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TRAINING - Check out AgLearn on the Forest Service system

Self Register in AgLearn for any WFW Continuing Education workshop!

General/Cross Areas

WFW Continuing Education Program Updates

1. SF182 completion does NOT mean you are registered.
   The AgLearnSF182 feature is not linked to AgLearn “Registration”. Check your “Registration” tab in AgLearn or contact Shelly Witt to ensure you are really registered. We may cancel a workshop due to “low” registration only to find out people completed SF182s thinking that was all they needed to do. Please share this bit of information like gossip at coffee breaks and pre-meeting chats.
   
   
2. Monitoring Course – possible resurrection.
   On Monday (12.01.08) the “Asking and Answering the Right Monitoring Questions” course was cancelled due to low registration. Over the next few days a couple people called wanting to register. If you want to attend, contact Shelly Witt right NOW. We are working with the vendor to get back the facility/hotel reservations pending 12 registrations.
   January 28-30, 2009: Salt Lake City, UT
   
   
3. Climate Change – Integrated in to Wildlife Conservation & Monitoring
   The Wildlife Conservation & Monitoring course is adding in a section on climate change. Register in AgLearn (2600); It is both online and onsite...not an either/or -- such a screaming deal
   Online: January 26 - April 10, 2009 (sprinkled throughout this time period)
   Onsite: April 13 - 17, 2009
   
   Don't let the title fool you into thinking this workshop is only for wildlife biologists!
   It is has value for a variety of natural resource professionals. Come think out side your box -- think critically about how habitat issues and concepts shape resource management at national, regional and local levels.
   
   
   

Introduction to Model Builder for Natural Resource Management - Online & FREE
Access: FS Internal Access only
Focus is on natural resource management-related topics and examples. It contains several modules, including: raster data, geoprocessing, components of a model, how to conceptualize and develop natural resource-related models, and how to customize your models using Python scripting. A case study in invasive weeds habitat mapping was recently added. You can access the course through GSTC's Training and Awareness. No registration is required, and you can proceed at your own pace.

Contact: Felicia Acrea, USFS, Geospatial Service and Technology Center
Phone: 801.975.3735 E-mail: facrea”at”fs.fed.us

Submitted By: Shelly Witt, USDAFS/WO/WFW

Threatened & Endangered Species - TES

FCAU Course Curriculum Changes
Course Dates: March 18 – 19, 2009

Nomination Due Date: January 5, 2009 (for this course only)

The Fire Chemical Applications and Use (FCAU) course is being modified to include the most recent guidelines for delivery near waterways, requirements and updates in the reporting process in regards to Threatened and Endangered Species (TES) habitat, and to provide direction in the safe and effective use of fire chemicals in the environment.

Contact: Tim Peterson, National Advanced Fire and Resource Institute - NAFRI
Office: 520-799-8757

Submitted By: Marc Bosch, USFS/WO/WFW

Wildlife

NOTE: FS employees attending any of the BCI training, please contact Shelly Witt. Shelly will enter the training into AgLearn for you.

Bat Conservation & Management Workshops (BCI)

Bat Conservation International's 2009 Bat Conservation & Management workshops in Arizona, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. For the sixth consecutive year, BCI is hosting an Acoustic Monitoring workshop to be held in Arizona. Below are brief workshop descriptions.
Additional information and registration forms can be found on BCI's website: http://batcon.org/workshops

2009 BAT CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS

Each year, Bat Conservation International (BCI) offers a series of comprehensive, introductory field workshops to train serious students of bat conservation in current research and management techniques for the study of bats. Following an intensive 6-day, 5-night agenda, participants will experience a combination of lectures and discussions, field trips to view bat habitat resources and hands-on training to catch and identify bats. Learn species identification, netting, radio-tracking, night-vision observation and habitat assessment while working in extraordinary settings.

An Arizona workshop in the Chiricahua Mountains emphasizes western bats. The Chiricahuas offer a biodiversity unequalled anywhere else in North America. You can expect to see, capture and handle as many as 18 bat species in a single evening, and then watch endangered long- nosed bats visit hummingbird feeders at your front door. Participants have also enjoyed spotting ring-tailed cats, coatis, and trogans. BCI workshop veteran Janet Tyburec, along with BCI biologists and professional colleagues will share a wealth of knowledge on species identification (including by echolocation calls), bat conservation, management, education, public health and nuisance issues, artificial habitats and much more. We will stay at the American Museum of Natural History’s famous Southwestern Research Station, where you will enjoy superb dining with researchers from around the world.
Two sessions: May 5-10 and May 11-16, 2009. Each session limited to 16 people.
Departure city: Tucson, AZ.
Cost: $1,395

A Kentucky workshop will focus on underground environments and their importance to bats, including the federally endangered gray and Indiana myotis. In partnership with the National Park Service at Mammoth Cave, students will explore cave habitats and learn to assess past bat use by identifying hibernation staining and quantifying historic guano piles. All fieldwork here is part of a vital, long-term inventory program for the Park Service.
One session: July 14-19, 2009. This workshop is limited to 20 people per session.
Departure city: Nashville, TN.
Cost: $1,395

Our Pennsylvania workshop highlights eastern bats and their habitats. We’ll net, trap and release bats over trout streams and beaver ponds, observe endangered Indiana bats swarming at a mine entrance, watch 20,000 little brown myotis in a spectacular dawn return to their roost at a restored church and examine them up close. Workshop co-leader Cal Butchkoski of the Pennsylvania Game Commission is a leading expert on surveying and radio-tracking Indiana bats, as well as one of America’s most successful builders of bat houses and other artificial roosts. Cal and Janet Tyburec, joined by local consultant John Chenger, will share a wealth of knowledge covering all aspects of bat conservation, management, education and public health and nuisance issues. Home cooking is but one of many unexpected treats at historic Greene Hills Manor, our workshop headquarters.
One session: August 14-19, 2009. This session is limited to 20 people.
Departure city: Harrisburg, PA.
Cost: $1,395

2009 ACOUSTIC MONITORING WORKSHOP

BCI is offering an acoustic monitoring workshop session at the Southwestern Research Station in Portal, Arizona. This workshop will cover hardware and software including Anabat and SonoBat and teach call identifications and how to develop a monitoring program. Participants will learn directly from software developers Chris Corben and Joe Szewczak, along with acoustic experts Sybill Amelon and Ted Weller. The format will be similar to BCI's Bat Conservation and Management workshops, combining discussions of current research with hands-on demonstrations and fieldwork. Each night, we will be capturing bats and developing call libraries so participants can return to their home study areas and begin their own projects armed with knowledge and experience. BCI will have equipment available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own systems. The Acoustic Monitoring Workshop is an advanced workshop designed for graduates of previous BCI workshops and/or experienced bat workers. One session: May 11-16, 2000. Acoustic Monitoring workshop is limited to 15 people. Departure city: Tucson, Arizona.

Cost: $1,595.

Experiences at each workshop are designed to teach new techniques, refresh old ones and foster an interest in pro-active conservation, education, and research projects.

Contact: Peg Lau Hee, Workshops Coordinator at 512-327-9721 or workshops@batcon.org

Submitted By: Jina Mariani, USFS/WO/WFW

SHARING SUCCESS:

Region 9

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!

This Success Story


Submitted By: Nick Schmal, USFS/R9/WFW

Native Plant & Pollinator Garden in Milwaukee's Juneau Park The Eastern Region is partnering with Milwaukee County Parks to create a pollinator & native plant garden in downtown Milwaukee. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Forest Service's Eastern Region and Milwaukee County has been signed and the beginnings of a Native Plant & Pollinator Garden is taking shape at Juneau Park in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Eastern Regional Office and Milwaukee County Parks have removed turf grass and planted hundreds of native plants and seeds to raise the awareness of the important ecological service provided by native pollinators such as bees and butterflies; the benefits of landscaping with native plants that reduce our carbon footprint and maintenance costs; and the need to control non-native invasive plants.

Non-natives such as tree of heaven, garlic mustard, common buckthorn, non-native honeysuckles and others were removed from Juneau Park and more than 40 species of native tallgrass prairie and dappled woodland plants were added. The park garden will be signed and interpreted and members of the public will be invited to volunteer their time and energy.

Plans are to expand this garden north along the heavily used Oak Leaf Trail, which skirts the Lake Michigan shoreline for several miles. Juneau Park, a beautiful and important green space in a busy urban environment, thus offers several important ecological messages in an illustrative form while providing very enjoyable recreational and stewardship volunteer opportunities for the public. Come join us!

Submitted By: Jan Schmidt, USFS/R9/Botany

Other Great Stories…

• Wetland Expansion in Indiana Meets Many Goals
  Working together, several partners expanded a wetland on the Hoosier to provided multiple benefits.
  

• Guest Scientist Visits the Huron-Manistee National Forests
  Hydro-Geology Professor Dr. Paul Doss was a guest scientist on the Forests thanks to a partnership agreement with the Geologic Society of America.
  

USFS Success Story Reporting System - NOW ON WWW!
Subscribe to the Success Story Reporting System

VACANCIES:

Federal job announcements can be found at: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/agency_search.asp

REGION 1

Kootenai Fish and Wildlife Program Manager GS-401-12
The Kootenai National Forest F&W Program Manager Vacancy is now in USAJOBS.
USAJOBS ref#1391073
Open: 11/10/08 to 12/9/08
This is a great Forest with many of good things going on for fish and wildlife. We are looking for someone really good who works well with folks. It truly is a great opportunity.

Contact: C. Quinn Carver, qcarver”at”fs.fed.us or 406-283-7695

Submitted By: Jina Mariani, USFS/WO/WFW

REGION 8

GS-13 team leader for the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas
This is an excellent opportunity for someone that wants to integrate TES species conservation with fire and forest management. There is a lot of potential here.
Vacancy announcement ADS09-R8-NFIT-0133FS (P-TS)
Supervisory Biological Scientist, GS-0401-13
Natural Resources and Planning Team Leader, LUFKIN, Texas
Announcement accessible at www.avuedigitalservices.com/usfs/applicant.html or www.avuecentral.com

Submitted By: Dennis L. Krusac, USFS/R8/

www.usajobs.opm.gov

An application can be downloaded from this site at: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/bla.htm - OF612

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WFW Newsletter Contact Information:

Disclaimer - Non Discrimination Statement

WFW Newsletter is a monthly newsletter without a clever name and is provided by the National Forest System Watershed-Fish-Wildlife-Air-Rare Plants staff (including Soils) of the USDA Forest Service. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted to Netta Grant or your favorite Program Leader no later than the 20th of each month. We reserve the right to edit contributions for clarity and brevity. Emphasis on brevity. Links to detailed URLs or documents are great - include them in your information contribution. If brevity and clarity are a struggle for you, we recommend the “Plain & Simple! Document Writing” workshop instructed by Dr. Jud Monroe. If photos are included in your submission please provide alternative text with each photo. Alternative text should not repeat captions but describe the scene shown in the photo.

Positions listed are for outreach purposes only and are not full announcements. Interested individuals should contact the forests referenced or consult the USAJOBS website.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."

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