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Wisconsin
Conservation Specialist Receives Top NRCS Award
NRCS Chief Bruce Knight presented the 2006 Excellence in Conservation Award this
week to Paul Daigle of Marathon County during Wisconsin’s 2006 Year of the
Soil event at the State Capitol. NRCS honored Daigle of Wausau for his
extensive work in managed grazing. Daigle, a conservation specialist for the
Marathon County Conservation, Planning and Zoning Department, helps farmers in
Lincoln and Marathon counties plan, design and carry out conservation practices
on their farms.
Links...
NRCS news release:
“Wisconsin Conservation Specialist Receives Top NRCS Award" (May 16, 2006)
Excellence in
Conservation Award Information
National
Earth Team Volunteer Award Winner “Walks the Talk”
Not only does Huron County, Ohio District Conservationist Mike Patterson use
volunteers, but the NRCS Employee 2005 National
Earth Team Volunteer
Award winner is a volunteer himself. He volunteers as a clown,
entertaining children from the Cleveland inner-city area, the Bay Area Friends
of Abused Children, Services for the Aging, the Soil and Water Conservation
District (SWCD) Fall Fun Fest, and at Saint Vincent Mercy Children’s Hospital in
Toledo where twice monthly he helps bring laughter to serious, critical, and
terminally ill children.
50,000 Acres Enrolled in Wetlands
Reserve Program in Minnesota
NRCS Chief Bruce Knight, announced this week that over 50,000 acres of wetlands
in Minnesota have been enrolled in the NRCS Wetlands Reserve Program.
The announcement was made at a celebration held at the property of Paula and Ranjit Bhagyam near Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Links…
Read the story in the Minnesota
Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts news
Water Wise
The
Pedernales, Texas, Soil and Water Conservation District recently hosted the 22nd
annual Soil stewardship breakfast held at Whittington's Mountain in Johnson
City. Over 50 landowners attended the event. Ralph Ebeling, Jr., Chairman,
introduced Pastor Ken Greene from a local church, who presented the program for
this year’s theme “Water Wise.”
Fuchtman
Heading to Afghanistan
“I was looking for a change in work scenery, and now I’m going to get it,” said
Joe Fuchtman, NRCS resource conservationist in the Neligh, Nebraska Field
Office. Joe is making preparations for a nine-month tour through the
Foreign Agricultural Service in Afghanistan.
Cooperative
Conservation Working in New Jersey
USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Merlyn Carlson
recently joined other Federal, State, and local leaders and conservation
partners at Pursel’s Mill Dam in Warren County, New Jersey, to commemorate the
restoration of Lopatcong Creek. NRCS participated in the project through the
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, providing technical assistance and $72,500
toward the project cost.
Connect to
NRCS' State
News,
Newsroom, and
News Releases!
Celebrate
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Twenty-seven years ago, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint resolution
declaring the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Week as May 4-10, 1979.
Eleven years later, in 1990, President George Bush extended the week into a
month-long celebration. Two years after that, Public Law 102-450 designated May
of each year Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The theme for this year’s
Asian Pacific American Heritage month is Celebrating Decades of Pride,
Partnerships and Progress.
Links…
President's Proclamation
for Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month
Switchgrass
Isn't Just for Growing Anymore
During the State of the Union Address last January, President Bush made a
passing reference to a little known grass that has the potential to produce
enormous energy. That now famous grass’ popular name is switchgrass.
SARE
Professional Development Program Provides Training and Education for Organic
Production Systems
As more and more growers convert to organic production systems, NRCS has worked
to assist them by offering “transition to organic” funding in more than 11
states. The SARE
Professional Development Program (PDP) program has followed suit by
funding educational programs to keep NRCS, Extension and other agricultural
professionals up to speed on the latest developments in organic production
systems.
National Bulletins
National Bulletin: 190-6-12 May 9, 2006
Subject: ECS – FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2007 PLANT MATERIALS BUDGET AND PERFORMANCE GOAL
REQUESTS
The Natural Resources Conservation Service has Plant Materials Centers (PMCs) in
25 States. As part of the budget process, State Conservationists prepare budget
requests for their respective PMCs. An important step in this budget process is
the State’s completion of the Microsoft Excel worksheets prepared and
distributed by the Ecological Sciences Division. It is intended to have
allocation of CO-46 funds meet State needs, as much as available resources
allow. Available resources may not be sufficient to meet all needs. As initiated
in FY 2005, the request for PMCs annual performance goals is combined with the
budget request. This allows better linking of budget requests with products and
deliverables for each Center. In addition, we request that States update the
status and/or age of buildings, vehicles, and equipment.
National Bulletin: 450-6-11 May 11, 2006
Subject: TCH – NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) POINTS OF CONTACT
Technical discipline and resource area specialists, National Centers, and teams
within the Science and Technology (S&T) Deputy Area develop, deliver and support
the suite of technical tools that enable field staff to carry out the core
purpose of the agency – getting scientifically-based conservation on the ground.
The breadth of resource concerns to be addressed and the range of scales at
which they are addressed have led to the development of over 60 nationally
supported IT-based products, analytical tools, and databases. These IT tools are
essential in helping farmers and ranchers make technically sound resource
decisions – from the field to watershed scale – and are critical to high quality
and efficient design and implementation of conservation systems.
Technical Notes
Technical Note No.: 190-47 May 10, 2006
Subject: ESC – BIOLOGY – FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT LEAFLET NUMBER 32
– CROPPED WETLANDS AND WILDLIFE
This Leaflet provides information on the ecology and conservation of wetlands
that are cropped. The information provided in this Leaflet will assist
conservation planners and others in conserving cropped wetlands for wildlife.
Technical Note No.: 190-48 May 10, 2006
Subject: ESC – BIOLOGY – FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT LEAFLET NUMBER 30 –
WARMWATER STREAMS
This Leaflet provides information on the ecology and conservation of warmwater
streams. The information provided in this Leaflet will assist conservation
planners and others in restoring, conserving and managing warmwater streams for
fish.
Technical Note No.: 190-49 May 12, 2006
Subject: ESC – BIOLOGY – FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT LEAFLET NUMBER 35 –
“AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES”
This Leaflet provides conservation planners and land managers with a better
understanding of the ecological significance of reptiles and amphibians as well
as their conservation status. The information will help make land use decisions
that can enhance habitat for these species.
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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