forest economies," Lombardo said.

This international mission demonstrates the ongoing Forest Service commitment to "Walk the Talk for Sustainability."

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Allegheny Reaches Across Boundaries to Protect Ecosystems in Africa]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3588 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3588 9

Dave Lombardo, a certified silviculturist on the Allegheny National Forest, and Hugh Safford, the Ecologist for the Pacific Southwest Region, were part of a cadre of international instructors for a two-week training course in the African nation of Namibia in March 2007.

The training was for personnel from the Angolan government and local community members from the area within the Coutada de Mucusso, a 23,000 square-kilometer area in southeast Angola which is on track to be designated as a natural preserve. Lombardo developed and taught an intensive timber cruise course that was translated into Portuguese and will serve as the Angolan Forest Service's timber cruising manual.

In addition, sustainable forestry and land management planning was presented to the group as a first step in helping that area develop new tools for protecting and managing these vast lands.

The training participants also included foresters, botanists and wildlife biologists from Namibia and Botswana. The training was somewhat challenging due to the need to translate the courses into 3 different languages as well as the participants having various levels of educational and literacy levels. This was a real opportunity for the Forest Service to foster courageous conservation in sustainable management and forestry practices and policies for the emerging forestry programs in Angola.

"It has been a lifelong dream of mine to go to Africa," Lombardo said. "The trip was much more meaningful to me to be able to help others learn sustainable management techniques."

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HerbClevengerhclevenger@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Christmas on the Huron-Manistee]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3579 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3579

The Supervisor's Office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests adopted three local families this Christmas.

So what happens when the Supervisors Office adopts a family? Lots of presents under the tree. In an outpouring of Christmas cheer, the office filled boxes with toys, clothing, baby care products, and odds and ends for the three families, as well as two carpet remnants and more boxes filled to the brim with food stuffs.

The piles of gifts filled the lunchroom until they were picked up by representatives from the Family Independent Agency of Wexford and Missaukee Counties (FID) on December 20. The final donations filled three mini-vans with an extra trip for the rug remnants.

Office sponsors Shannon Rische and Joni Strzelecki pick families from a list provided by the FID that show the ages and circumstances of each family in the area in need of assistance. A tree is then put up in the lunchroom with tags for employees to pick from. Employees then select as many tags as they want or, in some instances, get creative with their donations with gift cards and surprises.

In a letter from Bedonna Davis of the FID to the employees of the SO, she wrote "I had to write you immediately and share the joy you have brought. It is not only joy that the families are feeling, but also the workers connected with the families. Your kindness and generosity have reinforced their belief in the commitment of those in this community...that care about those in need and are willing to give."

This is the second year the Supervisor's Office has participated in the program and employees have already stated a strong desire to do so again next year, possibly adopting more families if they can.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[ANF-MARIENVILLE YCC PROGRAM HAS A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER SEASON 2007]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3587 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3587 9

The 2007 season was busy for the Marienville Ranger District YCC crew. The crew completed a variety of projects, toured multiple sites and worked with Forest resource specialists, providing a unique experience they will never forget.

Projects completed by the crew include: maintenance work on hiking trails; identifying and removing invasive plants such as garlic mustard, thistle, multi-flora rose, autumn olive and Japanese knotweed; splitting and transporting firewood to trailheads and dispersed campsites; removing fence and tubex from successful regeneration sites; surveying roads before decommissioning; working with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to place signs in a propagation area; planting American chestnut seedlings; and assembling and placing nesting boxes for northern flying squirrels.

In addition to the projects, individual crew members were able to experience the typical days of resource specialists on the Forest through a job shadowing program. Each member worked a day with three different specialists, while various specialists worked with the entire crew for a day. Job assignments included: map and compass reading skills, collecting data on a Trimble GPS unit, using basic survey equipment, digging test pits and sifting soil for archeological surveys along the Clarion River, marking timber, and interpreting soil layers.

To give the crew an appreciation of how the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is connected to the areas past, present and future, the crew toured five sites in and around the ANF. The crew toured the Highland Resources lumber mill in Marienville, and toured one of the largest remaining old growth forest stands in the Eastern United States in nearby Cook Forest State Park. The 5-member Bradford Ranger District YCC crew met with the 5-member Marienville crew to tour three other sites: the Clinton E. Wilder Museum in Irvine, PA; the PA Lumber Museum and Sustainable Forestry Trail in Kane, PA; and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA. In addition to the tours, the crew also participated in an archaeological excavation, conducted in partnership with Clarion University, sifting soil and recovering artifacts at the Indian Valley field school.

This season was a great success, made possible through the hard work of the crew and the willingness of the resource specialists on the Allegheny National Forest to share their knowledge and experience.

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ShellyWilliamsslwilliams@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Celebrating Wildflowers Webpage Branches Out to Include the Non-Vascular Plant Group]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3586 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3586 9

The Celebrating Wildflowers website was developed to educate the public about plants and plant ecology. There are several modules such as Pollinators, Native Gardening, Native Plant Materials, Wildflower Ethics, Invasive Plants, Rare Plants, and now, Interesting Plants.

The Forest Service's Celebrating Wildflowers webpage (http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/) has added a new module to its lineup, found under Interesting Plants. Just published under this new section is the first non-vascular plant group - lichens! Here you will find information on the biology and ecology of these intriguing organisms, as well as tips on identification and collection of lichens.

At this website, you will learn what a lichen is and what it is not (it is not a moss!). Also, you can learn how humans and animals have been using lichens for hundreds of years. There are many links you can click on to lead you to other lichen websites, which will provide even more information about this fascinating "plant" group.

The lichen module came about through the efforts of Chantelle DeLay (botanist on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), Larry Stritch (National Botanist), and web designer Barry Lilly. DeLay worked in Washington, D.C., with Stritch developing content for the webpages, contacting photographers and lichenologists for photographs, and getting permission to use photos and link to other non-government websites.

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janschultzjschultz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Tom Thake Receives Hoosier NF Community Service Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3584 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3584 9

Tom Thake received the Hoosier National Forest's 'Branching out to the Community' award in December 2007 for his work in community service. A co-worker nominated Thake for the award noting "Tom's 'branching' has reached beyond the Forest or his local community out across the states!

This comment referred to Thakes efforts in rebuilding lives through Habitat for Humanity "in giving people the gift of a place to live and stability, one nail at a time, one brick at a time, one board at a time." This past spring, Thake took his vacation time not to rest and relax but to volunteer his time with Habitat for Humanity in building new homes out west. He has also helped locally for many years with Habitat for Humanity in re-building churches and homes and currently serves as president of the Spencer County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Thake is the Silviculturist on the Hoosier National Forest. He is generous in sharing his knowledge of forests with others, especially youth. He's been planting seeds of knowledge on forestry and fire safety to school groups in Perry and Spencer counties for over 20 years and, locally, helped the Cannelton School district with the Moon Tree project. He currently serves on the Indiana Tree Farm Committee which encourages the development of outdoor learning facilities and promotes outdoor learning experiences of our school-aged children. Thake's supervisor Gary Dinkel said these outdoor labs develop enthusiasm for learning and encourage higher academic achievement in school. Tom visits schools annually across Indiana to judge their outdoor labs.

Thake also serves on the Lincoln Hills RC&D Forestry Committee which encourages proper land use and the Fish & Wildlife Committee working with private and public lands for sustainable wildlife habitat. He is an active member of the Indiana Chapter of the Society of American Foresters.

Thake is also an active member in his church, a church trustee and sings in the choir. Dinkel said, "Tom also supports all of us in our community involvement activities; he walks for our Relay-for-Life team, supports school and Spencer county community functions, and is a member of the Optimist Club."

Dinkel and coworkers agree Thake is a delight to work with. His laughter can be heard throughout the building and people can't help but smile and laugh with him. Thake and his family make everyone feel welcome and included in whatever they're doing, "The Hoosier National Forest and the local community is lucky to have Tom and his family working here."

Dinkel said he was pleased to see Thake get the award for 2007 and notes that Thake upholds a long tradition of Forest Service people involved in their communities.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha National Forest shares native plant propagation knowledge with Bay Mills Indian Community]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3344 Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3344 9

Story contributed by Terry Miller.

Seven members of the Bay Mills Indian Community toured the Marquette greenhouse of the Hiawatha National Forest in an exchange of information and techniques for producing native plants. Members of the tribe have been collecting native seed for the past two years for the environmental engineering firm, JFNew. They decided to view the greenhouse after exploring the idea of using the seed they collect to produce native seed on their own.

The Marquette greenhouse was originally built as part of a USDA Forest Service research facility at that site. In the last ten years, the greenhouse has been restored and has become a leader in native plant production in the Upper Peninsula. Previously, the Hiawatha National Forest helped develop native plant production at the Borealis greenhouse in Big Bay, MI and the Northern Wild Plant & Seed Cooperative in Pickford, MI. Even with the additional sources, production of native plants can't keep up with the demand. This is due to the increased understanding of the importance of rehabilitating disturbed areas with native plant materials.

The tour consisted of first viewing outdoor native plant gardens at the Marquette greenhouse. These are important sources of native seed for easy collection. Next, the group discussed techniques for scarifying the seed to ensure germination. Angie Lucas, a contractor who manages the greenhouse, shared her protocols for germination. Each species requires different techniques that have been largely developed through trial and error. The forest personnel shared how they store and catalog seed into containers and seed mixes to be used at each site. Techniques for applying the seed to planting areas were also discussed.

Next the group viewed the greenhouse, which at the time was filled with over 15,000 individual plugs. Differences in watering needs and growing period were discussed for individual species. Materials and supplies were discussed, in addition to the pros and cons of various greenhouse designs. The group then looked at the shade house, which is used to improve the hardiness of plugs before planting them. The meeting finished with a presentation of a tray of plugs and two bags of native seed mix to stimulate a native garden on Bay Mills land.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Office Goes Green]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3583 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3583 9

Rhinelander, WI - The Rhinelander Supervisor's office of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) is preparing to move sometime later this year. The new location is a building that once housed a Wisconsin Department of Transportation Divers License Center. The building has been vacant for approximately six years and is in need of a "green" makeover before the move can occur.

Some of the needed modifications prior to the move include new flooring, ceiling tile, shelving and changing some room configurations. Normally, a demolition crew would go in to knock down and tear out the unwanted walls and materials and toss them in a dumpster for disposal in a landfill. But not so with this job! It is estimated that reuse and recycling of materials will reduce landfilling resulting from this project by over 60%!

"We are very committed to 'green' practices. We are thankful that Oneida County Solid Waste Department has the ability to reuse/recycle all these unwanted materials and that Blackwell Jobcorps students are an instrumental part of this project. This truly is a group effort that will have long term benefits," Forest Supervisor Jeanne Higgins said of the project.

The CNNF, working with Blackwell Job Corp students and the Oneida County Solid Waste Department's Second Story program, will be reclaiming a number of items for reuse or recycling. Blackwell students are carefully removing items such as shelving, wiring, conduit, doors and windows so that they may be reused or recycled.

The Second Story Program is responsible for outletting materials reclaimed from the project. As an example, ceiling tile will be palletized and recycled through a program offered by Armstrong Ceiling Tile.

This single project will produce two thirds of the quantity necessary for a truckload. Second Story will be storing the tiles until a sufficient quantity is received from other such projects to make a full truck load. Likewise, interior doors and windows will be stored until an agreement is reached with a non-profit organization to retail such materials.

These later items are being reused, which is better than recycling, since materials do not have to be transported great distances and reprocessed.

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SuzanneFlorysflory@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Native Plant Restoration and Bank Stabilization Along the Indian Wild and Scenic River]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3582 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3582 9

By Linda Peterson

Historic management and current land use practices have de-stabilized some of the banks on the Indian Wild and Scenic River. Sedimentation from these banks causes loss of habitat for fish and invertebrates and decreased water quality.

In spring of 2007 the Hiawatha National Forest undertook a project to rehabilitate eroding banks and restore native vegetation along the Indian Wild and Scenic River using live fascines made from native plant material. The restoration crew cut several truck loads of alder, willow, and dogwood live stems from a local wetland.

Cuttings were soaked in a nearby lake overnight and transported to the worksite the morning of the project. Stems were trimmed, bundled and tied into fascines. The banks were terraced with shallow cup trenches. Fascines were set into each trench, covered with soil and staked into place using cuttings from the live fascine material.

Once the banks were stabilized, certified weed free soil was spread over the site as a growth medium. The slope was then planted with locally collected native seed and seedlings propagated at the Forest Service greenhouse in cooperation with the Marquette County Conservation District. To deter foot traffic and protect the slope until the plants become established, slash was placed over the newly stabilized bank. When the plants become established these project areas will become a source of native seed and future fascine material within the wild and scenic river corridor.

Both sites were monitored for effectiveness two months after implementation. New growth was documented on the fascines and the live stakes. The seedling trees, native plugs, live cuttings and native seed all showed signs of establishment. Significant rain events have occurred at both sites and the stabilizations have functioned effectively.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Finger Lakes NF Promotes Agricultural Education Curriculum]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3483 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3483 9

Local history is a thing of the past.

Not only is that statement true in a literal sense, but today's youth are so disconnected to the land and the rural lifestyle that developed this country, our team thought something should be done about it. Local history is simply not emphasized enough in our schools today, and even the rural kids are experiencing a disconnect with the land.

Our group decided to do something about this, and found that a series of lesson plans had been developed last spring by the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, NY. Our goal was to make learning about local history fun and educational, while meeting the state education standards.

The team was comprised of folks from Seneca County's COMET (Cultural Organizations, Museums, Educators and Trails) group. This organization was created to promote collaboration among those with an interest in cultural, historical, and environmental affairs. The Finger Lakes National Forest has been a member of this group for several years, and was instrumental in the implementation of this program, along with the Interlaken Historical Society, Seneca Falls Historical Society, and the Seneca County Historian's office.

Bobbie Beckhorn, fourth grade teacher at South Seneca's Elementary School, agreed to pilot our agriculture and rural life program into her classroom in Interlaken, New York.

The program involved having the kids read the book "Farmer Boy," written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, who also wrote the popular "Little House on the Prairie." "Farmer Boy" is the story of young Almonzo Wilder, when he was growing up in Malone, New York, in the mid 1800s.

"Whenever possible, the kids are experiencing some aspect of what they have read by using artifacts from the Interlaken Historical Society and from visits from local folks with special skills," society President Allan Buddle said.

Finger Lakes National Forest employee Kari Lusk, who raises sheep at her Lodi home, went into the classroom and taught the kids how to dye wool, card it, and use a drop spindle to make yarn. They were also treated to a visit from Ruth and LeConte Myer, who shared their stories from a lifetime of farming.

Myer has a book published about her life as a young farm girl growing up in Interlaken during the Great Depression. The class also watched as Howard Barrows came into the class and made cedar shingles on a shaving horse. There were many items on display in the classroom from the local historical society, including handmade clothing, a milking stool, old lanterns, and wool cards.

The kids also made moccasins, candles, and homemade butter.

"It was felt that having real-life examples from the surrounding community would enhance learning, and at the same time, focus the energies of the COMET organizations," Buddle explained.

While the COMET group continues to expand upon the program, and add a 7th and 11th grade module, they will also try to spread the 4th grade program to other schools in the area. The hands on activities, combined with the reading, really make this program come alive. The program was a tremendous success, and the program will be integrated into all South Seneca Elementary School fourth grade classrooms next year.

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Educational CD for the Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3578 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3578 9

In 2006, the Huron-Manistee National Forests and the Freemont Area Community Foundation signed an agreement that has propelled the restoration and interpretation of the Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary, both on the ground and electronically. To facilitate interpretation of the Wildflower Sanctuary a CD package was created to provide educational and interpretive resources for volunteers leading tours at Loda Lake, as well as for teachers to use when bringing their students to explore the sanctuary.

The agreement also provided funding for a virtual web tour, interpretive and cultural signs, and development of a Birding List.

The CD was developed with joint funding from the Freemont Area Community Foundation and the Eastern National Forest Interpretive Association. Included are scripts for two themed interpretive walks, background information on the history of the area that is now Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary, background information on the geology, soils, natural communities, and selected plants and wildlife found at Loda Lake, a variety of Newaygo County maps showing geology, pre-settlement vegetation, and other resources, historical photos of the area, photos of several plant and animal species, and a list of resource for further information.

Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary is a special place in many ways, not the least of which is that it is the only designated wildflower sanctuary in the National Forest system. It is home to over 200 species of plants and wildflowers native to Michigan and it has an interesting and varied history.

Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary is the result of a partnership between the Forest Service and the Garden Clubs of Michigan that dates back to the 1930s. The Garden Clubs of Michigan continue their support to this day and assist in planning and management of Loda Lake.

Additional support for Loda Lake comes from multiple other groups, including the Northwest Michigan Chapter of the North Country Trail Association, several Boy Scout Troops, Northwestern Michigan College at Traverse City, Ferris State College, and the Young Adult Conservation Corps.

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CatherineSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne deploys Firemon Plots to aid in Project level Monitoring]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3577 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3577 9

In 2005, the Forest assembled an interdisciplinary monitoring team to discuss and research different protocols for project-level monitoring. The team looked at Forest Health Monitoring (FIA), National Park Service (Forest Monitoring Handbook), and Silvah Oak and Firemon protocols. Firemon was the most robust and flexible protocol because it allowed us to measure a variety of life forms and include customized measures. After testing the Firemon protocols in the field, we adopted this protocol.

Today, there are 234 permanent Firemon Plots on the Wayne National Forest. The table below details the types of baseline measurements that were taken at each site. Some plots were re-measured or have been identified for further measurements. The Pine Creek and Buckhorn plots were completed by a local contractor. Buckhorn and Pine Creek have plots evenly distributed among four treatments: timber harvest, timber harvest and prescribed burning, prescribed burning only and control.

The 44 ice storm study plots were established and measured to evaluate the effects of the 2003 ice storm. The plots cover a wide geographic area and were placed to sample areas were Firemon plots were not installed. These plots were completed between June and September 2007 by seasonal technicians from Ohio University. Ryan Trimbath, a graduate of Ohio University led the field crews in this effort. Fuel loadings ranged from 8-33 tons per acre and averaged 16 tons per acre across the Ice Storm Study Plots.

Young's Branch fuel plots were measured in 2005 by Ironton Fire Crew, Jason Simms, Zach Allen, Jennifer Brown and Scottie Kisor and re-measured in 2007 after the burns (see graph). Fuel loads from four plots decreased significantly (p-value < 0.01) in 1-100 hour fuels. On average, fuels decreased 77%. 1-1000 hour fuels decreased by 38% however, one thousand hour fuels alone did not decrease significantly.

This winter more plots are being measured on the Athens District with objective of covering vegetation management projects with monitoring plots to better evaluate the effects of prescribed fire and timber harvesting.

Table of Firemon Plots on the Wayne National Forest

Data Collected and Year Measured

Site Name (# Plots) Fuels / Under-story / Overstory and Regen / Herps / Birds / Bat Habitat / Witness Trees

Youngs Branch Rx (15) 2005 - Fuels only

Darby Creek Rx (15) 2005 - Fuels only

Pine Creek* (72) 2006 2006 2008 2007/08 2007/08 2008 2007

Buckhorn* (68) 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2007 n/a

Ice Storm Study (44) 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 2007

Bailey Rx Fire (20) 2008 2006 2008

Total - 234 plots

Methods and Measurements Used: Fuels: 3-7 Brown's transects; Understory vegetation: 3 point intercept transects; Snags: on 0.1ac plot, Overstory: on 0.05ac plot, Sapling: on NE quadrant of 0.05ac plots, Seedlings: on 0.001ac plot; Herps: 2'x4' cover board; Birds: point count surveys; Bat and Herp habitat: on overstory plots and fuels transects.

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chadKirschbaumckirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[War on Invasive Plants: Ironton RD - Wayne National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3576 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3576 9

The Ironton Ranger District treated over 503 acres in fiscal year 2007 with the aid of the Non-Native Invasive Species Control Plan, several seasonals, volunteers and District staff. Though there were many successful projects in 2007, here are the highlights of a few of the projects.

The 2007 season started with the annual Vesuvius Recreation Autumn Olive Control project. This project was implemented in 2005 with the treatment of Autumn Olive in the Iron Ridge Campground. All patches of the invasive shrub were mapped and then dug with hand tools or a tractor. Sixty-five acres of scattered Autumn Olive have been treated. These areas are annually monitoring and retreated for root sprouts. Herbicide application was used for the first time in 2007 to control sprouts. Since these removals were in a high visibility area, most of the Autumn Olive shrubs were replaced by planting native species to provide screening and natural barriers.

Multiflora rose, Amur Honeysuckle and tree of heaven were the targets of the Binion Wildfire invasive project. Much of the control activity occurred in the winter months. Several acres choked out by multiflora rose were treated by Michael Wagner, a STEP employee from Ohio University. Under his leadership, workers from the Federal Prison Camp partnered with the Forest Service to encourage native plant growth and regeneration on over 190 acres of federal and private land. "It was cold and the multiflora rose bit back, but in the end we prevailed" said Wagner. For the Binion project, the Forest Service employed the Wyden Amendment to work on neighboring private land to treat an area that was severely burned by a wildfire in 2005.

Another project that was implemented in 2007 was the Kosmos ATV Trail NNIS Control project. This project aims to pre-treat invasive species along nearly 30 miles of existing, user-created trail that will eventually become part of the official trail system. In 2007, 200 acres of stiltgrass, Autumn Olive and Amur Honeysuckle were treated by Wayne National Forest personnel. An NNIS control contract will be implemented in 2008 to control another 742 acres of invasives in the Kosmos area.

Projects to control stiltgrass in wildfire areas, along timber access road and recreation areas were also implemented in 2007 by Forestry Technician Sean Gwin, Michael Wagner, Jake Emnett, Fred Ashworth, volunteers and the Federal Prison Camp crew. Forty-one acres of garlic mustard was controlled on the District, most of which was to protect the rich stream corridor of Little Storms Creek. This effort was aided by volunteers and partners from the Iron Furnace Cooperative Weed Management Area.

The Ironton District currently has 7 invasive species control projects targeting 12 invasive species in areas where there are rare plants or areas such as trails and wildfires where invasive species can easily spread and multiply.

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chadKirschbaumckirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Former South Carolina DOT Staff Honored for Bridge Project]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3575 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3575 8

Two federal awards have been granted for outstanding work on the US Highway 76 Bridge thanks to the tireless efforts of former South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Program Manager Michael Meetze. In December 2007, the U.S. Highway 76 Bridge project won a 2007 Exemplary Human Environmental Initiatives (EHEI) award from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The EHEI program received 38 applications from many states across the country and only eight were selected--South Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, New York and Oregon.

In November 2007, Meetze was awarded the U.S. Forest Service Southern Region Regional Forester's award for partnerships. Two national forests, two offices of the FHWA, two Corps of Engineers (Corps) offices, two state transportation departments, two State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and two county governments worked together to achieve the same goal with seemingly little difficulty or fanfare, thanks to Meetze's efforts. Meetze demonstrated excellent leadership as Program Manager in the highly complex planning and implementation of the replacement of the U.S. Highway 76 Bridge over the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River.

"This project did more than just build a new bridge over the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River," said Mike Crane, district ranger on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District on the Sumter National Forest. "It bridged multiple state and federal agencies along with stakeholders and the public to show that government can truly listen and respond to the needs and concerns of people and organizations involved.

"The leadership of SCDOT's Mike Meetze was the key to making this bridge replacement project successful. Mike put the right people in play and made sure they understood from the very beginning that this river is unique and demands a constant ear to the ground."

The purpose of the U.S. Highway 76 Bridge project was to replace a structurally deficient and functionally obsolete bridge and improve traffic safety along the section of U.S. Route 76 connecting South Carolina to Georgia. However, the way this project was achieved is notable given its sensitive nature.

Located in the mountainous northwestern corner of South Carolina, the bridge connects the Sumter and Chattahoochee National Forests and spans the magnificent Chattooga River, a top destination for whitewater and angling enthusiasts in the southeast. This bridge is located within a highly valued and extremely environmentally sensitive, regional recreation area.

Because this bridge connects two states and two national forests, spans a pristine nationally recognized river and is located within a very active community, an immense amount of coordination was required and, thanks to Mike Meetze, a solution that considered everybody's needs was achieved.

The U.S. Highway 76 Bridge project would not have been possibile without the coordination of the following agencies - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service (Georgia and South Carolina), FHWA (Georgia and South Carolina), SCDOT, Georgia Department of Transportation, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), GA Department of Natural Resources- Historic Preservation, SC State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and community and special interest groups that provided valuable input.

For more information about this story, please contact Michelle Burnett, Public Affairs Officer, at michelleburnett@fs.fed.us or at (803) 561-4091.

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TammyMasonttmason@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[The Giving Tree Spreads Holiday Cheer]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3574 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3574 9

Employees in the Eastern Regional Office in Milwaukee have a long and generous history of spreading holiday cheer during the Christmas season to the less fortunate in surrounding communities. This tradition of sharing has helped to brighten the spirits of countless folks and provided an opportunity for RO employees to give back to their neighbors.

This year, the "Christmas Giving Tree" allowed employees to choose gift recipients by age and specific needs who would otherwise not be able to receive these presents. There were gift tags for two-month olds all the way up to 60 year-olds. Each tag listed three "wishes" and employees had the option to purchase one, two, or all three "wishes" for the recipient. The recommended amount of money to spend on each gift tag was $20.

In 2007, the Regional Office sponsored two different organizations: the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center and the New Concept Self Development Center. The week before Christmas, organization representatives visited the Regional Office to collect the gift donations to ensure they reached the recipients by Christmas eve.

Sixty RO employees participated in this year's Giving Tree event. The event was coordinated by Janis Hancock from the Aviation and Fire Management staff. Leslie Sharlein (IRM) and Dick Hart (IM) provided valuable support in helping to store and prepare the gifts for delivery. But it would not have been possible without the kindness and generosity of the employees who again stepped forward to spread some holiday cheer.

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AndrewMadsenandrewmadsen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps CCC students depart for the holidays]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3573 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3573

(Contributed by Lorie Almazan, 715-674-2311)

On Friday, December 14, almost 200 Blackwell students began their long-awaited journeys back to their home towns to spend the holidays with family and friends. The scholarship holders traveled via charter and commercial busses and planes to their destinations. Despite frigid temperatures in the early morning hours that day, nothing would damper their spirits as they boarded busses in anticipation of the upcoming holidays. The Job Corps students will return from their break in early January.

During their absence, employees at Blackwell take advantage of the break from their usual educational and vocational training duties to participate in training to hone their skills to help students become valuable and productive members of society. The week of December 17 was filled with several mandatory training sessions provided by external trainers and Center employees. The first training exercise was "Project Adventure" which focuses on the experiential process of learning via hands-on training while promoting team building skills and trust. Experiential learning is the cornerstone of all training offered to Blackwell students that help develop and enhance their educational, vocational, and social skills.

The employees were also provided training in how to help students with learning and physical disabilities overcome their obstacles and become successful. Most Job Corps Centers are capable of providing reasonable accommodations to students with some learning and physical disabilities.

Other required training was also offered for Center employees, which included CPR, Safety, HazMat and Emergency Response Procedure Plans. According to Center Director Jason Maloney, "It's very important that our staff keep current on the many training courses that keep Blackwell operating safely and functionally. This investment of time and money will pay for itself over and over."

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Botanist Receives Natural Resource Stewardship Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3571 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3571 9

Beth Shimp, a botanist on the Shawnee National Forest, is a natural resource steward caring for and encouraging new plants and larger populations of the federally endangered Mead's milkweed (Asclepias meadii). Based on her dedicated work over the last year, Shimp was awarded the Eastern Region's Natural Resource Stewardship Award.

Shimp's dedication, work ethic and enthusiasm also allow her to forge meaningful partnerships. The ongoing partnerships she has coordinated with the Morton Arboretum, The Nature Conservancy and the Illinois DNR have been a very important aspect of the recovery of this rare plant.

Arboretum, The Nature Conservacy, IDNR interns, volunteers and students that work with Shimp all come away with a positive impression of her passion as a land and resource steward.

Marlin Bowles of the Arboretum has been working across state lines to increase the genetic diversity of Mead's milkweed populations that will be necessary for the long-term success of the species. Incorporating information learned from other Mead's milkweed populations in Missouri and Kansas, such as the success of prescribed fire and enhanced genetic diversity, into the treatment of populations on the Shawnee will help Shimp manage this rare plant and continue to ensure its chances of survival.

Shimp's goal is to help in the ultimate delisting and security of this species, and thanks to her efforts this species is now on the rebound.

"Biodiversity loss is one of the most consistent signs of ecosystem distress," Shimp explained. "Ecosystem relationships depend on a web of living and non-living things."

Her on-the-job dedication and enthusiasm speak well of the Forest Service as an employer of choice.

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janschultzjschultz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Teamwork Equals Effectiveness and Efficiency on the Chippewa!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3570 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3570 9

Chippewa employees John Rickers, Darryl Holman, Gary Swanson and Brenda Halter-Glenn have demonstrated skill and persistence to ensure that the investments made in data collection and storage yield big returns in data use and availability. Their efforts have region-wide application and benefit and have set standards for effectiveness. These GIS, Planning and Silviculture employees have combined their talents to increase the reliability of the Chippewa's corporate data, to train all employees how to consistently input and extract the data, and to develop automated tools that provide consistent and efficient use of the data for use in NFMA, NEPA and monitoring processes.

"What do we do now?" and "How do we do it?" were two very common questions as the Chippewa began implementing the newly revised Forest Plan. The revised Forest Plan is dramatically different in both structure and intent than the 1986 Plan. Gone was prescriptive direction. Gone was stand by stand management and gone was the paint by number monitoring plan. What did the Forest know about managing and tracking such things as landscape ecosystems, spatial vegetation patterns, management indicator habitats and riparian management zones? This team set out to help answer those questions step by step.

Step 1: Making sure to start with good data that is readily available to users.

Data stewards have been assigned and stewardship protocols are in place for corporate data layers. Data stewards received training on stewardship roles and responsibilities. The Forest has led the way for Region 9 in populating and using the FACTS database. A detailed FASTS User Guide has been developed. Protocols, roles and responsibilities for FACTS data input and maintenance were defined, approved by Forest Leadership and supplemented in the FS Handbook. Numerous training sessions have been completed, each tailored to a different level of user. Guides and protocols for updating and attributing the spatial side of FACTS were developed. All of the resources have been posted on the Chippewa's FSWeb ensuring easy access for all users.

Step 2: Making sure everyone is speaking the same language.

The Planning and Silviculture teams worked together to standardize the code definition for vegetation treatment and then to crosswalk them to the terminology used in the Forest Plan. Now everyone on the Forest is speaking the same language when someone enters a treatment code of "4152" into FACTS.

Teamwork on the Chippewa has proven to equal effectiveness and efficiency!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[White Mountain NF Employee Receives 2007 Conservation Award]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3569 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3569 9

The New England Wildflower Society honored Chris Mattrick of the White Mountain National Forest with the 2007 Conservation Award for outstanding achievement in furthering the conservation of temperate North American plants and their habitats throughout the New England Region.

The Society is America's oldest plant conservation institution and an innovative leader in work with rare plants, invasive plants, and volunteer programs. Society Overseer Jane Goedecke presented the award to Mattrick, describing him as a "botanist's botanist."

Goedecke thanked Mattrickfor his efforts, resulting in the Society's Plant Conservation Programs receiving national and international acclaim for their excellence and effectiveness.

"Mattrick's leadership, enthusiasm, and dedication continue to live in the work of hundreds of volunteers," she said.

Mattrick accepted the award describing Society volunteers as "Courageous Conservationists" - those who do good work that needs to be done, even though it might not always be popular.

"Thank you to the volunteers, the Society, and to my family for helping me do the right thing," he said. Mattrick's contributions are central in the battle with invasive plant species in New England. Second only to development, invasive species are the leading cause of biodiversity worldwide, and they present a critical conservation issue, especially in the face of climate change.

Mattrick serves as Forest Botanist on the White Mountain NF in New Hampshire, managing thousands of acres of habitat. He led native plant activities at the Society for many years, first as Rare Plant Curator, co-founding the New England Rare Plant Garden at Garden of the Woods in Framingham, MA, including the popular "invasive plant jail" exhibit.

As Senior Conservation Program Manager he expanded the Society's Plant Conservation Volunteer program, resulting in the Society's conservation accomplishments awarded by the USDA, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, among others. Mattrick is co-author of the Society's Field Manual of Invasive Plants for the Northeast and contributed to extensive articles and websitge resources on native plants.

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janschultzjschultz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Reintroduces Woodsy during Jack Frost Parade]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3568 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3568 9

The Ottawa National Forest participated again this year in the annual Jack Frost Festival of Lights Parade, which kicks off winter activities for the Ironwood, Michigan, area.

The evening was unusually cold with wind chills reaching the single digits (typical for the arrival of Jack Frost), but that didn't keep a hardy group of parade-goers home.

The theme of this year's festival was "Strut your Sports Stuff" and Woodsy was just the guy to do that, with his new slimmed down healthy look. (Smokey is usually on hand for this event, but decided to stay inside and let his buddy "Woodsy" brave the colder weather.) Woodsy serves as a great reminder to not only stay healthy, but reminds people of the importance of keeping a healthy environment.

Woodsy has not been around the Ottawa for a few years now, so many of those along the parade route were unfamiliar with Woodsy and his message. It became readily apparent to the Ottawa that we definitely need to get Woodsy out of the woods and into the classroom!

In line with the theme of the parade, the Ottawa was pleased to promote forest winter activities, such as sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and of course snowmobiling. A Forest Service vehicle escorted volunteers and Woodsy through the parade route with a banner reminding folks "Winter Fun Begins on Your Ottawa National Forest."

Despite the extremely cold weather, all who participated or watched had a great time!

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[North Dakota Future Farmers of America Volunteer over Thanksgiving in South Carolina National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3565 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3565 8

Dedication is intangible and cannot physically be measured; however, when a group of high school students travels more than 1,900 miles during Thanksgiving week for a volunteer project, their allegiance to a cause makes others sit up and take notice. This group of eight Future Farmers of America (FFA) students and two chaperones from Divide County, North Dakota, vigorously worked to complete the first phase of a three-phase project to build a boardwalk on the Enoree Ranger District on the Sumter National Forest that will make it possible for mobility-impaired hunters to hunt waterfowl.

"It would be nice to see the morning sun in the duck hunt," said Bobby Harrell, a past Francis Marion and Sumter National Forest (FMSNF) employee and a member of the South Carolina Disabled Sportsman Club. "This is an opportunity for potential mobility-impaired waterfowl hunters to get out and enjoy themselves instead of being shut-in."

This fiscal year, the FMSNFs' Wildlife Program will host 16 events for mobility-impaired hunters and anglers. In the past participant numbers have ranged from five to 175 depending on the event and season. Because of the new boardwalk, individuals with disabilities will have yet another opportunity on the Forest to enjoy nature first hand.

Gary Peters, the FMSNFs' Wildlife Program Manager, was instrumental in making this venture happen. His collaboration with Wheelin' Sportsmen, a division of the National Wild Turkey Federation, to rehabilitate a home for handicapped hunters in Crosby, North Dakota, led to the suggestion of students coming to South Carolina to finish the first phase of the boardwalk project for the Duncan Creek waterfowl area on the Enoree District. District staff worked diligently to prepare for the group's arrival and to kick off the project. With kudos to the students, the prospective boardwalk is now ready for a deck and railings.

"These students have helped us complete a major milestone for hunters with disabilities," said Peters. "Their work not only will provide enjoyment for those individuals but also creates a fully accessible facility to duck hunt, bird-watch or just enjoy nature on the Forest regardless of the disability."

Peters hopes the boardwalk will be completed within the next two years. The North Dakota students' work contributed to the "show-me phase," and their efforts unquestionably added to the overall vision, which includes a major makeover for waterfowl areas on the district. Over the next two years, wetlands will be refurbished, dikes and the water control structure will be redone and more crops will be planted. This endeavor will make managing water levels easier and water routes will be flooded more resourcefully and effectively. All of these efforts will result in a better duck hunting experience for disabled individuals.

Ducks Unlimited, a world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, has offered volunteers from its junior Greenwings program to bring the project to fruition. Junior Greenwings are younger Ducks Unlimited members. The National Wild Turkey Federation's Wheelin Sportsmen may also get involved with the final stages of the boardwalk's completion. Wheelin Sportsmen is an outreach program for the Federation designed to draw people with disabilities into the out-of-doors.

The trip for the students and their two chaperones definitely was not "all work and no play." The Lexington County chapter of Ducks Unlimited and Hudson's Barbeque sponsored one dinner for the group in true southern style. That same day, students were guests on Bill Benton's morning talk show at WIS Radio. Among other engagements, students enjoyed turkey, dressing and sweet potato pie on Thanksgiving Day provided by Lexington County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited and other sponsors. While enjoying South Carolina's weather, the crew also swam in the ocean on Thanksgiving night.

Mike Malard, FFA advisor and chaperone, was appreciative not only of the southern hospitality provided to him and the rest of the group, but also of the learning experience for his students.

"It is good for the students to experience another culture, to see a larger forest and to take textbook knowledge and apply it to a real-world experience," said Malard. "We have fewer trees in North Dakota and our students have only explored about five acres of forest in their area so this was a whole new experience for them."

Asked what he thought is the most rewarding experience of providing accessibility to disabled hunters, Peters said, "Watching peoples' lives change right before your eyes. If you volunteer at one of the events, I promise you, you will come out a different person. You can't help it."

The boardwalk project is a cooperative effort between the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Forest Service and a growing list of conservation organizations.

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TAMMYMASONTTMASON@FS.FED.US
<![CDATA[Ottawa Timber Crew Details to Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3564 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3564 9

Three members of the Ottawa's South Zone Timber Crew detailed to the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Northern Georgia summer 2007 to help suppress the southern pine beetle infestation. While they were there the crew served the Forest by performing re-con duties of beetle infested areas, timber sale preparation duties such as harvest boundary layout, timber marking, timber cruising volume estimation, and marking of infested trees that posed hazards on forest system road right-of ways.

Timber personnel on the Oconee invited the detailers to report again next spring to continue their efforts in suppressing the beetle infestation which is expected to be ongoing for another year!

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ohio's First Cooperative Weed Management Area Celebrates First Year]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3563 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3563 9

The Iron Furnace Cooperative Weed Management (IFCWMA) held its first meeting in September 2006. Founding members, Carrie Yaniko from Lawrence Soil and Water Conservation District, Chris Smith from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Chad Kirschbaum from Wayne National Forest attended an online workshop hosted by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network on "How to create a cooperative weed management area." This workshop provided a cookbook with step-by-step suggestions on building a CWMA. We have accomplished much over the last year, using the cookbook as our guide.

The IFCWMA currently consists of a partnership between 15 local, state, federal and private organizations that now meet quarterly. During our first meetings we discussed and drew boundaries of our CWMA based on level 5 watersheds.

Another one of our early successes and team efforts was to develop a Statement of Purpose. This document outlines what a CWMA is, where our CWMA is, who is part of it, and what our objectives are. The objectives were identified as:

o To increase public awareness through education about invasive and non-native plants by hosting weed workshops, field tours, and public meetings; and by providing informational materials on invasive, non-native plants.

o To seek grants and other funding sources to support the goals of the Iron Furnace CWMA.

o To provide coordination and leadership for a local volunteer monitoring program to collect information on the locations and spread of invasive, non-native plants and for early detection of new invasive, non-native plant infestations. This information would aid in prioritizing sites for invasive plant control.

o To develop and implement a strategic plan for the Iron Furnace CWMA which will determine the long-term direction and priorities of the CWMA.

o To systematically control, over time, invasive, non-native plants in the Iron Furnace CWMA

In March of 2007 the CWMA organized a "Good Plants Gone Bad Workshop." The workshop was co-sponsored by the Ohio Invasive Plant Council and hosted by Ohio University Southern. We held three sessions during the day and had talks on basic invasive species information, local control efforts and how people can get involved to help with the problem. Seventy-five people attended this workshop.

Shortly after the workshop, we realized that we needed to form committees in order to accomplish more of our objectives. This resulted in three committees; steering, implementation and outreach. The steering committee along with the leaders of the implementation and outreach committees meet quarterly to discuss the cooperative agreement and future projects and events. The steering committee also focuses on recruitment of new organizations and leaders into the CWMA. The implementation committee is working on cataloging the invasive species control projects, ranking the invasiveness of species and helping coordinate control efforts for specific species such as the kudzu control project. The outreach committee focuses on education and communication. They are currently working on developing a CWMA brochure that will be distributed locally to inform citizens about our CWMA and invasive species.

In April and May of 2007 the CWMA sponsored two pulling parties at the annual garlic mustard control site on the Wayne National Forest. Over ten volunteers and CWMA partners participated.

One of our most successful and extensive projects so far has been our efforts to eradicate kudzu in the CWMA. The Forest Service, ODNR Division of Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are working to control kudzu. This effort was spurred by the Fish and Wildlife's ability to help private landowners control kudzu on their property. With the help of CWMA members, Kristen Westad of the USFWS has identified 13 patches of kudzu within the CWMA boundary, and is working with 3 of these landowners to eliminate this obnoxious vine. Managers on Wayne National Forest and Crown City Wildlife Management Area have treated patches of kudzu on federal and state lands and are currently monitoring the effectiveness of their treatment.

We hope that this next year will be even more successful then our first year as a CWMA. In 2008, we will continue to work on a formal cooperative agreement, recruit more partners, apply for funding to inventory and control invasive species on state and private lands, develop a website and determine priority invasive species to treat.

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chadKirschbaumckirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa transfers large collection of soil samples to Michigan Tech's Ford Forestry Center]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3562 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3562 9

In a cooperative effort between the Ottawa National Forest, the Rocky Mountain Research Station, and Michigan Technological University, the Ottawa's large collection of soil samples was transferred to Michigan Tech's Ford Forestry Center and may eventually be sent to the Forest Service Research Station in Moscow, Idaho.

This valuable collection of nearly 2,200 individual soil samples collected over the last 30 years will be available for partnerships and cooperative studies on many soil issues and topics. The soil samples represent nearly all benchmark ecological units mapped on the Ottawa during implementation of the Ecological Classification and Inventory program. These samples are particularly valuable because many have had extensive lab analysis performed on them and sample sites can be easily re-located in the field allowing precise site re-sampling if necessary.

A tremendous amount of effort was expended to gather, analyze, and store these soil samples and much valuable chemical and physical information has been obtained thus far. It is very rewarding to Ottawa personnel to know that now these soil samples can continue to provide unique research opportunities that can reach back in time several decades.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Students Learn a Lesson in Historic Forest Tract]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3542 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3542

Contributed by Alan Barbian and John Wilson

EAGLE RIVER, Wis. - There are deer in the woods. There are bears in the woods. There are even hawks and owls and grouse in the woods. And if you look closely and listen intently, you will even find kids in the woods.

Recently high school kids from across Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan spent time in the woods east of Eagle River in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. No i-pods, x-boxes or text messaging allowed. Only running, lifting, cutting, measuring, coring and laughing allowed.

Chequamegon-Nicolet silviculturist John Wilson enjoys working with the energetic group of kids.

"It's great to see these kids out enjoying the Forest, even on a cold winter day like today," Wilson said.

The students are attending a program through Trees for Tomorrow out of Eagle River. Trees for Tomorrow is an accredited specialty school focusing on natural resource topics, and has been offering environmental education to students, teachers, adults, seniors, and others in the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods since 1944.

On this particular day, students from Southeast Wisconsin were removing jackpine from a red pine plantation for improvements on a special section of the national forest called the George Washington 10-acre memorial tract.

This small section of the Forest is unique because the original trees were first donated and planted in 1933 by the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs. The second planting occurred in 1991 in honor of the Federation's centennial celebration.

Trees for Tomorrow has worked closely with the Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs for many years to help its members develop a commitment to proper management and wise use of natural resources. The Federation has proved its commitment through tree planting and by providing grants and scholarships for teacher workshops at Trees for Tomorrow.

The Wisconsin Federation of Women's Clubs organized in 1896 to improve the general welfare of the state; its activities included working to establish libraries throughout the state, improving laws affecting women and children, improving educational facilities, a conservation program, an educational loan fund, nurses' scholarships, and other projects.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Two Projects Funded for Ottawa's J.W. Toumey Nursery]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3522 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3522 9

Over the past year the J.W. Toumey Nursery has utilized the services of the Missoula Technology and Development Center (MTDC) to develop equipment to increase efficiency of operations. The nursery submitted several proposals to MTDC last year, and two of them were awarded. The design and manufacturing of the equipment have been completed and nursery employees are appreciating the clever engineering.

One of the projects was to create an irrigation pipeline puller that one person could easily maneuver on their own. Previously it took two people and an awkward wrench to reattach a pipeline that had disconnected. The new devise that MTDC created is a simple chain with a lever handle that a single person can operate.

The other project was to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing pipeline sprayer. In the nursery fields there are irrigation pipelines in between the seedling beds. This area is a source of weeds that could spread into the planted areas. Spraying herbicide along the pipelines reduces that source, but keeping the herbicide off the seedling is the challenge.

MTDC came up with a sophisticated pipeline sprayer with poly plastic shields stiff bristles bottoms, and angled spray nozzles to prevent drift and keep the herbicide where it is needed. They designed a sprayer for two different tractors to meet current and future needs.

Of the projects submitted, these two were selected and completely funded by MTDC. Gary Kees at MTDC was the mastermind behind the design and development of this equipment which has proved to save time and provide efficiencies in the operations. The Nursery is fortunate to have a resource like MTDC available and looks forward to working with them in the future.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Rare Fern Population Discovered on Hiawatha]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3521 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3521 10

By Sara Davis

A new population of American Hart's tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium var. americanum) was found recently on the east side of the Hiawatha National Forest. Up until now, there were only 6 known locations of this federally threatened fern on the forest; the last of which was discovered in 1997.

Nationally, this fern is very rare. The only other occurrences, besides the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan, are in New York, Ontario, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Hart's tongue fern occurs on limestone outcroppings of the Niagara Escarpment geologic formation. The boulders that the ferns grow on are moist and are typically covered in mosses and liverworts. Often the ferns occur in crevices of the limestone bedrock, known as "grykes." The forest type is typically rich northern hardwoods, dominated by sugar maple. Hart's tongue ferns are usually located in areas that have the greatest diversity of plant species.

This new small population was discovered by Mark Jaunzems on September 19, 2007. The ferns were found on a small previously unknown area of grykes. Jaunzems has been a seasonal botanist for the Hiawatha every summer since 1995. And every summer he has been in search of this elusive plant. This time he was actually trying to locate a known occurrence of walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum), another rare plant that grows on boulders.

But instead he stumbled on these cracks in the ground and the Hart's tongue fern.

Forest stands containing the original six Hart's tongue fern populations have been given protection by old-growth designation. The new site will be given similar protection from any future actions that may occur in the area.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Represented at Local School Career Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3519 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3519 9

Two forest service employees were among over 60 presenters on hand for Hurley High School's Career Day on November 2nd. There was a wide variety of individuals making presentations, from potters to lawyers to doctors to the two Ottawa National Forest employees. The goal for the day was to give students an opportunity to hear about some of the opportunities available to them in making future career decisions. Many of the students are not aware of some of the career opportunities in their own communities and it gave them an excellent opportunity to take a look at what is happening around them and ask questions about the careers and education needed to attain them.

Joel Enking, GIS Program Coordinator, gave a demonstration on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the students. He explained what GIS is and what education is needed should a student decide to go into that field. He also gave a demonstration of how GIS works and showed some of the kinds of data that can be gathered, what kinds of data the forest service gathers and how it is used in our resource management programs.

Mark Fedora did a presentation on a project that he worked on this past summer in cooperation with the Wisconsin DNR, The Nature Conservancy's Great Lakes Program, the Hiawatha National Forest and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The title of the presentation was "Can a Fish Cross the Road?" "We looked at 55 recent road/stream crossing projects to see if adult brook trout could pass through the roads. When roads block fish movement, fish can go extinct." To do this sort of a study, he explained what skills were needed to work in the field (surveying and mapping), computer skills (GIS, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling), and a lot of communication skills (listening, speaking, writing, and developing presentations). He explained that "the Forest Service isn't just about trees" and how he enjoys working on road/stream crossing issues because it brings together engineering sciences, hydrologic sciences, biological sciences and people. Mark also explained how this program of work will help to point out existing problems and influence policy change to help aquatic resources.

The students asked some good questions of both speakers and went away knowing that the Forest Service has a diversity of career options; and Mark said, "because of this presentation, they'll never look at a culvert the same way again"!

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee Employees Receive 2007 Eastern Region Honor Awards]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3518 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3518

A total of five individuals and groups from the Shawnee National Forest were selected as recipients of 2007 Regional Forester Honor Awards. The five award categories are: Excellence in Wilderness Management Research; Best of the Best - Natural Resource Stewardship Award; and Rise to the Future - Professional Excellence - Line Officer; and Walking the Talk for Sustainability - Traditional Skills and Minimum Tools Leadership Award; Line Officer Wilderness Leadership Award.

The awards ceremony was held the first week of December at the Regional Office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Excellence in Wilderness Manage Research Award recipients are: Student Career Employment Program (SCEP) participant, Matt Stewart; Dr. Michael Sublett, representing the Department of Geography from Illinois State University; and Forestry Technician Kelly Pearson, who coordinated the project. Their mission was to inventory non-native invasive species in the 774 acre Panther Den Wilderness on the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District of the Forest in Johnson County, Illinois.

A group award for Walking the Talk of Sustainability - Traditional Skills and Minimum Tools Leadership will be given to the Shawnee National Forest Hidden Springs Ranger District Trails Crew. This crew included: Jeff Seefeldt, District Ranger; Robert Monroe, Recreation Staff Officer; Brian R. Bourne, Trail Crew Supervisor; and trail crew members Nick Abel, Josh Carron, Tyler Cox, Tony Longbucco, Janice Ralls, Justin Dodson, Jeremy Mohr, Shane Quimby, Ray Broadway, Kira Cassidy, Sarah Wallace, Frank Williams, Eric Stead, Tara Street, Matt McClanahan and Nick Terrell.

This crew continued work previously begun in the Lusk Creek Wilderness to gain control of maintenance on a heavily used designated trail system. Using buckets, rock chain baskets and pack stock the crew was able to move 350 tons of gravel, 300 tons of sandstone and 1, 400 feet of timber. Accomplishments included two new creek crossings, three miles of new trail construction and two miles of reconstruction which incorporated installation of trail features such a turnpikes, retaining walls, causeways and equestrian tie-ups.

Elizabeth Longo Shimp, botanist for the Shawnee National Forest, is the recipient of the Best of the Best - Natural Resource Stewardship Award for her dedication in her working to increase the federal threatened Mead's milkweed populations on the Forest. The species location sites on the Shawnee National Forest are the only Mead's milkweed found in Illinois. Prescribed burns and enhanced genetic diversity have a positive effect on Mead's milkweed populations increasing the number of plants that sprouted in 1999, which was an all time high of 27, by 30 percent in 2007 to a record 50 plants.

Last but not least, two 2007 Regional Forester Honor Awards will be presented to Shawnee National Forest Supervisor Allen Nicholas. The first one is The Rise to the Future - Line Officer Award for his support and commitment to the natural resources in the five years he has been on the Forest and the second is the Line Officer Wilderness Leadership Award for his support and dedication to preserving federally designated wilderness character, while maintaining the areas for a high quality recreation experience.

Nicholas approaches situations with an open mind that has led to the development of many new partnerships, implementation and completion of numerous projects and the recognition of innovative individuals and their ideas. Nicholas's interactions with individuals, groups, local governments and other agencies have forged partnerships using volunteer agreements, cost-share agreements and participating agreements.

In the past five years, these many agreements and Nicholas's support of Forest projects have resulted in the dedication of the Big Muddy Wetland; the establishment of the Middle Mississippi Purchase Unit; the purchase of 678.4 acres within the Hutchins Creek and the Clear Creek watersheds of the Middle Mississippi Purchase Unit; the Cadiz Pond clean-up; the Forest's hosting a mussels workshop; the use of pack animals from the Hoosier National Forest and the Bridger-Teton National Forest for trails work in the wilderness; meeting the Centennial Challenge by rehabilitating ten small ponds with the end result of providing a safe, accessible recreational fishing site for forest visitors; the research project for a state-listed threatened species (leastbrook lamprey) in Forest streams; hosting two Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program Scholars who did aquatic habitat restoration and research; the annual Fish Tales conservation education program that focuses on aquatic habitat and fishing, and winning several awards for extremely successful programs along much more.

The Regional Forester Honor Award recipients and their highlighted accomplishments exemplify how the Forest meets the Courageous Conservation goals of protecting ecosystems across boundaries, connecting citizens to the land, walking the talk of sustainability, revolutionizing effectiveness and efficiency and being an employer of choice.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa Employees Send Holiday Packages to Troops]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3517 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3517

In October, employees of the Blackduck District Chippewa National Forest's Blackduck District collected items to send to U.S. troops deployed in Iraq.

Employees put together 10 separate bags with matching items including: treats, personal care items, hand held games (with batteries), books, cards, suduko and word puzzle books, jigsaw puzzles, and other fun things for them to enjoy. A special touch to the bags were Thanksgiving decorations and artificial Christmas trees, lights, and ornaments to help the troops celebrate the holidays.

One Blackduck employee often takes beautiful pictures and in particular has an eagle in a snag tree by a local river that seemed perfect to make a signed thank you card for each of the 10 bags. The card added a very special touch to each package. Eight well-stuffed boxes were mailed from Blackduck and eight days later the troops received the special packages from the Chippewa.

The Blackduck employees recently received this note: "I've not properly thanked you for your overwhelming generosity. So far I have received 6 of the boxes you have sent. Wow! I have set up quite a candy bowl and a goodie box for our patients here at the Battalion Aid Station. Most of the items have already been taken. We have set up our Thanksgiving decorations and have the Christmas decorations standing by. Thanks again."

It was a very fun and rewarding project to do for people that are doing so much for us!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Holds New Year Celebration]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3516 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3516 9

On October 15, 2007, the Ottawa National Forest gathered to welcome the new fiscal year, celebrate the accomplishments of the past year, and to honor this year's 21 length of service (LOS) recipients.

This annual event starts with a breakfast cooked and served by the management team, includes a special program which changes each year, and is closed out with recognition of employees.

The special program this year focused on valuing diversity. Three employees who had served as Peace Corps volunteers prior to joining the Ottawa gave presentations on their experiences in the different countries they were stationed at.

The first presentation was given by Christy Thompson of the J.W. Toumey Nursery who did a talk on Vanuatu, a small country in the South Pacific. Next, Tasha Hernandez, a forester trainee in the Ottawa's Career Intern Program, spoke about her experiences in Peace Corps Service in Panama and showed us some of the items made by the people living in that part of the country. The last presentation was given by Andrea Durham, a forester on the Kenton Ranger District. Her talk was about the time she spent as a natural resource volunteer in Ecuador.

All those present thoroughly enjoyed the presentations which gave us all a little insight into how people live in other countries and some of the difficulties and joys in their lives.

New employees to the Forest were introduced and the celebration concluded with the presentation of LOS award certificates and pins to those celebrating an anniversary year by Forest Supervisor, Susan Spear.

This annual event is an excellent opportunity to share with the Forest the accomplishments we have made over the past year, expectations for the new year, and gives employees an opportunity to reconnect with each other.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne NF Helps Ohio's Second Breeding Bird Atlas]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3515 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3515 9

The second Ohio breeding bird atlas (OBBA II) is a mainly volunteer state-wide cooperative effort that relies upon the participation of bird enthusiasts to document the current distribution and abundance of breeding birds in Ohio. The current project began in 2006, more than 20 years after the first atlas was initiated, and will run through 2010.

By engaging Ohio's citizens in a cooperative effort, OBBA II fosters interaction among bird enthusiasts of all experience levels and heightens public awareness of birds in Ohio. Data is collected on a standardized grid system. The goal is to survey all 4,437 atlas blocks in the state. Other goals of the OBBA II include:

* Assess changes in breeding distributions since the first Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas (1982-1987),

* Provide new measures of abundance of breeding birds in Ohio,

* Identify important habitats and breeding locations that support high diversity or species of concern, and

* Collect distributional and abundance data for species that are difficult to survey, such as owls, nightjars, and various wetland birds.

Kari Kirschbaum, Wildlife Biologist on the Ironton District notes that these goals dovetail well into the Wayne's goals. Kirschbaum notes, "We would obviously benefit from the same information, and though the OBBA II has a wider scope, many of their volunteers are also collecting information in the area of the Wayne so having access to that information helps us."

The Wayne NF has conducted breeding bird surveys (BBS) each spring since 2003. All birds seen and heard are recorded at 242 specific points along 23 survey routes each year. These routes occur in different habitat types (forest, openland, wetland, and grassland) and are sampled twice during a month-long survey period from 20 May to 20 June. The BBS data is used by the Forest to map population trends of avian species, especially 7 bird species that are Management Indicator Species identified in the Forest Plan.

An organizer of the OBBA II, Aaron Boone, indicated that "southeast Ohio is one of the areas needing more survey coverage." Although the organization of the BBS and the OBBA are somewhat different, biologists on the Wayne have informally partnered with the staff at the OBBA II to submit as much useful data to the state-wide initiative as possible. After some minor reorganization of the data, Boone said he was "happy to work with so much interesting data."

Wayne biologists contribute to the OBBA II in the regular course of their work too. Biologists and other personnel on the Wayne have been submitting observations incidental to their regular project field work. Katrina Schultes, a wildlife biologist on the Athens District noted, "Observations of birds active at night, such as whip-poor-wills and owls are especially helpful to the breeding bird atlas - they are often under-surveyed by birders, who are mostly active during the day." According to Schultes, "spring frog surveys and summer bat surveys are ideal times to take note of nocturnal birds."

Lynda Andrews, Athens District Wildlife Biologist has long been a coordinator for Area 70 (the atlas is broken down into areas based on the Delorme Gazatteer). Area 70 includes not only parts of the Wayne but private land as well. In addition Andrews has coordinated two regional get togethers and attended the statewide meeting of coordinators and worked on getting the paperwork together every year for volunteers to camp free on the Forest. "This is an exceptional partnership that benefits our wildlife program in many ways," agrees Andrews who hopes to see the program continue to grow in the future.

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KatrinaSchulteskschultes@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Michigan Tech Students Participate in Ottawa GLO Recovery Workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3495 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3495 9

Turn the clock back 158 years - Six chains north of the section corner, William Burt's crew descended into a tamarack bog as they had done many times in this township. It was September 12, 1849 and they were running the line common to Sections 20 and 21 while subdividing Township 52 North, Range 33 West of the Michigan Meridian in what would later become Baraga County located in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

In keeping with their instructions, at 40 chains and still in the tamarack, they set the one quarter section corner in their field notes. Walking away from the corner to continue their line north, they likely had no idea how long the smaller of the two bearing trees would last -

Now fast forward 158 years - As has been the tradition for a number of years, students of Michigan Technological University, and representatives of the U.S. Forest Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources gathered recently for a Government Land Office (GLO) Recovery Workshop. The object of this year's search was Burt's corner which had been located 158 years ago.

Instructors for the exercise were Pat Leemon of the U.S. Forst Service and Steve Szyszkoski of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, both recognized experts in the recovery and perpetuation of the Public Land Survey System.

Once at the search location, instructions were given to "look for anything man-made".

In short order, one of the Michigan Tech students located a tamarack stump with "1/4 S" plainly marked on the northeast face…a possible candidate for Burt's southwest bearing tree.

Hoping to find the other tamarack, students used the original field notes to compute the bearing and distance to the other tree…nothing conclusive. Working from the remaining bearing tree, students reverse the record bearing and measure Burt's distance in hopes of recovering the remains of his post.

After removing several layers of organic material, a vertically oriented object is located amongst the roots of a nearby tamarack. With considerable effort, the object is extracted from the bog.

Possibly the first time in six generations, the post is once again exposed to the light of day. Having been in a wet environment continuously since it was set, the axe marks on the point of the post are as distinct as the day it was originally cut. Upon further investigation, another axe cut point was found under the bog surface. Due to its small size and orientation, it was discounted as possibly a picket set during a subsequent resurvey.

Students took note as the decay characteristics of the different tree species found in the Upper Peninsula were pointed out to them. A small tamarack was squared to act as a guard post adjacent to the aluminum-capped iron pipe set at the corner point. After selecting a healthy tamarack, Pat Leeman blazed the stump on the new bearing tree.

Students and instructors discussed the events of the day as being a real learning experience for them all. With the help of Ottawa's land surveyor Pat Leemon, this event will likely continue in future years providing a continuing education opportunity for practicing surveyors and surveying technicians while financially supporting the activities of Michigan Tech's Douglass Houghton Student Chapter.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cave Conservation Cafe]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3493 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3493 9

Cave conservation transcends boundaries and requires the assistance of a variety of partners. And, on October 23, 2007, the U.S. Forest Service joined forces with over 30 partners to present a one-of-a-kind event, the Cave Conservation Café. This event included a showing of the recently completed film, "Caves: Life Beneath the Forest," discussions on cave conservation nationally, as well as a panel of the nation's foremost cave specialists.

"Caves: Life Beneath the Forest" is a powerful conservation initiative geared at engaging children and adults in learning about the fragile web of life that exists in caves. The film served as a centerpiece for the Café.

What began as a small luncheon discussion grew into a much more impressive endeavor. With the goal of bringing together an energetic group of stakeholders from various Federal agencies, policy makers, nonprofit organizations, and other organizations who will share a sustained common interest in conserving caves and karst resources, the Forest Service had a huge job to complete.

A planning team consisting of Joseph Fagan (Karst Protection Specialist, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation), Val Hildreth-Werker (Conservation Chair of the National Speleological Society), Dave McGowan (Producer, Ravenswood Media), Cynthia Sandeno (Karst Coordinator, Hoosier National Forest), Jonathan Stephens (Congressionally Designated Areas and Trails, Program Manager, Forest Service), and Jerry Trout (National Coordinator for Cave Resources, Forest Service) was quickly put together.

The team used its shared vision for cave conservation to plan this remarkable event in less than two months. The event was held in the Jefferson Auditorium in the USDA Building in Washington, DC.

Opening remarks were given by Jim Bedwell, National Director of Recreation for the Forest Service regarding the extent of cave resources in the United States. Cave resources are expansive - over 25 percent of the land surface of the United States is karst, and an estimated 40 percent of the U.S. population depends on karst groundwater.

Guest speakers including Penny Boston, Associate Director of the National Cave and Karst Research Institute, began the program by speaking about the importance of cave resources and discussing current cave research that is being funded by both the Forest Service and NASA. These speakers set the stage for the showing of the film.

After the feature presentation of the cave life film, seven panel members made their way to the stage for a moderated question and answer session. The questions covered a wide breath of expertise represented by the panelists from the following organizations: Bureau of Land Management, Indiana Karst Conservancy, National Speleological Society, The Nature Conservancy, and the U.S. Forest Service.

The event concluded with a lunch reception provided by the Indiana Karst Conservancy, National Speleological Society, and The Nature Conservancy. Over gourmet sandwiches and salads, participants of the Café continued their discussions.

Overall, this successful event resulted in a tremendous increase in cave conservation awareness and many new partnerships were developed. The Department of Interior has requested a showing of our film at their D.C. office. They would like to have a joint meeting with Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service.

The Café has led to a shift in thinking for the Forest Service and has placed the cave and karst program at the forefront of many people's minds. Currently, caves fall under the purview of recreation at the national level. But now, the agency is discussing ways to incorporate cave management into all disciplines.

Because cave resources include biological, cultural, geological, hydrological, mineralogical, paleontological, recreational, scenic, and educational values, caves are truly a shared resource. With this in mind, the agency is taking steps to provide better coordination and more support for this program across each region, as well as nationally.

Yet, this is only the beginning. All those involved in the organization of the Cave Conservation Café hope that this event will be a beginning, not an end. The foundation has been laid and momentum is building.

"This is a wonderful time for cave conservation across the United States, and this event is a true testament to the fruits of partnerships," said Cynthia Sandeno, planning team member.

Special thanks to all of those who participated in this important event, especially Jonathan Stephens, Jim Bedwell, Penny Boston, Chris Carlson, Joey Fagan, Hal Hallett, Val Hildreth-Werker, Jerry Lewis, Jean Krejca, Dave McGowan, Hazel Medville, Allen Pursell, Nick Schmal, Jerry Trout, Sandy Trout, and Jim Werker.

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CynthiaSandenocmsandeno@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Red Cockaded Woodpeckers Return to the Apalachicola National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3492 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3492 8

Red Cockaded Woodpeckers (RCW) are returning to the woods of the Apalachicola National Forest in the National Forest of Florida system, thanks to well-spent KV dollars received from the Woodville timber sale.

With the revenue received from the Woodville timber sale, the Apalachicola National Forest constructed artificial cavities similar to holes that red cockaded woodpeckers make in long leaf pine trees. These artificial cavities were inserted into existing long leaf pine trees in the area of the timber sale making a cluster. A cluster is a group of trees that has artificial cavities in them.

"One of the trees already has two birds living in it," said Carl Petrick, the Forest's Ecosystem Staff Officer.

These cavities will have a positive impact on red cockaded woodpeckers in the area. The red cockaded woodpecker is a federally listed endangered species. Currently, there are an estimated 14,068 red cockaded woodpeckers living in approximately 5,627 known active clusters throughout eleven states. The population of these birds only makes up three percent of what the population was during the time of European settlement.

To help boost the population of the red cockaded woodpeckers in the area, the Apalachicola National Forest constructed "seven new recruitment sites, and there are 6 inserts (artificial cavities) per site," said Petrick.

The forest could financially afford to do this wildlife restoration work as result of the KV dollars they received from the Woodville Timber sale.

KV dollars are a result of the Knuston-Vandeberg Act of June 9, 1930, amended by the National Forest Management Act of October 22, 1976. This legislation requires purchasers of National Forest timber, to finance sale area improvement activities needed to protect and improve the future productivity of the renewable resources of forestlands on timber sales area.

The Apalachicola National Forest used these KV dollars in the past for reforestation, recreation, timber stand improvement, and for the maintenance and construction of wildlife and fish habitats.

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CatherineSegarcsegar@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Completes 15 Years of Soil Sampling]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3491 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3491 9

This summer, the Northern Research Station and the Ottawa National Forest were able to complete the 15th year soil sampling for the Long Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) installation, which is on the Ottawa. This installation is a part of a broad, long-term, initiated in 1989. The study provides a network of installations and research data across a broad range of forest ecosystems throughout the United States and Canada. This data will be stored in a national data base, and available as part of the LTSP network.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Prescribed Burns Helped Fight the Florida Bugaboo Fire]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3490 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3490 8

Prescribed burns and fuel hazard reduction conducted by the Fire Management team in February 2007 on the Osceola National Forest helped stop the Bugaboo fire from moving closer to the city limits of Lake City and Taylor, Florida, in May 2007.

The fires began on Bugaboo Island in the middle of the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia. Within a 24 hour period, the fire ran around 20 miles of the northern region of Florida along the southern border of Georgia.

From the start of the fire, the blaze was sweeping through mature timber at 20 to 30 feet in length. The direction of fire was difficult for the fire management team to predict because it was not a solid wall of flame. The fires had multi head and were small and narrow, and they sparked at different locations and times.

As the fires continued, the fire management team was sure the fires were headed toward Taylor. The team came up with plan to try and stop the fire, before it could come in contact with any neighboring towns, especially the town of Taylor.

Their first priority was safety for the fire fighter and the public. To make sure the public remained safe, the Osceola National Forest worked with Florida Division of Forestry, Georgia Forest Commission, Baker County Fire Department, Baker County Emergency Operations Center, Baker County Sheriff, and the Highway Patrol.

"We had everybody dedicated to fighting this fire," said Peter Myers, the Fire Management Officer on the Osceola National Forest.

The team worked into the night as plan after plan to stop the fire failed. Despite the team efforts, the fire seemed to be intensifying and headed for private land.

The length of the fire had grown from just 20 to 30 feet to a massive 150 feet with some spotting. At this point the fire had destroyed over 4500 acres of timber on the forest, two hunting camps, and some private land.

The firefighters and the Fire Management recommended that the town of Taylor be evacuated, because they believed the fire would soon reach that land. It took the firefighters three days to protect the town of Taylor from the countless number of narrow head fires threatening the community.

Once the fire crew began to get the upper hand on the fire near Taylor, another major fire started in a nearby swamp. The cloud of smoke looked like a monster hanging over the Forest Service roads leading into the town of Taylor. Law Enforcement Officer Jim Ellis said the fire was moving fast at this time with flames stretching in length to 100 feet, with spotting towards the Southwest.

The fire crew put together a plan to start evacuating all community along the west side of the forest north of Interstate 10 and east of Hwy 441.

Shortly after the notice was given to evacuate and Columbia County Fire Department was in place for structure protection, the fire seemed to drop out of the trees and started to fade along the fire perimeter where there had been some prescribed burning.

"A witness that was out there was amazed on how the fire was running hard and when it reached our burn units the fire just started backing and in some places went out," Myers said.

Myers attributed the sudden drop in the intensity of the fire to four prescribed burns that were conducted by the Osceola National Fire Management team in February.

The prescribed burns were done specifically to reduce fuel for a potential fire. Myers said throughout history, parts of Florida burned every three or four years. Because this region has been in a drought since 1998, Myers felt it was important to do prescribe burning in this area due to the large fire history for this area.

By doing prescribed burns, "you reduce the large fire potential and during the drought years you can at least start to fight the fire once it burns into the old burn area," he said.

When a fire reaches an area that has already been burned, there is less fuel to keep the fire running high, which makes the fire easily controllable by fire fighters.

Myers and his Fire Management Team conducted excellent research and planning that helped contain this potentially devastating fire through their four prescribed burnings.

"Without the prescribed burns, there was a potential that fire would've made it a lot further, maybe into the city limit of Lake City," said Myers.

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CatherineSegarcsegar@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[FFA Forestry Teams Compete in Indianapolis]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3489 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3489 9

The four-person team from Hermitage, Arkansas took first place of the 38 teams, representing their State's winning forestry team from across the country at the annual FFA Forestry Career Development Event. Four Hoosier employees were on hand to help judge the teams and individuals as they competed at Fort Harrison for the title of National FFA Forestry Champions.

Throughout the year any FFA chapter that can field a forestry team works with their advisor on a set of skills. Each State hosts a competition to select the winning team to represent them at the national contests. Hoosier Forest Planner Judi Perez served on the committee to help plan the national competitive event. "We had great help from foresters throughout Indiana who took time off their jobs to come help coordinate each of the major parts of the contest," said Perez. "The folks from the Hoosier can always be counted on to help with the interviews and pitch in wherever they're needed."

Perez explained each state is allowed four members on their team to compete. Some events are scored as a team, and some events are individual scores that then contribute to the team total. "Most states did bring four kids, but the teams from some states were unable to come for financial or scheduling reasons, and some teams were short a member and a few had an alternate," Perez noted. "But they all came with enthusiasm and we were impressed with how much preparation they had done before coming."

Four foresters from the Hoosier National Forest assisted as judges: Kevin Beck, Ron Ellis, Teena Ligman, and Tom Thake. Each agreed that the students they worked with were a great group of kids. Tom Thake said, "Some of the teams were obviously more prepared than others, but I talked to a few kids who were very well versed on forestry and not only knew the terms, but were motivated and enthusiastic on managing forests."

"My part of the coordination was to determine the interview question," said Perez. "Though the kids were given a list of about a dozen possible topics, they didn't know what the questions would be until they got there." Perez selected the topic of controlled fire. She said, "I wanted to find an issue that related to current events and something that kids across the country could identify with. We thought with all the news about California fires, that this was something they'd know something about."

Each student was given 10 minutes to answer a series of questions related to controlled fire. "A few used the entire time and were articulate in all of their answers," said Thake. "Others had a more limited grasp of options, and a couple admitted right up front that they really didn't know much about the topic. In some cases they actually didn't have enough time to tell us everything they wanted to say about the topic."

The teams all completed a comprehensive test the day before the field competition. The day of the competition they had a series of field events that were either individual or team events. These included tree identification, map reading, scaling and volume determination, and identifying 20 different forestry tools.

Arkansas took first place in the competition, Georgia second, Florida third, and Missouri forth place in the competition. The winning team and the top 22 placing individuals all receive scholarships for post-secondary education. The forestry competition is sponsored by Husqvarna.

While the kids were participating in the competition their advisors were offered a tour of Indiana wood products operations in the area and each were given packets on careers in forestry and forestry in Indiana for their students.

"It was just an amazing day for us," said Thake, "to get to meet and help mentor the foresters of the future! Based on the kids I met, I think our forests will be in good hands."

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Specialists Lead Nature Lessons]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3488 Mon, 19 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3488 9

Recently, local high school students in Bessemer, Michigan, spent the morning with wildlife biologist Brian Bogaczyk, fish biologist John Pagel, and aquatic entomologist Sean Dunlap, all Ottawa National Forest employees.

A.D. Johnston High School science teacher David Rowe's students have been studying watersheds, tree identification, soil types and percolation rates, and species competitiveness as related to niches during the first semester of school. Rowe says that most species have a functional niche and a realized niche. A functional niche is where a given species could be found and a realized niche is where the organism is actually found. Students learn that although many species of trees could live in a wide range of habitats, that they are usually only the dominant species in habitats where they are most competitive.

During the field trip students studied fish populations and water quality while assisting John Pagel as he shocked the creek to conduct a fish species and population assessment. Students also observed Sean Dunlap as he showed students how and where to find aquatic invertebrates. Dunlap explained that some invertebrates such as caddis flies are used as "indicator" species for stream health. Caddis flies spin a net out of silk to "catch" particles of food. Dunlap went on to say that when there is poor water quality due to sediments in the water, the nets get covered with inorganic sediment and the caddis flies starve to death. Brian Bogaczyk helped the students to see how the Powder Mill Creek fits into the larger Black River watershed and how sediment and other types of pollution could affect the water quality in the whole watershed.

After the field trip, students reviewed the data that they collected at the creek and went back to the original question of, "Is Powder Mill Creek a healthy trout stream?" In the words of sophomore, Joe Jendrusina, this is what they found. "Powder Mill Creek is a very healthy trout stream. The fish we found were brook trout, mottled sculpin, black nose dace and creek chubs. The species we found that showed us that the creek was really healthy were the brook trout and the mottled sculpin because both need cold, clean water and a good food source to survive. The aquatic invertebrates we found were caddis flies, stone flies, may flies, dragon flies, crane flies, damsel flies, water scorpions, alder flies and cray fish. The main two that showed us that the stream was healthy were the caddis flies and the may flies. Both of these invertebrates need specific condition to live and this stream had them. The availability of shade was very good in this area. There was a lot of tall grass and trees along the banks of the creek which provided good habitats for fish and some of the aquatic invertebrates."

As a final comment, Rowe concluded that, "Cooperative projects between the school and the Forest Service have produced great benefits to my students over the years. I'm trying to teach specific objectives and the Forest Service is trying to educate the public about the value and importance of protecting ecosystems. When the Forest Service and local schools work together, everybody wins."

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Girl Scouts Come Out for Ottawa National Public Lands Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3487 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3487 9

The Girl Scouts of Peninsula Waters (GSPW) sponsored a "Wild Ride in the Forest" weekend in September on the Ottawa National Forest. Girls from across the Upper Peninsula came for some outdoor adventure at Camp Nesbit, located on the Kenton Ranger District. Activities included canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, a high ropes course, and a trail maintenance service project.

The GSPW have adopted the Deer Marsh Interpretive Trail, also located on the Kenton Ranger District. With the gentle guidance from Andrea Durham, the girls split into different groups to carry out some trail maintenance activities on National Public Lands Day.

One group spent the morning painting the wooden platform that overlooks the Deer Marsh. Most of the girls commented that they had never painted before and that they were genuinely enjoying themselves. Initially, some did not want to get paint on themselves or touch any scary cobwebs, but by the end of the morning, they were visibly relaxed and thoroughly involved in doing a first-rate job on painting the lookout platform. And, all of the girls had paint on some part of their body or clothing by the time they were done!

The second group was able to experience the beauty of the trail on a glorious fall day. These girls spent the morning clearing the trail and cleaning the interpretive signs. They also hung a Girl Scout sign along the trail in support of their adoption of the trail.

All of the girls were very energetic and bright and appeared to be enjoying themselves. They did an outstanding job on the trail and they all hiked the entire thing! This was an excellent way to get the girls outside and to get them thinking about the environment.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Recreation Professionals Association visit the Hoosier NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3486 Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3486 9

The 2007 National Recreation Professionals Association (NRPA) annual meeting was held in Indianapolis. Part of the meeting included the Off Site Institute Program which are field trips to recreation and outdoor opportunities in the area. A field trip to the Hoosier's Charles C. Deam Wilderness entitled: Step into Wilderness: Management, Mules, and More was one of seventeen opportunities offered by the conference.

Recreation Program Manager Les Wadzinski coordinated the field trip as well as presented two sessions at the conference. Wadzinski gave a presentation as a panel member on Sustainable Trail Development and a presentation on Basic Training in Dealing with the News Media.

Wadzinski said the field trip was a highlight of the conference for many of the participants. When the evaluations from the conference came in, the wilderness trip was clearly rated the highest of any of the field trips. Wadzinski noted, "I think we did a lot to let the rest of the recreation world know that we are pretty good at what we do."

Thirty-three participants signed up for the field trip, and were divided into three groups. Wadzinski, Wilderness Manager Eric Sandeno, and Public Affairs Specialist Teena Ligman, each led a group on a two mile hike through the wilderness. On the way they stopped to watch Rod Fahl and Bruce Whittredge working on trail maintenance with two mules. The men explained how they used primitive tools and the animals to break trail and repair tread. Further along the trail, Interpreter Stacy Duke was set up with a Leave No Trace message including a campsite which did not follow the leave no trace ethic where the group was asked to identify mistakes.

The conference coordinator wrote a note thanking the Forest saying, "The hard work of you and your entire presentation team were greatly appreciated as reflected in the overwhelmingly positive evaluations and the many comments I received from participants as they returned to the convention center. Your collective efforts, without a doubt, helped raise the standard for all future NRPA conferences."

As Forest Supervisor Ken Day noted, "This is a great audience to show off what we do well!"

The NRPA was a delight to take on the field trip; they were interested and interesting. The group was treated to some local color when they arrived back at the Hickory Ridge Lookout Tower and a local family arrived in a pickup truck. The woman came over to visit with the strangers. She said her husband's brother's cousin's sister's uncle was buried down Terrill Ridge Road. She asked if they'd been down to the cemetery there. She suggested if they hiked down there they should take some "crick water". She went on to explain that you made crick water by taking a jug of lemonade and bottle of gin and two lemons or limes and mix them together. It would keep you refreshed on a long hike.

As one woman from Maine noted - "You don't get a cultural experience like this just everywhere!"

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[20th Annual Shindig Celebrates Appalachian Traditions and Natural Beauty]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3484 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3484

On a sunny Saturday, 2,000 people recently crowded the grounds of the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center in the Monongahela National Forest. The event was the 20th annual Shindig, a celebration both of the heritage of this corner of the Appalachians, and of the glorious autumn beauty of the surrounding mountains.

One of the most popular of the many public events held at the Center each year, the Shindig is the creation of local Gauley Ranger District employee Roger Ridgeway. Now a timber sale administrator, Ridgeway was working at the Nature Center when he came up with the idea of an event to celebrate the local area at a time of year when the last wave of tourists were typically coming through the region. He also gave the resulting event its catchy name.

The Center itself is a relatively small building so events the size of the Shindig spill out onto the spacious lawns. Many area craftspeople were scattered around the grounds explaining and demonstrating old time skills such as spinning and weaving, basketry, soap making, and wood carving. The sounds of traditional music filled the air while the smell of cornbread and beans, homemade pies, and other foods wafted on the breezes.

Many of the events offered at the Center are particularly attractive to children, and the 20th Shindig was no exception.

"This is a wonderful place to connect children to nature," noted acting District Ranger Jay Martin. "The setting is friendly and casual, and we have presenters who do a great job making the natural world 'real' to visitors."

Arguably the most popular presentation at events like the Shindig is the "Snakes of West Virginia," a program done by Roy Moose who utilizes live snakes to explain the often misunderstood reptiles.

The exhibits inside the Center also focus on connecting people to the rich natural resources of the Monongahela via a series of displays, including ones on reptiles, soils, wildlife habitat, and plants. This year's Shindig was the first opportunity for many visitors to see the newest exhibit on bears.

Ridgeway's vision of an "end of the season" event has grown into a celebration that draws many repeat visitors as well as those exploring the Monongahela National Forest for the first time. It seems likely that some of the first timers will be back for next year's Shindig!

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Make a Difference Day makes a difference for Blackwell students]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3482 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3482

(Contributed by Blackwell staff Lori Almazon and Suann Piotek)

As part of activities planned for Blackwell Job Corps CCC's annual "Make a Difference Day", students paid a visit to their younger counterparts at Wabeno Kindergarten classes and Wabeno's Head Start Program. Every year, Blackwell's InterGroup Relations Committee, consisting of students and staff at the Center meet to determine ways they would like to make a difference in local communities. This was one of the activities planned for that day.

During their time with the kindergarten students and Head Start children, Blackwell's Patrice Wilson, DeShaun Watson, Holly Moore, Nicholas Garrett, Natalya Miller, Steve Sheppard, and Dartanyeol Dukes participated in a variety of activities to the delight of all. In the Kindergarten class, craft projects, coloring and playing outside were enjoyed by students of all ages. Before leaving, the Blackwell students were treated to a serenade of Halloween and Thank You songs from the kindergartners. At Head Start, Blackwell students assisted with craft projects, reading, playing and singing Halloween songs with the children, and especially enjoyed singing "Monster Mash" and "Witches Brew". At the end of both visits, Job Corps students presented the children with hand-made goodie bags they prepared especially for them.

The Blackwell Job Corps CCC students and staff were grateful for the opportunity to spend time with the children and would love to visit again! They would also like to thank Mrs. Champine, Mrs. Chrisman and Jean Mertens for allowing them to share in this opportunity.

Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, located on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National forest between Laona and Wabeno in Forest County. Blackwell offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25. In addition to diversity training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or High School Diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile Setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training. For information on Blackwell JCCCC or to arrange a tour please call Penny McLaughlin at (715) 674-7654. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Julie Eder at (715) 359-7040.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Trash Bash 2007]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3494 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3494 9

The unseasonably warm fall morning of October 20, 2007, was an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in helping restore areas of the Shawnee National Forest to pristine beauty. The Sierra Club organized a trash pick up after entering into a volunteer agreement with the Shawnee National Forest to conduct their annual Trash Bash at locations on the Forest in Saline, Gallatin and Harden Counties of southern Illinois.

Forty-four individuals including Sierra Club members, Southern Illinois University students and other interested parties gathered that morning at the Forest Supervisor's Office in Harrisburg, Illinois, to sign up for the event. After being introduced to their team leader, who conducted a tailgate session and covered safety tips with the volunteers, the groups traveled to designated Forest sites at Jackson Hollow, Bell Smith Springs, Stone Face, Rim Rock, Pounds Hollow or Garden of the Gods to pick up trash. These forty-four volunteers completed approximately 176 hours of clean up work.

A total of 55 bags of trash that included metal, glass, plastic, clothes, shoes and other debris were collected along trails, in picnic areas, from parking lots and under shelter bluffs. Of the trash collected, 30 bags were destined for recycling facilities.

The group of organizers and volunteers ended their successful clean up day on the Forest with a companionable evening that included a cookout, entertainment and overnight camping at Pounds Hollow.

Volunteer agreements, such as the one for the Trash Bash clean up project, give individuals an opportunity to work on Forest projects and an effective means of connecting citizens to the land.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Bartlett Experimental Forests's 75th Anniversary]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3481 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3481 9

On Saturday, October 20, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Bartlett Experimental Forest was celebrated with a family-friendly open house. The Bartlett Experimental Forest, a 2,600-acre tract on the Saco Ranger District of the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is used by Forest Service scientists to study various aspects of forest ecology and the effects of forest management on the forest and the wildlife that lives there. Established in 1931, this experimental forest was chosen because its elevation, soils, climate, and tree composition was typical of northern New England and New York. The Experimental Forest is managed by the Northern Research Station (NRS). Ultimately, the purpose of the research is to improve management of natural resources. On Saturday the emphasis was on fun with demonstrations and hands on discovery programs that let the public explore what goes on within an experimental forest.

The activities included a research tour on the forest led by scientists Bill Leak and Mariko Yamasaki and a live raptor demonstration by members of the New Hampshire Falconers Association. Tree climbing lessons were given by Northern Research Station employees Jon Janelle and Ian Halm, and certified climber Anna Johnston from the WMNF. The WMNF wildland fire management program and field equipment was showcased by John Neely. NRS wildlife biologist Chris Costello, WMNF recreation planner Kori Marchowsky supported the kids using radio-telemetry to find various animals on the site. The Construction & Maintenance crew from the WMNF provided several pieces of heavy equipment for kids of all ages to examine.

With assistance from conservation educators Clare Long ,WMNF, and Susan Cox, NA S&PF, and Wendy Scribner, UNH Cooperative Extension, Ron Shorey, WMNF and Angel Karedes,NRS many youngsters earned Junior Ranger badges through hands-on forestry and wildlife activities. The ever-popular Smokey Bear was accompanied by Ranger Bob Boyd from the Forest Protection Bureau of the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands. Boy Scouts from Troop 150 conducted a service project, providing coffee, cider, doughnuts, hamburgers and hot dogs to ensure no one was hungry.

Kudos go to WMNF personnel and volunteers Janice Mulherin, Roger Boyer, Betty Hayes, Jean Durfee, and Susie Spruce-Eland who provided great logistic support including parking, information, awards ceremony coordination, and Junior Ranger program assistance throughout the day. The weather was wonderful and many smiling faces of all ages were captured throughout the day by NRS forester/photographer Ken Dudzik.

An awards luncheon to recognize the many unsung community, cooperator, and Forest Service folks who are essential to the ongoing success of Bartlett Experimental Forest was held . Associate Deputy Chief of Research and Development, Jim Reaves, White Mountain NF Supervisor Tom Wagner, and NRS Assistant Director Tom Schmidt addressed the gathering. WMNF Forest Supervisor Tom Wagner presented John Brissette a framed photo by Forest Service retiree Ned Therrian and NRS Project Leader John Brissette presented Certificates of Appreciation to almost 40 volunteers, cooperators, and NRS and White Mountain National Forest employees.

Aproximately 200 people attended the day long event including some Forest Service retirees, Frank Hagan and Susie Spruce-Eland from WMNF; and Frank Williams, Larry Safford, and Tony Federer from NRS.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Annual Halloween Spooky Tufa Tour Highlights Mono Lake's Unique Natural History]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3480 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3480 5

A strange landscape comprised of unusual rock tower formations and salty, alkali water, Mono Basin continually enchants visitors with its unique wonders and scientific curiosities. Some passersby would have you believe that Mono Lake is a desolate place, void of life and activity. Those who know it best, however, never cease to be amazed by its striking sunsets, overwhelming variety of bird life, and volcanic terrain that contribute to Mono's captivating environment. Its briny waters conceal a simple yet significant food chain that fuels hundreds of species of birds along the Pacific Flyway. Providing a remarkable backdrop to this alkaline environment, tufa formations serve as geologic monuments to an intrepid story of restoration that continues to inspire future generations of conservationists.

Usually a setting for landscape photographers, birders, outdoor education groups, and inquisitive sightseers, Mono Lake's South Tufa interpretive area plays host every October to an unorthodox group of revelers keen to share the area's strange and mysterious life forms and biological processes. The tradition started 23 years ago when the Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve organized the first walk of its kind. Known to some as the Spooky Tufa Tour, the annual Halloween Moonlight Walk attracts dozens of visitors of all ages from the nearby communities of Lee Vining, Bridgeport, and Mammoth Lakes. This year, the crowd of onlookers grew to an unprecedented 75 individuals, many of whom were children. Prior to the start of the ranger-led walk, participants shared in a potluck barbeque dinner while performers got secretly into character.

At 7:30pm, the walk commenced with Dave Marquart, a 25-year veteran of Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve, serving as master of ceremonies. Marquart marshaled the group of onlookers, preparing them for the unusual assortment of characters they might see along their walk. With a full moon casting an eerie light across the tufa-filled landscape, the group headed down the South Tufa boardwalk and encountered their first Mono Lake personality: Samuel Clemens. Clemens, who had referred to the lake in his work >>Roughing It<< as "this lonely tenant of the loneliest spot on earth," was struck during his 19th century visit by its odd residents, the brine shrimp and alkali fly, and an alarming lack of fresh water. Played by Lindsay Pulliam, a Forest Service volunteer, Clemens enganged the audience with tales of his Mono Lake adventures before sending them on their way towards the lake's edge.

But the walk was not limited to human characters, for Pahoa, the wavy-haired spirit of the lake, along with a distraught brine shrimp, an animated green algae, and lava, representing the volcanics of the region, were also present. Each creature, fully costumed and often lurking near sage brush or tufa formations, presented a monologue relating to their role in the Basin's ecosystem, engaging children and adults alike in the strange story of Mono Lake. At one point along the walk's course, a three year old bravely walked up to Tufa, a walking incarnation of the lake's famous white rock spires, and tugged on his costume, asking for halloween candy. Unexpected characters also joined in the fun, with a pair of two witches reminiscent of Shakespeare's Macbeth concocting a spell meant to bring winter snows to the Eastern Sierra. The tour concluded with a wizard, dressed in a magic robe and dawning a long white beard, reviewing how tufa towers form at Mono Lake.

While each year's Halloween walk differs in content and public participation, its organizers and volunteers remain a constant. The California State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Mono Lake Committee partner together to orchestrate the walk for the benefit of the local community. Employees of the three organizations, along with community members, volunteer their time and enthusiasm to the event, dawning bizarre and outlandish costumes in frigid fall temperatures and presenting entertaining parodies of Mono Lake organisms and features in hopes that audience members will gain a better appreciation for this unique resource. In its 23rd year, the annual Halloween Moonlight Walk continues to be a favorite event within the local community and reflects the dedication, affection, and zeal Forest Service employees and their partners share for Mono Lake.

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JeffMarsolaisjmarsolais@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Artifact Identification Day on the Wayne National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3479 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3479 9

The Wayne National Forest hosted its third annual "Artifact Identification Day" October 27, 2007, from 9 to 12, to commemorate Ohio's Archaeology Month. The Forest co-sponsored the event with Hocking College, Ohio University's Department of Anthropology and Sociology and Department of Geological Sciences, and Hopewell Culture National Park.

For three hours, Ann Cramer and Chris Euler (Wayne NF), Dr. Annette Ericksen (Hocking College), Drs. Elliot Abrams and Royal Mapes (OU), and Rick Perkins (Hopewell) identified a variety of Native American items and fossils brought in by over 45 people in the local area.

Chris Euler gave presentations on how prehistoric tools are manufactured from flint. Some of the more interesting items this year included an incised prehistoric potsherd, several well-made stone axes, a wide variety of Archaic arrowheads, and a large extinct tree root fossil (transported in a gun case!)

This annual event has become such a popular event that the group discussed the possibility of combining it with Hocking College's Archaeology Club presentations to include pottery-making, flint knapping, and atlatl-throwing activities.

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AnnCrameracramer@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Hosts William Tell Elementary School Field Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3466 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3466 9

Six Tell City Ranger District employees hosted 26 parents, teachers, and approximately 150 students from the sixth grade class at William Tell Elementary School for a day-long field trip at Celina Lake. Tom Krueger, Tom Thake, Amanda Kunzmann, Nancy Myers, Ben Ingram, and Ryan Otto led four sessions for the students on various topics ranging from the carbon cycle, fire use, history of the Forest, the Rickenbaugh House, and learning about different tree species.

The students were placed into multiple groups and four groups at a time rotated through the sessions. Nancy Myers presented the Rickenbaugh House session. Students and their parents and teachers were fascinated with the House and asked a lot of questions. The teachers had given the students a word puzzle about the House that they had to answer. After the formal Rickenbaugh presentation and tour were over, the students particularly enjoyed playing the nature games at the House. All the sessions ended around noon.

Tom Krueger led three busloads of the students to four campsites in Southslope where he supervised building a campfire and cooking hot dogs on sticks. After lunch the students participated in an orienteering exercise and used their new-found skills to use a map and compass to locate trees, a cemetery, and a snack of trail mix at the end of the trail. It was a beautiful crisp fall day at Celina Lake which made for a great outing field trip for all involved.

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NancyMyersnmyers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Monitoring on the Hoosier National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3465 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3465 9

On July 13th, 2004 winds estimated near 80 miles per hour moved across the Hoosier National Forest. As a result of these high winds FEMA declared Crawford, Dubois, Martin, Orange and Perry Counties within the Forest as Federal Disaster Zones.

Following the storm, Forest personnel assessed the extent of the damage through aerial and field reconnaissance. The areas impacted by this storm were scattered over a zone approximately 8 miles wide and 25 miles long running from Birdseye, Indiana south-southeast to the Ohio River. Approximately 4,005 acres of blow down came to be known as the Tell City Windthrow 2004 Project.

Recently several staff from the Hoosier visited the sites of the Windthrow Project which consisted of a completed timber sale, an active timber sale and the third was a site under preparation for timber sales. The purpose of this monitoring trip was to ensure the Forest and the contractors were adhering to all terms of the timber sale as stipulated by management requirements and constraints. As part of the contract all access roads were monitored to ensure that soil erosion and other mitigation measures were in place.

Methods were discussed and ideas were solicited concerning erosion prevention and protection of wildlife habitat. The group consisted of: the Forest Supervisor, District Ranger, Ecosystem Program Manager, Forest Planner, Recreation Program Manager, GIS Coordinator, Public Affairs Officer, engineers, soil scientist, foresters, silviculturists, aquatic specialist, wildlife biologist and others. The group was briefed on the purpose of the monitoring trip, divided into teams, and given a list of questions to discuss at each stop.

"I was glad to participate in this monitoring trip", said Noah Williams. "I learned about the use of water bars to reduce run off, various ways to restrict ATV use, ways of maintaining stream and creek bed integrity and soil compaction."

Upon completion of the physical review of each site the group members were tasked with evaluation of goals and environmental impact issues. Individually and collectively the group unanimously concluded that the overall impact of the timber sales was in keeping with all established guidelines, also the sale of forest products to further the goal of "Caring for the land and Serving people" is in keeping with the overall Forest Plan

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RonDoylerldoyle@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Bedford, Indiana, Receives Preserve America Status]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3463 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3463 9

A brass band kicked off the ceremony which designated Bedford, Indiana, as the fifth community in Indiana to receive the honor of being a Preserve America Community.

"It's a pretty prestigious list," said Ken Day, Forest Supervisor on the Hoosier. The other communities in Indiana to achieve this national designation include Crown Point, Lafayette, Madison, and New Albany.

The Hoosier National Forest was well represented at the ceremony, from one of the members of the brass band (retiree Chuck Buttz), to speaker Ken Day, to event organizer Teena Ligman, and several employees who came on their lunch hour in uniform to participate in the community celebration.

The Preserve America status recognizes a community's commitment to preserving their heritage as well as significant structures. Once a community receives the designation they become eligible for heritage grants through the Preserve America program. The program is a Presidential initiative, and is supported by several federal agencies. The Forest Service is the primary agency for USDA in the implementation of the program and has assisted with getting signs for communities across the country.

Ligman became involved when Regional Office Heritage Program Coordinator Sandy Forney asked the Hoosier if Bedford had planned a designation ceremony to recognize the fact that they had just been selected. Ligman called a friend with Bedford's Historic Review Board who had only recently heard the news herself.

"Next thing I knew," said Ligman, "I'm in charge of organizing the event at City Hall."

Ligman worked with the Historic Review Board to plan the celebration and order signs for each of the three main roads into the City of Bedford. She said people were generally surprised that the Hoosier was interested in history and Ken Day gave an excellent speech about the many things the Forest has done to promote heritage tourism and preservation.

"It was good having my coworkers come out to help our town celebrate this milestone," said Ligman. "And good that Ken was able to tell the story that we do much more than grow trees and manage campgrounds - the Forest has a stake in this too - in preserving America."

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Heart-wrenching (and ultimately heart-warming) Search and Rescue]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3462 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3462 9

At first it didn't seem like an overly unusual phone call: a hiker was missing in the Forest. Several times each year a hiker or hunter gets lost in the Monongahela. Sometimes they are found before Forest Service employees ever know they were missing. Often the search and rescue takes place without much, if any, FS involvement since local emergency services organizations have the lead on such events.

This time it was different, very different. The missing person was an 18 year old autistic man hiking with his parents. Described by his family as functioning at a 3 or 4 year old's capacity, he was also basically mute and unlikely to be able to communicate much with the searchers.

On the plus side, he was in excellent physical condition and he regularly hiked with his family. On the down side he was lost in one of the most rugged areas in a Forest known for mountainous terrain. He was also not equipped in any way for overnight camping. The weather, abnormally warm and summer-like for October, was likely to change any day, and the nights were already turning colder.

Over the four days the search lasted, emotions among Forest employees ran high. This was literally a "lost babe in the woods" and many found ways to help with the search and rescue. Numerous Forest employees, as well as employees of the Fernow Experimental Forest Timber and Watershed Lab contributed time to the effort. They joined an estimated 250+ volunteers, ranging from local residents to members of the missing hiker's church to professionally trained search and rescue units.

In some places the on-the-ground conditions required searchers to literally crawl through immense thickets of rhododendron. Other places meant scrambling for miles along unsteady boulder-strewn stream beds and across steep side slopes.

"There is literally no more rugged terrain in my District," said District Ranger Jeff Hammes. "He couldn't have been lost in a more difficult spot to search."

As the days stretched on, searchers and support staff became sore and tired but few spoke of anything other than a successful outcome.

Adding to the difficulties were logistical issues such as poor to non-existent radio or telephone connections. A Forest Service cabin, under long-term lease to the State Division of Natural Resources, became the command post from which local and regional emergency services workers ran the operation.

The local fire chief was the IC, while the local newspaper editor was the information officer. A local State Park served as a staging point for volunteers while the Red Cross coordinated supplies. Forest Service law enforcement officials and district staff communicated information back to the Monongahela Supervisor's Office where employees fielded media, e-mail, and phone inquiries, the fire dispatcher helped coordinate needed resources, and the GIS staff prepared maps to support the search.

Finally, after being missing for almost exactly four days, the young man was found alive and in remarkably good condition. The emotion in people's voices as this good news was shared was strong.

A result of the SAR was that the Forest leadership team has reviewed the Forest role in such events, and developed guidelines for use in future situations.

"Things happened so quickly and people wanted to help so much that we weren't as well coordinated as we wanted to be," noted Hammes. "One of the good things that has come out of this is a clarification of how to be involved in future such events."

Of course the best thing that came out of this event is that the hiker is alive, well, and back with his family.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne National Forest Dedicates Ora E. Anderson Nature Trail]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3461 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3461 9

It was a perfect fall day for the dedication of the Ora E. Anderson Nature Trail. The tent on the hill overlooking the Rutherford Wetland had someone in almost every chair giving rapt attention to the speakers and to the beautiful view as the fog lifted from the water in front of them. The event was a dedication / ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the new Ora E. Anderson Nature Trail near Carbon Hill held on Saturday, October 13, 2007.

The new 1/2 mile nature trail was the first wildlife-viewing trail accessible to persons of all abilities on the Athens Ranger District. Along the trail, which was constructed on an abandoned railroad bed, were signs displaying poems by Anderson. Each poem was illustrated with an original watercolor art by Barbara Sheriff Kostohryz of Athens. The trail also included interpretive panels and a brochure to educate the public on the benefits of wetland resources.

Ora E. Anderson was a journalist, conservationist, naturalist, and artist. He was well loved in the community and when he passed away in August 2006 at the age of ninety-four many people came forward and asked what could be done in his honor. Earlier Dale Dalrymple, a seasonal employee who uses a wheelchair had suggested the possibility earlier of developing an accessible trail along an abandoned stretch of railroad bed adjacent to the Rutherford Wetland. Dalrymple's vision and Anderson's love of birding and the outdoors seemed to meld into the perfect project.

"Everyone wanted to help," said Mary Redan, Forest Supervisor of the Wayne and a friend of Andersons. "When we started looking for partners, we almost had trouble finding a table big enough to fit everyone around. He was just such a dear man who touched so many people's lives."

The event was attended by over a hundred people with Congressman Ralph Regula (R-16th), a friend of Anderson was the keynote speaker. Cindy Cunningham, a field representative for Congressman Zack Space (D-18th) was in attendance to read a Congressional Proclamation on behalf of Congressman Space. Mary O. Reddan and District Ranger DeVela Clark also spoke. Dale Dalrymple, whose idea sparked the vision, was on hand to participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Ward Township Volunteer Fire Department served food and were available to provide medical attention if needed. They also helped with parking in nearby Carbon Hill. Hocking College provided shuttles to bring people to the site. In addition to the beauty of the wetland, inspirational poems and artwork, and friends and family shared warm stories about Anderson. A bird carver was on hand with some of his carvings, and had an activity for children making bird prints in clay.

The post master from Carbon Hill had a special cancellation stamp made for the day and was on hand to cancel commemorative post cards and stationary on the wetland and trail. The Eastern National Forest Interpretive Association (ENFIA) outlet was setup to sell field guides, Ora's book and DVD and did a brisk business. At the close of business ENFIA had sold $261 worth of items at the event! Naturalists were on also on hand to give guided hikes after the program to anyone who was interested.

The trail is already paying dividends, shortly after the dedication, the Forest received a note from a man who explained he had multiple sclerosis and used a wheelchair. He had previously been an avid hunter and outdoorsman but had found few trails that were handicapped accessible. He made a few suggestions on how the Rutherford area could be made more accommodating to people in wheelchairs but thanked the Forest for the opportunities provided for his and his wife to get out and enjoy the out-of-doors.

There are future phases planned to expand the trail and the facilities provided at the site and the partners keep lining up to help. The spark of one man's life didn't go out with his death. People are still looking for ways to acknowledge what his life meant to them and want to help with this project which will eventually provide an accessible trail, benches, viewing blind, boardwalk, and picnic area for people of all abilities. We think Ora would be proud.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Perry County Fall Festival Features Rickenbaugh Open House]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3460 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3460 9

The weather was beautiful for the opening weekend of the annual Perry County Hoosier Heritage Fall Tour. The tour features many activities and scenic drives throughout Perry County for four weekends in September and October. The Perry County CVB works with the Hoosier National Forest to schedule the Rickenbaugh House to be open for the second weekend of the Tour.

This year was no exception as the House was open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7. Nancy Myers hosted 72 visitors and Todd Dempsey hosted 51. Light refreshments were served and information about recreation opportunities on the Forest and the southern Indiana region was available. Particularly popular was the new Hoosier National Forest free visitor map.

"People just love the Rickenbaugh House and are so excited when they have an opportunity to see the inside," Myers observed.

According to Myers, many visitors explained that they have been watching the House's progress from the outside over the years and they jump at the chance to come in. Visitors poured over the interpretive panels and looked at Rickenbaugh House and period artifacts displayed in the cupboards.

One visitor filmed the house with a video camera. A highlight for Myers was a Tell City table donated by Rickenbaugh relative Alvin Blunk. Blunk brought the table over Saturday morning and it is located in the north parlor.

The interpretation of the House was enhanced this year thanks to the Perry Central School Rickenbaugh Club. The Rickenbaugh Club was formed as a result of a grant obtained from the Washington Office Conservation Education office and allowed elementary and middle school students an opportunity to learn about the history of the House and local area.

The Rickenbaugh House is now part of the Hands on the Land Network of Outdoor Classrooms. It's wonderful to see the House used to showcase the cultural heritage of the Indian-Celina Recreation Area and Perry County.

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NancyMyersnmyers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Guns, Leaves and Soils- Acid Deposition Studies in the Monongahela NF]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3459 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3459 9

Acid deposition (AD) from air pollution is a chronic stress on forest ecosystems in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. The health of some high-elevation forest streams has declined, and forest soils have become less fertile and more acidic. However, it is unclear if and how the rest of the forest ecosystem has been affected, and if management plans of the National Forests in this region need to accomodate this potential threat to forest health.

A cooperative research project taking place on the Monongahela National Forest is addressing these issues. Virginia Tech graduate student Pipa Elias, working with Monongahela soil scientist Stephanie Connolly, Tony Jenkins of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, and Mary Beth Adams of the Forest Service Timber and Watershed Lab has been conducting field research for the last two seasons.

The researchers have used tools as diverse as guns to shoot leaves out of the canopy for foliar nutrient level analyses, and shovels to garner soil samples.

"This isn't exactly glamorous work," noted Connolly, "but there's really no other way to obtain the raw materials we need."

The overall goal of the work is to determine if acid deposition has caused a change in forest composition and productivity, and if so, determine how the effects of AD can be monitored and managed for sustainability. The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides valuable permanent plots and long term data sets that are being utilized in the research.

A preliminary analysis of cause and effect relationships between foliage nutrient levels, and soil and soil characteristics has been made. These parameters include acid neutralizing capacity, elemental concentration, and pH levels. The preliminary findings have been presented in several forums, including the Dean's Forum on the Environment in Blacksburg, Virginia and at Forest Service leadership team meetings.

So far the results are fitting in well with the hypotheses made by the various parties.

"Identifying and quantifying effects and connections are just the first steps," according to Connolly. "What we're learning from Pipa's research is that there is a real correlation between our hypothesized Soil Sensitivty Indices as they relate to acid deposition, and the real data collected from the plots. Eventually, we need to be able to figure out how to use this information in the day to day management of the National Forest."

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[He's a Gardener and Landscaper, As Well As a Forester]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2789 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2789 9

It's not just a place to work and live for Monongahela National Forest Greenbrier District employee Kevin Taylor, who lives on the District compound. Taylor, a forester, is also the resident landscaper, gardener, and part-time groundskeeper....all volunteer work.

The District compound, like many such Forest Service facilities, is spread over a bit of ground, with numerous buildings separated by lawn, shrubbery, trees, and pavement. When the main office was built the landscaping was basically a "builder's special," with common shrubs and a few flowers.

However some of the plants weren't native, and most were looking more than a bit overgrown and neglected by the time Taylor moved to the District. Reduced staffing led to the grounds being one of the last things anyone really had time to focus on.

That neglected look didn't sit well with Taylor, who says he has no formal training in landscape work, but simply likes things to look good. He also didn't like the potentially invasive non-native plantings.

"The grounds around our offices are part of the impression we give people about the Forest Service," he says. "I think they should look neat and professional."

In his spare time during his off hours, Taylor has been steadily moving the Greenbrier compound towards that neat and professional look. He often mows part of the lawns, and has done extensive pruning on the many trees and shrubs in the area. He's also looking at the foundation plantings with an eye towards removing and replacing some of them as funds are available.

His work has paid off in many ways. Visitors no longer have to duck under overhanging limbs, or look at overgrown rhododendron as they approach the buildings. His constant attention to the plantings has led him to also notice concerns with the exterior of the office, and be able to bring them to the attention of the facilities managers for repairs.

Taylor is quite modest about his efforts, simply repeating that he "just thinks it's important that Forest Service offices present a good image to visitors."

The Greenbrier District and the Monongahela certainly benefit from that dedication.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Office Adapts While Elevator is Replaced]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2788 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2788 9

Having an elevator to carry materials and supplies between the four floors of the Supervisor's office of the Monongahela National Forest was something employees took for granted. That is, until the elevator recently needed to be replaced.

The aging system had been in place for many years, and had developed more than a few quirks. While it was occasionally amusing to have the elevator "dance" as the doors opened, that recurring problem was an indication of the overall antiquity of the mechanisms. Although technicians said the elevator wasn't in immediate danger of failing, the General Services Administration, which owns the building, decided the time had come to replace the system.

Preparing to do without the elevator was a complicated process as the staff had to project possible activities over the expected downtime, and figure out what materials and supplies could be placed on each floor ahead of time, and what things would simply have to be carried up and down during the replacement process. Another aspect to be considered was how to accomodate employees in the event that someone was unable to use the stairs.

Members of the Supervisor's office administrative staff bore the brunt of the preparation plans. Boxes of copier paper were placed on each floor, excess furniture was identified and removed prior to the elevator shut-down, and locations on the ground floor were identified to handle any materials delivered during the shutdown, which would ordinarily be stored elsewhere in the building.

The elevator company needed considerable space in which to store their tools, materials, and equipment, which necessitated the moving of Forest Service material to clear space. All of these materials, plus the copier paper and other items now distributed throughout the floors of the building, had to be placed in a manner to comply with fire code regulations.

To prepare for all of this extra material, employees were asked to clear their offices and make sure that all excess materials and furniture were removed prior to the arrival of the elevator crew. Fortunately, the Forest had just completed a major records management exercise and all un-needed records were either destroyed or moved into permanent storage.

No major problems were encountered during the process of replacing the elevator and it wasn't necessary to utilize the back-up office space plans. Probably the greatest impacts during the process were to the janitors who had to carry trash and recycleables out every day via the stairs.

The end result? A new, safer, modern elevator; slimmer waistlines on some employees; and a new appreciation for an item most took for granted.

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KathleenGoodrich-Arlingkgoodricharling@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Completes Phase One to Recover RF's S/S Threatened Species]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3442 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3442 9

Phase one of a project started in 2005 to develop seedlings for sensitive/state threatened dwarf bilberry and its dependent sensitive/state threatened northern blue butterfly was recently completed on the Ottawa National Forest.

The project started with the location and collection of dwarf bilberry fruits that were then planted and raised as seedlings at the Ottawa's Toumey Nursery in Watersmeet, Michigan. In 2007 180 plugs were planted in sandy soils at two different sites on the Watersmeet and Kenton Ranger districts. Six larger plants that were raised in pots were planted at the Forest Visitor Center and in the Kenton Ranger District native plan gardens. Because of an extremely dry summer, many of these plants did not survive.

The remaining seedlings which were not forced were planted in September 2007 at two Watersmeet sites while 82 remaining plugs were planted in clay soils on the Bergland District.

Additional seed was sown by the Toumey Nursery where 750 seedlings for use on the Ottawa and possibly other Michigan forests in 2008. More of the seed may be planted in the coming winter to provide dwarf bilberry shrubs for planning in 2009. These plantings will greatly help in the recovery of the sensitive/state threatened northern blue butterfly which is dependent on the dwarf bilberry.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[WIN X 4!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3441 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3441 9

It's a winning situation all the way around. The partnership started with the Director of Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approving a grant of $150,000 for the Athens District of the Wayne National Forest (NF) to purchase trail maintenance equipment so district personnel could immediately repair trail problems and perform standard maintenance quicker and at a lower cost. Athens District purchased a skid steer, a mini-excavator, and a gravel wagon.

Then Hocking College joined the partnership. Three Wayne NF employees enrolled in a class on equipment operation which will result in all three employees becoming certified to operate the new equipment. The Hocking College class is taking place on existing Off Highway Vehicles (OHV) trail on the Athens District, performing reconstruction work as class proceeds. The Hocking College Students provide the labor to match the original grant.

A second grant from Ohio DNR provided $179,000 for trail work. First priority with this money the Athens District purchased a new toilet facility - an SST or Sweet Smelling Toilet - for the Long Ridge Trailhead. The twelve mile Long Ridge trail is the steepest and narrowest of the district's trails and is generally only used by motorcycles. The length of the trail was divided up and a portion was allocated between two contractors who were funded to improve the surfacing, add rolling dips and obstacles to the trail. Hocking College and Forest Service crews also worked on portions of the trail. On this section of the trail it was imperative to keep the challenge in the trail while protecting the resource.

The District was apparently successful. Rex Fisk, a rider from Buchtel, Ohio was one of several ATV riders to quickly write in and complement the Wayne on their efforts. He began with an apology, "First off, I'm one of those ATVers that in the past have complained, about your trail repair tactics. I've complained about losing mud holes to play in, about the amount of gravel you put down on the trails, and how wide, and ultimately fast you make the trails in your attempt to repair them. At the same time, I do realize your obligations in keeping the forest protected, but have felt you were over doing it just a bit."

Mr. Fisk went on to say, after his most recent visit to the Long Ridge Trail to survey the work there, "I quickly realized that the trails weren't dozed flat, that there wasn't gravel everywhere. In fact, the trails were still the tight, twisty, narrow FUN dirt trails they used to be. And what was becoming clear to me, and a little amazing, was that most of the mud holes were still there. Yes you had dozed a nice little trail around them, but you left them there. You left the rider the option. I had a blast. It was like Long Ridge had been reborn."

He said he couldn't get back home quick enough to get on the internet to let his riding buddies know what a TERRIFIC job the Wayne did on the Long Ridge trails. The trails did need repaired, and the Forest did the work in the manner that everyone should be happy with. He suggested the Forest should give all the employees responsible a pat on the back and an employee of the month special parking spot.

According to Mr. Fisk, the Long Ridge trail repairs should be the model for trail repair system wide. When our publics are happy with the work and the resources are protected, everyone benefits. The Wayne appreciates the Ohio DNR's ongoing support for economical trail maintenance. The Wayne NF now has the ability to repair dangerous and erosive trail damage immediately and effectively. The Wayne NF has 3 certified equipment operators. The Hocking College equipment operation class has a practice area which results in certified equipment operators and reconstructed OHV trails. And the OHV riders on Athens District have safer, better trails to ride.

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JennieFreidhofjfreidhof@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Successful Ottawa YCC Program For Students and Career Interns]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3440 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3440 9

The 2007 Ottawa YCC season ended with a double success this year. All seven crew members made it through the 8 week program and resulted in a successful supervisory learning experience for two first year career interns as well.

Projects were completed in nursery maintenance, wildlife habitat, heritage resources, recreational resources, botany and silviculture. Some of the projects included creating boot brush stations for the Ottawa's wilderness areas in order to prevent invasive species spread, pulling invasive species such as garlic mustard, japanese barberry, thistles, and buckthorn, cleaning up the CCC camp at Nesbit Lake and the Bergland Heritage Center's warehouse and home site, white pine pruning, trail maintenance, wildlife brush pile creation, and weeding of the nursery's fields.

In addition to the hard work they completed this summer, the crew was a part of the annual 4th of July parade in which they built a float for show and in competition, won a trophy for second place in the Watersmeet parade. They were also able to take part in several conservation educational activities such as a tour of the forest with LSSU students in forest ecology , a tour of wildlife projects across the forest, including a visit to an active goshawk territory, a tour of the visitor center and its surroundings, a tour of the Rhizotron USFS research station at Michigan Technological University and further species identification education from several specialists across the forest while working in the field.

It was a remarkable experience for the crew and the supervisors, Tasha Hernandez and Panchita Paulete, both Career Intern Program employees in their first year with the FS. "We learned a lot about the responsibilities of supervision and coordination/planning with multiple programs through this experience and it is a skill we can carry with us into future career opportunities with the FS where leadership is an important role. I commend all supervisors after this experience. It really is hard work! We had a lot of fun with this crew and we wish them all the best in their futures!" said Tasha.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Catamount Trail Connects Massachusetts to Canada]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3439 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3439 9

After nearly twenty-five years in the making, the Catamount Trail, the length-of-Vermont back-country ski trail, is now complete from the Massachusetts state line to the Quebec border. This October, staff and volunteers from the Catamount Trail Association, in partnership with the Green Mountain National Forest, closed the last remaining gap in the trail by clearing and marking 4.5 miles of new trail in the town of Winhall, Vermont.

"I am thrilled to have the CT's golden spike driven during my watch," said Lenore Budd, the CTA's Trail Manager. "Years of volunteer and professional effort have gone into making the Trail a reality for all to enjoy so it is very gratifying to know that the hardest work is now behind us."

Approximately 80 miles of the 300-mile long Catamount Trail lie within the GMNF. This last section of the CT had been planned for several years but was delayed until the new GMNF Forest Plan was adopted in 2007.

"Through our partnership with CTA we are able to be a part of something larger than just the stretches of the trail on the Green Mountain National Forest, we are a part of a trail that extends throughout the entire state of Vermont," said Forest Service Trails Specialist Doug Reeves. "We have been in the process of building this trail, hand-in-hand, for almost 20 years."

It was a vibrant fall day when two four-person work crews met at the height of land between Vermont Route 30 and Kendall Farm Road, deep within the Green Mountain National Forest, to place the final blazes on a young beech tree. The crews, using hand saws, loppers and power brush cutters, were putting the finishing touches on trail-cutting a U.S. Forest Service chainsaw team had started two weeks prior.

Crew members celebrated the posting of the final blazes with a round of applause and a few minutes of reflection and refueling before heading back out of the woods.

CTA still has considerable work ahead to reroute more of the CT off stretches of trail shared with snowmobiles and to acquire permanent trail easements for the approximately 150 miles of Catamount Trail that cross privately owned land.

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[US Forest Service and US Department of Energy Work Together to Increase Renewable Energy Portfolio]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3438 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3438 5

Over the past two years, US Forest Service and US Department of Energy representatives have been exploring opportunities to meet the renewable energy goals of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. In November of 2005, the Inyo National Forest received $9,000 to design and install a 1.5 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system at the Mt. Whitney Ranger Station. This was the first of three technical assistance grants from DOE that has given the Inyo NF a PV system that generated 5,810 kilowatt hours of electricity, reduced CO2 emissions by 9,800 pounds and saved $700 in utility costs. Along with twelve other photovoltaic installations on the Forest, the Mt. Whitney Ranger Station PV system serves as a renewable energy model for local communities.

In December 2006, the Forest secured a second technical assistance grant for $14,000 from DOE to determine PV feasibility at six other sites. Of the six sites evaluated, one visitor center, two ranger stations, and the Supervisor's Office became the focus of a third technical assistance grant. With this $20,000 design grant, the Inyo NF is now in a position to secure PV system funding. The report includes detailed cost estimates, design schematics, and energy performance curves for each site and has resulted in the preparation of a bid package for distribution to potential contractors. Total estimated cost to fully implement the PV projects at these four sites is $600,000. This would generate approximately 204,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

While PV systems represent a significant future contribution for the Inyo's renewable energy portfolio, there is also existing geothermal and hydropower generation on the Forest. Annual power generation on the Inyo NF includes 55 megawatts from hydroelectric units and 15 megawatts from a geothermal plant. This serves the electrical needs of approximately 70,000 homes.

Reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption also play integral roles in lessening the Inyo's environmental footprint. The Inyo NF now has three hybrid and two electric vehicles in the fleet. Also the Forest is participating in a low energy light fixture replacement program, developing cost-saving energy conservation measures with local utility providers, and installing public recycling stations at visitor centers and ranger stations. One visitor center has a ground based heat pump system that uses the temperature of the earth to heat and cool the building.

Combined, the Forest's energy efforts represent a substantial contribution to achieving goals outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. By installing photovoltaic systems, participating in energy audits, developing renewable energy sources, purchasing Energy Star products, and implementing other energy saving measures, the Inyo has already helped the Federal Government towards its goal of a 2% reduction in energy consumption from FY2006 to FY2015. In addition, the Forest receives double credit for the renewable energy it produces on National Forest lands. The Inyo National Forest looks forward to harnessing these possibilities as it moves closer to a reduction in the environmental footprint while pioneering energy conservation strategies for the Agency.

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JeffMarsolaisjmarsolais@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Partners with Group to Eradicate Garlic Mustard]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3437 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3437 9

Due to the local infestation of garlic mustard and its potential spread to forest land, the Ottawa National Forest partnered with the Town of Presque Isle's Terrestrial Invasive Committee (TIS) to help with the eradication of this plant. To combat the local infestation, the Town of Presque Isle appointed a Weed Commissioner, formed the new TIS committee, and listed garlic mustard be regulated by a new town ordinance.

On a cool spring day in June, Ian Shackleford, along with forester Tasha Hernandez and the Ottawa's Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) went out into the field with the TIS group to start the tedious process of pulling the weed.

The key to successful eradication of garlic mustard is to remove the blooming plants before they go to seed from April through June and kill the first year plants so they will not bloom next spring. The process is long-term needing yearly maintenance as the seeds are viable for up to seven years. Garlic mustard is a huge threat to the northwoods and can destroy entire ecosystems if not eradicated.

The group worked long and hard with a feeling of accomplishment, but recognizing the fact that another group will need to return to the same site yearly until the seed bank is exhausted.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteers Clear Trail on Ottawa National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3436 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3436 9

National Public Lands Day brought out twenty-one volunteers to Ottawa National Forest's Norwich Bluff to help fix up the Norwich Mine Interpretive Trail. This trail was created in 1994 and takes hikers past some of the historic remnants of the former copper-mining community. The trail had not been signed or promoted and had become overgrown.

Kenton employee Ron Kantola flagged the trail earlier in September so the group would know where to go. The volunteers, led by Ottawa Botanist Ian Shackleford, used chainsaws, loppers, and brush saws to re-open the trail. Elsewhere on Norwich Bluff, a "foot-traffic-only" sign and a new "closed-to-motorized-vehicles" sign were installed. Volunteers also built a barrier to keep ATVs off of the hiking trail and removed fallen branches from mine fences. Several volunteers were with the Land O'Lakes Fish and Game Club, including individuals certified to operate chainsaws on National Forest Land.

It was a great day with the group working a total of 5.5 hours. Several people said they looked forward to returning to Norwich Bluff with friends or family.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne Land Acquisition Benefits Heritage Resources]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3435 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3435 9

The historic Pioneer Iron Furnace built in 1857, joins the Vesuvius Furnace (1836), the Cambria Furnace (1854), and the Etna Furnace (1832), on public land on the Ironton Ranger District. The Etna Furnace was included in the 718 acre acquisition from the Trust for Public land in 2002. The Center Furnace (1836) site was acquired when the Forest Service purchased 4,678 acres in 1996 from the Kosmos Cement Company. The Center Furnace stack no longer stands on the site. Three of the furnace stacks are in fair to poor condition but could be restored like the Vesuvius Furnace Stack.

The standing furnace stacks are impressive structures made of cut stone blocks. These stone monoliths are reminders of the industrial age that significantly formed the Hanging Rock Iron Region of southern Ohio.

The following quote from the web-site http://www.oldindustry.org/iron.html, paints a mental picture of the arduous life styles of the 1800's when the furnaces were in full operation.

"Whenever we visit an iron furnace, it must be remembered that countless individuals lived, worked, and sometimes died at these sites. Iron furnaces ran twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for many months on end. The roar and fire heat were continuous, while the furnace cast an eerie glow that could light up the night for a considerable area. Smoke from the charcoal production hung in the air, while the hills and dales surrounding the furnace were stripped bare of trees. Being near a furnace town meant co-existing with a living inferno - a terrible beast, partly tamed, that would produce the desired transformation of ore to iron at a price - one paid in earth and blood."

The Vesuvius Furnace was listed to the National Register of Historic Places of Ohio in 1990.

It is possible the other three furnace stacks and one furnace site are potential candidates for the National Register of Historic Places. The Wayne land purchase program contributes to the growth of the Forest and provides amenities to the citizens of the nation in the form of geo tourism, open space, outdoor recreation, watershed protection and renewable natural resources for the future.

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RichardJonesrkjones@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne NF and The Nature Conservancy Grow a Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3432 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3432 9

In September, the Wayne National Forest added a large tract of land when the Forest was able to close on a purchase of land from The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

"The property is a significant addition to the Wayne National Forest," said Wayne Forest Supervisor Mary O. Reddan. "It includes 1,268 acres of open meadow for song birds like the Henslow's Sparrow, young growth forest, and several fishing ponds. The property contains the historic Pioneer Iron Furnace and is near the community of Blackfork, Ohio, where decendents of the Underground Railroad live today."

The land is in northern Lawrence County located between existing Forest property and a state wildlife area. TNC initially purchased 4,116 acres from Mead Westvaco in 2005. In September 2006, the Wayne was able to acquire the first 670 acres. This year, the Forest acquired another 1,268 acres.

TNC intends to hold the property until the Forest Service can purchase the rest of the land as L&WCF monies become available. TNC and the ODNR Division of Wildlife will continue to manage the remaining 2,180 acres under a partnership agreement that provides for public hunting.

"While the forest on this property is relatively young, this land is part of the Appalachian forest - the oldest and most diverse forest system in North America," said Dr. Richard Shank, TNC's State Director in Ohio. "It's very important for plant and animal diversity in Ohio."

A portion of the newly-acquired land was named "Anderson Meadows" by TNC in honor of Ora E. Anderson, a former life trustee of The Nature Conservancy who supported the establishment and growth of the Wayne National Forest for decades.

"Ora Anderson was a strong ambassador for the Wayne National Forest and the Conservancy throughout his life," Shank said. "Even in his nineties, he helped us win the support of Congressman Ralph Regula, who in turn helped us secure funding for this project."

Regula is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The new property contains primitive trails and interior roads that were in place before the land purchase and will serve as walk-in access to vast grasslands, small fishing ponds and public hunting land. The property provides important consolidation of the northern portion of the Ironton Ranger District reducing fragmentation of the public land base.

This partnership with TNC is another example of the Eastern Region's vision goal of Walk the Talk for Sustainability.

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RichardJonesrkjones@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa's Iron River Ranger District Goes to Fair]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3423 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3423 9

This year fairgoers to the Iron County Fair were able to visit a booth sponsored by the Ottawa's Iron River Ranger District. The booth included travel displays with past photos of the forest and educational displays on the history of logging, conservation education and recreation resources. Employees staffing the booth offered free wolf posters to all who were interested and Smokey stickers and tattoos for the youngsters which were passed out during a walk around with Smokey. The booth also had a wildlife table displaying skins, furs, skulls, scat and track examples of various wildlife species. This served as an educational experience for both children and adults. Information pamphlets on recreation opportunities, pest management, motor vehicle use maps and fire bans in the local area were also available to those stopping by to visit. The booth was a big hit with fair goers and ran from Thursday to Saturday. Smokey was even able to meet the new Miss Iron County and play some carnival games during his outing around the fair grounds.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[College of Menomonee Nation Hosts Forest Ecology Workshop]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3422 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3422 9

A workshop entitled "Ecological Forestry: Incorporating principles of natural disturbance and stand dynamics into silviculture" was held October 10 and 11 at the College of Menominee Nation in Keshena, WI. The two-day workshop focused on how silvicultural and management techniques can create forest structures similar to ecological processes that have shaped our forests for thousands of years.

Ecological forest management relates forest structures and functions that promote diverse and healthy forests across the landscape. The goal of the workshop was to present core principles of natural disturbance- and natural development-based silviculture, and matrix management paradigms, through classroom lecture, discussion, and field visits to innovative projects that implement these principles.

The workshop built upon an ongoing training program on ecological forestry organized by the Conservation Forestry Network. More than fifty people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nnew York, and Nebraska participated in the workshop. Participants represented tribal natural resource management departments, state natural resources organizations, the U.S. Forest Service, county land management, conservation organizations, forestry consultants, and interested community members.

Mike Dockry, the Forest Service Liaison to College of Menominee Nation, helped organize the meeting. Brian Palik from the Northern Research Station and Linda Parker from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest served as both instructors and organizers.

Jerry Franklin from the University of Washington was the main classroom instructor and Marshall Pecore and Ron Waukau presented Menominee forest management.

The workshop and ongoing partnership with the College of Menomonee Nation are examples of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goals of Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries and Walk the Talk for Sustainability.

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AndrewMadsenandrewmadsen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Tribal Partnership for Conservation on Chippewa National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3418 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3418 9

"Imagine a place where young people could go to simultaneously gain work experience, earn an educational stipend, learn about the natural environment of which they are a part, or reconnect with cultural and family activities. The power of that vision is moving to such a place from imagination to a growing reality."

These words were recently written by reporter Daniel LeClaire from the Cass Lake Times, within Minnesota's Chippewa National Forest, after attending one of many Camp Rabideau Conservation Academy and Learning Center meetings over the last three years.

The Forest Service, Minnesota Conservation Corps, Lady Slipper Scenic Byway Association, and the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians are cooperating to initiate a pilot conservation-based language immersion camp located at Rabideau CCC National Historic Landmark on the Blackduck Ranger District in the summer of 2008.

Reuse of the camp would require restoration and maintenance of the historic buildings, an expensive task that the National Forest can't do without partners. And there's more to historic integrity than whether old buildings look the same as they originally did. This unique collaborative effort would restore the original intent and historic use of the camp as a natural resource educational and training center for young people and enhance its continuity with the past.

The Forest Service has had a long standing cooperative agreement with the Friends of the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC), a non-profit organization that provides hands-on environmental stewardship and service-learning opportunities to youth and young adults while accomplishing priority cost-effective conservation, natural resource management projects and emergency response work. MCC provides training and work opportunities to youth and young adults to create positive outcomes for the communities of Minnesota and their natural resources.

The Lady Slipper Scenic Byway has an interest in providing economic growth to the surrounding community and counts Camp Rabideau as one of its premiere tourist attractions. A re-creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps vision and restoration of the existing buildings is a high priority as outlined in a Corridor Management Plan.

The Red Lake Tribal Council has as one of its highest priorities the well-being, health and future of its children and families. The Red Lake Department of Family and Children's services has been mandated to develop and implement programs and services for the safety, well-being and positive development of Red Lake children and families.

The partners are currently applying for grants and laying the groundwork to start programs during summer 2008 based on survey results gathered from youth at Red Lake.

Red Lake youth who participated in leadership training developed and conducted a youth survey. They found that 74% were interested in attending a regional camp, 81% were interested in being involved in service programs, 82% were interested in conservation programs and 83% would like to bring a parent with them or have parent involvement.

The top 5 ranked experiences that youth wanted were Ojibwe Language, Ojibwe Traditions, Jobs and Careers and Cultural Activities.

The summer programming would compliment the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC) working model that has been successful for more than 20 years. MCC would provide training and guidance on projects to youth or adults that are fluent in the Ojibwe Language. Red Lake would provide elders as mentors and stipends to youth for a 12 week summer program. The Lady Slipper Scenic Byway and Camp Rabideau Group would hire a project coordinator for the summer activities.

Camp Rabideau was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The national significance of this site was recognized when the National Park Service designated the site as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. This special designation identifies Camp Rabideau as the most intact and unaltered CCC camp remaining in the US. The Forest Service will continue restoration of the buildings, with funding from grants, and program funds. The Chippewa National Forest will also be applying for grants and supporting the partner's efforts to benefit youth.

Ultimately the partners hope to create a place that is a magnet and inspiration to other communities in the region. This project may serve as a model that can be replicated elsewhere in the nation.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Williams Trail Fuel Break Tested During the Galion Fire]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3417 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3417 9

In an effort to protect a small subdivision from a potential advancing wildfire, a shaded fuel break was constructed adjacent to homes along Williams Trail in 2002. The fuel break was about 1/2 mile long and 200 to 300 feet wide. The construction consisted of tree thinning to increase the distance between the tree crowns with the objective of reducing the likelihood of active crown fire approaching the homes.

In addition, several homeowners had prepared for a wildfire event by establishing defensible space around their home and thinning out the more flammable tree species (jack and red pine) in favor of less flammable hardwoods.

On August 30, 2007, the Galion Fire erupted to the south of the Williams Trail subdivision in a primarily 33-year old red pine forest. The fire quickly grew and transformed into a running crown fire heading toward the Williams Trail subdivision. Structural fire departments made outstanding efforts in pre-treating threatened homes and other structures ahead of the fire with foam.

The running crown fire slammed into the fuel break and reduced intensity as it became a ground fire. The ground fire continued through the fuel break and into the subdivision. Several structures were destroyed or damaged, but most remained free of damage. Those home owners who had prepared ahead of time suffered little or no damage to their homes or outbuildings.

The fire spread was stopped later that day as the weather moderated and the fire ran into the moister, riparian area of Silver Creek. Total acres burned were 557 with two homes/cabins lost in the subdivision adjacent to the fuel break and one in a nearby area. At least 25 residences with numerous outbuildings were threatened during the fire. No injuries occurred as a result of the fire. The fire was controlled with the help of resources from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Grant Township FD, Tawas City FD, East Tawas FD, Plainfield Township FD, Michigan State Police, Iosco County Sheriff, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the US Forest Service.

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AndrewMadsenandrewmadsen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hood River Ranger District Holds Youth Fishing Clinic]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3415 Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3415 6

On May 19, 2007, the Hood River Ranger District on the Mount Hood National Forest held its annual youth fishing clinic at the Middle Irrigation Fork Pond. Despite some morning rain, blue skies later appeared as did the kids. A total of 135 eager kids ages 13 and under were present at this year's event, compared with 78 kids in 2006 and 130 in 2005.

This year's event drew a diverse crowd from all over the Hood River area. This is perhaps the result of a significant bilingual media advertising and flyer posting effort. The Middle Fork Pond provided a great location for families to spread out and try their luck at fishing.

The fish were feeling a little fickle that day, with only very lucky fishers being able to snag them. Three year-old Kylie Green took the biggest fish honors, with a 16 ¾" rainbow trout. Kylie received a fishing rod and other goodies for her catch.

Apart from fishing, the clinic focused on education and family fun with crafts and other fishy activities. Participants were greeted first by the smiling face of Susan "Walleye" Cox at the registration table. At the bait station, Fisheries Biologist Gary "Salmon" Asbridge instructed kids on how to bait their hook and set-up their fishing poles.

Three volunteers from the Northwest Fly Fisher's Club taught families how to tie various fly-fishing flies. Of course, Ron "Frank Fish" Kikel and Jean "Francis Fish" Kikel were present as well.

At another table, Amber "Bluegill" Schmitt helped young artists use 3-D plastic fish to create colorful fish prints. To warm up, kids headed for the campfire, where they roasted hotdogs for lunch with the help of a fourth volunteer from the NW Fly Fisher's Club.

At the aquatic invertebrates table Darcy "Trout" Morgan showed off what fish like to eat. As a grand finale, a raffle was held and every child went home with a prize donated from local merchants.

The day wouldn't have been possible without the partnership and cooperation of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, who stocked the pond with approximately 750 fish, and the Middle Fork Irrigation District, who allowed the use of the pond. In addition to our partners, numerous community businesses provided donations for prizes and food and helped make the fishing clinic a success.

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CoriBehmcorilbehm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps CCC Undergoes Rigorous Reviews]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3392 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3392

By Jason Maloney, Center Director

The United States Department of Labor Director of Job Corps, Esther Johnson, has formed an advisory committee to help determine the future of the Job Corps program nationwide. Wisconsin's representative to the committee, Melanie Holmes, Manpower, Inc. Vice President of Corporate Affairs North America, visited the Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center on October 9 and 10.

Johnson was accompanied by Sharon DeHart, the Deputy Director of Job Corps for the U.S. Forest Service. The U.S. Forest Service administers Blackwell and 18 other Civilian Conservation Centers nationwide.

For the past six weeks, Blackwell Job Corps CCC has been inspected by several Department of Labor teams including engineers to determine fitness of its campus, accountants from the Inspector General's Office, health and wellness experts, and a safety survey team. In addition, a center hygiene inspection was conducted and the Forest Service reviewed the entire program of instruction. Blackwell passed all of the inspections that were completed, and did well on all of them.

During her tour, Holmes met most of the students and many of the staff at Blackwell. She held focus groups with students and staff in the new women's dormitory. Holmes also met with Sabrina Crane from the Wisconsin Coordinator of Admissions, who is responsible for helping qualified Wisconsin and Upper Michigan residents apply for Blackwell Scholarships.

In addition to touring the Education Department and Vocational Trade areas, Holmes dined with Blackwell students and staff and spent an evening in the Blackwell Recreation Department getting to know the students.

When meeting with Holmes, Blackwell Center Director Jason Maloney explained, "This is the only federal scholarship program of its kind for young adults under the age of 25. The scholarship includes up to two years of vocational, academic and social skills training in addition to clothing, housing, food, equipment, basic medical and dental care, and even a small amount of pocket money every two weeks. Successful students can leave with an academic diploma, a vocational certification that is recognized nationwide, a driver's license, and the social skills that all employers desire in new employees."

Holmes was especially interested in the fact that as a Civilian Conservation Center administered by the U.S. Forest Service, Blackwell JCCCC is charged with helping young adults develop a connection with natural resources. This is done through experiential learning that includes the Wildland Fire Fighting program that is available through a cooperative effort with the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and Blackwell.

Participating students become certified wildland firefighters or fire camp crew personnel. As national first responders, the students are able to help our nation by fighting wildfires. This year over 50 Blackwell students fought fires all over the nation.

As she was leaving Blackwell, Holmes promised to return soon to visit. She was heard to say, "I hope you know I had fun here with the students and staff. I am a friend of Blackwell."

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Children's Center Partners With Forest to Bring Kids to the Woods]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3370 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3370 9

Who are those kids working and learning in the forest? Shouldn't they be in school? Well they are! The forest is their classroom.

The kids from Hillside Children's Center attend classes at the Potomac Campground pavilion once per week, and also help clean up campgrounds and maintain trails. The Hillside Development Abilities Services Program provides services for at-risk New York State children that are challenged with a variety of needs.

The Finger Lakes National Forest signed a participating agreement with the center that involves bringing their students to the forest to learn about nature. The kids learn about biology, ecology, and environmental sciences in the national forest. Hillside's goal is to provide the kids with positive experiences using eco-educational, vocational, and environmental conservation components.

The teachers plan to guide the students in lessons that demonstrate the importance of valuing the environment, supporting the planet, respecting all life-forms, understanding natural interdependence, and maintaining a more ecologically responsible lifestyle. The students will also help the Hector Ranger District once per week by adopting two campground sites and certain trail sections to maintain.

They had a great time helping the Hector staff stock fish ponds this year, and they were all terrific helpers. The kids are learning how to use basic tools, and are given projects to complete that will give them a sense of accomplishment. We're hoping to introduce them to our workshop this winter, and have them make and repair bluebird boxes, and then have them maintain and survey them next year.

Personnel from Hector interact with the kids from Hillside, and provide positive role models. While this program is in its experimental phase, Hillside will evaluate the program to see if the program has made a positive impact or change in the children's lives. Much of these innovative ideas revolve around the book "The Last Child in the Woods" written by Richard Louv, who concluded that a connection with nature is essential to a child's mental and physical well being.

We're hoping that this is the beginning of a successful partnership, and that this will help to bring more kids in the woods. It's a win-win situation for both agencies.

The teachers are planning on attending a Project Wet seminar in November at the Finger Lakes Institute, and plan to use that training on the forest with the kids. The teachers have been very excited about this new partnership, and it has been a very positive experience for both the teachers and the students.

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hoosier Employee Recognized for Life-Saving Actions]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3372 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3372 9

Irv Williamson received an award last week for his quick action in responding to a medical emergency on the morning of September 21, 2007. The award read, "In recognition of your quick professional response in providing emergency resuscitation to an injured person. Your actions revived the person, likely saving his life and reducing further injury."

The incident related to actions Williamson took when a Tell City Street Department employee fell from a moving trash truck in front of the Tell City Ranger Station. Williamson, trained as an emergency-medical technician, was among the first to reach the man. He was able to clear his airway and resuscitate him so he could resume breathing.

In his normal, modest fashion Williamson said, "I did the same thing anyone would have done."

But the district felt he deserved some recognition for keeping his head and using his training to help save a life.

District Ranger Jim Denoncour may have summed it up best when he presented the award.

"All of us are very proud of you," Deconcour said. "There's nothing more important that we can do than help save lives."

Another firefighter, Kevin Beck, assisted Williamson at the scene of the medical emergency.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Clear Lake, Clear Skies]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3353 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3353 9

During October 1 - 15, 2007 Clear Lake Education Center will be participating in NASA's star inventory. This inventory is being taken to determine how light is affecting the viewing and the night sky.

During the two weeks, of the survey camp participants, will break up into teams and locate a constellation and then begin to count the stars around the constellation.

The groups will then prepare a report and submit via the internet to NASA, the next day the data the students collected will be available to the students and other groups that will be taking the survey. This survey is being conducted nation wide.

NASA Scientists will then use the data to prepare a study/report on how lights at night are affecting the night sky and for viewing.

Clear Lake Education Center is a member of the NASA Educator's Group and this is the first time the center has been invited to participate in the survey.

For more information on Clear Lake and/or the Star Survey contact Executive Director, Laurie Heupel at 906.789.3349 or lheupel@fs.fed.us. There will be more information posted on the Clear Lake Education Center Web Page at www.clearlakeinfo.org

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Finger Lake Friends Group Returns]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3371 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3371 9

The Friends of the Finger Lakes National Forest, a not-for-profit group, has been reborn.

Members of the group got together early this spring, and decided to re-ignite the passion and volunteer spirit of the group. Many members had left the area, and moved on to other things, allowing the group to fizzle out. When Ranger Michael Liu came to Hector, he re-ignited the passion, and spent many hours trying to convince people that this was a great tool to accomplish the needs of the national forest, as well as connect more citizens to the land.

Liu met with members that still remained, and spoke of all the wonderful things the group could do for the area community. New members joined the group, and it is now under new leadership.

The group supported the Forest's efforts during Forest Field Days, and was able to pass along donation money to purchase owl pellets for dissecting, items for the kids to use to make natural bird feeders, and ingredients for roasting s'mores.

The group has also been leading guided nature hikes in the national forest, and getting more members of the community out into the woods. This is just the beginning of a renewed relationship with our Friends Group, and we hope it will continue into the future.

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Vermont to Offset Carbon Emissions Associated with Transport of Capitol Tree to DC]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3369 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3369 9

The Capitol Christmas Tree Committee, bringing an old-fashioned holiday to the nation, is offsetting the carbon emissions associated with transporting the Capitol Christmas Tree to Washington, D.C.

The Committee will be purchasing offsets through the National Forest Foundation's new Carbon Capital Fund to offset the 3,000 gallons of fuel needed to transport the 55-foot balsam fir and the more than 80 companion trees that will accompany it to Washington, D.C., in November.

"The Committee feels that education of conservation of our natural resources is the cornerstone of providing this tree and we are doing everything we can to reduce our impact on the environment and our carbon footprint," said Meg Mitchell, committee member and Green Mountain National Forest Supervisor.

The new National Forest Foundation offset program, the Carbon Capital Fund, allows consumers to offset their carbon emissions by directly investing in carbon sequestration projects on National Forests. By planting trees in areas that have been impacted by natural disaster, the Carbon Capital Fund is able to sequester large amounts of carbon, while simultaneously improving water quality, increasing wildlife habitat, and improving the ecological condition of our National Forests and Grasslands.

"We're pleased to play a role in offsetting the carbon associated with delivery of the Christmas trees to the Capitol," said Bill Possiel, President of the National Forest Foundation. "The Carbon Capital Fund provides a unique opportunity to complete reforestation and restoration projects on National Forest lands, while offering a channel for individuals and businesses to offset their carbon emissions."

Forests are carbon "sinks," drawing large quantities of CO2 out of the atmosphere and storing it for long periods. The carbon accumulation potential in forests is large enough to offer the possibility of sequestering significant amounts of additional carbon.

The U.S. Forest Service estimates that the nation's forests sequester carbon at a rate that is equivalent to 10 percent to 15 percent of U.S. CO2 emissions. According to Forest Service scientists, we can raise that figure significantly by planting more trees.

The Capitol Tree Committee is comprised of representatives from the Bennington Chamber of Commerce, Central Vermont Pubic Service, the Vermont Congressional Delegation, Green Mountain "Bull Dawg" Chapter of the Antique Truck Club of America, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Vermont Dept. of Education, Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks & Recreation, Vermont Dept. of Tourism & Marketing, and the Green Mountain National Forest.

The Committee is incorporating other green practices in their harvest and transportation of the Capitol Christmas Tree, including planting of four new trees to replace the Capitol tree harvested from the Green Mountain National Forest. The tree will also be wrapped in recycled burlap and the more than 80 companion trees that are provided by local tree growers will be replaced by young trees that will grow into future Christmas trees.

For more information on the Capitol Christmas Tree and future events please visit http://www.capitolchristmastree2007.org/ . For more information on the National Forest Foundation's Carbon Capital Fund and how you can offset your own carbon emissions please visit http://www.carboncapitalfund.org.

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Backbone Ridge History Group Receives Grant!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3362 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3362

The Backbone Ridge History Group was awarded a NYS Documentary Heritage Program grant in the amount of $7646.00 for the purpose of documenting life in and around the Hector Backbone, which is the area now known as the Finger Lakes National Forest.

The group received the grant funding to hire an archival consultant, develop the methodology that will be used in the survey process, and to hold public training and forums. The main intent of the first phase of the project is to determine what kind of documentation already exists and where it is.

The Backbone Ridge History Group is a grass roots organization that formed to collect the history of the area between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, in and around the area that is now known as the Finger Lakes National Forest. The collaboration is unique in that it includes academia and students from SUNY Brockport, University of Rochester, University of Buffalo, three historical societies: Lodi, Schuyler, and Interlaken, the Historian's Office in Seneca County, and various members of the public.

This effort will tie in nicely with the excavations that SUNY Brockport has held on the Finger Lakes National Forest since 2000, that were completed to teach students methods in archaeology and research, and to learn more about life in the hills of the Hector Backbone.

Between 1936 and 1940, the US government purchased more than 100 upland family farms on the Hector Backbone as part of a New Deal program designed to aid economically distressed farm families and also to remove lands with poor soil from agriculture production. The houses and barns that once occupied these farms were razed; most of the land was reforested, and what remains today are scattered remnants of a former era, dotting the landscape of the Finger Lakes National Forest.

Abandoned wells, cellar foundations, and farm implements can be found anywhere and everywhere. Who where the people that once lived here, and what was their life like? These are some of the questions the group hopes to answer.

The grant money received will allow the group to go forward with the first phase of the historical research project. The group hopes to continue to collect and document historical information in subsequent phases.

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hands on the Lands students help eliminate invasives on National Public Lands Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3361 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3361 9

It was a gorgeous fall day at Celina Lake for the annual National Public Lands volunteer work day on the Hoosier National Forest. The Hoosier took the opportunity for the Hands on the Land Rickenbaugh House site to host another NPLD event. Saturday morning September 29th, Teena Ligman and Nancy Myers met Perry Central School Family Outreach Coordinator Jackie Colucci and three students from Perry Central School at the Rickenbaugh House. One of the students brought along his family to volunteer.

"Though we had planned for a larger group of students and their families to participate," noted Ligman, Public Affairs Specialist, "the group we had was very motivated and interested in working." The project involved invasive plants, specifically pulling Japanese stilt grass from the Rickenbaugh Interpretive Trail and the Two Lakes National Recreation Trail.

The previous Wednesday, the Perry Central student's Rickenbaugh Club met at the House for their weekly Hands on the Land program. Nancy talked to the students about the invasive weed problem on the trail, and showed them pictures of Japanese stilt grass. Nancy, Jackie and the students hiked a short segment of the trail and picked up a bag full of the Stilt Grass in order to become familiar with the weed. The earlier exercise prepared the kids for the National Public Lands Day project.

Saturday morning, with gloves and bags in hand the volunteers hiked down the Rickenbaugh Interpretive Trail to the Two Lakes Trail ready to pull as much of the prolific invasive plant as we could. Fortunately, Japanese stilt grass has a shallow root system and is very easy to pull. The plant particularly likes shady riparian areas, and grows abundantly along the Two Lakes Trail at a creek crossing. Though the stilt grass had spread down the creek to the lake in a heavy carpet, the group focused their attention near the trail and got to work pulling weeds.

With no danger of running out of weeds to pull, the group worked steadily all morning. As one young boy pointed out, "As long as I focus on how many weeds are in my trash bag I feel like I'm really making progress - but don't look up!" Though the area behind the group was devoid of stilt grass, the invasive spread out as far as the group could see out ahead of them. They collected twelve or more 33 gallon bags of weeds.

As the group was busy pulling weeds, we came in contact with many backpackers and hikers who were enjoying the Two Lakes Trail. Myers, Recreation Planner on the Tell City District, greeted each group and explained to them what we were doing and told them about National Public Lands Day and the invasive weed problem on the trail. "After we were finished," Myers noted, "we could see the progress we made in our area. It was a great day to be out in the forest and accomplish a project to improve our public lands."

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NancyMyersnmyers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mapping Ecological Units and Fire Hazard on the Mark Twain National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3359 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3359 9

This map integrated information on potential natural communities modeled by Mark Twain National Forest personnel using topographic roughness indices, physical information on bedrock geology and key soil properties, and observations on historical forest composition was recorded by General Land Office Surveyors between 1821 and 1847.

Fire hazard information was mapped on the Forest by combining the ecological land type map with a map of land cover to estimate the connectivity and flammability of fuels.

Working with Forest personnel, relative ranks of expected fire behavior were developed for ecosystem classes and mapped across the Forest.

The map was tested when Forest Service Ecologist Dave Cleland, Dr. Kim Brosfske, and Dr. Sari Saunders (scientists with MTU) examined the influences of ecological and anthropogenic variables on probability of modern fire occurrence in the Forest, using the ecological landtype map as one input into classification and regression tree (CART) and logistic regression analyses.

Results of these analyses were recently published in the Southern Journal of Applied Forestry.

Data analyzed included both ecological and social variables. Ecological variables included ecological unit maps at the Subsection and ecological land type scale, elevation, aspect, slope, soil depth, soil moisture holding capacity, depth to watertable, position on the landscape (source David Diamond and the Missouri Resource Assessment Program), topographic wetness index (source Wayne Thogmartin USGS), and climatic variables.

Social variables included distance to cities and towns, housing density, population density, distance to roads, housing value, and seasonally occupied homes.

Ecological subsection and ecological land types were the dominating influences on fire occurrence for final CART and logistic models, highlighting the utility of ecosystem classification as a framework for considering factors influencing modern wildfires. Other influential predictors included distance to roads, cities, and railroads, road density, mean October precipitation, elevation, median house value, and population density.

Reference:

Brosofske, K.D., D.T. Cleland, and S.C. Saunders. 2007. Factors influencing modern wildfire occurrence in the Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry 31(2):73-84.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. David Cleland at (715) 365-1103.

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BradBowenblbowen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[R9 Renewable Resources Staff Conducts Four Trust Fund Reviews]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3358 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3358 9

Trust funds continue to be the focus of Government Accounting Office (GAO) and Office of Inspector General (OIG) audits, as well as Congressional and public concern.

In its August 1998 report, the GAO indicated that better procedures and oversight were needed to address indirect expenditures in several trust funds.

A trust fund review by the Washington Office in 2004 indicated the Eastern Region needed to begin reviewing trust fund procedures at the forest level to ensure appropriate expenditures and management.

The trust funds represent a significant part of the Region's Natural Resource Management Program and it is critical these funds be managed properly. At the end of FY 2006, the Region had over $40 million in trust fund accounts.

Prior to one review conducted in each of FY 2005 and 2006, it had been several years since the last Regional Office review of Knutson-Vandenburg and Salvage Sale Fund programs. The 2004 Washington Office Trust Fund Activity Review Report recommended regular forest timber management program/activity reviews, including the trust funds.

In 2007, the Renewable Resources staff conducted four forest level trust fund reviews, checking on trust fund activities on the Chequamegon-Nicolet, Superior, Hoosier, and Wayne National Forests. The reviews checked both fiscal management and ground level project accomplishments.

If you have any questions, please contact Al Saberniak at (414) 297-1898.

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BradBowenblbowen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Backbone Ridge History Group holds Oral History Training]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3360 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3360

The Backbone Ridge History group sponsored an Oral History Training Workshop September 25 and October 2 at the South Seneca Middle School in Ovid, New York. Several individuals in the surrounding community attended, and learned how to prepare for and conduct oral history interviews. The group discussed legal issues related to oral history collection, and learned how to work transcription machines.

The goal of the workshop was to teach volunteers the methods, techniques and procedures used to collect oral history and to prepare them to conduct interviews for the Backbone Ridge History Group. The workshop was a huge success, as Backbone Ridge group members met people in the community that are interested in working with the group and that have ties to the area.

The Backbone Ridge History Group is a grass roots organization that formed to collect the history of the area between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, in and around the area that is now known as the Finger Lakes National Forest. The group consists of historical societies in both Seneca and Schuyler counties, the Finger Lakes National Forest, SUNY Brockport, University of Rochester, and many other local community members.

The group received a grant this year from the NYS Documentary Heritage Program to hire an archival consultant, develop methodology that will be used in the survey process, and to hold public training and forums. The main intent of this first phase of the project is to determine what kinds of documentation already exists and where it is. By visiting with members of the community, we will be better able to determine who has what, and to collect additional information by conducting oral histories.

The instructor of the Oral History Training Workshop was Christine Ridarsky, a PH.D. candidate in American History at the University of Rochester and an adjunct lecturer at the State University of New York, College at Brockport. She is currently historian for the SUNY Brockport Finger Lakes National Forest Farmstead Archaeology and History Project.

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa National Forest Visitor Centers Highlight More Kids in the Woods]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3355 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3355

Every year, guests stop by the Chippewa National Forest Visitor Centers to see what's new. They also love to tell stories about camping at a favorite site for 25 years or fishing the lake since they were young. This year, our returning visitors were treated to a full theme of "More Kids in the Woods"! Interpretive programs, displays and community events highlighted the topic. Staff took every chance to ask people "Who taught you to camp?" or "When did you see your first eagle?", "Where did you learn to tie that fishing know or do a loon call?"

The questions got people to think about their early experiences in the outdoors…..days spent on the lake, hunting camp….trips "up north" during summer vacation. We asked "Who will be working on the National Forest in 20 years?" and encouraged families to take part in the Junior Ranger Program as well as the scheduled naturalist programs. Our summer college naturalists shared their passion for the outdoors, and taught camping skills, fishing and even campfire cooking along with wildflower hikes and black bear programs. Each evening program began with a note about the Junior Ranger program. When staff saw a kid with a bug collection or a special interest in the black squirrel outside, we told the parents "Future naturalist!" We congratulated them on doing a great job getting their kids outside.

More Career Naturalists in the Woods! The Visitor Centers take education efforts a step further. Years ago, Forest Visitor Center coordinators made a decision to hire college interns with a career interest in natural/ cultural resources and education. Mentorship and training in conservation education and natural resources is another key to continuing the message of "More Kids". Each naturalist is encouraged to tie in with resource professionals on the Forest to enhance their knowledge base, understand Forest issues and emphasis area. A majority of summer interns have continued their work in education fields, either with natural resource agencies or in the school system, continuing our conservation education efforts.

Employer of Choice: One of the best moments this summer came from a group of seven girls who were frequent visitors to Norway Beach. Every year, their parents camp at the recreation area, and every year, "the girls" come to every naturalist program. This summer, they each enthusiastically announced that when they are in college, they are going to apply to the Visitor Center naturalist job. I'm not sure which one will get the job, but I have no doubt they would all be great. With the help of their families, they are all off to a great start. It's what "More Kids in the Woods" is all about and why the Chippewa National Forest is dedicated to that message.

The Forest continues the "More Kids in the Woods" theme by bringing conservation education to the schools each school year. Over half of the Forest employee present at least one program during the year, and many provide multiple programs in the community and at schools! We are proud of the quality education programs Chippewa National Forest employees provide!

"If you think ahead a year, plant a seed. Think ahead 10 years, plant a tree. Think ahead 100 years, educate the people."---Kuan-Tsu, 3rd Century

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wolves in the Woods: Chippewa National Forest Receives Hands on the Land Grant!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3354 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3354 9

If you hike in the Chippewa National Forest this year, don't be surprised to hear a little more howling in the woods, but this time, it might not be timber wolves you hear. Watch and you may see…..the Walker Wolves!

The Walker Wolves are the school kids from Walker-Hackensack-Akeley (WHA) school district, which is located on the southern edge of the Chippewa National Forest. In August 2007, the Forest received an $8000 grant from Hands on the Land, a program of Partners in Resource Education (PRE). This partnership of five Federal agencies and a non-profit foundation is dedicated to enhancing learning on public lands.

As a "Hands on the Land" site, the Chippewa National Forest and WHA become centers of excellence for Forest Service education in the field. Chippewa National Forest employees worked with the school to put together the grant request, identifying transportation as the key roadblock to getting school groups into the field. The Forest has a long standing relationship with the school, and the Hands on the Land grant presented a perfect opportunity to enhance the school's strong earth science curriculum.

Named "Wolves in the Woods" after the school's wolf mascot, the program will focus on "More Kids in the Woods" theme. Grant money will be used to pay for busing students to Forest Service sites and provides equipment and safety gear for school activities in the field. Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Chippewa National Forest procurement shop, compasses, snowshoes, aquatic nets, pedometers and binoculars all were purchased before the end of the Fiscal Year. Now, as we start the WHA school year, we will bring these tools to the teachers and offer fantastic travel opportunities to areas such as the Lost 40 (old growth trees), the Mississippi Headwaters Region and the North Country National Scenic Trail.

In these small beginnings, Wolves in the Woods has already helped to build more relationships with other local agencies and community programs. Partners include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, and groups such as Walker Area Partners and Walker Community Education. Forest staff act as main contact between the Hands on the Lands program, teachers and other partners. This includes small group meetings with Science staff at the school, community education coordinators, and at an upcoming teacher in-service workshop. Training sessions through Minnesota Project Learning Tree and Project Wet will also be offered to the WHA teachers thru the grant, and the Forest will work with Hands on the Land to develop web links between the Forest and HOL.

The first "Wolves in the Woods" field trip is scheduled for October 2007---we will be traveling with 75 fourth-graders to the Lost 40, the old growth area on the northern edge of the Forest. Listen for the howls, and think of us there---traveling 82 miles to see how many 10-year-olds it takes to hug a big white pine.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cohoe: Alaska's Second Firewise Community]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3352 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3352

On July 14, 2007, Cohoe became Alaska's second community to be nationally recognized and receive the "Firewise Communities/USA" designation. In summer 2007, Cohoe spent 15 volunteer hours each week to keep the gate open at the local slash disposal site. Members also provided a site for disposal of stumps.

Cohoe is located on the Kenai Peninsula Borough in southcentral Alaska, which comprises 10.25 million acres. The area is at risk for catastrophic wildfire due to hazardous fuel accumulations created by the spruce bark beetle epidemic. This regional epidemic has caused greater than 90% mortality in many spruce stands in Southcentral Alaska. Approximately one million acres of spruce forest have been affected.

The risk of catastrophic wildfire is at a historic high, especially in the area where most of the borough's population of 51,200 residents are located. Kenai Peninsula Borough has approximately 26,000 residential structures, which have a tax-assessed value of $1.7 billion. With industrial and commercial structures added to residential values, the cumulative tax assessed value in the borough is $2.7 billion. Eighty-nine percent of the borough private property valuation is located in 15 community census areas with either an extreme or high wildfire risk rating.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough has completed eight Community Wildfire Protection Plans, including all peninsula communities rated extreme risk for wildfire. The Chugach National Forest has completed two additional CWPPs for communities in the vicinity of the national norest.

For more information, contact National Fire Plan Coordinator Debora Cooper at (907) 714-2439, or email her at debora.cooper@alaska.gov

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TeresaHaughthaugh@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[The Hiawatha National Forest and the Ruffed Grouse Society Team Up for Wildlife]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3351 Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3351

Wildlife on the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula will benefit from a partnership between the Ruffed Grouse Society and the U.S. Forest Service. A recently signed collection agreement between the two organizations targets projects that will manage habitat for wildlife dependent upon plants found in young forests. Ruffed grouse, American woodcock, white-tailed deer, and migrant songbirds are just a sampling of the species that will benefit from cooperative projects envisioned under the agreement.

Projects thus far identified for lands on the Hiawatha National Forest include diversifying age-classes in aspen stands, restoring alder thickets, regenerating aspen, creating ruffed grouse drumming logs, maintenance of openings, creation of openings, and planting native vegetation.

The intention is for the partnership to create recreation opportunities for many Forest visitors. Hunters and bird watchers will benefit from the diversity of habitats created by this partnership. Hunting and birdwatching are common activities participants enjoy on the National Forest. Projects designed to benefit young forest wildlife will add to the areas where these activities can be pursued.

Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a popular destination for recreationists in the fall. The quiet, colorful forests create a stunning backdrop for hunters in search of ruffed grouse and woodcock, and birders looking for species to add to their "life lists". The large quantity of public land and quality wildlife habitat attracts users from Michigan's Lower Peninsula, as well as adjacent states and Canadian Provinces. The new partnership between the Hiawatha National Forest and the Ruffed Grouse Society will help ensure continued opportunities for Forest visitors well into the future.

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KirkPiehlerkpiehler@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wetland Wonderland - A Wildlife Biologist Making a Difference]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3350 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3350 8

Frogs, ducks and dragonflies...oh my!

That is what thousands of children across Kentucky and other states are saying after Forest Service Wildlife Biologist Tom Biebighauser has conducted a special visit to their school. Biebighauser has led in the development of hundreds of wetlands on community school grounds, resulting in hands-on learning of aquatic and environmental studies.

School properties aren't the only places where Biebighauser is leaving a lasting impression. In all, he has developed 995 wetlands on public and private lands in partnership with numerous agencies and nonprofit organizations. His partnerships have led to an estimated $4 million in non-Forest Service funds for ecosystem restoration projects on National Forest System lands.

Biebighauser has become recognized as one the nation's leading officials in wetland restoration and development. He has written two books on restoring wetlands, A Guide to Creating Vernal Ponds (2003) and Wetland Drainage, Restoration, and Repair (2007). These books provide environmental educators and natural resource managers with practical wetland restoration techniques. More then 31,900 copies of his first book have been distributed worldwide, with an estimated 100,000 copies downloaded for free off the Internet.

In 2006, Biebighauser organized and helped instruct the First Eastern Regional Wetland Restoration Institute, conducted on his "home turf" of the Daniel Boone National Forest. This intense week-long session trained 43 individuals from eight states and three countries. A second Wetland Restoration Institute was conducted in September 2007, and a third session is planned for 2008.

Biebighauser's programs are being used as models across North America. His leadership in natural resources and effective techniques for restoring wetlands are benefiting aquatic wildlife and plants, endangered species, environmental education, providing flood control, and facilitating groundwater recharge. He has taught unique hands-on wetland workshops in 9 States and in British Columbia where participants learn more about wetlands by actually helping to restore a wetland in only one day.

In collaboration with Eastern Kentucky PRIDE (Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment), the San Dimas Technology and Development Center and other partners, Biebighauser is working to establish a Center for Wetlands and Stream Restoration in Kentucky. The Center would provide technical assistance, training, publications and other materials concerning wetland restoration in the United States and Canada.

If you ever have an opportunity to work with Biebighauser, you can plan on having fun while getting your hands dirty and your feet wet.

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KimberlyMorgankmorgan@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Peninsula Point Lighthouse is a Guidepost in Monarch Migration]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3343 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3343 9

Story information submitted by Anne Okonek and Janet Ekstrum.

Today Peninsula Point is a NatureWatch and Watchable Wildlife Site -- Michigan's "Point Pelee" -- where visitors and volunteers come to see and study the monarch butterflies (in late summer) that congregate near the Lighthouse, several hundred at a time waiting a favorable wind to cross Lake Michigan to the Door County Peninsula Wisconsin. (A great variety of shorebirds and upland spring and fall migrant birds also pass through!) But it hasn't always been this way …

For several years the Forest Service had received phone calls telling us (and asking us) about the huge "flocks" of monarchs appearing at Peninsula Point, located at the tip of the Stonington Peninsula. We had no information to explain why the butterflies were congregating there. We approached Wildlife Unlimited of Delta County in 1994 and requested funding to begin a study, in an effort to understand the significance of Peninsula Point to the monarch butterfly. During that first year of the Monarch Butterfly Research Project, Forest Service Volunteer CJ Meitner conducted a literature search to find items pertinent to the monarch butterfly migration and compiled the information into a report. As a result of her efforts, we discovered that the monarchs living east of the Rockies migrate to Mexico each fall, and that monarchs are the only butterflies to make such a lengthy migration. She also found that scientists believe this migration may be lost due to human encroachment on areas used by the butterflies.

Today the monarch research conducted at Peninsula Point is one of the oldest data sets in the U.S. This long-term data is very important to understanding monarch migration in the Eastern United States. From its humble beginning in 1994, the Monarch Butterfly Research Project (MBRP) in Delta County has grown dramatically and now includes six important components.

1. Migration monitoring and butterfly tagging

The number one recommendation of the report was to initiate monitoring of the numbers and timing of the monarch migration as it passes through the Peninsula Point area. That effort began in 1996. Monitoring of the butterfly migration consists of counting the numbers of butterflies at Peninsula Point as they pass through in the fall, usually between August and September. Volunteers come to the Point three times each day during this period and walk census routes and perform roost counts, tallying the numbers of butterflies that they see. Data on weather conditions (temperature, sunlight, winds, etc) are also collected.

Since the first year of the project, tagging of monarchs has also been a part of the project. Although we never tag as many monarchs as we would like, we have been fortunate to have had 17 of our tagged monarchs from Peninsula Point found at over wintering areas near El Rosario, Mexico, over 1900 miles from Peninsula Point (the recovery rate for tagged monarchs is generally less than 1%!). Volunteer Gina Badgett directs this component of the MBRP and can be reached at 474-6232 for more information or to sign up as a volunteer.

2. Larval monitoring

As part of the Larval Monitoring Project at the University of Minnesota St. Paul, in 1997 we began monitoring larvae (caterpillars) and eggs of monarchs and the health of the Peninsula Point's milkweed (the only food of monarch larvae). One of the interesting things that we discovered during the initial phase of the project was that there are two distinct areas at Peninsula Point where monarchs reproduce, develop and mature. Volunteers receive a stipend to come to the Point once a week between June 1st and the end of September to perform larval monitoring. Larval monitoring consists of measuring the milkweed plants and counting the number of butterfly eggs and larvae. Volunteers Pat Landry and Sue Jacobson direct this component of the MBRP.

3. Information on the Monarch Butterfly at Peninsula Point is collected locally and shared globally.

In addition to the 100+ page report that now directs Forest Service management activities at the Point, our annual fall monarch migration data has been sent to Dr. Lincoln Brower at Sweet Briar College in Virginia, and Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas. Larval monitoring data is sent to the Larval Monitoring Project at the University of Minnesota at St Paul. These researchers are part of an extensive network of people dedicated to learning more about the monarch butterfly and saving the unique and endangered phenomenon of the monarch butterfly migration.

4. Habitat improvement and documentation

Perhaps less glamorous but no less important is the documentation and improvement of habitat conditions for both monarch butterflies and larvae. This includes the removal of invasive non-native plants such as St. John's Wort, planting of native wildflowers for butterflies to use for nectar (which are raised in the Forest Service nursery in Marquette), and documenting habitat changes year to year.

5. Reaching the public

Another important component of the project is educating the public about monarch butterflies, their migration and the dangers to the species. During the first year of the project, Wildlife Unlimited funded the development of a slide presentation for use in classrooms, and a pamphlet on the Monarch's use of Peninsula Point that is distributed to the public. WLU also funded an interpretive sign that was placed near Peninsula Point lighthouse. In addition, Monarch Volunteer Therese Fix is available to speak to school classes and community groups. Over 1000 local children and adults have learned about the Monarch butterfly at Peninsula Point thanks to her efforts!

6. Volunteers

The most important component of the Monarch Butterfly Research Project is the volunteers that make it happen. And if anything illustrates the growth of this project, it is the increase in the number of volunteers who are now involved. When the project began in 1994, there was only one volunteer. In 2000, volunteers donated almost 1900 hours as part of the project! The volunteers for the project have also received national recognition for their efforts on the project. Key volunteers include Gina Badgett, Pat Landry, Sue Jacobson, Terese Fix and C.J. Meitner who began the monarch research project.

For more information on the results of these Hiawatha studies and to see how they fit into the big picture, visit www.mmana.org and www.mlmp.org.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Partners with Tribes to Restore Wild Rice]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3346 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3346 9

Wild Rice (Zizania aquatica) is a very valuable native aquatic plant, with high value as both wildlife and fish habitat, and for its cultural value to area tribes. Wild Rice once occurred extensively throughout much of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and the Western U.P. of Michigan. Over time, many wild rice beds in our area have been lost, partly due to water level changes associated with old logging dams. The Ottawa Forest Plan has an objective to "maintain or expand the quantity and ecological health of wild rice beds" on the Forest, in an effort to help restore this important aquatic plant species to some of its former range.

In 2007, the Ottawa National Forest partnered with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC), the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (LVD), the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service to seed wild rice in several small lakes on the Ottawa determined to be suitable for its growth. Public input was sought on five areas initially selected for consideration, and three areas were ultimately selected for wild rice seeding. On September 6th, members of the Ottawa National Forest staff met with members of KBIC and LVD to do the seeding. Seeding efforts will continue over approximately the next 2 years in these areas, in order to have the best chance for success. We are hopeful that self-sustaining beds of wild rice can be established in these lakes, to help restore this valuable native aquatic plant to portions of the Ottawa.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Partnership Launches More Boats]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3272 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3272 9

After many years of trying to secure adequate funding, a $30,000 project to repair the Brownstone Boat launch (located on Forest Service land on Lake Superior's AuTrain Bay) was completed this August by the Hiawatha National Forest. There is no doubt that the project never would have been successful without the persistence and dedication of John Schauver of Onota Township and Doug Miron of the Alger County Fish and Game Alliance.

"The launch has been unsafe for a number of years," said Alliance president, Doug Miron of Munising, who was among those who spearheaded the search for funding.

Last year, Onota Township secured a $48,000 grant from the DNR for the project. However, bids for the work came in at twice that amount, so the township reluctantly declined the grant. In the end, proponents of the project secured funds from a mix of sources including the Alliance and the township. The Michigan DNR the US Forest Service provided materials and services that made the project possible.

"The repairs made the launch safer and more convenient for boaters and angelers who access Lake Superior at this popular site," says Dick Anderson, Assistant Ranger for Public Service on the Munising Ranger District. "This site is a key asset in the Forest's recreation niche of "Great Lakeshore, Great Lighthouses, Great Islands, Great Snow." We're really excited to see this launch repaired by a tremendous combination of partners."

In the future, if Lake Superior water levels continue to fall, local officials may need to seek funding for dredging at the ramp site. But for now, they and others are just happy to enjoy this long-awaited access site!

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Grand Island, Grand Marathon]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3271 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3271 9

It's hard to imagine a more uniquely scenic place for a trail marathon than Grand Island National Recreation Area. Trails and woods roads that tunnel through shady northern hardwoods, passing by historic structures and emerging on white sand beaches or atop 200 foot sandstone cliffs overlooking the expanse of Lake Superior. Several years ago, after running the island's 27-mile perimeter, Jeff Crumbaugh got an idea -- and he has pursued it with a passion!

So in 2005, Crumbaugh obtained a Special Use permit from the Hiawatha and coordinated the first annual Grand Island Trail Marathon, and in then in 2006 attracted over 400 runners from around the world for the second annual run. This year, on July 28th, 2007, he oversaw the start of the third annual run with over 525 registrants -- another resounding success!

The logistics of a trail marathon are complicated enough, but orchestrating a run on a Lake Superior island adds unique challenges on many fronts. Special attention must be given to safety and emergency planning, not to mention the logistics of getting all the runners and volunteers to the island and in place for a 7 am starting gun!

According to Crumbaugh, "The finish was thrilling with almost 200 spectators lining the course cheeering them on!"

Many runners had positive comments about the race, too.

"What a wonderful event!" said Jonathan Wendel (Ames, IA), "Having run about two dozen marathons, including large and small events around the country, my wife and I decided to enter our first 'trail marathon.' It was a terrific decision, as nearly everything about this experience was memorable."

A runner from Detroit Lakes, MN, added, "This was my first time running the Grand Island Marathon and based on everything I had read I had certain expectations. All expectations were exceeded! This was the most fun I have had running in a very long time."

The local newspaper agreed that the event was worthy of praise. They wrote: "From Jeff Crumbaugh and crew to Dick anders and the U.S. Forest Service staff, the skipper and crew of the Pictured Rocks shuttle boat, the dozens of volunteers and workers ... each and every one deserves a heartfelt 'Job well done' for the smooth operation of such a massive and complicated effort."

In addition to the general adulation, runner's appreciated Crumbaugh's ecologically sensitive race philosophy. "I love the eco-running philosophy of the race: no disposable cups, the race shirt is made from recycled materials, and there is free shuttle transportation from the local hotels to the ferry," said a runner from Chicago.

In addition to its positive impact on the runners, the Grand Island Trail Marathon had a positive impact on the local economy. Crumbaugh estimates that the 2007 event brought over $600,000 into the area. The partners hope that as the local community embraces the event, it will become financially sustainable into the future.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Update - River To River Cooperative Weed Management]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3340 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3340

By: Nicholas Giannettino

Since the story posted May 16, 2007 on the Success Story Reporting System site there have been numerous accomplishments benefiting the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area (RTR-CWMA). This area encompasses the Shawnee National Forest.

Since Chris Evans was hired as the coordinator, he has been busy securing additional grant funding to implement actions within the RTR-CWMA. To date he has been instrumental in obtaining grants that include the following:

* Wildlife Preservation Fund, $4,000 - Development and printing of educational materials focusing on invasive species;

* US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) volunteers and invasive species initiative grant (USFWS internal grant, the CWMA helped write the grant from Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (CONWR)), $5,500;

* Implementation of a volunteer-based early detection program;

* USFS State and Private Forestry, $30,000 - High Priority invasive plant control and enhancement of educational opportunities through the establishment of demonstration plots at Giant City State Park;

* USFS State and Private Forestry, $30,000 - Grant issued to Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to help establish a rapid-response Exotic Plant Strike Team (EPST) within the CWMA to control exotic plants in State Parks, State Nature Preserves and adjacent private lands that serve as pathways onto these properties;

* IDNR Natural Area Stewardship Grant , $30,000 - matching funds from IDNR to CWMA grant to help establish a rapid-response EPST within the CWMA to control exotic plants in State Parks, State Nature Preserves and adjacent private lands that serve as pathways onto these properties; and

* IDNR C2000/Shawnee National Forest Grant, $20,000 - existing C2000 grant was amended to include an additional $20,000 of support for the Coordinator position.

Chris has also prepared applications for additional grants and pending awards for the following:

* EQIP Special Project, $500,000-1,500,000 (in development) - Landowner assistance in controlling invasive plants through incentive payments; and

* State CAPS program (Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Program), $6,000 (applied for) - Development and printing of educational materials aimed at enhancing early detection through the cooperation of the public.

These sources of funding will be used to supplement the original funding source for the position, which began with a Challenge Cost-Share Agreement between the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Shawnee National Forest providing start-up financing.

Thanks to the efforts of Chris Evans, there have been numerous workshops conducted to educate agencies and the public about the RTR-CMWA. He has conducted many of the workshops himself. Since his arrival in the spring the following workshops for the RTR-CWMA have been scheduled:

* "Invasive plants of concern at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge" (CONWR) - during a CONWR staff safety meeting;

* "Invasive plant control and spread prevention" - presentation at an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) operations managers training session;

* "Invasive Plants and the RTR-CWMA" - during a Shawnee National Forest Leadership Team meeting;

* "Invasive Plant Removal at Giant City State Park" - presented at a Friends of Giant City Board Meeting;

* "Identification and control of invasive plants" - NRCS staff and cooperator special training;

* "Invasive Plants of Southern Illinois" - Public workshop at Cypress Creek NWR;

* "Invasive Plant Management" - Saline County S&WCD Conservation Workday;

* "Aquatic Invasive Plant Survey and Monitoring Program" - IDNR;

* "Management of Invasive Species in Giant City State Park" (GCSP) - GCSP Friends group workday (Planned for September);

* "Forest Invasive Species" - Illinois Forestry Association Annual Meeting (Planned for October); and

* "Invasive Plant Management through the use of a CWMA" - Presentation at the Weed Science Society annual meeting in St. Louis (Planned for December).

As the RTR-CMWA coordinator, Chris Evans' energetic approach has him involved in an ever increasing list of programs, projects and activities. Since May Chris' program of work has included:

* Aquatic invasive prevention program (educational signage and information supplied to all aquarium and water-plant stores in CWMA);

* Aquatic plant survey and monitoring program (in conjunction with IDNR fisheries biologists in southern Illinois);

* EZ-Ject Lance applicator and herbicide shells loan program;

* Attended the NRCS State Technical Committee meeting and joined the forest management sub-committee;

* Attended the Nature Conservancy Ozark Project planning meeting;

* Attended the Illinois Invasive Plant Species Council Meeting;

* Attended the Shawnee RC&D board meeting and joined the forest committee;

* Joined the Alexander/Pulaski conservation work group with a meeting planned for October;

* Worked on projects in development with the Southern Illinois Native Plant Society, the Illinois Bass Federation and the Southern Illinois University Chapter of the Society of American Foresters;

* Met individually with nearly all of the CWMA steering committee representatives to discuss roles, support and interest in this partnership;

* Provided technical support to landowners and agency staff via email or phone contacts, a total of 13 contacts;

* Been interviewed by three reporters for stories about invasive plants or the CWMA; and

* Prepared a press release for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources which appeared in local newspapers including The Southern Illinoisan which has the largest distribution within the CWMA.

The formation of the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area in the eleven southernmost Illinois counties is a revolutionary example of protecting ecosystems across boundaries to walk the talk of sustainability.

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KateSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[A Fascination with Plants]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3334 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3334

Article reprinted courtesy of Upper Valley Life magazine

(www.uppervalleylife.com)

If you're hiking in the White Mountains and encounter a friendly bearded wanderer weighed down with gadgets who's talking to himself in Latin, take a lesson from him and step lightly

Chris Mattrick is the U.S. Forest Service's botanist for the White Mountain National Forest and he is training his eye on rare and endangered species of plants, the better to protect them from the woodsman's axe and the logger's skidder.

With 800,000 acres of protected national forest to survey, he does not stand still for long.

Equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking four satellites, compass, densiometer (to calculate forest canopy), hiking gear, lunch, plenty of water and bug spray (applied only when conditions become intolerable), Mattrick hikes miles in the verdant forest interior every day from spring to fall to inventory all the plants he encounters and to be on the lookout for any of the hundreds of rare and endangered species listed on federal, state and regional registries.

To announce his presence to woodland creatures (and to help stay mentally alert), he calls out the Latin names of the plants he encounters along his path.

"To some people this job might be mind-numbingly boring," Mattrick says, "but I'm just fascinated with plants."

He is at peace in the forest, recognizing birds by their calls. When he stops for lunch, deer approach. He knows when a pair of red squirrels are quarreling by the sound of their commotion.

"That's an odd place for a blue-flag Iris," he notes, jotting the find in his log.

Mattrick is one of a team of woodlands specialists in wildlife, fish biology, archaeology, hydrodology and soils science that is implementing the 2005 Land and Resource Management Plan for the White Mountains. It allows logging on nearly half the National Forest, but areas with rare and endangered species of plants and wildlife are generally to be spared.

Mattrick was recently spotted descending from Hogsback Ridge, the western gateway to the White Mountains, located where Haverhill meets Benton. He was visibly elated with the day's discoveries: a patch of woodland habitat with three rare and endangered species (American ginseng, squirrel corn and three-leaved snakeroot) and two "exemplary communities": a rich red oak forest and an enriched hardwood seepage forest.

"This has been a great day," he says.

The location of the rare vegetation has been precisely logged in Mattrick's journal with the assistance of the GPS. Its presence will be noted and evaluated in three formal reports he will prepare once the leaves fall and he returns to his office in Laconia, N.H., to wait out the long winter.

Mattrick, a graduate of the University of Vermont with a master's degree in environmental studies from Antioch New England, has the kind of job that 9-to-5 office slaves can only daydream of. On a typical day, Mattrick will "dive into the cool ravines" to "penetrate, like the birds, the profound silence of the forests," in the words of White Mountain guide Samuel Adams Drake (1833-1905).

Drake published The Heart of the White Mountains, Their Legend and Scenery in 1882, but the feelings he evokes are timeless. Drake wrote of his experience: "The sight of the gorge, with the flood foaming far below, the glitter of falling waters through the trees, the splendid light in the midst of deepest gloom, the solemn pines - the odorous forest, the wildness and the coolness - impart an indescribable charm to the spot that makes us reluctant to leave it."

The same woods today continue to cast a spell of rapture with their "inexpressible fecundity," "intimate quietude," vast untrodden elflands of "gnarled roots, precarious footing, intertwined branches" and "moss-covered obstructions" - to borrow from the words of poets of the wild forests.

Nevertheless, the White Mountains of the 21st century are very different from what Drake encountered in 1888, and far different from the primeval forest the painter Thomas Cole celebrated in his art and his writing, calling the White Mountains "the sublime melting into the beautiful, the savage tempered by the magnificent." By Drake's time, unregulated logging barons had stripped the privately owned mountains of their timber, feeding the railroads and the mills to the south.

"Originally, a dense forest covered our state," the New Hampshire Forest Commission reported in 1885. "This magnificent forest has long since disappeared." Economic losses to industry and fears for the future of tourism led to passage of the Weeks Act of 1911, which in turn led to the creation of the White Mountain National Forest.

Today, the forests have returned. Statewide, only 30 percent of New Hampshire was forested by the 1880s. Today that number is 83 percent, according to Jack Savage of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests.

Activities in the White Mountain National Forest are regulated to assure a sustainable harvest of timber and to forever protect iconic landscapes and wilderness areas from commercial incursion. Between 1986 and 1996, the forest supplied 80 million board feet of sawtimber and 2.5 million cubic feet of pulpwood to wood-producing industries.

Mattrick's skills are also applied to relocate recreational trails to avoid harm to particular plant species. A trail relocation project at Mount Washington has succeeded in rebounding a rare alpine species, Robbins Cinquefoil.

Whether the Hogsback Ridge area of Benton will be selected as a site for timber harvesting will be decided after Mattrick and the other specialists on his team submit their reports and there is a period of public comment.

The creatures of the forest will be watching. Not far from the craggy summit of the ridge, as he fed data into his logbook, Mattrick noticed his feet were encircled by mounds of bear scat. He was no longer in "neutral" territory but in the heart of bear habitat. Time to beat a hasty retreat. The gentle wanderer moved on to continue his mission.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Piping plover management on the Hiawatha National Forest is a success]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3333 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3333 9

Piping plover management has proven successful on the Hiawatha National Forest. Since 1988, the federally endangered Great Lakes piping plover (Charadrius melodus) has been recorded nesting on suitable Lake Michigan beaches across the southern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 2001 only a single nest and four or fewer chicks were observed each year. In 1997 and 1998 no nests or piping plover chicks were observed. However, with a continued emphasis on monitoring shoreline habitat and implementing protection measures around the nests, the stage was set for a change. The dramatic results are summarized in the graph.

In 2007, 13 different pairs of piping plovers nested on National Forest land. This is an increase of 4 pairs from the use documented on the Hiawatha in 2006. In nine years, the program has increased the annual number of pairs from zero to 13, and the number of chicks that hatched and left the nests from zero to 21.

The record number of piping plovers is a direct reflection of the intensive management efforts being implemented on the Hiawatha in partnership with various agencies, organizations, and volunteers. These efforts included monitoring nest sites, installing predator exclosures around nests, providing public education, limiting human disturbance, and improving nesting habitat. This dedicated management provides the protections needed for piping plover adults to incubate eggs to hatching and beyond.

Historically, the Great Lakes were estimated to have been home to 800 pairs. Miles of sandy beaches provide suitable habitat for nesting and foraging. Due to various factors, the population suffered serious declines. By 1990 the total population dropped to a low of 12 pairs.

As a result of management, the population has recovered to a known 63 pairs and 124 fledged chicks in 2007. While the 2007 total is a dramatic improvement over the population lows, it is still well below the estimated historic population, and serves as a reminder that habitat loss, predators, and other factors are present and continue to threaten the species rangewide.

For the Hiawatha National Forest, 13 pairs account for approximately 21 percent of the total number of Great Lakes piping plovers, a noteworthy accomplishment for a single National Forest. The wildlife program on the Hiawatha continues to demonstrate that Forest Service personnel and partners have successfully met the challenges in protecting nesting piping plovers and are helping to achieve recovery plan goals.

(Thanks to Lisa Sommers for the information she contributed to this story.)

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KirkPiehlerkpiehler@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa National Forest Joins in on a National Day for Kids]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3332 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3332 9

More than 1,000 Boys & Girls Clubs around the world celebrated "Day for Kids" on September 15, 2007, including the Cass Lake and Walker communities on the Chippewa National Forest. The day was all about working with communities to reinforce our commitment to area youth, and by the end of the day, over 200 kids joined in the fun!

Chippewa National Forest employees signed right on for the event, knowing it was a great chance to highlight "More Kids In the Woods". "We've partnered with the Cass Lake Boys and Girls Club in the past, knew they would put together a great "Day for Kids" and really wanted to be a part of it!" said Mary Nordeen, Public Affairs Specialist.

So among all the face painting, basketball tournaments, obstacle course, dunk tank and popcorn, was a big section along the pines with a Forest Service display filled with photos of young people hiking, fishing and exploring the Forest. As kids filed past the display, they found Mary, covered in paint and glitter at the Fish Printing table and Joyce Rairdon, Administration Assistant, tangled in fishing line, leading the kid's casting contest. And everyone was laughing.

These kids have grown up along the shores of two large lakes, Cass Lake and Leech Lake, but we were surprised that some had never cast a line. The activities were a chance to show that we are a National Forest of over half water, and lots of fish. We invited them to explore the Forest and lakes with us.

Some of the kids early in the day recognized the Forest uniform from a school program, or from biking out to the nearby Visitor Center. Hopefully all the kids will remember the Forest for joining in on a day to appreciate kids for being….kids. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Cass Lake/Leech Lake Area Boys and Girls Club, and next year, we'll bring more fish!

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[White Mountain National Forest YCC Crew Has a Successful Summer]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3331 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3331 9

The White Mountain National Forest employed six local students through the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program. YCC is an avenue for young adults to engage in hands on experiences in the natural resources and conservation fields. The YCC crew was energetic yet professional in their work, learning valuable work skills as they completed each project.

Hannah, a 2006 crew member was ecstatic to accept the position as the 2007 crew leader. She commented that she "really enjoyed this job last year and I equally enjoy it this year." Hannah along with her fellow crew members jumped into each project with enthusiasm and was delighted to be part of the Forest Service's mission of "Caring for the Land and Serving the People." Everyday the crew was eager to start work and accomplish a new task.

The crew helped to accomplish work targets on the forest. They pruned and released six acres of apple orchards. Sixteen bags of invasive species, specifically Oriental Bittersweet, were collected at Campton Campground. The crew installed 120 linear feet of three section split rail fence as a safety feature at Upper Falls. Over the course of three weeks, 461 water bars were cleaned on over ten miles of trail. All projects incorporated a daily tailgate safety session and review of the project Job Hazard Analysis. One enrollee commented that "I feel safe here." All the projects completed over the eight weeks the crew spent on the White Mountain National Forest left lasting impressions on the crew members.

While conservation work was being completed on the forest, the lives of the young men and women performing the work were changed forever. Sheralin wrote in a thank you letter to the Pemigewasset Ranger District; "Meeting new people and developing new skills that can be carried on for future needs, jobs, and life in general are some main things that each of you have contributed to in bits and pieces to carry us through the future and to mold each of us into stronger individuals." While we as individuals go about our daily work, we forget how much we can influence the lives of these young adults. This is evident through many conversations we had with the YCC crew members. Bruce commented that "it's not just me I need to worry about in the work area it is everybody that I need to look out for." As professionals we work to instill a sense of leadership and pride in ones work. Jared said "I have grown a greater appreciation for the Forest Service and all the hard work everyone does to preserve our invaluable forest. This has given me confidence in my leadership style and a sense of professionalism in my work and myself."

Each enrollee walked away with a greater appreciation and understanding for the work involved in "Caring for the Land and Serving the People." Along with this they took away valuable experiences that can be applied to work, school and life for the future.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Pine Plains and Little Ridge minimize fire impact in the Stonington WUI]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3312 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3312 9

Story contributed by Michael Peterson

From 2000-2007, one of the larger focus points for the Hiawatha's west zone fuels program has been the Stonington Peninsula Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). This area is characterized by large contiguous stands of Jack Pine (a fire evolved species often sustaining catastrophic wildland fires) and a growing number of private residences adjacent to these timbered stands.

Through cooperative work with private landowners and local township and volunteer fire departments, our goal has been to minimize the effects of these hazardous fuels within the WUI. Currently 28% (1,400 acres)of the 5,000 acres within the WUI, have been treated by conversion to openings and savanna. These treatments were selected to return large geographical openings to the landscape, which in turn minimize the spread and intensity of large fires within the WUI while restoring historic ecosystems.

On August 4th, 2007, a wildland fire ignited within the WUI, originating in a dense stand of over mature Jack Pine, littered with insect mortality. This fire also originated in an area with private property on three flanks at a time of near record drought for the region. This fire quickly spread in the direction of numerous subdivisions and County Road 513, the main travel and utility corridor for the Stonington Peninsula. What lay between the fire origin and subdivisions were the Pine Plains and Little Ridge hazardous fuels reduction projects.

The effects of these projects were dramatic, allowing local, state, and federal responders to take advantage of the lower fire intensity and added defensible space to limit the fire spread to only 83 acres. In addition, no structures were lost, minimal acres on private land were impacted, and the fire did not cross County Road 513.

Essentially, the fuels treatments within the fire perimeter changed a potentially catastrophic crown fire with extreme fire behavior, to a lower intensity surface fire. For example, the surface fire exhibited six-foot flame lengths on average, whereas the stand that the fire originated in had canopy crowning and flame lengths of approximately 30 feet. When the fire crossed through the opening into an adjacent stand of Jack Pine on private property, it lacked the fire behavior and intensity that would have kept emergency responders from suppressing it. In the end, the majority of the fire was suppressed within the openings created by the west zone fuels program -- a very satisfying success for the Forest Service and our neighbors in the WUI!

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michaelpetersonmapeterson@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Going Back in Time on the Barlow Trail]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3413 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3413 6

During the week of September 15-23, the White River Campground on the Mt. Hood National Forest's Barlow Ranger District was transformed into an 1845 pioneer camp. Dressed in traditional pioneer garb, volunteers greeted groups of schools, churches, scouts, senior centers, and forest visitors.

Designed to compliment Oregon's fourth-grade curriculum, the camp consisted of 7 interactive stations. The first station was a mock pioneer camp with a replica wagon, tent, cooking area, food stores, and an old trunk filled with real and replica artifacts. At this station visitors were regaled with true stories of the Barlow party's crossing.

One of the more popular stations gave the visitors the opportunity to play with traditional pioneer toys; another gave them a chance to card wool, while at another they churned butter. Other stations taught them about cooking in a Dutch oven, starting fire with flint and steel, and rope making.

Breaking back into the modern world, the last station was a real archeological dig. Visitors were given a chance to sift for such artifacts as square nails, wire nails, and window glass. They also learned the important difference between an archeologist and a paleontologist!

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amberschmittaschmitt@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Finger Lakes NF Hosts Forest Field Day Event]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3365 Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3365

It was the perfect fall day. The sun was shining, yet the morning air was crisp, and some of the leaves were already beginning to turn into muted shades of red, orange, and yellow up on the Backbone Ridge.

Driving through the Finger Lakes Region, you could see several farm stands mounded high with gourds and pumpkins, fresh produce, and grape pies. But what was most tantalizing, was the aroma of apples and grapes that permeated the air.

Ahhhh, fall in the Finger Lakes. It doesn't get much better than that. Unless, of course, you add Forest Field Day into the equation.

There were so many options of what one could do on such a fine day, and many chose to spend it on their national forest learning about nature. Dozens of families, scout groups, and 4-H'ers turned out to celebrate the annual Forest Field Day event held on the Finger Lakes National Forest on September 23, 2007.

The event was sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extensions of Schuyler and Seneca Counties, Wagner Lumber, Cotton Hanlon Inc., Gutchess Lumber, Schuyler County Soil and Water Conservation District, Glendale Farms, Reisinger's Apple Country, Friends of the Finger Lakes National Forest, Schuyler County Environmental Management Council, and the Finger Lakes National Forest.

The event is hailed as a fun filled day for families and kids - to be outside and learn about trees, animals, insects, and the entire forest ecosystem.

The biggest draw during the event is the horse drawn wagon ride, and this year was no different. The big Belgium and Percheron draft horses plodded along all afternoon, taking their guests through the forest on a scenic fall ride. In between rides, there were many other activities to keep everyone busy.

Envirothon teacher Kate Bartholomew assisted kids in dissecting owl pellets. The kids were amazed to find entire skulls and tiny bones preserved in the pellets. Kids were able to try their hand at cross-cut sawing, and many did just that. I'm sure many parents were surprised to find huge tree cookies in their kids backpacks that night.

Retired NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Officer, and now USFS Forestry Technician Marvin Mobbs taught the kids about bear safety, and brought a bear pelt and several skulls with him. Forester Bob O'Brien from Cotton-Hanlon Inc., and also a call-when-needed Forest Service firefighter, took people on a hike to learn basic orienteering, and later a guided woods walk. People learned about GPS systems, and learned how to identify different tree species.

Interactive displays on invasive and native plants, grazing, antlers and skulls, maple syrup, history, animal tracks, poison ivy, NYS Forest Owners Association, Schuyler County Soil and Water, were also present. Kevin Dodds, USDA FS NA, S&PF and a representative from NYS SUNY-ESF were there to talk to people about the sirex wood wasp and ernerald ash borer.

Children enjoyed making pine cone birdfeeders, birdfeeders from recycled plastic, plaster casts of animal tracks, and even got to meet Smokey Bear. They were able to participate in a scavenger hunt, and enjoyed the tattoo booth that we had, complete with Smokey Bear and invasive insect tattoos. S'mores were being roasted around the campfire continuously, and everyone enjoyed sampling the gooey confections.

All in all, it was a gorgeous fall day that will be remembered by these children for years to come. About 250 people showed up to spend the day with us, and they all went home tired and happy!

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KariLuskklusk@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cooperation for Better Grassland Management]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3323 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3323

The Mark Twain National Forest is working closely with the Cedar Creek Grazing Association to mow over 2,500 acres of open-lands for multiple benefits in 2007. By sharing resources, these partners manage hazardous fuels, control noxious weeds and keep grazing areas in open-land condition for cattle and wildlife. The crew has been also been helpful in building fence, installing water developments and planting native warm season grass.

In the Eastern Region, open lands are continually being invaded by woody vegetation and noxious weeds, while producing copious amounts of fine fuels that could threaten neighboring lands with wildfire. These same areas provide a vegetative composition and structure that differ from predominately forested environments on government lands and cultivated lands on private. Open and semi-open lands are important habitat for approximately 200 animal species, some of which are on the Regional Forester's Sensitive Species List. For these reasons, there is a need to maintain these areas.

The intermingled land pattern of government and private land makes these areas difficult to reduce fuels by prescribed fire, so mowing is a good alternative. The Forest Service provides 2 tractors, fuel and filters while the grazing association provides the manpower. This symbiotic relationship allows for a multitude of acres to be treated.

The Cedar Creek Grazing Association crew is made up of local, retired farmers who know machinery and land management, which makes them very effective. Claude Kemp, Richard Smith and Carl Ernst are the backbone of this cooperative effort. Mechanical control of vegetation is not all smooth sailing, as the crew constantly deals with break downs, flat tires and equipment transport. But, their "know-how" of equipment and land management make for an efficient operation. They handle mowing and other Association chores that benefit the association's grazing program, but also help the Forest Service with its goals for fuel reduction and noxious weed control. The cooperative effort helps manage open land vegetation for less than $15.00 per acre, which is a very good buy.

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RossMcElvainrmcelvain@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Continues Tradition of Molding Young Lives]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3322 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3322

(Contributed by Jason Maloney,Center Director)

A brisk September 10 morning greeted over 125 individuals at the dedication of a new women's dormitory at the Blackwell Job Corps Center on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF near Laona, Wisconsin. Several dignitaries were also on hand to participate in the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the dormitory. This is yet another milestone in the long history of the Blackwell Center.

The Center is located on the original grounds of a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp established in 1938. The CCC program was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 to provide financial relief to families impacted by the Great Depression. This 200-men camp was home to thousands of young men until the CCC program was shut down in 1942.

The Blackwell Camp sat dormant until the 1960's when a new workforce program, Job Corps, was initiated. The new Job Corps CCC opened on November 30, 1965 with 24 students enrolled. Now, Blackwell JCCC has the capacity for 205 male and female students participating in 8 areas of vocational training and education. Since 1965, over 15,000 students have enrolled in this program, which according to Blackwell's Student Government President and welding student John Sikes, "gives young adults a second chance to invest in their futures, learn self respect, and respect for others."

Many well-respected individuals in federal, state and local governments value the educational contributions of Blackwell to Wisconsin. During the dedication, Center Director Jason Maloney read from a Certificate of Commendation from Governor Jim Doyle officially recognizing the Blackwell JCCC as an "essential and valued educational institute in the state." Statements of support for the program were presented by representatives from Senator Russ Feingold and Congressman Steve Kagen. Support statements were also read from Senator Herb Kohl and Congressman Dave Obey. Tom Younger from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development remarked on Blackwell's ability to provide growth to the workforce in Wisconsin. Maloney also shared a recently signed resolution from the Forest County Board of Supervisors declaring Blackwell JCCC a valued educational institute in the County and State because of the success and training which helps the local area. Blackwell Community Council President Tom Thielke reiterated the strong support the community shares for the Center and the program.

Going strong for 42 years, the Blackwell JCCC continues its valuable tradition of providing opportunities to men and women through its scholarship program. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Julie Eder at 715-359-7040. More information on the Center can be found on its web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/blackwell/index.html

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Open House at Round Island Lighthouse]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3269 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3269 9

Hiawatha National Forest, Boy Scout Troop 323 (Freeland, MI) and Friends of the Round Island Lighthouse, Inc. hosted an Open House at Round Island Lighthouse on Saturday August 18, 2007, from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Over forty individuals happily accepted the invitation, arriving in private boats to tour the well-known lighthouse.

St. Ignace/Sault Ste Marie Ranger District staff, Troop 323 and Friends of the Round Island Lighthouse invited the public to spend some time enjoying the site -- and about 40 individuals accepted the invitation. Boy Scouts and Forest Service employees were on hand to answer questions and to provide some of the history of the lighthouse.

"The Scouts did an amazing job of hosting visitors and providing tours," commented District Ranger Steve Christiansen. "It's inspiring to see young people interested in their local history."

The troop's commitment to the Round Island Lighthouse extends well beyond this one event. Together with the Friends of Round Island, Inc., the boys have volunteered their time to help caretake the Light. Under the guidance of Forest staff, they have done a variety of tasks such as painting.

Guests at the Open House were impressed by the Scouts, and by the site as well. While literally hundreds of thousands of visitors view the light from the water each year, and some individuals with small boats visit the site, the Lighthouse is usually not open for visitation. So for many it was the first time they'd been inside.

"Since lighthouses are such an important part of the Hiawatha's identity, we were excited by how many folks attended the first Open House," said Recreation Program Manager Ted Schiltz. "I have a feeling that next year's event will have an even stronger showing."

Lighthouses, Lakeshores, Islands and copious amounts of Snow are the Hiawatha's trademark resources which align its official "recreation niche."

Round Island Lighthouse, prominently located in the busy Straits of Mackinac, was constructed in 1895 to guide freighters through the Straits to Lake Superior. Through the years, vandalism and a lack of maintenance took their toll on the structure and in 1955 a Coast Guard committee recommended that it be demolished. Fortunately, in 1958 the lighthouse was transferred to the Forest Service before the demolition took place. Although, there have still been some hard times with managing Round Island, the overall integrity of the structure is in place. The 378-acre Round Island, upon which the lighthouse is located, is a designated Wilderness, one of six managed by the Hiawatha. The Lighthouse parcel is not in Wilderness.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Eastern Region Fish and Aquatic Ecology Programs Strive for Excellence]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3318 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3318 9

The Eastern Region is a water and people rich region. Nearly one million acres of lakes, reservoirs and ponds - 43 percent of the NFS total, and over 15,000 miles of streams - 64 percent of which are trout waters found in Eastern National Forests. About 43 percent of the nation's anglers live in the 20 state Region and Eastern Region National Forests contain over 1350 miles of streams supporting anadromous fishes.

Pacific salmon, including steelhead, occur on the three National Forests in Michigan while the National Forests in New Hampshire and Vermont are engaged in restoring historic Atlantic salmon and shad runs. These waters hold over 400 species of fish, crayfish and freshwater mussels. With this much water and biodiversity, how can the Regional Fish and Aquatic Ecology Program strategically meet the challenges of Courageous Conservation? Nick Schmal, Fish and Aquatic Ecology Program Leader teamed up with internal and external partners to tackle several key challenges in 2007.

Schmal completed a two month detail in the Washington Office in the Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air and Rare Plant staff serving as National Fish Program Leader. He talked daily national issues and provided representation with the National Fish Habitat Action Plan (NFHAP) and other partners, and efforts to finalize the Rise to the Future Fisheries and Watershed Implementation Plan letter and the American Fisheries Society interview with the Chief. He represented the agency with the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture and other national partners, completed the NFHAP Federal Caucus tasks with the Science and Data Committee, raised the awareness of national issues related to aquatic nuisance species, coordinated with Natural Resource Information System Data Center migration teams for water, and guided on addressing Essential Fish Habitat issues. Additionaly, he successfully participated in and graduated from the Senior Leader Program Class 4.

Schmal serves on the Fish Program Planning Committee for the 68th Midwest Fish and Wildlife conference scheduled for December 9-12 in Madison, WI. He serves on a national steering committee representing all Forest Service Regions formed to evaluate the current status, future needs, and organization of the Fish Ecology Unit.

Schmal served on a planning committee with the Urban Connections program as part of the Wildlife forever sponsored State Fish Art Expo at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. Over 60,000 people heard important agency messages including threats from invasive species. He is also a working member of the Regional Invasive Species Issue Team, a core member of the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Federal Aquatic Invasive Species Rapid Response Team Subcommittee, and serves on the Information and Education committees for the Mississippi River Basin and Great Lakes Basin Panels for Aquatic Nuisance Species.

Over 200 aquatic invasive species occur within the boundaries of the Eastern Region. Dealing with the threat of aquatic invasive species is a priority for the program as evidenced by several accomplishments including support to publish the Great Lakes Aquatic Invasions booklet, completion of the 2006 accomplishment report for the Invasive Threat Campaign with Wildlife Forever, continuation of steering committee work on a national video for hunters and anglers and what they can do to prevent the spread of invasives.

Several products produced in 2007 provide for components of Courageous Conservation include the 2003-2005 Aquatic Organism Passage Accomplishment Report, and regional input into the national 2006 AOP report. The Northern Research Station cooperated to inventory over 500 stream crossings on five Eastern Region forests. The Region has been highly successful in competing for Federal Highway funds to restore aquatic passage at road crossings. Much of the regional workload included Wild and Scenic River Section 7 project evaluations, review of proposed stewardship contracts as well as hydropower implementation and relicensing efforts.

The most memorable moment of the year was the invitation to fish for a day with Television fishing star Steve Pennaz, of the North American Fisherman. A crew filmed a smallmouth bass trip on a northern Wisconsin during Invasive Species Month and interviewed Nick about how anglers and boaters can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasives. The show will be aired in 2008.

So what does the future hold for the region's Fish and Aquatic Ecology Programs? Some key elements we hope to implement in 2008 and beyond include workshops and training on development of effectiveness monitoring programs, engineered log jams, further development of the aquatic invasives control and management efforts with the states, a regional research needs assessment, and continuation of the invasive species threat campaign.

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NickSchmalnschmal@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Award-winning Accomplishments in Natural Resources]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3317 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3317 9

Eastern Region natural resource specialists received a number of awards in 2007 for their outstanding contribution to the Forest Service, our public and the goal of Courageous Conservation.

In the field of wildlife, Steve Widowski of the Shawnee NF received the Jack Adams Award - the most prestigious wildlife award offered by the Service. The Hoosier NF Early Succession Management Team was awarded the Wildlife Management Institute's President's Award and the Midewin NTP was awarded the Habitat Conservation Award by Wings Across the Americas - the umbrella group for "All Bird Conservation" in North America. The Wild Turkey Federation - one of the Service's most important partners - bestowed two awards to the Eastern Region. Randy Moore, the Regional Forester, was presented with the Federation's Heritage Award and the Cooperative Habitat Management Program of the Shawnee NF was presented with the Making Tracks Habitat Management Program Award. Finally, Paul Nelson of the Mark Twain NF received the Wildlife Conservationist of the Year Award from the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

In fisheries, the National Rise to the Future Monitoring Award was presented to the Shawnee NF. The Shawnee also was awarded the 4-H Natural Resources/Environmental Education Award for their Fish Tales Environmental Education Program.

Our work in other resource areas was also acknowledged. Linda Parker, of the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF, received the Karl Urban Celebrating Wildflowers Award and Dan McKinley of the Green Mountain NF received the Sam Izzo Award for his contribution to Vermont's White River Partnership. Finally, Holly Jennings of the Huron-Manistee NF received the Huron Pines Award for her contributions to Resource Conservation and Development.

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JohnCurnuttjcurnutt@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Midewin hosts summer program for kids]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3316 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3316

By Catherine L. Segar

For the second year in a row, the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie hosted "Midewin for Kids," an interactive summer program that gave children the opportunity to engage in educational nature activities.

The focus of "Midewin for Kids," which was hosted by the Midewin Interpretive team, was to introduce children to nature and the Forest Service through hands-on activities.

Children from the ages of 7-11 were invited to play in their very own Tallgrass Prairie twice a week this summer.

This year's program featured six different topics. One program topic was presented twice a week, first on Wednesdays and then again on Saturdays to accommodate working parents. The topics covered by the program were Rocks, Pollinators, Fossils, Birds, Prehistoric Archeology, and the Junior Ranger Program.

The program served as a form of environmental education for the participants, but it also served as a method of recruiting visitors to Midewin.

The kids program "brings out people that otherwise wouldn't come, and then you can encourage other activities on Midewin," said Midewin for Kids presenter Anita Eckhardt. Eckhardt presented the programs that focused on pollinators and birds.

Some of the families that participated in the kids program had never visited Midewin, and therefore did not know about the different opportunities available. Most parents were so pleased with the program; they brought their children back for each new topic. Nadia Arambula, a Midewin for Kids presenter on Prehistoric Archaeology said, "The program is a great alternative to TV and video games."

The kids program has been a huge success for Midewin; it has exposed the local community to the recreational opportunities available at Midewin. "We are looking forward to returning for hikes, picnics and the campfire program," said Meg Shaugnessy, a parent of a participant, as she commented on the program in a local newspaper article.

The program was held 12 times this summer. The community and Midewin's team are excited about the new possibilities for next year's program.

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Marta L.Wittmlwitt@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Woody Biomass Utilization]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3315 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3315 9

The Eastern Region is helping clean air by facilitating the use of woody biomass in both traditional and emerging markets.

Woody biomass includes limbs, tops, needles, leaves, and other woody parts, that are the by-products of forest management, ecosystem restoration, or hazardous fuel reduction treatments. Woody biomass utilization (WBU) is the harvest, sale, offer, trade, and/or use of woody biomass to produce the full range of wood products. These products include timber, engineered lumber, paper and pulp, furniture and value-added commodities, as well as bio-energy, bio-fuels (ethanol and diesel), and bio-based products (plastics and solvents).

* In FY 2007, Region 9 will sell approximately 145,000 Green Tons of Bio-Energy and 68,000 Green Tons of Bio-Based products.

* The Region 9 Woody Biomass Utilization Team (WBUT) promotes and facilitates the planning and delivery of an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to the recovery and utilization of woody biomass from ecological restoration and hazardous fuels reduction work as a result of the National Fire Plan's 10-year Comprehensive Strategy (PDF), the Healthy Forests Initiative, and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (PDF).

* WBUT helps facilitate Woody Biomass Grant proposals in collaboration with local Forest partnerships.

Stewardship contracting is a mechanism to facilitate small woody biomass removal to accomplish forest restoration, improve forest health and to reduce wildfire risk, especially in the Wildland Urban Interface. Each Forest has awarded or is in the process of developing two stewardship contracts in FY 2007.

New and existing Forest Service facilities (White Mtn.) are utilizing energy efficient designs and biomass heating systems where feasible to do so.

New cogeneration and other biomass utilization opportunities are springing up across the Eastern Region. As these emerging markets come online, biomass utilization will grow in concert with the new economic opportunities they represent (Examples include numerous electric companies that need to meet state imposed renewable energy goals, potential wood ethanol plants such as Park Falls, WI.; Wood pellet plants, biomass boilers for schools and other public buildings).

Contact: Bill Nightingale, Biomass Utilization Coordinator at (414) 297-3274, bnightingale@fs.fed.us or Wade Spang, Biomass Strategy Coordinator at (414) 297-1254, wspang@fs.fed.us.

Grant information is available at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu/grant-2007/biomass-grant.html.

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BillNightingalebnightingale@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Future Forests Require Future Foresters]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3311 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3311 9

The Eastern Region filled 22 Forester Trainee positions late in FY 2006 through a Forest Recruitment Initiative. These selected trainees included external candidates and conversion of existing Forest Service employees. This initiative responds to the national shortage of entry level professional foresters and the Region's Strategic Vision of Courageous Conservation.

The Forestry Trainees selected represent a diverse mix of experience, education and background. Professional experience ranged from 0-10 years with many having advanced degrees. There are 10 female trainees and 12 male trainees; 11 of them are from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

In Early FY 2007 the Region completed a Development Guide For Trainee Foresters.

This guide helps plan and track specific tasks and training that will enhance the career development of forester trainees in the Eastern Region. Designed for use in addition to the New Employee Orientation Supervisor/Employee Checklist, it is intended to add resource tasks that would be completed in the two month and longer timeframe covered in Phases III and IV of the checklist.

The tasks are intended to provide both a breadth of resource exposure that would provide a general foundation for a professional forester in the agency and specific knowledge and experiences that would prepare an individual for performance as either a timber management assistant or silviculturist. Specific formal training courses are suggested. Supervisors are expected to tailor performance plans to the individual needs of the trainee based upon past education and previous experience levels.

The Renewable Resources Staff continues to work with adjoining Regions and the Washington Office to insure that critical training is offered each year in order to meet organizational and workforce needs.

The Region utilizes conference calls with the Trainee Foresters and their immediate supervisor to convey expectations and solicit feedback on how to improve the program. Retention rates in the program are extremely high.

For further information contact Nancy Berlin at (414) 297-1868 or Bill Nightingale at (414) 297-3274.

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BillNightingalebnightingale@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet Works to Better Manage Special Forest Products]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3310 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3310

By Steven White, Biological Technician

In spring 2007, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest began working with harvesters of special forest products to collect data on harvesting sites and resource use. Special forest products are non-timber forest products and include Christmas trees, boughs, mushrooms, cones, medicinal plants, herbs, nuts and berries.

The Forest is gathering information specific to the gathering of sheet moss and princess pine, which are traditionally used for crafts and wreaths. The process is simple. When a person goes to a district office and asks for a permit to collect sheet moss or princess pine they are given a postcard containing questions as to what product was collected, how much, and the specific location where it was gathered.

Permit holders are asked to fill out the postcard and mail it back to the Forest when finished harvesting for that season. The sites are visited by Forest personnel to determine the health of the plants and if they are being harvested within allowable levels.

In the past, harvest levels for these products were not based on previous harvesting activities. This is the first time this type of data is being collected. The Forest keeps the funds from these permits allowing them to cover the costs of monitoring princess pine and sheet moss sites.

The response from harvesters this season has been positive. The Chequamegon- Nicolet National Forest looks forward to this partnership with harvesters to better manage these valuable resources.

(Steven White can be reached at 715-762-2461)

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District Hosts AmeriCorps]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3543 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3543 9

The Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District of the Shawnee National Forest hosted Team 5 from the AmeriCorps National Civilian Conservation Corps (NCCC) campus located in Denver, Colorado from mid-September through the end of October 2007. The project chosen for the AmeriCorps crew was construction of trail tread and switchbacks in conjunction with a major trail realignment project on the River to River Trail in Bald Knob and Clear Springs Wilderness in Union County, Illinois.

This session with AmeriCorps on the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District was a first for the Shawnee National Forest as it combined extreme trail work with a wilderness immersion of the crew. There were 10 team members joining the Forest for this session. Many of them came from urban backgrounds and none of them had ever experienced camping, let alone primitive, back-country minimum impact camping. Their previous experience had been spent assisting the Katrina relief efforts in the gulf states.

Kelly Pearson, Trails Technician and Volunteer Coordinator for the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District, was project manager, logistics and safety coordinator, Leave No Trace master and liaison with the AmeriCorps staff on the Denver campus. Jennifer Sublett, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator was the wilderness trail crew leader. Jennifer's services were available to the Forest through a partnership with University of Illinois Extension. Her contribution as the camp manager, lead instructor for back country living skills, Leave No Trace training, teaching survival skills and as the trail crew leader during the project were invaluable.

Together Kelly and Jennifer managed an operation that included working with the Shawnee Back Country Horsemen (SBCH) and their pack animals to pack over 1,230 pounds of camp gear and equipment for the Team. The SBCH provided weekly re-supplies of water and other equipment during the session and did the final pack out of equipment upon completion. They volunteered over 100 hours towards this project.

Kelly and Jennifer coordinated multiple opportunities for Team 5 to interact with local volunteers during scheduled weekend work days, the National Public Lands Day Celebration and a volunteer appreciation potluck. The Team's experiences included a visit to the Cache River Wetlands Environmental Center and an enjoyable canoe trip on the Cache River, assisting Forest Archaeologist Mary McCorvie and assistant Heather Carey in counting and recording artifacts; visiting the Free African American Miller Grove community and Millstone Bluff Archeological site; and completing the required independent service hours working with local non-profit agencies.

In an effort to enhance the experience of back country living and trail construction, Forest Recreation Program Manager Tim Pohlman led a wilderness ethics and management overview on trail design and construction. Terri Thomas, a former summer wilderness ranger intern on the Shawnee National Forest, visited the camp and led a discussion on land use changes in the Bald Knob and Clear Springs Wilderness over the past 200 years.

The Team constructed side hill trail tread using primitive hand tools that included Pulaskis, McLeod's and crosscut saws. A switchback was constructed using native materials, such as large diameter, blown-down trees rigged with ropes, moved to the site and laid in place by Team members. Local horseback riders enjoyed watching the progress made on the trail and took time to thank the Team for their work.

This extraordinary project would not have been possible without the support of the Mississippi Bluffs District Ranger Dan Lentz, Tim Pohlman, Mary McCorvie, District Recreation Staff Leader Ron Moore and the trail seasonals Dave Clardy, Kay Bushno and Don Coonce.

Efforts such as this one continue to connect people to their lands and that is the best reward of all.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[City Formally Purchases Historic Ranger Site for Visitor Center]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3309 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3309

ROLLA, Mo. - Mark Twain National Forest and City of Rolla officials met Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007 to finalize the sale of 9.4 acres of National Forest land to the City of Rolla.

The city is buying the property for the appraised value of $511,000 to be paid in equal payments over 20 years funded through proceeds from a voter approved motel sales tax beginning January 2008.

The deed transfer includes provisions that the 5 historic buildings on site on the National Register of Historic Places constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps will be maintained and preserved.

The sale of the old Rolla Ranger Station at Kingshighway and Bridge School Road off the 184 exit of Interstate 44, across from Buehler Park, was first authorized by Congress in 1994 after a grant application for federal funds to build a Rolla Visitor Center in 1992 was not approved. A local citizens group interested in having a visitor center worked to get a local motel tax passed to fund the purchase of the property as well as build a Visitor Center. The citizens also lobbied Congress to authorize the sale of the federal property to the city.

"This is a win-win situation for everyone," said Ronnie Raum, Mark Twain National Forest Supervisor. "The community gets a lovely welcome center and the Forest Service gets to see one of the best representative examples of a 1930s era Forest Service ranger complex preserved for future generations."

Currently the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce has a special use permit with the Forest Service to use the property for their offices and Information and Visitor Center operation.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Momentous Year For Regional TES Program]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3308 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3308 9

While being located in the Regional Office and not on a forest can, at times, be a disadvantage, the Regional Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) Program Manager, Steve Mighton, has capitalized on this by serving as a consultant for TES Biologist throughout Region 9. This year was a great year for the TES program region wide. The continued efforts of biologist throughout Region 9 have a played an important role in several events involving the region's endangered species. In all cases, Mighton advised on counterpart rules that may affect the forest and tools needed for forest and district biologist.

Species Delisting and Critical Habitat Designation

The delisting of the bald eagle, gray wolf, and West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel headline a momentous year for the threatened and endangered species program. The bald eagle, which may be found at any of the national forest throughout the region, was removed from the endangered species list in the lower 48 states. The gray wolf in the Western Great Lakes area was also removed and determined to be recovered throughout that portion of the species range. The West Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel, found on the Monongahela National Forest, is a candidate for removal from the endangered species list.

Additionally, the critical habitat designation for Hine's Emerald Dragonfly, was recently released by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FW). In this designation, no FS lands were designated as critical habitat. The FW omitted Forest Service lands stating that recently revised forest plans provided adequate protection for the species.

New TES Program Tools

The TES Program concluded an evaluation of the region's endangered species and their relationship to fire. The evaluation assessed each species association with fire through their association with burned habitats, its' primary prey species use of burn habitats, or the use of burning to alter an area to a desired condition for the species.

Regional TES Biologist, Dr. Tommy Parker and Regional Groundwater Program Manager, Russsell LaFayette, completed an analysis of the region's TES species and their relationship to ground water. The analysis ranked each species based on their association with ground water for habitat, exposure, and use by the species' primary food source.

Program News

The region hosted the national TES Program Leaders meeting this spring at the Hoosier National Forest. Cindy Sandeno, HNF TES Biologist, put together a proposal that surpassed those of the six other competing R9 forest. The forest coordinated lodging, meeting spaces, meals, and field trips.

Nyeema Harris, a doctoral student at North Carolina State University, was hired as a SCEP student in the RO's TES Program. Nyeema has a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Sciences from Virginia Tech and a Master of Science in Wildlife Biology from The University of Montana. Nyeema will work as a TES biologist trainee in the Regional Office in Milwaukee.

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TommyParkertommyparker@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[R9 Regional Office Proves Video-Teleconferencing A Good Choice]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3307 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3307 9

Fly round-trip to a forest $625, stay in a hotel $79, or save the money and use video-teleconference (VTC)... priceless. Eastern Regional Office (RO) staffs have made the switch and are using the Tandberg VTC units, whenever possible.

"You can never fully replace a face-to-face meeting, but video teleconferencing has worked much better than I ever expected," said Paul Monson, Special Assistant to the Regional Forester. Solid proof of the RO's commitment to maximize VTC use lies in a decision to convene two meetings this year of the Regional Leadership Team (RLT) and avoid travel altogether.

"We've demonstrated that our forest leadership, staff directors, and Regional Forester can use this technology to come together and accomplish meeting objectives," he said.

He noted that Regional Forester Randy Moore has also used video teleconferencing to provide the RLT with updates on important Agency initiatives such as Organizational Transformation.

The use of VTC has proven to be a bona-fide part of the RO's effort to "go green" and conserve resources through reduced travel.

"Seeing participants is so important over just hearing them in a telephone call," said Donna Hepp, RF Special Projects and one of the Region's Change Champions.

The Tandberg VTC unit provides a full range of camera movement with zoom-in or out control. The best angle allows for participants to be seen as they would in a meeting, waist-up with a clear view of facial expressions and movements.

The RO's Budget and Performance Accountability staff and Director Darrell Woods use the portable VTC unit on a regular basis. "It saves time and money, and it's versatile," Woods said. "We can show PowerPoint slides or any document, then take them down and move on to the next agenda item."

Similar to connecting a laptop computer to an LCD projector, the Tandberg's cable can be used to duplicate the image seen on a computer screen. Everyone can see the presentation and the presenter, whether a meeting involves one or multiple units.

Use of Region 9's video teleconferencing bridge makes it easy to include up to 16 forests in a conference. The bridge is a small box-shaped piece of hardware located in the building that is used by accessing a web portal. Over the Internet, Regional Office directors, program managers, and administrative staff can choose meeting participants by selecting IP addresses and then calling them together. Just the opposite, the system allows for calling into a conference, as well.

Paul Monson added, "It has been exciting to see how quickly RO staffs have adopted this new technology. It is becoming very routine for the recreation, aviation/fire, and AWLSM staffs to share information and hold problem solving discussions with field personnel using our video teleconferencing capabilities."

The Renewable Resources staff uses it to meet with forest leadership to help everyone gain a better understanding of important issues and connect names and faces to roles and responsibilities.

Video teleconferencing affords detached employees an opportunity to stay more closely connected to RO staffs. Ross McElvain, Rangeland Program Manager, is located at Ava Ranger District, Mark Twain National Forest. "It's a lot more interesting to be an actual part of our Renewable Resources staff meeting, than just a voice on the phone," he said.

Regional Office users of VTC agree... it's the next best thing to being there.

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BradBowenblbowen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Northeast Forest Fire Supervisors Honor Huron-Manistee National Forests' Carol Nilsson]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3304 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3304 9

In recognition of her outstanding service in wildfire prevention, Nilsson was presented the 2006 Eugene F. McNamara Memorial Award for Excellence in Wildfire Prevention at the annual meeting of the Northeast Forest Fire Supervisors.

This award was established in memory of Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry employee Eugene F. McNamara, who was known as "Mr. Fire Prevention." The award honors an individual or organization that has provided outstanding service in wildfire prevention within an individual state or group of states in the northeast area.

Throughout the past 20 years, Nilsson has directed her passion for wildfire prevention education to establish a solid relationship with the media throughout Michigan. Nilsson has been a key link in establishing consistent interagency fire prevention messages with the media, benefiting state and federal agencies. Nilsson excels in her fire prevention efforts as a Public Information Specialist in the Supervisor's Office of the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

On receiving the award, Nilsson said, "It was a nice surprise and honor. Fire prevention has been a priority for many years while working with other agencies and the media."

"We count on Carol to do the necessary footwork to spread the fire prevention message. Her success has reduced wildfires on our forest," said Rick Witzke, Assistant Fire Management Officer on the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

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DianneBerrydaberry@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ironton District Volunteers Contribute 1778 Hours valued at $44,450]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3303 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3303 9

During FY07, volunteers assisted the botany and wildlife programs on the Ironton District of the Wayne National Forest with a variety of projects. Volunteers transplanted native plant seedlings, planted butterfly gardens, controlled invasive species, placed discarded Christmas trees in Lake Vesuvius for aquatic habitat, surveyed for rare and endangered plants and animals, assisted with the Wheelin' Sportsmen Event and the Lake Vesuvius Kid's Fishing Derby, and helped out with many other projects. Here are a few of the highlights of this year's volunteer accomplishments:

Mary Bowen, a local high school student, volunteered over 300 hours. "Mary helped us gather data to study the aftermath of the 2003 ice storm." said Assistant District Ranger, Chad Fitton. Mary helped establish over 40 Firemon plots which will be used to track changes in forest vegetation and fuels over time. "I thought it would be a good experience and I really like the work," she said. Mary would like to major in Environmental Studies in college and study global warming.

Jake Emnett started volunteering with the District in February. He designed a pollinator garden that was later planted by volunteers at the District Office. Jake also surveyed for herptiles, mapped invasive species, built a dozen funnel traps for amphibian sampling, and researched the kinds of pollinators that would use the garden he planned. He discovered that there are 57 species of pollinators that could use the plants in the native plant garden. Jake contributed over 202 hours of time to the botany and wildlife programs.

Emnett and District Botanist, Chad Kirschbaum received help from several organizations in creating the office butterfly garden. The West Virginia Native Plant Society, the Rock Hill Garden Club, the Lawrence County Copper Heads 4-H Club, the Rock Hill High School Envirothon Team, the Ironton Master Gardens and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints all had members that participated in establishing the garden. Lowes of Russel, Kentucky also donated materials for the office garden and another pollinator garden which will be located at Rock Hill High School. "The butterfly garden projects should increase community awareness of pollinator declines and the importance of pollinator conservation" commented Emnett.

Brandon Black, a student at Hocking College, is completing an 80-hour volunteer internship as part of his degree program. During his time as a volunteer on the Wayne, Brandon has assisted with a wide range of management and inventory projects, including pond dam maintenance, wetland restoration, surveying for herptiles, treating non-native invasive species, and inventorying hardwood forest stands. Other volunteer projects to improve habitat include work done by the South Webster, Ohio Boy Scout troop, which built and installed approximately 20 bluebird boxes to improve habitat for cavity nesting birds.

The Lake Vesuvius Kid's Fishing Derby was held in June for the first time since Lake Vesuvius was drained several years ago. The success of this event, which drew approximately 300 participants, was due in large part to the volunteers from the Lawrence County Bass Club, Izaak Walton League, and Ironton Kiwanis, who gathered donations, cooked food, baited hooks, weighed fish, and ran the casting contest. Volunteers from the National Wild Turkey Federation, Lawrence County Bass Club, and Izaak Walton League also helped staff the Wheelin' Sportsmen event this spring, which drew approximately 200 people to Lake Vesuvius.

Another important project that was started this summer was research on how the invasive species, Tree-of-Heaven, affects soil and understory vegetation. Gerald (Trey) Scott, who is a graduate student at Ohio University, spent over 500 hours on the District, setting up plots, measuring vegetation, collecting soil samples and experimentally treating plots with herbicide. "I hope this study will add to the growing body of literature that shows how invasive species are changing the environment and gives land managers hope that treating these invasive species can restore habitat to healthy conditions."

Volunteers were also helping to control invasive species on the District. Five members of the Hanging Rock ATV Club, along with president, Jerry Gammon, helped pull garlic mustard along a section of proposed ATV trail. Twelve volunteers helped control garlic mustard on a 36 acre flood plain at Little Storms Creek Special Area. Another twelve volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cut Asiatic stiltgrass in the Vesuvius Recreation Area.

"Volunteers are a critical part of our Natural Resources team" notes Kari Kirschbaum, District Wildlife Biologist. "Without the assistance of volunteers and partners, we wouldn't have been able to accomplish many of the projects we completed this year."

Note: This story was a collaborative effort by Chad and Kari Kirschbaum

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chadKirschbaumckirschbaum@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hiawatha Represented at Logging Congress]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3301 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3301 9

Submitted by Pat Scheuren

The 62nd Annual Lake States Logging Congress was held September 8-9 at the Uper Peninsula State Fairgrounds in Escanaba, Michigan. The U.S. Forest Service and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources combined their efforts this year to present information on "Growing a Bio-Economy for Michigan" and "Management of Ecosystems on State and Federal Lands."

Timber Resource Specialist Pat Scheuren from the Supervisor's Office and Timber Resource Assistant Nancy Beckman of the Rapid River/Manistique District organized the booth with assistance from DNR employee Anthony Weatherspoon and displays from Michigan State University UP Tree Improvement Center in Escanaba. The booth was also staffed by Bill Gimler, Bill Noreus and Jean Perkins from the Hiawatha NF, and Sandy Avedisian and Sharon Peltola from the Ottawa NF.

In addition, the ever-popular Smokey Bear (Mike Peterson) made an appearance, escorted by Gary Olson and Jessica Stuntebeck. Kids of all ages always enjoy a visit with Smokey.

The "Growing UP Foresters" booth sponsored by the UP State Fair provided a "hands-on" opportunity for young and old, giving them exposure to the natural resources. Contracting Officer Linda Dalgord assisted in staffing this booth on Saturday.

"Visitors to the Logging Congress enjoy looking at the equipment on display outside," said Scheuren, "and the rain on Friday encouraged everyone to come inside and check out all the displays."

The Logging Congress is the largest display of logging, sawmill and trucking equipment in the Midwest. There were over 250 exhibitors and many demonstrations and contests. The Congress provides an important networking event for timber folks from Michigan and Wisconsin. Next year's event will take place in Green Bay, WI.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteer Couple Helps the Hiawatha]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2887 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2887 9

Randy and Jane Ryan. He is a retired veterinarian, and she is a retired teacher, but they are also Island Rangers! For the past several years, Jane and Randy have helped the Hiawatha National Forest provide a Forest Service presence on Grand Island National Recreation Area, during the busy season.

The couple spends two days each week volunteering on Grand Island, from June through September. They are volunteers extraordinaire, preferring to hike around the Island interacting with visitors rather than using mechanized forms of travel.

Grand Island isn't the Ryans' first volunteer position with the federal government. The couple volunteered with the National Park Service as backcountry rangers in the nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for four years immediately following their retirement. When they took a year off from volunteer work they found that they "vegged out" and didn't get out into the woods and camp as much as they had planned. Turns out they prefer the discipline that comes with volunteering a specific number of days per week to keep them moving.

They had heard good things about the Forest Service and were familiar with Grand Island (having camped and hiked there since the 1970s), so they contacted the folks at the Munising Ranger District to ask about volunteering. That was 2001, and for the past five years they have been doing a variety of jobs on Grand Island and in Big Island Lake Wilderness, which is also on the Hiawatha.

The Ryans' duties include welcoming visitors to the Island when they arrive. If recreationists need help planning what they are going to do while on the Island Randy and Jane are there to help them by suggesting hiking or biking routes and informing them where campsites are. The Ryans also provide educational materials, including how to (hopefully) avoid negative bear interactions through the use of bear poles and bear proof food lockers at campsites. They have also assisted District wildlife biologists with a black bear research project on the island.

Jane and Randy don't just interact with the public when they first arrive on the Island. They also bike and hike around the island and address maintenance needs, talking to recreationists when they encounter them.

"They are just invaluable to the District and to the public who use Grand Island," says Dick Anderson of the Munising Ranger District. "They are my eyes and ears on the island. I just don't know what we would do without them."

The feelings of admiration are mutual. "Dick couldn't be more welcoming," says Jane. "The folks at the Forest Service really make us feel valued."

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Stewardship Contracting Stirs Interest in Vermont]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3302 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3302

Partners of the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont are eager to learn about the nuances of Stewardship Contracting. With more than forty individuals in attendance this August, Dave Wilson of the National Wild Turkey Federation laid out a framework for stewardship contracting with the Forest Service and the reasons everyone should be interested in this new federal land management technique.

Stewardship contracting is a tool the Green Mountain and their partners had never used before; this training marked the first step toward promoting closer working relationships with local communities in a broad range of activities that improve land conditions.

"Stewardship contracting blends the needs of the community with the needs of forest management and can be a win-win situation for both parties," said Wilson, a former Forest Supervisor, who explained the NWTF has a long-standing and strong partnership with the Forest Service because of their shared interest in providing indispensable wildlife habitat.

Private contractors, state employees, federal employees and wildlife biologists were introduced to the basics of trading forest products, or goods, for resource restoration and enhancement, or services.

"A traditional timber sale contract lasts for a period of 3 to 5 years, whereas stewardship contracts can last longer and provide more opportunities for follow-up and evaluation," said Rob Hoelscher, the Wildlife Bioligist for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest.

Hoelscher also explained another advantage of stewardship contracting: the idea of awarding contracts based on the concept of "best value."

Traditional timber sale contracts are awarded to the highest bidder. Best value can provide different incentives that facilitate providing locally experienced individuals with an opportunity to competitively participate in the contract bidding process. For example, a town may have a number of skilled individuals who could provide a labor force, interpretation, education, and a local market for a particular product but have little in the way of financial resources to purchase the resource up front.

On the other hand, a larger timber company contractor may have the financial resources to put up the money but little in the way of those other opportunities. Stewardship Contracting also allows for larger timber company contractors to subcontract out the service work, such as wildlife habitat restoration, to local or smaller companies with such experience.

"In a stewardship (contract) situation, we will consider the benefits of the local market, education, and interpretation as well as the financial resources needed to complete the project," said Hoelscher.

"We have reached an important milestone as a forest," said Forest Supervisor Meg Mitchell, referring to the first stewardship contract now being offered on the Forest just after the training.

The Beattie Road Stewardship Contract will improve forest health by thinning overgrown areas and offering remaining trees more nutrients. The project will restore wildlife habitat by making areas more open and improve old apple orchard conditions for wildlife forage in this once abandoned farm.

Guided by the helpful hand of experienced neighboring forest employees and the regional office, the Green Mountain is currently soliciting offers on this project. The Forest staff hopes the contract will attract groups who may never have been involved with a government contract before but have a strong interest in the future health of the area and its connection to the health of their community.

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KristiPonozzokmponozzo@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[New R9 Timber Volume Model Unveiled]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3300 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3300 9

Timber volume equations are used to estimate the volume of wood contained in trees. These equations use measurements of tree heights and diameters in the calculation of volumes for individual trees. Once this is determined, various techniques are used to estimate the timber volume of larger areas, such as stands or timber sales. Timber volume equations are embedded in timber cruising software (NatCrs), stand inventory software (FSVeg), growth and yield software (FVS), and other systems.

The timber volume equations currently in use in the Eastern Region were designed in the 1950's for a particular set of merchantability standards that were common at the time. These equations are too rigid to keep pace with changing timber utilization, and the ever expanding variety of timber products. A much more flexible system was needed.

To meet this need, the Region developed a stem profile model or taper model for estimation of tree volumes. In simple terms, this type of model estimates the shape of a tree based on its species, diameter, and height. Volumes can then be calculated for the wood in the main tree stem.

Hundreds of thousands of tree measurements from tens of thousands of trees from throughout the Region were used in the development of the new stem profile model. The model has been rigorously tested to ensure that the calculated volumes are accurate.

Flexibility is the most important advantage of the new model. Accurate volumes can be calculated for any size trees, including the small trees typically considered sub-merchantable. Volumes can be calculated to any point on the stem of the tree, including right to the very tip, so any merchantability standards can be used. In the future it will be adapted to calcuate total tree biomass, including limbs and small branches.

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MichaelVanDyckmvandyck@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Plant It and They Will Come]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3299 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3299 9

While maintaining newly planted prairie and pollinator gardens at the Nelsonville office, students Nick Galentin and Edward Entsminger came across some new visitors. These visitors were not of the two-legged form, but instead multi-legged variants eating milkweed leaves.

The question "who's been eating the milkweeds?" was quickly followed by a "Wow, look at that!" A large caterpillar was gorging himself on the new plants. The distinct yellow, black and white stripes left no doubt that monarchs had found the new native plantings. As the day continued more caterpillars were found, along with several chrysalis.

Monarchs lay small eggs on individual milkweed plants. The hatched larva consume milkweed leaves and grow rapidly, sometimes shedding their skin five times. The larvae then transform into a chrysalis that is green in color with gold markings. As the pupa tranforms the chrysalis becomes clear and a monarch butterfly emerges. These butterflies live about 2-5 weeks to mate and lay more eggs. The last generation of the year migrates south to overwinter in warm, sunny Mexico. In spring, they lay eggs on milkweeds and the monarch march northward to the United States starts all over again.

The monarchs have come to the Nelsonville office in response to native plantings that have occurred in 2006 and 2007. Many of the milkweeds were planted as part of a Stewardship project that salvages native plants from a future highway project. The salvaged plants have been incorporated into native flower beds, a native prairie, and most recently: two pollinator gardens. Rural Action worked with Wayne National Forest, Hocking College and ODOT to make the plant salvages possible. Likewise, Harold Blazier, greenhouse manager at Ohio University, had propogation classes grow milkweeds from seed provided to him by Forest Botanist Cheryl Coon. These milkweeds and other nectar providing plants were planted in the pollinator gardens throughout the summer.

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CherylCoonccoon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Madagascar!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3268 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3268 9

Contributed by Dave Maercklein

As with most tropical countries, deforestation is a major environmental issue in Madagascar. Recent studies estimate that between 100,000 and 150,000 hectares of dense natural forest are lost every year due to harvesting and conversion to agriculture crops. Faced with this alarming trend, the President of the Republic of Madagascar increased by three times the country's protected areas and recognized the need to develop sustainable management plans for the forests of Madagascar.

Forest products use and demand are increasing in Madagascar and represents a major source of income for people living in rural areas. Preventing rural inhabitants of forest derived incomes causes them to shift to income generating activities that are more harmful to forest ecosystems such as land clearing for planting of cash crops.

With this concern in mind, the government wants to develop sustainable forest management plans to be implemented by local villagers. To help with this objective, Madagascar requested assistance from the US Forest Service to provide the technical assistance to prepare a prototype sustainable management plan for the forests in the central highlands of Madagascar.

This management plan will then serve as a model for the development of other management plans for the other forests of Madagascar and provide the foundation for the transfer of management from the Madagascar forestry service to private contractors using local villagers for administration.

The major uses of the forest of Madagascar's central highlands are lumber and charcoal production. Eucalyptus forests are managed mainly by the adjacent villages for making and selling of charcoal, the primary fuel in Madagascar for food preparation. The pine forests are managed for lumber production, but presently not at their potential.

Eucalyptus sprouts very readily after harvest while the pine regenerates profusely after a fire (wild or prescribed). The forests of the central highlands are also an important source of clean water for drinking and for the growing of rice, the main food crop of the Madagascar. The major concerns are the prevention and control of wildfires set by villagers to clear the land for cultivation of cash crops, provide clean water, and actively manage the forest for wood products generating income for the local villagers.

Hiawatha National Forest planner Dave Maercklein was given the opportunity to assist Madagascar. Maercklein's Peace Corps (Niger '75 - '78) and forest planning experience provided him with the necessary skills and background to assist Madagascar's foresters. He was given a time frame of two and a half weeks to write a management plan.

To Maercklein, this seemed like an impossible timeline -- the same feeling he had when told that the Hiawatha had two and a half years to prepare a revised forest plan! But, without the need to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and with no recreation or wildlife issues, Maercklein and the Madagascar foresters found they could complete a prototype management plan in the allotted time.

Maercklein had a great time, refreshing memories of his African Peace Corps days. Speaking French again was challenging at first because he had not spoken nor heard French since 1978. But, with the people of Madagascar's patience and help, by the time he left the country, he was getting back into the swing of French and learning Malagasy, the other official language of Madagascar.

As during his Peace Corps days, Maercklein immersed himself into the culture of Madagascar. When not working on the management plan, Maercklein enjoyed interacting with the people of Madagascar and hung out in the markets whenever possible. It is the markets where people gather, exchange news, and barter for produce -- markets are the center of life for every town, full of noise, smells, and energy.

As with the mainland of Africa, the people of Madagascar were especially friendly and helpful, and grateful for the assistance the Forest Service provided in developing a prototype forest management plan.

Maercklein's word of advice?

"If ever given the opportunity to visit another country on a work detail thru the Forest Service International Program, do it," he said. "You won't regret it."

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Fire Regimes of the Monongahela National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3298 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3298 9

The Monongahela National Forest was in need of knowing how fire regimes varied across their landscape. Existing fire regime maps were available (at 1 km pixel resolution), but not at the scale needed for carrying out their land management plan, specifically in regards to prescribed burning and ecosystem restoration.

Melissa Thomas-Van Gundy, then the Forest Ecologist, was tasked with creating a fire regime map at an appropriate scale for management use. To tackle this, Thomas-Van Gundy devised a rule-based approach within Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Available resource layers were evaluated and 4 data "themes" were ultimately selected: landtype association, potential natural vegetation (primary and secondary) and current forest type.

Features of each theme were assigned values according to their relationship to fire. Layers were then weighted and combined to create a fire-adaptation map. This map, in turn, was converted to a fire regime map using a nationally standardized classification. The map was verified using local tree-ring studies, which recorded past disturbance frequencies.

A full report has been recently published by the Northern Research Station where Thomas-Van Gundy now works, and is available at http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_nrs12.pdf.

Thomas-Van Gundy's initiative is another example of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation goal of Revolutionizing Effectiveness and Efficiency.

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GregoryNowackignowacki@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[UWSP Peace Corps Fellows Program]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3297 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3297 9

The US Forest Service entered into a partnership agreement with UWSP's Global Environmental Management Education Center (GEM) to support the Peace Corps Fellows Program. This program helps develop students for careers in natural resources conservation and management. Emphasis was placed on a community-based agro-forestry project serving an under-privileged community in northern Wisconsin.

Native American tribes from northern Wisconsin expressed an interest in growing heirloom plants and reviving "The Three Sisters" gardening method (a Native American technique intermixing corn, beans, and squash). As such, a graduate research project was geared to meet this need; specifically comparing The Three Sisters polyculture gardening method to component plants grown alone.

Rhea Martinez, a former Peace Corps worker, was selected for the fellowship. Supervised by Dr. Mai Phillips, GEM Senior Scientist, the project helped launch the GEM indigenous knowledge for sustainable development initiative. Two study sites in northern Wisconsin were planted using 4 treatments: The Three Sisters and monocultures of corn, beans, and squash. The Three Sisters produced the most food in terms of calories/acre compared to the monoculture treatments. Corn damage by raccoons was less in The Three Sisters plots vs. monoculture corn. Heirloom plants were found to be more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals compared to commercial varieties. Since this study was restricted to small-sized plots and one growing season, it is recommended that this research be continued using a higher number of larger plots (replicates) and over a number of growing seasons.

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GregoryNowackignowacki@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Top Conservation Honor Awarded to Hoosier National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3296 Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3296 9

The Hoosier's Early Successional Forest Management Team was recently awarded the prestigious 2007 Presidents Award.

The Wildlife Management Institute (WMI) honored team members Kelle Reynolds, Tom Thake, Cynthia Sandeno, and Clark McCreedy during the 72nd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Portland, Oregon, on March 23.

The Presidents Award recognizes an agency for ingenuity, originality, and accomplishments that significantly advance natural resources conservation in North America. Conservation professionals from across the nation submitted nominations for this award.

Early successional shrubland and young forest habitats have been declining dramatically from Indiana's landscape. Hundreds of native wildlife species such as prairie warblers, yellow-breasted chats, ruffed grouse, and blue-winged warblers have disappeared along with their habitats.

Since 2001, the team has been meeting the challenge of conserving these habitats and species.

In Indiana, early successional habitat generally is created through timber harvest or clearing habitat patches within the Forest. These practices have proved controversial in recent years as some organizations and individuals have stressed conserving old-growth and mature forests.

As part of its research, team members worked to complete a complex and comprehensive landscape assessment. The assessment included documenting current and historic landscape conditions for the Hoosier and Shawnee National Forests. More than 500 wildlife species were included in this detailed study.

"We saw a critical need to address declining early successional shrub and young forested habitats and the impact on wildlife," said Sandeno, a wildlife biologist. The team focused on developing management strategies to reverse waning bird populations that depend on these habitats.

She noted that without active management we could lose some of Indiana's native species in the next five years.

"This team deserves recognition for its tenacity, enthusiasm, and dedication to hard science, research and outreach," said Steven Williams, WMI's president.

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BradBowenblbowen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Engineering Goes Green]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3275 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3275 9

Ottawa's engineering and construction and maintenance crews are going "green!" The group recently attended a meeting where they learned about a new biobased lubricant that can be used on much of the equipment they require for their work. The new Bio-bar and chain (BBC) oil is a fully formulated biodegradable vegetable oil based product. It was developed to biodegrade when lost into the environment within 28 days of use. The oil provides high performance and a high level of tackiness with anti-wear, and extreme pressure additives that prevent oil fling off from chains and sprockets reduce wear of the equipment. The BBC oils are very tacky, tough, pitch dissolving lubricants that are recommended for chain bars and industrial chains and sprockets including those used in pulp and paper mills, saw mills, plywood mills and general manufacturing. The team is currently using the new oil on their chain saw bars and is looking at possible uses of it on other equipment in the future. Some of the other possible uses include chain drives and use on ATVs.

By using the new oil, the team not only looks to it's environmental benefits but hopes its use will reduce chain and bar maintenance and down time for the Forest.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hoosier NF hosts field trip for Indiana Foresters]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3274 Sat, 01 Sep 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3274 9

The summer meeting for the Indiana Society of American Foresters (ISAF) was held in Tell City, Indiana. Though the first day was spent touring a local paper mill and furniture manufacturer, the second day was spent largely on the Hoosier National Forest.

More than 40 Indiana foresters made five stops on the Forest. Silviculturists Chris Thornton and Tom Thake were able to showcase the timber management program and the success of past clearcuts. "We stressed the need to be patient with oak regeneration," said Thornton. "We often don't see it a dominant early component of young clearcuts, but if you give them time, in most of the sites we've studied, oak perseveres." The first stop on the Hoosier was a 25 year old clearcut that demonstrated the dominant and co-dominant trees now have a strong representation of oak as tulip poplar and other species. "This is an example of a stand where earlier it would have seemed that tulip poplar and other species were dominant but over time those other tress drop out and the oak percentage continues to increase," notes Thornton.

The second stop on the tour was a shortleaf pine stand that will be offered for sale this fall. Thake explained the restoration efforts the forest will be undertaking as it converts the pine, planted throughout the Forest on eroding hillsides to stabilize soils, back to native hardwoods. Thake explained how the sale would be administered to leave a stand of hardwoods while opening the stand up for new hardwood regeneration. Following the harvest the stands will be burned at least twice to help promote a component of oak and other species that depend of fire disturbance.

The third and fourth stops were designed to demonstrate the benefit of prescribed burning. The third stop demonstrated how prescribed burning was beneficial in maintaining a chestnut oak stand where once it was being lost to shade tolerant maple and beech and the final stop was how fire was able to help maintain a barrens community. Barrens are a globally imperiled ecosystem based on thin soils and include several rare species. "The benefits of burning were very evident to the group when comparing stands that had received several burns to those across the road that had never been burned," said Thornton. "Many of the foresters had never seen a barrens before and were pretty fascinated to hike around and see them. There were people keying out unusual plants, and some marveling over never having seen a blackjack oak before."

After the barrens visit, the group visited a research project on the Hoosier. Graduate students from Purdue University conducted a timber stand improvement study this summer. An earlier success story by Chris Thornton described their work in thinning young oak stands to different stocking levels. The students explained their study, showed the techniques used, and demonstrated the differences in various plots they'd developed.

As they left the Hoosier and over lunch at a local saw mill/woods crafts outlet, the foresters discussed the variety of management activities undertaken by the Forest. "The consensus was they were glad to see us managing timber and interested in the oak regeneration results and pine markets. It seemed to have gone over well and stirred up a lot of interest," admits Thornton.

The tour ended with a visit to lands owned by the nearby St Meinrad Catholic Abbey. American Energy Partner (AEP) foresters met the group at the edge of a new hardwood plantation and explained their aggressive program to lease lands and put in tree plantations that will sequester carbon. They had planted 13 former fields on Abbey lands and discussed how they monitored for carbon sequestration and the balancing of carbon emissions versus sequestration that their company was working towards.

"With several of our employees involved with Indiana SAF and serving in various offices in the organization, we as a Forest, have pretty high visibility in the profession. The tours and presentations we've given the last few years at their meetings have kept our credibility strong amongst our peers in the state, and I hope to see this continue for future ISAF meetings," said Thake.

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ThomasThaketthake@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Cooperative Weed Managment Areas Growing in the Eastern Region]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3273 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3273 9

Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMAs) are a great way to facilitate cooperation and coordination networking across jurisdictional boundaries. A CWMA is created when local citizens, landowners, and not-for-profit groups join together with city, county, state, tribal, and federal officials in order to share invasive plant management resources.

CWMAs have many benefits, among them are: they build community awareness and participation; they reduce the risk of control efforts to water and rare species by assuring that partners employ Best Management Practices; they provide an early detection and rapid response network; and help secure funding. CWMA activities include: education & awareness; prevention; monitoring; and integrated pest management.

CWMAs have been employed successfully in the Western United States and are increasing in the East. In the East, we face unique challenges, such as: fewer federal holdings; land is often divided into smaller parcels of multiple ownerships; human population densities are high; and Eastern states rarely have County Weed Supervisors, who are active in local invasive plant control.

Despite the obstacles, the Eastern Region now has nine CWMAs located on seven forests - with more in the works. The current CWMAs are listed below:

o Northwoods CWMA - Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

o Upper Chippewa Invasive Species Cooperative - Chequamegon-Nicolet NF

o Champlain Basin Invasive Plant Partnership of VT - Green Mountain & Finger Lakes NFs

o Partnership for Invasive Species Management (PRISM)/Finger Lakes Region - Green Moutain & Finger Lakes NFs

o Northwest Michigan CWMA - Huron-Manistee NFs

o Western UP CWPMA (Cooperative Weed Pest Management Area) - Ottawa NF

o River to River CWMA - Shawnee NF

o Iron Furnace CWMA of Southern OH - Wayne NF

o White Mountain Early Detection Network - White Mountain NF

For more information on these projects, as well as, CWMAs in general, please visit the MIPN/Midwest Invasive Plant Council website at http://www.mipn.org/cwma.html. It is a great source of information including a CWMA PowerPoint and a CWMA Cookbook for the East.

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janschultzjschultz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Conserving All Bird Species in the Eastern Region]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3276 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3276 9

The Eastern Region of the Forest Service spans seven Bird Conservation Regions and includes two major migratory bird flyways. Although our National Forests represent only a small percentage of land within this rich mosaic of bird habitats, forest-based activities and participation in multi-agency partnerships have produced measurable results for the North American Bird Conservation Initiative - an effort to provide "all-bird" conservation across the continent through regionally based, biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships. In 2007, we accomplished results through:

* Active Participation: The Eastern Region has representation in three multi-agency Joint Ventures (Central Hardwoods, Atlantic Coast, and Upper Mississippi River/Great Lakes [board membership]). We provide our expertise to help shape the bird conservation agenda across ownership boundaries.

* Working with Partners: Eastern Region bird conservation accomplishments often involved local partners.

= Boy Scouts of America helped build and erect bluebird and wood duck nest boxes on the Wayne NF

= Green Mountain NF worked with Ruffed Grouse Society and Orvis Corporation to maintain and/or increase permanent forest openings and promote stand replacement of decadent aspen and birch stands with vigorous regrowth of aspen, birch and other hardwoods; benefiting grouse and other early-succession forest birds.

* Multiple Benefits: Most project accomplishments benefit more than one species.

= Partnering with the Ohio DNR, the Wayne NF provide early successional habitat for a variety of plant and animal species including quail, wild turkeys and grassland birds. Similar projects were completed on the Mark Twain, Finger Lakes and Huron-Manistee NFs.

= Blueberry management on the Green Mountain NF provided habitat for game birds and landbirds and increased recreational opportunities.

* Increasing Knowledge: Surveys, syntheses and outreach projects contributed to bird conservation in the Eastern Region.

= The Common Loon Conservation Partnership on the Ottawa NF completed loon chick surveys and provided educational tools such as signage at boat landings, public meetings, and direct contact with forest users.

= Academic institutions partnered with our Forests to conduct surveys and research on bird populations. These efforts included Lake Superior State University collected data for the 17th year on the Ottawa NF; The Natural resources research Institute and the university of Wisconsin-Green Bay conducted bird surveys on the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF, continuing an effort that spans over two decades.

= The Eastern Region Regional Office initiated a conservation assessment for the western Great Lakes population of the Northern Goshawk and provided funding toward the development of a region-wide goshawk survey.

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JohnCurnuttjcurnutt@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Youth Group Lends Services to Wayne NF and Community]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3262 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3262 9

On July 26 and 27, 2007 a group of 87 energetic teens and young adults (age 14-18) from all around the Tri-state area came to the Wayne National Forest to fulfill their goals for the 2007 Youth Conference Service Project. These young representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) accomplished over 1000 volunteer hours of service to our community in a whirlwind of activity during their 3-day campout on the Forest. The group camped at the Two Points Group Campground accompanied by adult volunteers who supervised the activities and prepared food for the participants.

The Forest provided a variety of activities for these service-minded folks to participate in: putting a coat of paint on 6 buildings in the Vesuvius Recreation Area, installing split rail fencing, brushing and clearing trails, removal of hazard trees in Oak Hill Campground, removing invasive species on approximately 5 acres of trails, and planting 2 plant butterfly gardens with 60 plants of 12 different native species.

Cindy Henderson, Ironton Engineering Tech, planned and coordinated the event for the Forest. "This was an incredible group of kids, they worked really hard the entire time they were here," she said. "Even the severe thunderstorms that rolled through while they were working did not dampen the lively spirit of these youngsters." Each evening the group endured high winds and hail but still reported they had a great time. It wasn't all work and no play however; on Friday afternoon before they left, the youth went canoeing on Lake Vesuvius, hiking, and enjoying the Vesuvius Recreation Area.

Chad Kirschbaum coordinated three of the projects the LDS youth helped with: invasive plant removal and planting a butterfly and native plant garden. The youth worked with Master Gardner Cecilia Scarberry to establish the garden at the District Office and complete the plantings, learning about native plants and pollination in the process. They also planted a native species garden at the entrance to the Rock House Trail. The youth became familiar with the problems associated with invasive species as they rolled up their sleeves and eradicated these invaders from 2 sections of the backpack trail and the Archery Trail Hollow.

Gloria Chrismer, Ironton District Ranger expressed the appreciation of all district employees for the dedication and hard work of these volunteers, "The amount of work these kids accomplished in the past 2 days has been tremendous. We were delighted to have such a fine group on the Forest." She added, "Our employees thought they were terrific group to work with and commended them on the impressive job they did to improve the looks and safety of the largest recreation area in our community."

Although the youth conference is held annually, Chrismer explained the conference includes a service project only every fourth year. "We hope they want to return in four years and we'll be happy to sponsor another work program at Lake Vesuvius!"

Henderson notes she couldn't have coordinated the event without the help of every person on the Ironton District. She commended Tom Eaches and John Brown for their help with planning and organizing the recreation projects. The recreation projects completed included: hazard tree removal at Oak Hill Campground and removal of down trees across the Archery Trail and Two Points Trail. They also brushed and cleared the Horse Trail reroute around the new archery trail area and closed the old trail accesses on each end. Another great project for the group was the installing split rail fencing at the Horse Trail Reroute and the Furnace Shelter Walking Trail.

Along with district personnel there were also seasonal employees and three volunteers (1 Master Gardener, 1 school teacher, and 1 high school student) who played a major role. These completed the ensemble of leadership to direct and assist the army of volunteers. The Summitt Prison Crew is also credited for doing some of the preparatory work in preparation for the volunteers.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Hoosiers "fired up" about starting a CWMA in southern Indiana]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3258 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3258 9

Kitty Perkinson, Coordinator of the White River RC&D said her phone has been busy since last Thursday's organizational meeting for a Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) in southern Indiana. "I've had calls from newspapers, extension agents, other RC&Ds - everyone wanting to know more about the CWMA and how they can be involved." Perkinson said, "It sure seems like people came out of the meeting fired up and must be telling everyone they know because the word has sure spread."

People attended the meeting from several counties in southern Indiana and included many who had participated in the March workshop on Alien Invasives. Others who attended included representatives from city and county parks departments, Department of Defense lands, Indiana DNR, INDOT, National Wildlife Refuge managers, Purdue University, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Sycamore Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, school teachers interested in getting students involved, and other RC&D's and interested landowners.

The White River RC&D has asked Lincoln Hills, Four Rivers and Historic Hoosier Hills to partner with them to cover the southern 1/3 of the state. These four RC&Ds incorporate the unglaciated ecoregions and the group believed they would share several common issues. In the days following the meeting, Perkinson reported other RC&D's have expressed an interest in joining this effort to address the issue of invasive species

While the group who showed up for the August 16 meeting were not initially sure what a CWMA was, they now all agreed that they wanted to be a part of any initiative that involved controlling the escalating problem with invasive species. Tom Tremain, Indiana Forest Woodland Owners Association; Janet Eger, Indiana Department of Natural Resources; and Teena Ligman, Hoosier National Forest - all members of the White River RC&D Forestry Committee - gave a presentation to a crowd of 30 people on what a CWMA was and how it could be organized.

A CWMA is a local weed management organization, led by a steering committee and organized under an agreement that integrates invasive plant management resources across boundaries. The group works together to detect, prevent, educate, monitor, and control or eliminate invasive species in southern Indiana.

Officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation commented on their frustrations to control invasives when they could only spray to the right-of-way boundary line and how often the population of invasives just kept coming back, leading most to feel they were wasting their time and resources. The INDOT representatives thought if they were able to work with landowners they might actually have a chance to get some of the invasives along highway right-of-ways under control.

The organizational meeting has already triggered spinoffs. There is now interest in other parts of the state and one of the school teachers who attended hopes to make invasives one of the main focuses of this year's Hoosier Association of Science Teachers annual meeting and get more teachers and students involved.

The group believed more of their fellow citizens needed to be informed, and suggested a series of information meetings to be held at other locations across southern Indiana this fall. They thought it best to establish a CWMA in southern Indiana and as the interest spreads, the whole state may be covered. Some offered to participate on the steering committee, and others agreed to host one of the informational meetings in their community.

How the southern Indiana CWMA will be organized will be hammered out by the steering committee but the consensus at the meeting seemed to lean toward a broad parent organization for all of southern Indiana that would do the grant writing, prepare memorandums of understanding agreements, etc; with chapter affiliates by RC&D or County which would have autonomy to prioritize projects within their areas. In addition to people signing up for the steering committee some expressed an interest in serving on other committees such as outreach or education.

Perkinson related that her counterpart at the Sycamore Trails RC&D woman (a 10 county RC&D centered out of Greencastle, IN) said a gentleman from her area had attended our meeting and was in her office the next day pumped up and ready to get started right then. He wanted her to help figure out how their RC&D could be part of the CWMA. Perkinson laughed, "She said she doesn't know what we told the group but we sure had one man fired up and ready to get started." Perkinson said the Hoosier Heartland RC&D out of Indianapolis also called and said our workshop was all they'd heard about the last few days and wanted to know if they could join us as well.

She sighed, "We've got the ball rolling now and I'm not sure we could stop it if we wanted to!" For those of us interested in starting a CWMA in southern Indiana, it doesn't get much better than that!!

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Partners work with Hoosier to renovate wetland habitat]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3257 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3257 9

Through partnerships and monitoring, 41 acres of wetland habitat were saved and improved on the Hoosier National Forest this year at the Roland Riparian Area and the Otter Creek Wetland. While conducting periodic monitoring of wildlife and levee maintenance in March; Larry Allen, Adam Norman, and Bill Seegers, equipment operators for Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, identified severe gully erosion on the emergency spillways of two major wetland restoration sites. Unusually high precipitation during the winter of 2006-07 had caused excessive use of the vegetated emergency spillways for the wetland complexes.

Zach Rigg, Hoosier NF Soil Scientist, assessed the damage and cause of erosion. He determined that the structures did not incorporate enough flood storage and discharged emergency overflow too close to vertical banks of the adjacent rivers. Rigg requested assistance from the Hoosier's wildlife partner, IDNR, through Dennis Eger, Public Access South Assistant Manager.

Eger and Rigg redesigned the spillways and levees to dissipate emergency spillway flow. A second design feature was implemented that included a principal spillway with a "stoplog" inlet. The new inlet structure serves a number functions:

* provides relief for vegetated emergency spillways

* allows for control of the water level to manipulate vegetation and diversify habitat

* enables the impoundment to be drained quickly for maintenance

Construction began on the sites in May starting with Otter Creek and completed at Roland in June. Again the IDNR partners stepped up by providing the construction equipment and operators to make the repairs. The construction equipment included an excavator, two bulldozers, and an agricultural tractor operated by Allen, Norman, and Seegers.

Our partners were able to help ensure citizens remained connected to the land. "This is a worthwhile investment on our part," claimed John Johnson, IDNR, Property Manager Public Access South. "Not only are we saving the existing wetland habitat, but we're providing more diversity with the new design for the wildlife users of Indiana".

Throughout the process other goals were achieved. At Otter Creek, a 1.5-acre stand of Reed Canarygrass, Tall Fescue, and other non-native pasture grasses were controlled by blading with bulldozers, then burying the vegetation as earthfill in non-critical areas. All disturbed areas were then seeded with a mix of Switchgrass, Virginia Wildrye, and Partridge Pea and accompanied by an annual cover crop.

Having the wetland drained for an extended period of time allowed the IDNR equipment operators the opportunity to control a monoculture of common cocklebur that has inhabited the dry bed of the wetland. The plants were mechanically controlled and an annual cover crop was seeded to compete with the cocklebur this year. The Hoosier plans to monitor the site and vary the water level to encourage more desirable hydrophitic plants to colonize the wetland instead.

"In the past few years the only thing that grows in this wetland unit is Cocklebur," states Larry Allen. "The waterfowl seem to like more diverse vegetation (at other wetlands on the Hoosier)."

At Roland, Hoosier archeologist Angie Krieger took advantage of having an excavator on site. Deep tests pits for a heritage resource survey were excavated for a future project under analysis on the same property. The survey involved another partner, Natural Resources Conservation Service soil scientists, Genny Helt, Dena Marshal, and Steve Neyhouse, who assisted in soils descriptions to help identify potentially inhabitable surfaces.

This declining ecosystem was protected at the expense to the Hoosier of under $3,200. Using partnerships we were able increase effectiveness and efficiency of the project.

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ZachRiggzdrigg@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Horseback Riding Groups lend a hand on the Hoosier]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3256 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3256 9

Youngs Creek Trailhead was abuzz with activity on Saturday August 18. Each year, the Southern Indiana Backcountry Horsemen and members of the Orange County Saddle Club volunteer several days to help the Hoosier with a trail project. Many of the horsemen and women travel a long way to volunteer at the annual event. The volunteers do a wonderful job and accomplish a lot of work in one day!

This year, eighteen eager volunteers showed up for the work day, and with the help of Orange County Saddle Club member Lynn Gilliatt's tractor operator expertise, Tell City Recreation Technician Randy Lutz's hauling and drilling skills, and just plain old elbow grease, many old rotting highline posts were removed and 20 brand new posts were installed. It would have taken Forest Service recreation employees many days to accomplish what the volunteers accomplished in one day.

In addition to the highline post installation, several of the volunteers walked the south section of the Youngs Creek Trail and brushed out 4.1 miles of trail. Fortunately, the weather was absolutely beautiful on Saturday, there was a break in the extreme hot temperatures and working conditions were very pleasant. The camaraderie of the volunteers was evident as we all had fun working together removing and carrying away old posts, drilling holes for the rope, carrying new posts to their respective locations, and installing the new posts.

After the work was done, we enjoyed an ice cream treat courtesy of the Hoosier Backcountry Horsemen. The Hoosier Backcountry Horsemen and Orange County Saddle Club volunteers are great groups to work with and we really appreciate all their generous hard work!

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NancyMyersnmyers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Bats of the World Unite]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3244 Mon, 27 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3244 9

On August 11, 2007 the 6th Annual Bat Festival took place at Indiana State University to honor the most misunderstood of winged animals - bats. Experts from around the Great Lakes Region converged on the campus to promote bat conservation, and Hoosier National Forest employees were on hand to help educate the public about the benefits, misunderstandings, and uniqueness of bats. "What a great opportunity to talk to hundreds of people about why bats are important and why our National Forests are important to bats," remarked Cindy Sandeno, Wildlife Biologist.

This full day event included presentations about how to build bat houses, bat research in Indiana, bat conservation, public health, echolocation, and much more. And, the all-day event featured live bat programs by the Organization for Bat Conservation including local species of bats, and one of the largest bats in the world - the Malayan flying fox. This creative event used a variety of methods to intrigue and educate everyone about bats.

Co-hosted by the Organization for Bat Conservation and the Indiana State University Center for Research and Conservation of North American Bats, the event held something for everyone. The day included talks by leading bat experts, conservation exhibits, an inflatable cave for kids to explore, kids activities, story time for kids, the new Forest Service film "Caves: Life Beneath the Forest," book authors, bat house information, and lots of bat merchandise for sale. The University even introduced their first publication, "Bats of Indiana."

The Hoosier National Forest hosted hourly showings of the film, "Caves: Life Beneath the Forest," provided children's activities throughout the day, and provided information on the Hoosier's Cave and Bat Conservation program. "I can't believe how many kids and adults are here, learning about bats," said Brian Peoples, SCEP Student.

Presentations and activities ran from 10 am to 5 pm, and was followed by an evening family-style barbeque. Approximately 1,100 people attended the festival. And, immediately after the barbeque, bat experts demonstrated how bat research is conducted during the "Bat Science Night" experience. Researchers showed participants bat netting, radio-tagging, bat detectors, light tagging, and much more.

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CynthiaSandenocmsandeno@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Brook Trout Genetics Used to Prioritize Stream Crossing Improvement Projects]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3255 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3255 9

In order to make informed decisions about prioritization of stream restoration locations within watersheds that achieve fish diversity objectives, managers need information about relative risk to population persistence at specific locations. The risk to each particular population needs to be considered against the costs associated with investing funds for restoration activities designed to reduce risk to population persistence.

Anne Timm's ongoing graduate research is a collaborative partnership with several Eastern Region national forests, the Northern Research Station, Virginia Polytechnic and State University and the United States Geological Survey Biological Research Station genetics lab at the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.

The project will use native eastern brook trout genetic markers and will attempt to incorporate genetic diversity and previously identified threats to brook trout populations to develop a population viability model for assessing risk to particular population's persistence.

The proposed model will focus on brook trout populations that are influenced by culvert barriers to movement at stream crossings, which has been identified as one of the most significant threats to stream fish community diversity.

Aquatic resource professionals in our region acknowledge that watershed-wide management plans that focus on maintaining and restoring aquatic ecosystems are crucial for sustaining our aquatic biota communities and their associated habitats.

There will always be more stream crossings that are movement barriers to improve within a given watershed than the limited funds allocated, so developing tools for prioritization based on necessary habitat functions, risks to genetic persistence of target species, and cost is essential for efficient use of funds. Brook trout have experienced significant population declines and is the only native salmonid of the eastern United States.

Forests in the Eastern Region hope to benefit from the tools developed from Timm's effort. Region 9 has been inventorying and assessing road-stream crossings for the past several years to identify migration barriers for all aquatic communities.

Forest staffs have to compete for limited funds to restore stream channels so costs for improvement will include materials, labor, and long-term maintenance. Information from this study can be used in combination with identified high risk brook trout populations to identify sites that have the lowest cost values and highest reduction in risk values.

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AndrewMadsenandrewmadsen@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Aerial Stocking in High Elevation Ponds Benefits Wilderness]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3253 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3253 9

The Green Mountain National Forest (GMNF) in cooperation with Vermont Game and Fish Department (VGFD) continues the aerial stocking of native eastern brook trout in high mountain wilderness ponds using helicopters.

Historical records indicate that stocking of the high elevation lakes and ponds dates to the early 1970s, but some biologists from the state of Vermont think stocking initially occurred in the 1950s. Stocking was originally conducted using fixed wing aircraft in the spring and snowmobiles during the winter months.

Natural populations of native brook trout are not sustained due to human effects of acid deposition and sedimentation. From the late 1700s up to the early 1900s, Vermont landscapes changed from 90-95 percent forested cover to less than 35 percent forest. These changes resulted in substantial erosion over most landscapes and significant amounts of sediment input into aquatic ecosystems.

Historical impacts are still seen today, and mitigation by dredging sediments or bringing in trout spawning gravels is not feasible in wilderness settings. Aerial stocking is minimally intrusive.

Forest personnel followed the minimum requirements decision guide and other agency guidelines for wilderness fish and wildlife management to evaluate high elevation pond fish stocking effects and appropriateness. This was accomplished to insure compatibility with wilderness management laws and direction.

Stocking of young/small brook trout is the least invasive means of approaching the natural wilderness conditions of having a population of trout with multiple ages and size classes as wild populations would have. High elevation ponds are desirable as a brook trout recreational fishery and provide a unique experience in remote wilderness areas.

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NickSchmalnschmal@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Using the Media to Get the Word Out on Invasive Species]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3251 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3251 9

The "Threat Campaign" is an innovative series of multimedia outreach messages targeted to the hunting and fishing community, as well as the general public, to stop the spread of invasive species. It includes television, print, billboards, dioramas and Public Service Announcement's (PSA's).

All messages are crafted to gain quick attention and to take advantage of current thought trends and concerns of the American public. Headlines include: "America's Most Wanted," "Warning," "Fugitives," "Invaders," and "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!"

Wildlife Forever and the Eastern Regional Office created unique partnerships with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and media corporations to leverage resources and target the invasive species message to the means of delivery.

For the pilot year in Minnesota, television, radio broadcasts, print ads, highway billboards, and airport dioramas successfully reached a targeted audience of over 125 million Americans with a tailored message promoting best management practices for fighting the invasion of exotic aquatic species.

The partnership pooled together $111,988 for the effort. With discounts obtained through Wildlife Forever's unique relationships, the Threat Campaign's market value was almost a quarter of a million dollars. The 2006 "Threat Campaign" reached 1,123 people with every dollar invested in outreach.

In 2007, the campaign spread from Minnesota to Iowa and Wisconsin with billboards also created and displayed in the states of Wyoming and Nevada. In addition, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is conducting boater and angler surveys at key boat launch locations to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach and prevention activities, including use of highway billboards.

For more information on aquatic hitchhikers, go to http://www.protectyourwaters.net

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NickSchmalnschmal@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chippewa NF Unique Partnership Saves Showy Lady Slippers]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3248 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3248 9

The Chippewa National Forest in North Central Minnesota is developing a unique public-private partnership to mitigate and reduce impacts of a highway upgrade along 15 miles of Trunk Highway 39, the Ladyslipper Scenic Highway. The highway upgrade is necessary to improve safety and travel speed on an important corridor that provides the most direct route to recreational sites and businesses between the major highway corridor of U.S. Hwy. 2 and the Village of Blackduck, Minnesota.

The major challenge of the partnership is to ensure that a population of several thousand Showy Lady's Slippers, the state flower of Minnesota, are not irreparably damaged or eliminated during the highway upgrade. The Pennington Orchid bog along this route, is one of the most prolific producers of orchids in the upper Midwest.

A citizen's Scenic Byway Committee has worked with local governments and landowners to provide education resources about the highway upgrade and the possible impact to the orchids, and is very active in the ecological planning to ensure the survival of the colonies.

The partnership between the Forest Service and community involves matching the sophisticated resource mapping and ecological management skills of the Forest Service, with the enthusiasm and local involvement of citizens. The Forest Service provided the global positioning tools and personnel necessary to conduct flower location surveys, and to make maps of all the major orchid colonies along the highway.

Ray Newman, a Forest Service Plant Ecologist, organized local volunteers to conduct the yearly surveys during the Lady's Slippers flowering period. Volunteers helped survey the entire highway corridor and noted rough numbers, condition, size and distance from the road for all Lady's Slipper colonies.

Data for each point is recorded and analyzed jointly using the visualization tools of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Accurate locations of the orchids is used to help design the road to maintain at least some of the colonies. Having precise colony information also allows efficient transplant, so that salvage operations can move the orchids to areas that contain a certain necessary for their survival.

The ability to work with microorganism populations that are symbiotic (in partnership) with those higher plants that humans wish to manage effectively, may be an important legacy of this human partnership.

"We are still at the conceptual stage for working with fungal partners, but our human partnerships may be an important step in understanding how to successfully manage orchids along roadsides," Newman said.

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MelissaRickersmrickers@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Developing Blister Rust Resistant Eastern White Pine]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3247 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3247 9

Eastern white pine were a major component of pre-settlement forests in the Lake States. Today they are under represented in many areas. Most of the national forests in the Lake States plan to increase the component of white pine on the lands they manage.

In some areas, restoration of white pine is hampered by blister rust, an exotic disease that was introduced to the Lake States around 1900. Blister rust is especially problematic in northeastern Minnesota where more than three quarters of the trees have been infected in some plantations.

We have known for many years that some white pine have natural genetic resistance to this disease. The Eastern Region plans to support white pine restoration in the Lake States by developing sources of rust-resistant white pine seed, especially for northeast Minnesota. The genetics of rust resistance has been studied in western pines, but largely ignored in eastern white pine. Anecdotal evidence suggested rust resistance was inherited differently in eastern white pine than it was in western pines and that techniques used in the West would not work here.

A test in progress at the Oconto River Seed Orchard in northeastern Wisconsin is evaluating the genetics of rust resistance in eastern white pine. This is done by inoculating young white pine with blister rust and monitoring the development of symptoms on each tree. This project used techniques and equipment that had been developed by plant pathologists in the Research component of the U.S. Forest Service.

Preliminary results indicate that rust resistance is strongly inherited in eastern white pine, that it is determined by multiple genes, and that the techniques used in the West ought to work here as well.

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PaulBerrangpberrang@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Certifying Experts in Forest Vegetation Management]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3246 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3246 9

The Eastern Region has a continuing need for skilled professionals who are able to apply the art and science of managing forest stands on a sustainable basis. These individuals, called silviculturists, are expected to have a very high level of knowledge and skills in areas as diverse as ecological classification, site assessment, prescribed fire, forest growth, logging systems, forest insects and diseases, scenery management, forest genetics, and reforestation.

In the U.S. Forest Service, silviculturists are formally certified to perform their job. Certification is preceded by several years of experience in the forest; completion of a graduate-level educational program, and the successful defense of a silvicultural prescription. Their prescription includes a thorough description of the site, management objectives, existing stand, desired future stand, treatment alternatives, and detailed instructions for implementation and monitoring the treatment that will best meet the objectives. Candidates defend their prescription in the stand for which it is written.

In 2007, 10 candidates successfully defended their prescriptions before panels of research scientists, university professors, Forest Supervisors, and currently certified silviculturists. After several hours of intense questioning they were judged qualified to prepare silvicultural prescriptions for treatments on National Forests.

Joining the ranks of 49 existing silviculturists in the Eastern Region, these individuals will provide critical information to interdisciplinary teams, the public, decision-makers, and practitioners. The resulting actions will help sustain National Forests to meet society's objectives for many years to come.

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MikeAblutzmablutz@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Forests in the Northeast Search for Healthy Butternut]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3245 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3245 9

The accidental introduction of new diseases can devastate native species. Large numbers of butternut are being killed by butternut canker, a disease that is probably of exotic origin. In most areas more than 95 percent of the trees are infected and more than a quarter of them are dead. The Eastern Region has identified butternut as a sensitive species, meaning it deserves special consideration.

It is believed that some of the few remaining healthy butternut have natural genetic resistance to this disease. However, butternut is a short-lived tree and without intervention many of these rare healthy trees may die without regenerating themselves. There is an urgent need to find these trees and preserve them before it is too late. An Eastern Region Special Project is helping locate these trees on national forests.

During the past year, these searches have been conducted on parts of the Mark Twain National Forest in southeastern Missouri, the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania and the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. The Forest Service has cooperated with local experts on butternut canker in conducting these searches. Hundreds of butternuts were examined on each Forest to find the remaining healthy trees.

The Eastern Region plans to collect twigs from the top of the healthiest trees and graft them onto seedlings. These clones of the healthy trees will be planted in groups on the Forests where they originated. In the future, these clusters of healthy, locally adapted butternut will provide a source of seed for butternut restoration plantings.

This is another example of Protecting Ecosystems Across Boundaries, a key facet of the Eastern Region's Courageous Conservation vision.

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PaulBerrangpberrang@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Brings Surveying and Mapping to County Fair]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3243 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3243 9

This year the Ottawa National Forest, located on the western end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, again participated in the Gogebic County Fair. Every year, the Forest looks to do something a little different that will bring in fair-goers and help them understand the many resources that the Forest offers. This year's exhibit was titled "Surveying and Mapping - Evolution of the Ottawa".

The exhibit featured original corner posts which still had the original survey marks scribed into them, photos and information about surveying equipment provided by the Forest Surveyor. A large variety of maps from as early as the 1930's showed how the Ottawa has evolved over the years. These were created by the Ottawa's GIS team specifically for the fair and demonstrated to visitors what the Forest is capable of accomplishing with this new technology.

There was something for children, too. One section of the large display area was set aside for children, although we did see quite a few adults getting excited about the Kids Corner as well. A large table was set up with a variety of animal pelts, skulls, scat and information cards. Kids loved the opportunity to actually touch the pelts and skulls. Another section for the children was titled "Pollinator Corner" and included posters, live crickets, a monarch chrysalis (which everyone hoped would produce a butterfly during the fair), an ant farm, honeycombs, pollinator word games and a chance for kids to guess how many cockroaches (plastic) were in a container.

The new Ottawa portable exhibit panels, which highlight the many faces of the Ottawa, were also included in the booth area and made an impressive addition to the whole Ottawa exhibit.

Smokey was there of course, to remind the kids of the dangers of wild fires, also passing out hugs to those kids and adults eager to get close to him.

Forest employees staffed the popular booth answering questions about bugs, animals and invasives and the many recreation opportunities available to everyone.

Fair goers were appreciative of the efforts put forth by the Ottawa to bring a presence to the fair and enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions about the Forest and to visit with employees staffing the booth.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Northeast Fire Compact]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3242 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3242

The Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission, called the Northeast Fire Compact, held their annual Commissioner's meeting at the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH in August 2007. This year's meeting was hosted by the State of New Hampshire and the White Mountain National Forest.

Approximately 50 people participated in this session to help guide the direction and work of the Compact for the next year.

The Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission is the pioneer forest fire protection compact in the United States. The great fires in 1903, 1908 and 1913 impressed upon the region the need for better fire prevention and suppression. After the Maine fires of 1947, a series of multiple fires burning over 250,000 acres, people realized that a single state could not afford to employ and equip a forest fire fighting organization adequate enough to cope with a holocaust such as this. Something had to be done. Congress recognized the need for closer cooperation among the states to fight forest fires and in 1949 passed an Act establishing the first regional compact to prevent and control forest fires in the Northeast.

Seven states -- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York -- joined in 1949 and 1950; the Canadian provinces of Québec and New Brunswick later became members in 1969 and 1970, making this the first international compact. In 1996 Nova Scotia joined the Compact. The White Mountain and Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests joined in 1996 as associate members under the name of the New England National Forests and Newfoundland - Labrador joined in 2007.

The governing body of the Compact is the "Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Commission." Each state is represented by three commissioners - the state forester, a state legislator and a governor's representative. Each Canadian province also designates three commissioners.

For the past 3 years the Compact has sent wildland fire resources to Québec to assist that Compact member in fighting up to two million acres of wildfire. It has also sent its own Incident Management Team to manage a series of fires in the State of Georgia in 2007.

The Compact continues to develop and provide the latest in wildland fire training as well as sharing information and technology developments to keep its members at the forefront in wildland fire management.

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ColleenMainvillecmainville@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Chequamegon-Nicolet NF and Volunteers improve Deerskin River Fishing]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3241 Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3241

Submitted by Kyra Walton, Eagle River-Florence Ranger District

Trout fishing along the Deerskin River has improved thanks to the USDA Forest Service along with Trout Unlimited volunteers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR).

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest's Deerskin River is a Class I trout stream that originates from Long Lake in northeast Vilas County. Class I trout streams are considered to be high quality trout waters. Between 1930 and 1940 the Deerskin River was the site of a Civilian Conservation Corps trout hatchery.

The Deerskin River was also used by loggers in the early 1900s to move pine logs to sawmills. Consequently, several logging dams were constructed along the river. The logging dams were removed in the 1930s and 1940s but were replaced by beaver dams, which resulted in heavy sedimentation and bank erosion.

Beginning in the 1960s several miles of the Deerskin River were enhanced by the installation of bank cover structures, stream deflectors, and half-logs. Since 1979 there has been periodic removal of encroaching alder and installation and maintenance of other stream enhancing structures.

Currently the stream channel is being widened by alder branches redirecting stream flow into the banks. This bank erosion is leading to increased sedimentation and the alder is reducing in-stream fish-ability.

The Forest Service, WDNR, and Trout Unlimited have worked together the past two summers to remove the alder growing out into the stream in addition to constructing brush bundles. Brush bundles narrow and deepen the stream channel by helping new stream banks to form. Over one mile of stream has been treated so far, and work is planned to continue until the stream corridor is fully restored.

The Deerskin River cooperative work is a shining example of what can be accomplished when different organizations come together with a common goal.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Moonwalking Into the History of Camp Willow in Missouri]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3240 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3240 9

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp Willow was one of a series of "Walk When the Moon is Full" programs sponsored by the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs Ranger District of Mark Twain National Forest this summer. Shared Services Archeologist James Halpern presented a history of Camp Willow followed by a video presentation of the CCC in Missouri produced by Phil Helfrich of the Missouri Department of Conservation, along with a walking tour of the site.

The CCC at Camp Willow worked in support of the Forest Service; their first priority was fire suppression and prevention. To ensure more adequate fire protection, they built 60 miles of roads and truck trails and constructed four lookout towers.

Their second priority was forest improvement and the development of more desirable forest types; during the first three years of camp operation, approximately 1500 acres were seeded or transplanted with trees. Camp Willow CCC also constructed the Willow Springs Forest Service administration offices, and Noblett Lake Dam and pavilion. Camp Willow is one of the highlight stops for visitors to see as they drive through the National Forest.

This site is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places because it is associated with events that have made a contribution to our broad pattern of history and has information important to our local history.

Eighteen moon walkers attended the Camp Willow CCC program. A few attendees had relatives who worked at Camp Willow or other CCC camps. Some shared stories of the CCC and some came to learn about the contributions made by their family members during this time.

This is an example of our Eastern Region vision goal of Connecting Citizens to the Land.

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CharlotteWigginscwiggins@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Interagency Efforts Support Piping Plover Recovery]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3170 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3170 9

Together with other federal and state agencies, tribal governments, universities, other organizations and private citizens, staff of the Huron-Manistee National Forests participated in annual monitoring and banding of the endangered shorebird, the piping plover.

The high degree of threat and low recovery potential led to the 1986 listing of the piping plover as an endangered species. Formerly known to nest in 20 counties along the Great Lakes, increased human recreation and development of the plover's habitat over the past 100 years has led to declining populations and the federal endangered status.

Once considered common, by 1986, only 17 nesting pairs remained. Annual surveys, which began in 2001, are conducted during the nesting season.

Over 200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline have been designated as critical habitat, including nearly five miles within the Huron-Manistee National Forests and an additional 3.7 miles in the adjacent Ludington State Park.

Though their nests have not been documented on Forest Service lands, piping plover fledglings are seen nearly every year along the shores of Lake Michigan within Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness and the adjoining Lake Michigan Recreation Area. These birds are either migrating through or are wandering from nests on adjacent State land.

The potential for active nesting on the Huron-Manistee National Forests' lands will likely increase as plover populations recover and available nesting sites are more fully utilized, particularly if human, pet and predator intrusions can be controlled or reduced.

Chief among the threats to piping plover include habitat alteration and destruction, predation, and disturbance by humans and dogs, particularly during the April through August nesting season. Increased numbers of gulls and other predators drawn by garbage also compromise the piping plover. The mere presence of pets in potential nesting areas is a growing concern.

Nearby Ludington State Park, with their prohibition of dogs in the beach areas during plover nesting season, had increasing nesting success whereas similar critical habitat within the national forest had none.

"The most critical task that staff does to promote piping plovers within our forest boundaries is enforcing the control of dogs so as to not disturb either the plover or other species' habitat," says Chris Schumacher, wildlife biologist on the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger District.

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MarkCurtissmcurtiss@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Federally Listed Threatened Species Re-emerging on the Shawnee National Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3235 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3235 9

By Elizabeth Shimp

In 2007, the Mead's milkweed has made an extraordinary show on the Shawnee National Forest. Prescribed burns conducted this spring in milkweed habitat stimulated a hearty response from the native plants with a record number of plants emerging.

About 30 percent more plants sprouted this year compared to the previous record of 27 plants set in 1999. The new record set in 2007 is 38 plants sprouting in burned-over landscape. The Mead's milkweed habitat on the Forest had not been prescribed burned in over ten years.

In March, 2007 the Shawnee National Forest introduced fire into four areas that contain the milkweed. The fire appears to have done its job and created very favorable conditions for this federally listed, threatened species. Future prescribed burns are expected as part of the recovery effort lined out for the Mead's milkweed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Less than forty plants may not seem like a big deal, but for a threatened species listed under the Endangered Species Act, more is definitely better. Historically, the Mead's milkweed was found in six states in the mid-west: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Wisconsin. Populations in Indiana and Wisconsin have totally vanished.

Although this species likely occurred over most of Illinois, records from the 1800s only documented it in 9 counties. In Illinois today, the Mead's milkweed is only found at four sites, all on the Hidden Springs Ranger District of the Shawnee National Forest in Saline County.

The Mead's milkweed occurs in thin soil glades or barrens habitat that has never been plowed in Illinois. All of these habitat areas are managed by the Forest Service as natural areas to preserve them for this species. In viewing aerial photos from the 1930s, the sites on the Forest where this species is known to have existed were more open and glade-like than they are today.

Trees and shrubs have grown in these habitats, changing on the ground conditions. The abundant woody growth out-competes the Mead's milkweed, a species that does not do well in shady conditions, therefore will not sprout. The plants remain in the soil, but only sprout when sufficient sunlight reaches the forest floor.

In the past, prescribed fire was shown to promote favorable conditions for the milkweed. Woody plant removal, facilitated by the fire, is essential in relieving this species from aggressive competition. Historic knowledge is supported by scientific research which shows fire stimulates Mead's milkweed plant growth and enhances population vigor.

Like many prairie species, the Mead's milkweed is adapted to and thrives under habitat conditions created by periodic fire. The plant's population increase in flowering, reproduction and seedling establishment subsequent to fire allows for an enhanced genetic diversity and a healthier population.

Challenge cost share partners Marlin Bowles and Jenny McBride of the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois and Bob Lindsay and his student interns from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources have been critical to the recovery efforts of the Mead's milkweed on the Forest.

For more information on Mead's milkweed recovery visit please the following website: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/plants/.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Huron-Manistee National Forets Spring Planting]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3229 Thu, 16 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3229

With financial support from the National Arbor Day Foundation and the American Forests Global ReLeaf Forests program, over a million trees were planted this spring on 1083 acres within the Huron-Manistee National Forests.

The National Arbor Day Foundation contributed over $27,000 toward the purchase of jack pine seedlings to create habitat for the endangered Kirtland's warbler. An additional $600 from the American Forests Global ReLeaf Forests program allowed the planting of Northern red oak and white pine in a red pine plantation destroyed by wildfire.

These plantings supplement natural forest regeneration, improve and maintain wildlife habitats, and re-introduce tree species with insufficient natural seed sources nearby. The seedlings, grown at the U.S. Forest Service Toumey Nursery in Watersmeet, Michigan, were between one and three years old when planted.

Northern red oak, red pine, and jack pine were planted to establish these species following timber harvesting where natural regeneration did not occur. White pine, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch were planted to establish these species for wildlife habitat diversity and re-establish these species to provide a seed source. All plantings contribute to providing habitat for a variety of wildlife species that inhabit upland and riparian forest areas.

This year, Northern red oak and white pine were planted in a Scotch pine plantation in order that these species, along with naturally occurring maples and other oaks, replace the non-native Scotch pine with those species better adapted to grow and flourish on the Manistee National Forest.

A Bracke scarifier, an oversized "divot-maker" pulled by a rubber-tire tractor, was used to prepare one area for hand-planting of red and jack pines. The scarifier makes a 12 inch square planting spot of mineral soil for planting of each seedling.

Immediately following planting, biodegradable tree protectors were placed over all eastern hemlock and yellow birch seedlings, reducing the potential effects of rodent and deer browsing for several years until seedlings are capable of withstanding this threat to their survival.

Once planted and protected, seedling survival depends on adequate rainfall. Inspections occur several weeks after planting, the following year and three years later. Inspections identify tree survival, growth, and the presence/absence of insects and/or diseases. The goal is 80% survival after three years. Areas not achieving this standard are usually replanted.

The long-term average survival on the Manistee National Forest is 60-80% after the third growing season. Less than 80% survival usually results from inadequate rainfall during the first two years after planting. "Rain is good; drought is bad," says Manistee National Forest Silviculturist Matthew D. Sands. "I'm really happy when it rains a lot; it'll promote a high survival rate."

On the Huron Mio Ranger District of the Huron National Forest, 936,000 jack pine seedlings were planted on 860 acres for creation of Kirtland's warbler habitat. The Kirtland's warbler, an endangered songbird, nests only in young jack pine stands. "The ongoing jack pine reforestation efforts on the Huron have been the primary factor contributing to the recovery of the Kirtland's warbler population. It's great to see the hard work by so many people yielding these results," says Huron National Forest Silviculturist Quent McNichols. Such reforestation efforts have helped bring the Michigan population of this songbird back from a recorded 167 singing males in 1974 to over 1400 today.

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MarkCurtissmcurtiss@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ruffed Grouse Society and Ottawa NF Partner-up]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3228 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3228 9

On Saturday, August 11th, as part of an on-going partnership, 3 hard-working volunteers from the Superior Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, joined 2 Forest Service biologists to maintain and improve a series of hunter's walking trails located on the Bessemer Ranger District of the Ottawa National Forest. The Harris Creek Trails and associated openings weave through a couple of hundred acres of aspen stands and forested wetlands that are managed to produce high population densities of ruffed grouse, the premier game bird of the north woods. Over the course of the day, all 4 loops, which cover about 3 miles of walking trails, were brushed out and had downed trees removed (see photo). Four upland openings also situated along the trail network were worked to keep unwanted species of vegetation from encroaching into them. All involved were pleased at the amount of work accomplished, and exchanged optimistic reports of grouse sightings throughout the spring and summer. Expectations are for high numbers of grouse during this fall hunting season.

Last year, during National Public Lands Day (Sept. 30th, 2006) the Ruffed Grouse Society and the Forest Service teamed up to maintain and improve access at the Bluebill Creek Trails, which is another set of hunter walking trails located just north of Pomeroy Lake on Bessemer Ranger District. In 2005, a similar trail maintenance effort occurred as well.

The group looks forward to many more years of cooperation between the Ruffed Grouse Society and the Ottawa National Forest.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Local Kids]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3227 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3227 9

Ottawa wildlife biologist Brian Bogaczyk recently made a presentation to local youth at Ironwood's Carnegie Public Library as part of their summer reading program. The theme for the entire summer program was "Get A Clue". Approximately 20 youth and their parents turned out for the program on a hot summer day in July. Brian spoke to the kids about illegal versus legal wildlife commerce and explained why it's a problem. He told the group about who is fighting wildlife crimes and the techniques they use to accomplish this. Brian reminded students when going on vacation and purchasing souvenirs, to be careful about what they are purchasing. Sometimes items purchased are made from illegal hunting and poaching of wildlife. His goal in this program was to educate, inspire and motivate the youngsters about doing their part to reduce illegal wildlife crimes.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa Partners with Local Group To Eradicate Garlic Mustard]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3226 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3226 9

Due to the local infestation of garlic mustard and its potential spread to forest land, the Ottawa National Forest partnered with the Town of Presque Isle's Terrestrial Invasive Committee (TIS) to help with the eradication of this plant. To combat the local infestation, the Town of Presque Isle appointed a Weed Commissioner, formed the new TIS committee and listed garlic mustard be regulated by a new town ordinance.

On a cool spring day in June, Ian Shackleford, along with forester Tasha Hernandez and the Ottawa's Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), went out into the field with the TIS group to start the tedious process of pulling the weed.

The key to successful eradication of garlic mustard is to remove the blooming plants before they go to seed, April through June, and kill the first year plants so they will not bloom next spring. The process is long term needing yearly maintenance as the seeds are viable for up to seven years. Garlic mustard is a huge threat to the northwoods and can destroy entire ecosystems if not eradicated.

The group worked long and hard with a feeling of accomplishment but a group will need to return to the same site yearly until the seed bank is exhausted.

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LindaSybeldonlsybeldon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Congressman Hill Goes Underground on the Hoosier!]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3225 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3225 9

A small group of cavers meet with Congressman Baron Hill (D-IN) and his Aide, Adam Dickey, to take a trip into one of Indiana's longest and most biologically diverse caves. Congressman Hill shed his business suit for overalls and knee pads to help keep him comfortable in the rugged terrain, wet conditions, and cool temperatures of the cave. After crawling on hands and knees through the cave's entrance, the group emerged into a large room containing a segment of the underground portion of Indiana's Lost River. The water was very low due to the lack of rain aboveground, and cave life was immediately visible.

Within the first pool of water, a number of blind crayfish were encountered. Cave Biologist, Dr. Julian Lewis, picked up a crayfish to give the congressman a better look at this species which lacks both eyes and pigment. A few feet later, the group came across another blind species - the northern cavefish. As everyone bent low to observe the fish, it swam obligingly towards the congressman's feet. "You couldn't ask for a more impressive display of cave life," said Cynthia Sandeno as the group studied the cavefish. "Few Hoosiers will ever see these finger-sized crustaceans, or the blind cavefish, let alone both of these species together!"

The group quickly walked to the largest room in the cave system and retraced their steps to the entrance crawl. By taking a side loop the group emerged into the balcony passage which was highly decorated with stalactities, stalagmites, columns, and draperies. "Wow, I can't believe how many formations are in this room," stated Congressman Hill as he walked through the passage. The group sat down at the edge of the balcony overlooking the main passage and talked about the importance of caves and cave resources. A Bollman's cave millipede graciously picked this time to stroll across the passage floor, and Dr. Lewis picked the animal up so that everyone could get a good look at it.

Congressman Hill is an avid outdoorsman and serves on the House Science and Technology Committee, making this trip into a cave especially important. The trip was arranged by Angela Hughes of The Nature Conservancy and included Hoosier National Forest Karst Coordinator, Cynthia Sandeno, and four members of the Indiana Karst Conservancy. "It is rare that I am able to take a Congressman on a hike into the woods, let alone into a cave," said Angela Hughes. "And, I couldn't believe how excited Congressman Hill was about having the chance to spend some time underground."

Along the way, the group discussed the exploration of the cave, how cave surveying is accomplished, and the biological significance of the cave. "The Lost River Cave System has globally significant fauna, and some of the species found in the cave are found no where else on earth," stated Dr. Lewis. With over twenty species that live exclusively in caves, the cave system is a global "hot spot" of subterranean biodiversity. There are only about thirty other spots on earth with such biological importance.

The tired group crawled out of the cave after over an hour of exploring, and emerged back into the bright sunlight with mud clinging to their clothes. Congressman Hill quickly cleaned off with soap and water, thanked the group, and returned back to his busy schedule. The group of cavers were pleased with the trip and hoped that it had been a positive experience for the Congressman - one that will encourage him to continue exploring the underground world.

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CynthiaSandenocmsandeno@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Freshwater Mussels Receive a New Home]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3224 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3224 9

Access for pleasure boaters and water rescue personnel is limited in the Ohio River's Willow Island Pool, but Wayne National Forest managers have just completed the planning and initial design for a new Ohio River access facility. The Frontier Landing Boat Launch will offer parking for up to 60 vehicle/trailer units and an easy access 2-lane ramp, along with other amenities like picnic areas and restrooms. The Forest Service has applied for a $2.5 million grant from the Ohio Division of Watercraft to construct the facility and has been given positive feedback from grant administrators about receiving the funding.

However, before necessary permits can be approved and construction can begin, a freshwater mussel survey is required because two federally endangered mussels, the Pink Mucket Pearly Mussel and the Fanshell, are present in the middle reaches of the Ohio River. The Forest Service must ensure no adverse effects would occur to these animals if the boat launch facility were to be constructed.

The Forest Service enlisted the help of U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service divers from the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to survey a 350 foot long area for mussels where disturbance would most likely occur. The dive team was led by Patricia Morrison, a biologist with the NWR who is a nationally recognized expert in freshwater mussel biology and identification. "We do quite a bit of diving around the islands in the NWR, but this project enabled us to learn a little bit more about the habitat and mussel community away from the immediate island areas", said Morrison.

Five transects were installed across the potential disturbance area to initially assess habitat quality. The divers poked along the bottom of the river down to depths of 30 feet, and emerged with mesh bags full of shells after completion of each transect. Each individual mussel was identified and its length recorded. A total of 14 species were collected along the transects. No Pink Mucket Pearly Mussels or Fanshells were found, but a single Lilliput, a Regional Forester sensitive species, was located.

"Mussels have the funniest names", chuckled Edward Entsminger, a Hocking College fish management student enrolled in the Wayne National Forest's Student Temporary Employment Program. "I never knew there were animals called Pimpleback, Three-horn Wartyback, Pistolgrip, or Mapleleaf. I was amazed to learn that the Washboard does indeed resemble a washboard and can grow to the size of a dinner plate".

Each freshwater mussel collected was relocated to Grape Island, one of the NWR's islands closest to the Frontier Boat Launch site. "We will take all of the mussels we collect and release them in areas with excellent habitat quality around Grape Island", explained Morrison. "Historic mussel beds were decimated in the past by water pollution and changes in habitat conditions, so these individuals will help re-establish what we hope will once again be thriving mussel beds in the future".

Before the mussels were released at Grape Island, each was closely inspected for zebra mussel encrustations. "We took each mussel and gently scraped all of the zebra mussels from its shell with a small knife before putting them in a holding bag", reported Entsminger. "The zebra mussels are non-native invasive species, and they encrust the native mussels. In fact, zebra mussels can suffocate the native mussels if they build up too much around their siphons. Our efforts will give them a bit of an advantage when they are released back into the river".

The divers will be back to the site in September 2007 to clear all remaining mussels from specific areas in the construction area and along the shoreline where rip rap will likely be placed.

"I'm just learning about this project, but it appears to be a win-win project for everyone involved", said Entsminger. "A nice public boat access facility will be constructed on the Wayne National Forest, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service will learn new information about the river's mussel community, and mussels found in the proposed construction area will aid in the restoration of the Ohio River's mussel community".

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RebeccaEwingrewing@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps CCC Holds a 'Bury the N Word' Ceremony]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3223 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3223 9

By Jason Maloney, Blackwell JCCCC Director

The students and staff of the Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center gathered the afternoon of August 1 to bury the "N" word and other words that reinforce hatred and denigration of others. The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Blackwell Recreation Supervisor Steve Peloquin.

Blackwell Center Director Jason Maloney helped set the tone in his opening remarks.

"What is in a word? Words we speak influence how and what we think," Maloney said. "What we think influences how we act towards each other. When we use words that are related to hate, we think hateful thoughts and take hateful actions against each other. I hope this ceremony will teach us to be more tolerant of each other, and value the diversity that each of us bring to Blackwell and our world. Every person here possesses basic dignity as a human being and is deserving of respect from the rest of us."

Aaron Hadley, the Trainee Employee Assistance Program Coordinator at Blackwell, explained the history and connotations of the "N" word to all present. Along with outlining the use of the hate words in popular culture, Hadley challenged the audience to consider their own families.

"If you feel that it is ok to use the "N" word as well as other hate words, I would like you to think about your mother, aunts, sisters, nieces and grandmothers," he said. "Would you want hate words to be used on them? When you call yourself and refer to yourself and others as an "N" you are not only telling people in you home, neighborhood, or school, that you are nothing, you are telling it to the whole world."

Special guest Michael L. Alloway, Sr., Director of the Forest County Potawatomi Cultural Center and Museum, addressed the Blackwell students and faculty. Alloway explained the importance of language and how using hate words vilify individuals and groups of people. He also invited students and staff to visit the cultural center and museum to further the spirit of valuing diversity and promoting understanding between people of all cultures.

Staff and students including Tom Morgan, Peggy Cutchins, and Dartanyeol Dukes addressed the assembled crowd to share the importance of not using words or terms defaming, demeaning or denigrating to other people. All present were invited to write the hate-related word of their choice on a card and place it in a casket set before the crowd that was carried to the center of the Blackwell JCCCC campus by students and staff, and buried.

Hadley delivered closing remarks as students covered the casket with dirt.

"This is not only a word, this is a legacy of hate, cruelty and evil," Hadley said. "It is a word that flows unfortunately too freely from some people's mouths. This so-called word has been present during too much violence and too many arguments, and is exploited by some artists and recording industries merely for profit at the expense of people who choose live in a dignified and respectful manner. This so-called word has insulted, demeaned and degraded too many decent and well-meaning people for too long, and enough is enough."

Blackwell JCCCC has joined the ranks of other schools and organizations around the nation that have taken a stand in favor of basic human rights and basic human dignity. The "Bury the 'N' Word" ceremony has made the students and faculty at Blackwell more aware of how words influence thoughts and actions.

Blackwell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center is located on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest between Laona and Wabeno in Forest County. Blackwell offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25.

In addition to diversity training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or high school diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile Setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training.

For more information on Blackwell JCCCC or to arrange a tour, please call Penny McLaughlin at (715) 674-7654. To fill out a free application for a Blackwell scholarship, please call Julie Eder at (715) 359-7040.

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Midewin and El Valor Celebrate National Pollinator Week 2007]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3203 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3203 9

The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie celebrated National Pollinator Week on June 27, 2007, along with the El Valor Science and Technology Camp by planting a Monarch Butterfly Garden. This activity took place in a community green space in South Chicago.

The "El Valor Partnership" is a component of Midewin's urban outreach initiative to teach conservation education, and to expose urban audiences to the prairie outdoor environment of Midewin and natural habitats of the Forest Service. Under the partnership with El Valor, Midewin participates in three four-week-long educational summer camps at different community centers in South Chicago. Midewin sponsors the environmental education for the science portion of all the camps.

Angie Opiola, the Midewin Environmental Education Specialist who is also a staff member of Chicago Academy of Sciences, assists the El Valor staff with curriculum for the campers, and has led many of the outdoor education activities.

The Monarch Butterfly Garden project fit perfectly with El Valor's Science and Technology camp. Campers are encouraged to take a hands-on approach to science, technology, conservation education, and stewardship. Planting the Monarch Butterfly Garden was an enriching experience that the students and the campers enjoyed.

Many of the El Valor campers have family ties to the area where Monarch butterflies spend their winters in central Mexico. Each year the Monarchs leave central Mexico and travel 2,000 miles to the eastern United States and Canada. The purpose of the Monarch Flyway Garden in Chicago is to give the Monarchs a temporary habitat along their journey to Canada.

The campers who emigrated from Mexico to Chicago could recall seeing Monarchs in huge clusters in the mountainous forests of central Mexico, where the Monarchs winter. Midewin staff used this activity to connect conservation education and stewardship to the campers' heritage.

"Monarchs actually travel the same route that Mexican immigrants took to come north," explained Midewin Archeologist Mike Rizo.

Before the students began planting the garden, Opiola taught the students about pollinators. As apart of her lesson, Opiola explained the importance of Monarchs and the role they play as pollinators.

"Ninety percent of flowering plants need to be pollinated. Without pollinators we would not have apples, melons or any other fruit," she said, and further explained the significance monarchs, bees and other pollinators have on their everyday lives.

Midewin employee and Horticulturist Janine Catchpole assisted Opiola with the pollinator and butterfly garden lesson. Catchpole gave the students a lesson on the importance of seeds and proper seed planting methods.

"Seed is the hope that the plant will have for the future. The seeds that you are planting are the hope that we will bring Monarchs to the center," Catchpole said.

Midewin employees also distributed seed packets and wildflower identification booklets to the students so they could start their own Monarch Gardens. The seed packets contained seed for Purple Coneflowers, Prairie Blazing Star, Big Bluestem, Canada Wild Rye, Switchgrass, Indian Grass, Yellow Coneflower, Rattlesnake Master and Great St. Johns Wort.

As part of their summer camp, the students will also visit Midewin for an overnight visit in late July. For many of the students, this will be their first experience in the Great Outdoors. The campers will participate in night hikes and nature games and they will also plant another Monarch garden at Iron Bridge Trailhead.

This project is another example of the Midewin's ongoing effort to connect citizens to the land through its urban outreach programs.

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CatherineSegarcsegar@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Urban Connections Welcomes Wytosha Thacker]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3198 Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3198 9

The Eastern Region's Urban Connections program recently welcomed Wytosha Thacker as a summer intern. She will be working closely with Katie Armstrong in the Detroit office.

Prior to joining the U.S. Forest Service, Wytosha served four years on active duty in the U.S. Army and one year in the Army Reserve. For the past two years, Wytosha has worked as a substitute teacher and helped organize National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) for Scarlett Middle School in Ann Arbor.

She has a long history of working with youth in her community through the Getsemane College Club, a church-based program, where she helped high school students prepare for SAT examinations and assisted with visits to potential colleges.

Wytosha is currently working toward her Masters degree in Organizational Development and Leadership Management at Concordia University. She says her plan is to continue working for the Forest Service Urban Connections program after graduation.

Urban Connections program manager Daryl Pridgen hailed Wytosha's arrival.

"Wytosha brings a high level of energy and enthusiasm to the Detroit office," he said. "She will play a valuable role throughout the summer in working with our many partners to organize public outreach and connect citizens to opportunities available to them in the Forest Service."

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DavidPizondpizon@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Forest Service Chief Visits Forest]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3265 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3265 9

By: Monica Neal

Chief Gail Kimbell visited the Shawnee National Forest, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District on Monday, July 30, 2007. Her visit included a review of bottomland hardwood forest and wetland management, including wetland restoration and reforestation work completed in the Middle Mississippi River floodplain located in Jackson and Union Counties. This project is part of the Middle Mississippi River Partnership. The Chief and her party also discussed future restoration and monitoring opportunities in the area. Accompanying the Chief to the forest were Deputy Regional Forester John Phipps, State and Private Area Director Kathy Maloney, Research and Development Station Director Michael Rains and Region 9 Director of Renewable Resources Paul Momper.

While they were here, forest staff Steve Widowski and Dan Lentz hosted a tour of recent, future and potential acquisitions in the Middle Mississippi floodplain. They also discussed potential future acquisitions. Other forest employees that participated in the tour were Allen Nicholas, Tim Pohlman, Monica Neal and Ande Harris.

The team introduced Chief Kimbell to the ecological values and beauty of the area and highlighted the importance of the area's contributions to the ecology and water quality values in the Mississippi River floodplain. Discussions also focused upon the many future management, restoration and partnership opportunities for the Forest and the agency in the Mississippi River floodplain of southern Illinois and Missouri. It was an excellent opportunity to showcase the Shawnee and the unique management niche of the forest in the bottomland ecosystem along one of the great rivers of our country.

The Middle Mississippi River Partnership Area is a dazzling example of revolutionizing effectiveness and efficiency to protect ecosystems across boundaries.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Wayne NF & Rural Fire Department Work Together to save lives]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3187 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3187 9

The Ward Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department has been a life-saving partner of the Wayne National Forest for several years. This year the Athens District Ranger formalized the partnership to enable the Forest to contribute to the trail rescue missions.

Wheels, engines and riders combined with speed, will inevitably lead to injuries. Thanks to the Ward Township Fire and Rescue Department, most of the injuries which occur on the 60 miles of the Monday Creek OHV trails result in temporary disabilities only.

The Ward Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department literally saves lives on the Wayne National Forest. In an average year they average 54 emergency runs to assist injured riders in the Monday Creek Trail System. On some weekends they might make 3-4 separate runs for medical emergencies.

Bill Scripp, Recreation Technician on the Athens District, has been working with the group of twenty some volunteers.

"The Monday Creek area falls within their area, and they do an incredible job out there helping people who are hurt on the trails," Scripp says. "So far this year they've had three people airlifted out, and no one has died. Quick competent medical response really makes the difference."

The Ward Township department was organized to serve the local people who live in the area, Scripp explained. They were trained to put out fires and help with emergency medical needs.

"Our trail system and high number of users was really putting a tremendous burden on the township volunteers," noted Scripp. "It became a quandary when they were being subsidized by the locals to help them, but spending most of their time out on the Wayne rescuing injured off-highway vehicle (OHV) riders."

The Wayne stepped up to find ways that they could help.

"Since we provide the land base and invite the visitors to the area, I feel we have a responsibility to assist when a local group is adversely impacted," said DeVela Clark, Athens District Ranger. "Several of us met with them and looked for some solutions to help ease some of their burden."

Clark said he was pleased with the results.

"We were able to get a laptop donated for them and $1500 worth of rescue equipment to be used on trail rescues," Clark noted. "Since the type of rescue they were being called on to do is a fairly specialized type of operation they needed an all terrain vehicle called a 'gator' that had the capability to carry a stretcher on the side."

The Forest was able to help them procure some of this equipment. Another piece of unique equipment the department needed was GPS units. Clark explained that with 75 miles of trail, the injuries are often called in by other riders giving only GPS coordinates. For the rescuers to find the downed riders, they need to be able to use a GPS unit as well.

Scripp explains the laptop will help them keep records and track who they've rescued.

"Previously they didn't have a computer," Scripp said. "The department knew that it was possible to bill the private insurance companies for a lot of these rescues but before they could do that, they needed a data base and to be able to keep track of dates and names and addresses."

Now they have a laptop computer and access to a program that will help them bill private insurance companies so they should be able to be reimbursed for many of the runs they make on the Wayne.

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TeenaLigmantligman@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Smokey Bear Tosses First Pitch]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3335 Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3335 9

What an electrifying moment it was to see Smokey Bear on the pitcher's mound throwing out the first pitch for the July 21, 2007 Southern Illinois Miners versus the River City Hawks Frontier League baseball game. Rumor has it Smokey practiced prior to the game in order to make the Forest Service proud or at least not embarrass himself. With a high leg kick and perfect form, Smokey delivered a strike to home plate much to the delight of the 5,000 plus fans in attendance. His pitching form is best appreciated visually (see photo) to get the full impact of the glorious moment.

Mike Welker as Smokey with his forest friend, Chris Peterson, who was proudly wearing his uniform were at the ball park early to greet over 5,000 fans as they arrived. Whether young or old each had an opportunity to be photographed with Smokey Bear and/or Chris. There was no mistaking the pleasure Smokey and Chris got from interacting with the fans. More than one of them took home a Smokey Bear wrist band to help remember the day.

A large group of Shawnee National Forest employees, their families and friends were in attendance on that unseasonably pleasant summer day. They went to enjoy the game and cheer on their favorite Forest hero as he tossed his first and only professional baseball pitch.

It was a glorious evening of fun for the entire family. This particular evening the Shawnee National Forest was recognized as a group in attendance. We all enjoyed the pre-game show by two gentlemen who travel the country with their retro vehicle and make appearances as the Blues Brothers. They continued to entertain the crowd between innings and during the seventh inning stretch. Each fan was given a pair of Blues Brothers sunglasses as they entered the gates. What a night for energetic entertainment of singing and dancing along with the 60's songs they performed.

Having the opportunity to get out and mingle in a relaxed setting with people from all around southern Illinois was an excellent way to educate the public on what national forests have to offer. Attending the game as a group also showed the public that we are an employer of choice that supports having wholesome fun together after the workday ends.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Goblin Fern]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3412 Fri, 20 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3412 9

Most rare plant surveys on the Huron-Manistee National Forest are conducted for areas of proposed logging and other planned activities, which are usually in less rich habitat types. Thus we normally have limited opportunities to sample northern hardwoods, and likewise know little about the status of its associated rare plants.

On July 20, 2007, Christie Sampson and Greg Schmidt were testing the applicability of a vegetation sampling protocol on different vegetation types in conjunction with a routine project rare plant surveys. They chose a site outside any project area, on the Forest's only known location for ginseng, to represent northern hardwoods.

The two established a 20x50 meter nested frequency macroplot and sampled from it four 10x10 meter plots, and five 1x1 meter subplots within each plot. In a single 1x1 meter subplot they found "Botrychium mormo" (Goblin fern), a first for the Huron-Manistee, and probably the southern-most occurrence of this species in Michigan.

Had Schmidt and Sampson not been on their hands and knees looking carefully to identify all species present within a square meter area, this species in all likelihood would not have been found. They did look for additional sprouts across the area, but did not find anything else. The lesson (in moderation) is to slow down, wander off the preordained routes, and get down on your knees and look.

The efforts of Sampson and Schmidt are in keeping with the Eastern Region's goal of protecting ecosystems across boundaries.

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GregorySchmidtgjschmidt@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Safe Removal of Transformers]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3267 Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3267 9

The Environmental Compliance Review conducted in March of 2007 identified old unused transformers, left at a storage site on the Hidden Springs Ranger District of the Shawnee National Forest in Pope County, Illinois, as suspect for containing hazardous materials. These transformers were removed from service in October of 2003 when several transformers were replaced at the Lake Glendale Recreation Area. At the time of removal, the transformers were stored and identified as potentially containing polychlorinated biphenyls, commonly known as PCB's.

A search of old contract documents confirmed the original purchase of the transformers was made by the Forest during the mid 1960's. In April 2007, a local environmental firm tested the substance in the transformers and confirmed them to contain PCB's. In May 2007 a contractor removed and transported the transformers to a facility near Kansas City, Missouri for proper disposal.

When the transformers were being removed it was discovered a couple of cylinders were lighter in weight than the others, soil tests were conducted, the area was marked and access to the site was restricted. Subsequent testing determined there had been some leakage of oil at this site and a contract was issued to remove the contaminated soil. Final clean-up work was completed on July 18, 2007 and the contaminated soil will also be shipped to the same Kansas City, Missouri location for disposal. On August 1, 2007 the Forest was notified that all contamination had been removed.

The safe removal and disposal of the transformers and any PCB residue contamination in the soil is one way the Forest is walking the talk of sustainability.

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CynthiaMorriscmorris02@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[National Trails Day at the Loda Lake National Wildflower Sanctuary]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3172 Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3172 9

This year's National Trails Day was a dual celebration for the Huron-Manistee National Forests. Not only was it National Trails Day, but the Loda Lake Wildflower Sanctuary celebrated a new connector from the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) to Loda Lake's half-mile wildflower and nature walk.

With more than 60 volunteers providing assistance to the almost 200 attendees, members of the public told event coordinator Kathy Bietau that they enjoyed the opportunity to see the diverse amount of knowledge found in the Forest Service and appreciated the wide variety and number of activities provided.

The day's events started with a pancake breakfast hosted and provided by the Garden Clubs of Michigan at the Birch Grove School just a few miles down the road from Loda Lake. This was followed by the dedication of the new NCNST connector, after which attendees were shuttled from the schoolhouse to Loda Lake, although many opted to walk the short distance.

Upon arriving at Loda Lake, attendees had a variety of activities to participate in, including two different guided walks around Loda Lake. The first was a native plant walk guided by members of the Garden Clubs and the other a bird walk guided by biologist Glenn Klingler.

Other activities that could be found along the half-mile loop around Loda Lake included a demonstration of plant restoration with botanist Pat McGhan; a cultural history display of the immediate area, and question and answer session with summer archeologist Laura Louks; a question and answer session with biologist Heather Keough; a poster session with summer employee Allison Webster on the endangered Karner blue butterfly; a native butterfly and plant display with summer biologist Tanya Hanline; and a kids botany booth where younger attendees could color their own native plants or make butterfly hats provided by the garden clubs.

After a hotdog lunch provided and cooked by the Garden Clubs of Michigan, the Michigan Chapter of the North Country National Scenic Trail Association oversaw the last event of the day, a guided hike along the connector from Loda Lake back to the schoolhouse.

"It was a really good opportunity to see the results of the strong partnership we have with the Garden Clubs of Michigan, and to show what a partnership can do," said botanist Pat McGhan.

A partnership with the Garden Clubs of Michigan was formed just three years ago to clean up and replant Loda Lake with native plants. The National Trails Day event is the first major event held there since its replanting last year.

"I thought it went really well, it's the best event I've hosted here. And the number of volunteers, from the garden clubs and the forest was incredible," said Outdoor Recreation Planner Kathy Bietau of the Baldwin/White Cloud Ranger District.

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KateSalmcsalm@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[800 Gather for Kids Fishing Day]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3137 Tue, 26 Jun 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3137 9

Over 800 people participated in this year's 16th Annual Kids Fishing Day at the Camp 7 Lake Campground, including 415 youngsters between the ages of 1-16. It was a record-breaking crowd that consumed the 800 hot dogs and 110 1-liter bottles of soda early in the afternoon but in spite of running out of food and registration bags, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

"We were overwhelmed by the extraordinary number of people who turned out" said Dave Silvieus, Rapid River/Manistique District Ranger. "Over the 15 previous years that we've hosted this event, we've routinely had between 250 and 300 youngsters show up. We were thrilled with the turn-out though, and we'll be better prepared with more registration bags and food for next year's event."

The day's events also included two trout ponds with Rainbow Trout provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Thompson Fish Hatchery. Others tried their luck casting from the fishing pier to see if they could hook the "big one." Smokey Bear roamed the grounds, providing hugs, high fives and pats on the head to the many children who rushed up to see him.

The warm temperatures drew many of the youngsters to the beach to swim and build sand castles. Over 250 raffle prizes were awarded to the luckiest youngsters and free Smokey Bear water bottles and Frisbees were given out to those who didn't win a raffle prize. The first 300 youngsters received a registration bag that included a free starter tackle box, thanks to the generous contributions of many area civic organizations and businesses.

In the 10 years and under casting contest, Kyle Taylor (10, Green Bay Wisconsin) took first and Tanner Cannon (5, Rapid River) took second place. And in the 11-16 year old division, Stephen Johnson (11, Gladstone) captured top honors and Steven Godfrey (12, Escanaba) came in second place. These top place finishers walked away with brand new rods and reels or fully-equipped tackle boxes for their efforts!

While many of the faces were familiar ones (many youngsters bragged about how many years they had been coming to Kids Fishing Day), many new children were in attendance. There were several parents who commented that their parents used to bring them to Kids Fishing Day and now they are passing the tradition along to their children. Many parents expressed appreciation for the wonderful family event!

While organized by employees of the Rapid River/Manistique Ranger District of the Hiawatha National Forest, the event would not be possible without the assistance of the over 35 volunteers who helped unhook the rainbow trout at the trout ponds, serve up countless pounds of free hot dogs and soda pop to the hungry anglers, or distributed free Smokey Bear goodie bags at the Registration tables.

There were also 74 businesses and civic organizations that donated money, raffle prizes and food for the event. Major contributors to the event included the Great Lakes Sportsfishing Association, Wildlife Unlimited of Delta County and the Schoolcraft County Community Foundation, along with many others.

The Forest Service is enormously grateful to everyone who made the day a success, including the hundreds of youngsters and accompanying adults who showed up.

"It's all about the kids" continued Silvieus, "and it's gratifying to see them excited about fishing and enjoying themselves in the outdoors."

A PowerPoint slide show featuring many photos of the days events is available for viewing on the Hiawatha National Forest website at www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/hiawatha.

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JanelCrooksjmcrooks@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Volunteers Join Shawnee National Forest in National Trails Day Celebration]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3233 Sat, 02 Jun 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3233 9

By: Kelly Pearson

A full day was planned for the twenty-six volunteers from local saddle clubs that included the Shawnee Back Country Horsemen, the Shawnee Group Sierra Club and the Southern Illinois Jeep Association. These volunteers joined employees from the Shawnee National Forest on the Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District in Union County, Illinois to do some maintenance work, to learn and to have fun in celebration of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 2, 2007.

Morning activities included reconstructing a switchback on Inspiration Point Trail. This reconstruction project introduced volunteers to dry stacking stone for retaining walls. Additional necessary maintenance work was performed by volunteers who did brushing and water bar maintenance on the Godwin/River to River Trail in Clear Springs Wilderness.

After lunch the Centennial Trail Grant partners from the University of Illinois Extension Service and Shawnee Community College, who are working with the Shawnee National Forest in developing the Master Trail Stewards Program, were introduced. The program continued with a primitive tool care and repair clinic led by Forest Recreation Program Manager Tim Pohlman; presentation of a poster depicting the history of the Shawnee National Forest by Forest Archeologist Mary McCorvie and her assistant Heather Carey; children's activities, including map reading and orienteering led by Forest Interpreter Sue Hirsch: and music provided by Biological Scientist Pat York.

Bob Wagner, Chapter Chairperson for the Shawnee Back Country Horsemen, cooked up a wonderful Dutch oven meal for event participants and Bob Tyson from the Shawnee Group Sierra Club performed local folk songs. A special bonus to top off the day was a performance by local bluegrass band, Old Santa Fe.

This National Trails Day celebration served the Forest well in connecting people to the land.

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KellyPearsonkdpearson@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Ottawa and Local Township Join Forces to Open Campgrounds]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3783 Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3783

In February 2007, the Forest Service budget for operating and maintaining five rustic campgrounds and a popular beach/picnic area near the western Upper Peninsula (UP) town of Marenisco, Michigan, looked bleak. In response, Marenisco Township Supervisor Bob Raisanen approached the Forest about helping with the daily operation at some or all of the facilities. Part of the Township's interest stemmed from the fact that many campground visitors depend on the small businesses in Marenisco for supplies and services. Conversely, the small town of Marenisco depends economically on the business of the visitors. In other words, Forest visitors need Marenisco and Marenisco needs Forest visitors.

A Challenge Cost-Share agreement was developed to ensure these sites continued to offer full-services to the public (at rustic campgrounds, "full service" means a latrine, water pump, and garbage collection). The agreement specified that their operation and maintenance meet National Forest standards. Since Marenisco Township offices are much closer to these sites than the offices of the Bessemer Ranger District, the unit responsible for managing the area, the partnership was designed to employ the most cost-effective agency to perform various functions.

In return for a percentage of revenues collected and the use of Forest Service-provided mowers and weed-whips, Marenisco Township collected the garbage, cleaned restrooms and fire rings, and provided general grounds maintenance, such as mowing grass and picking-up litter. They also assisted with pre-season facility preparation and post-season winterization.

At a review last fall, the Bessemer District was extremely pleased to hear the Township was willing to continue the arrangement for one more year. Both parties felt it was in the best interest of the public and that the cooperative arrangement worked well. A draft agreement for this summer (2008) has been developed. Because of the partnership and the fact that the campgrounds are enrolled in the Recreation Fee program - which allows the money collected to remain on the Forest - the agency contribution was just a few cents per campground per day.

This year, the campgrounds and beach/picnic area are expected to be open the Thursday before Memorial Day (5/22/08) through the end of September. We are expecting an increase in collections due to a longer season and more efficiency in operations as we use the "lessons learned" from last year.

In Marenisco Township, we are proud to say we can "Care for the Land and Serve the People" . . . in a new and innovative way.

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LisaKlauslklaus@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Shawnee National Forest - Hidden Springs Ranger District]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3345 Sun, 27 May 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3345 9

By: Bob Monroe

In early spring of 2006, the Shawnee National Forest implemented the Trails Designation Project. The project involves designating, constructing and maintaining a 223-mile trail system within four watersheds. The Eagle Creek, Big Grand Pierre Creek, Lusk Creek and Upper Bay Creek watersheds are located in southern Illinois and comprise about 30 percent of the Forest. An important aspect of this project is wilderness management relative to equestrian use. Throughout 2007, the Hidden Springs Ranger District's trail crew continued this ambitious project while constructing new re-routes and trail features in the watersheds.

To accomplish this task, the Hidden Springs Ranger District retained a full time trail crew through the winter of 2006. In early spring of 2007, additional trail crew members were hired to supplement the winter crew and prepare for the height of its summer trail work. The Hidden Springs Ranger District's summer trail crew consisted of seasonal crew members, eleven local college students and a crew leader.

In accordance with the Wilderness Act of 1964 and the Illinois Wilderness Act of 1990, trail work in the designated wilderness areas is accomplished using only traditional methods and primitive tools. The traditional method and art of dry stack masonry, the techniques used by the trail crew to shape timber into trail features, the use of native building materials and the use of pack stock teams (horses and mules) to haul materials, are examples of traditional methods and primitive tools used by the Hidden Springs Ranger District trail crew.

The task of teaching these skills fell upon the District's Trail Crew Supervisor, Brian Bourne. New trail crew members were introduced to primitive tools, such as the crosscut saw. For some this was their first experience working around pack stock. During March, June and May the trail crew worked with pack stock teams from both the Hoosier National Forest (HNF), out of Indiana, and the Bridger-Teton National Forest (BTNF), out of Wyoming. The Hoosier team and the trail crew worked with mules to plow and grade over four miles of re-routes. In May both mule teams worked in concert with the District's trail crew to haul over 300 tons of gravel (enough to harden 5 miles of trail). The smooth river gravel, with its clay base, supports the trail tread to provide a suitable wet-weather surface. It has also been used to improve trail conditions by raising the trail tread in areas where re-routing is not an option and natural seepage and rain water run-off are problems. The gravel has been used to build several turnpikes that lift the tread above saturated soil to cross problematic terrain in areas where there is no alternative location.

The trail crew's detailed rock work is comparable to that of the high quality trail work accomplished by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. The techniques and primitive tools used by the trail crew to build trail features with timber are essentially the traditional methods practiced for hundreds of years by foresters and American frontiersmen. Trail features made of native materials not only reduce construction cost, but blend aesthetically with natural surroundings adhering to the wilderness character. The trail crew, after mastering the use of crosscut saws and axes, cut cedar trees that are naturally resistant to rot and used them in creek crossings, turnpikes and other trail features. They also cleared away trees that fell into trail corridors.

Trail work in wildernesses helps meet the objective of maintaining and perpetuating the wilderness multiple use resource for visitors to National Forest System land.

Mechanized equipment such as a trail dozer, gravel hauler and mini excavator were used to complete trail construction projects in non-wilderness areas.

The Shawnee National Forest's Hidden Springs trail crew, supervised by Trail Technician Brian Bourne under the direction of District Recreation Staff Officer Bob Monroe, accomplished the following trail work during FY 2007 pursuant to the implementation of the Trails Designation Project:

* constructed 3 miles of new full-bench trail re-routes;

* reconstructed 2.4 miles of existing trail;

* an additional 2.25 miles of trail re-routes have been plowed and graded;

* used hundreds of tons of native sandstone and cedar logs to install important trail features on new and reconstructed trail sections to include, hundreds of feet of turnpike, rock retaining walls, switchbacks, climbing turn platforms, cribbed steps and countless erosion control features such as causeways, water bars and check dams;

* used stock teams (mules) to haul 350 tons of gravel for hardening nearly 5 miles of existing trail tread in the wildernesses;

* used tons of native sandstone and cedar logs to construct two new creek crossings;

* constructed one new equestrian tie-up area and reconstructed another;

* brushed in nearly 6 miles of old, non-designated trail; and

* the trail crew conducted trail maintenance on approximately 20 miles of existing designated trail and assisted in monitoring activities on 80 miles of trail.

The work of the Hidden Springs Ranger District trail crew continues to exhibit their dedication to the Forest and revolutionizing efficient and effective methods for protecting national forest lands, particularly wilderness for future generations.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[From Soy Bean Fields to Trumpeter Swan Habitat]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3339 Sat, 26 May 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3339 9

By: Dan Lentz

During the summer of 2005, a very critical parcel of land in Union County, Illinois was donated to the Shawnee National Forest, Mississippi Bluffs Ranger District, by Ducks Unlimited (see success story posted 10/07/2005). By working with a number of partners which included the American Land Conservancy, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, Ducks Unlimited was able to acquire this piece of property they graciously donated to the Shawnee National Forest and ultimately to the American public. This 185+ acre parcel of land was originally known as the Mills' Tract and was previously farmed predominately for soy bean production.

Shortly after the donation was finalized, the Forest Service went to work. This parcel of land has now been incorporated into the Big Muddy River Wetlands/Bottomlands Hardwood Restoration Area, where it is being reclaimed to bring back the native bottomland hardwood forest and associated wetlands (marshes). A small earthen levee has been constructed, as well as other water control structures, to allow for the accumulation of water by rainfall and the natural fluctuating water table level associated with the adjacent levied Big Muddy River. Almost immediately after the construction of the small levee, the vegetation began to change. Water intolerant species began to die and water tolerant species began to establish themselves. Without delay turtles began to use the area, as well as numerous wading birds, fly catchers and ducks, which can be seen on a regular basis.

During the dedication ceremonies on August 25, 2005, Ducks Unlimited Regional Biologist Eric Schenk said, "The restoration activities will enhance habitat for waterfowl, as well as songbirds and wading birds, along this segment of the Big Muddy River". Eric could not have been more accurate! In the early spring of 2007 a number of trumpeter swans (federally listed endangered species) were observed utilizing the rehabilitated area. This species of swan had not been seen in this part of southern Illinois in decades. The swans have been observed and recorded by the land managers of the Union County Conservation Area and by others on adjacent, privately owned wetlands. Although the photos do not do it justice, the swans are truly a sight to behold and are enjoyed not only by our own Forest Service employees, but also by many members of our wildlife viewing public.

This is just another way the Shawnee National Forest is continuing to walk the talk for sustainability by connecting citizens to the land through unique wildlife viewing opportunities.

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LisaRoperlroper@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area Receives Grants]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3081 Wed, 16 May 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3081 9

Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. received two grants to fund a twelve agency resource conservation project. The C-2000 grant for $65,390 was received on May 1, 2007. The second grant matching the C-2000 grant was for $65,390 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation - Pulling Together Initiative grant. These grants will fund the coordinator position salary for twenty months and some contractual removal of invasive species.

Chris Evans has been hired to coordinate the project. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife Biology from Murray State University and a Master's Degree in Forest Biology from Iowa State University. Chris' experience includes serving as The Bugwood Network's Invasive Species and Natural Resource Specialist at the University of Georgia where his duties included developing natural resource-related educational materials, working with landowners and managers to develop management plans for invasive species and maintaining a location and treatment database; and he was the coordinator for the woodland invasive species survey of Iowa, which emphasized training private landowners to identify and report woodland invasive plants.

Multiple agencies and organizations collaborated to begin the project titled "River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area" (RTR-CWMA) and subsequently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in 2006. The RTR-CWMA covers the eleven southernmost counties in Illinois that encompasses the entire Shawnee National Forest. The consortium consists of state, federal and non-profit agencies, including the USDA Forest Service, Shawnee National Forest; Illinois Department of Natural Resources; US Fish and Wildlife Service, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge; US Fish and Wildlife Service, Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge; The Nature Conservancy; USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; Illinois Department of Agriculture; Illinois Department of Transportation; University of Illinois Extension; USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; Shawnee Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.; and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. The RTR-CMWA partners will be identifying other interested stake holders to participate in this overall effort during the next few months.

The RTR-CWMA is the first of its kind in Illinois and one of the first in the eastern United States. The term cooperative weed management area refers to an organization that integrates all noxious weed management resources across jurisdictional boundaries in order to benefit entire communities. State and county weed experts have helped private landowners for years; however, land ownership boundaries confined the areas that could be treated. The funding from these grants will ease the way for the agencies and organizations forming the RTR-CMWA to work together in an integrated and cooperative effort that will significantly increase the effectiveness of non-native invasive species weed removal projects.

The formation of the River to River Cooperative Weed Management Area in the eleven southernmost Illinois counties is a revolutionary example of protecting ecosystems across boundaries to walk the talk of sustainability.

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MarionBunchmbunch@intrnet.net
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Students Do Their Part for Wildlife]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3041 Mon, 14 May 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=3041

On Thursday April 26, the Blackwell Job Corps Union Carpentry Pre-Apprentice students assisted Chequamegon-Nicolet NF Forest Service Biologists Scott Anderson and Nicole Shutt with placing wood duck boxes and bat houses on National Forest land at the Deer Creek and Knowles Creek Impoundments, located near Wabeno. The wood duck boxes were constructed by the Carpentry students.

Anderson and Shutt explained the history and ecology of the impoundments and how they benefit the diverse wildlife living there. Job Corps students also learned about wetland marshes and the habitat they support.

Several species of waterfowl and predatory raptors were seen by the group as they walked the impoundments searching for places to install the new wood duck and bat houses.

Fairly new to the Chequamegon-Nicolet are "bat houses" that encourage these nocturnal mammals to roost in a warm place far away from human structures. Bats eat an enormous amount of insects and are an essential part of the ecology of the National Forest impoundments.

Blackwell Job Corps Union Carpentry Instructors Paul Luce and Eric Martinson frequently involve Job Corps students in community relations projects that benefit the quality of life for everyone, including northern Wisconsin's wildlife. (more)

Loccated near the town of Laona on 20 acres of the Chequamegon-Nicolet NF, Blackwell JCCCC offers federal scholarships for young adults under the age of 25. In addition to leadership training, students at Blackwell receive academic training that leads to completion of an HSED or High School Diploma as well as vocational training in Welding, Union Bricklaying and Tile setting, Union Carpentry, Union Construction Craft Laborer, Union Painting, Health Occupations (CNA), Business Technologies, and Electrician Training.(Submitted by Jason Maloney, Blackwell JCCCC Center Director)

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Golconda-Shawnee Partnership Benefits Both Parties]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2996 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2996 9

As part of a continuing partnership between the Golconda Job Corps Center and the Shawnee National Forest, members of the Hidden Springs Ranger District's recreation staff and the Job Corps Urban Forestry Department teamed up to improve visitor safety at several of the Forest's developed recreation areas by safely removing hazard trees.

The Golconda Job Corps Urban Forestry Department has successfully removed several major hazard trees this year. Locations where hazard trees were removed on the Hidden Springs Ranger District include Pharaoh Picnic Area and Campground at the Garden of the Gods Recreation Area, Pine Ridge Campground and Day Use Area at the Pounds Hollow Recreation Area and Oak Point Campground at the Lake Glendale Recreation Area.

Hazard trees are identified as posing a potential danger due to storm damage or disease that could result in limbs falling or trees toppling. Once hazard trees were identified for removal by the District's recreation staff, the Urban Forestry Department instructors, Jim Marshall and James Hooper, taught students the proper use of tools and skills needed for climbing, pruning, roping and rigging, operating a chain saw and tree identification. Safety was stressed as the top priority when removing or pruning hazard trees.

The partnership between the Forest and the Golconda Job Corps benefits both parties. It is on-the-job training for the students and helps the Forest provide a safe quality recreational experience for visitors. The Forest working in cooperation with the Job Corp Center encourages students to consider a career with the Forest Service while protecting ecosystems across boundaries.

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RebeccahLampertrlampert/r9/usda@fsnotes
<![CDATA[Blackwell Job Corps Students Train to Fight Wildfires]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2995 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2995

Smokey Bear has a few new helpers this year. Twenty newly trained wildland firefighters from the Blackwell Job Corps Center near Laona are helping out on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

The Blackwell students received classroom training and participated in field day exercises to hone their craft. They will be available to help with prescribed fires on the Forest this spring as well as available for assignment this summer during the busy Western fire season.

Hand crews serve as the infantry of wildland fire forces. Their main responsibility is to construct a "fireline" - a strip of land cleared of flammable materials - around wildfires to control them.

During the classroom phase students were introduced to fire behavior, communications, safety procedures and leadership skills. Later, during field exercises in the Forest, they learned how to build fire line, grid, use different fire tools and how to maintain those tools.

"We're really glad to have the help," said Fire Management Staff Officer Jim Grant. "The students are trained and ready to hit the fireline."

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CathyFoxcfox01@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Golconda Job Corps Warehouse Work]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2623 Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:00:00 CST http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2623 9

A few years ago the Golconda Job Corps Center complex, located in Pope County, Illinois, was the site where a vehicle crashed into the side of a warehouse, destroying a door and several wall panels. In September 2006 a contract was awarded to a Carbondale, Illinois, construction company for replacement of the wall panels and installation of new guttering.

Work on the approximately $16,000 project began in late September and was completed approximately 2 weeks later in mid October 2006.

The Center uses this building for student orientation and storage of the clothing and supplies provided to students. The warehouse was originally constructed in the 1960's and has a steel frame covered with interlocking insulated wall panels. Both the interior and exterior of the wall panels are exposed.

Due to the age of the building an exact match for the exterior of the panels was not possible and alternative panels had to be used. The Golconda Job Corps Center has the responsibility of painting the structure at a later date so that all panels will match.

Government personnel responsible for getting this project completed were Contracting Officer Barbara Ridley, Facilities Engineer Cynthia Morris, and Engineering Technician Don Brown, all Shawnee National Forest employees.

Working with Job Corps on this project demonstrates our dedication to improving effectiveness and efficiency.

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CynthiaMorriscmorris02@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Green Mountain NF Finds Success with Fisheries and Watershed Based Programs]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2490 Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2490 9

The Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont has worked hard to maintain a good Education/Outreach based fisheries and watershed program out of the Manchester District Office.

One program that has proven successful is the "Adopt a Salmon" project. This is a classroom based program in its 11th consecutive year.

Biological Technician Chris Alexopoulus serves as the coordinator/educator representing the Forest Service/Fisheries Team. Alexopoulus travels to schools in the Manchester area and speaks to them about the Atlantic Salmon Life Cycle, and how it inter-relates with the specific watershed that falls within their geographic zone.

This program also includes students raising atlantic salmon in the classroom from eggs to the fry stage, at which point they are released at a pre-determined site in a specific stream.

In addition, Alexopoulus has been asked to participate in an annual event referred to as the Rutland County Environmental Exposition to teach and provide a seminar in fisheries habitat and fisheries science. This is a significant Forest Service partnership effort with many Vermont state agencies and private in-state based organizations.

The group travels to a site in Southern Vermont based at a college campus where they take groups of elementary school students for one hour intervals over the course of a day and give a demonstration of electrofishing methods for collecting fish in a nearby river.

In addition, they discuss related subjects such as Benthic Invertebrates, Riparian Buffers, Water Quality, and Habitat improvements that benefit a wide assortment of fisheries needs and wildlife species.

Both programs are excellent examples of connecting citizens to the land and protecting ecosystems across boundaries.

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NickSchmalnschmal@fs.fed.us
<![CDATA[Eastern Region a Sponsor at State-Fish Art Expo]]> http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2415 Thu, 07 Sep 2006 00:00:00 CDT http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/?id=2415 9

Wildlife Forever hosted the 2006 State Fish-Art Expo in the Central Rotunda of the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota on July 29. Smokey Bear and Eastern Region staff handed out 5,000 white spruce seedlings during the event.

Governor Tim Pawlenty proclaimed July 29 as the official "Wildlife Forever State-Fish Day," and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Gene Merriam congratulated the winners from Maine to California.

The Minnesota Twins hosted the contest winners and their families, along with Smokey Bear and Forest Service employees in the Metrodome when they faced the Detroit Tigers on July 30.

One goal for the Eastern Region sponsorship of the 2006 State Fish-Art Expo was to help educate attendees about two important conservation practices: planting trees to sequester carbon, thereby helping to combat global climate change; and halting the spread of invasive species. Over the first eight years, the art contest and expo has introduced thousands of students nationwide to fish and wildlife conservation and the importance of healthy terrestrial and aquatic habitats.

Urban Connections participated in the event along with SCEP students from the Chippewa, Superior, and Ottawa National Forests and Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry to build relationships with our urban neighbors in the Minneapolis area. Plans are in the works to again sponsor the art expo in 2007.

For more information contact Nick Schmal (414) 297-3431

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LeahAndersonleahanderson@fs.fed.us