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| Friday, March 29, 2002 Washington, DC. |
"Worlds can be found by a child and an adult bending down and looking together under the grass stems or at the skittering crabs in a tidal pool."
FOCUS ON THE FIELD
NRCS Demonstrates Toolkit for Local Congressman -
NRCS district conservationist Doug Garrison recently demonstrated the many uses of the Geographic Information System (GIS)/Customer Service Toolkit for local Congressman Tom Osborne during his visit to the Seward, Nebraska, USDA Service Center. Doug showed the congressman how conservation planning with land-users integrates GIS/Global Positioning System (GPS) technology into NRCS standard computer operations, demonstrated new accountability technology tools that help the agency meet the Government Performance & Results Act (GPRA), and described the extensive USDA Common Computing Environment network of hubs, servers, the Service Center Information Management System, and eGOV. The highlight of the demonstration occurred when Doug pulled up a local farmer's farm digital aerial photograph in a matter of seconds, and displayed several layers of interpretations over the land.
Your contact is Pat McGrane, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 402-437-5328 or pat.mcgrane@ne.usda.gov.
Patriot Gardens Grow in the Big Apple -
A partnership of Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Councils, Federal agencies, and private-sector partners have teamed up to work on the New York American Patriot Garden Project. In memory of the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, the partners plan to plant gardens, 600 to 1,000 square feet or greater, in New York's Lower Hudson and Long Island area. The gardens will be located on municipal lands to insure the greatest opportunity for public access and will be artistically designed, using woody and herbaceous plants and durable pathways to provide functional, long-term use for future generations.
Your contact is call Kathy Carpenter, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 315-477-6524.
Winooski Conservation District Leads Watershed Efforts -
Raising a community’s awareness of its watershed is one of the first steps toward achieving water quality goals. Many watershed residents don't realize they’re part of a "natural watershed community," much less able to define what a watershed actually is. Realizing the problem, the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District (NRCD), with assistance from NRCS, took the initiative by creating the "What is Your Connection" newsletter. Creators of the newsletter hope to foster resident involvement in water quality by providing them a better understanding of what a watershed is, as well as information on local watershed problems. So far, more than 65,000 copies of "What is Your Connection" have been inserted into newspapers within the watershed area, reaching over 10 percent of Vermont's population. As the Winooski watershed is one of the major contributors to the Lake Champlain Basin, the NRCD is optimistic that it has made an important first step toward achieving water quality goals.
Your contact is Anne Hilliard, NRCS public affairs specialist, at 802-951-6796, ext. 234.
40 Million Trees through Forestry Incentives Program (FIP) -
Working with more than 1,300 landowners since 1997, and using $2.4 million in FIP funding, NRCS conservationists have helped farmers and landowners plant 40 million trees on more than 72,000 acres in Virginia. Although the landowners' objectives determine the type of trees they plant and what other practices they may want to use, NRCS encourages landowners to plant and manage pine and hardwood forests. FIP meets the needs, not just of large producers, but of smaller farming operations as well. "For landowners like Gladys and Daniel Burruss, FIP means that Gladys can preserve her family farm in Louisa County. They rent a few acres to a neighboring farmer and have planted over 80 acres in pines and hardwoods at their own expense," says Jackie Byars, NRCS District Conservationist. "This year through FIP, NRCS funded a practice that eradicates unwanted vegetation from their woodlot stand. Management like this enables the Burrusses to grow the best quality timber on their property. Gladys and Daniel believe in leaving their land in as good if not better shape than it was before." The Burruss' story is just one example of the overall impact FIP has had on Virginia's landowners and the landscape. So far this year, Virginia NRCS has approved 233 contracts. Of those contracts, 208 are in pines on more than 8,000 acres, and 25 contracts cover planting of hardwoods on more than 250 acres. NRCS works in partnership with the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) on FIP. NRCS administers the program, while VDOF provides technical assistance to all landowners with an interest in growing trees. In addition to planting, other practices include pre-commercial thinning, release of herbicide spray, and natural regeneration. FIP also helps landowners plant trees for timber production.
Your contact is Ginger Kopp, NRCS soil conservationist, at 804-520-7229 ext. 102.
NATIONAL
"Tribal Warfare in Organizations: A Leadership Challenge" -
The Leader in You satellite seminar, "Tribal Warfare in Organizations: A Leadership Challenge," will be broadcast via satellite on April 2, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT (signal test time is 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Participant materials are available, beginning this week, on the NRCS Social Science Institute's web site under "What's New" at http://www.ssi.nrcs.usda.gov.
| Satellite: | Galaxy 3R-C3 |
| Channel: | 3 |
| Location: | 95 degrees west longitude |
| Downlink Frequency: | 3760 MHz |
| Audio: | 6.2/6.8 |
| Technical Assistance/Trouble Number | Videocom: 781-326-8078 |
The Leader in You satellite training program is sponsored by the NRCS Social Sciences Institute and the NRCS National Employee Development Center in cooperation with the National Conservation District Employees Association, the National Association of Conservation Districts, the National Association of State Conservation Agencies and the Federal Training Network.
Your contact is Barbara Wallace, NRCS community planner, at 616-942-1503 or barbara.wallace@usda.gov.
Call for Papers and Presentations -
NRCS and the Forest Service will conduct joint training at the Asian Pacific Islander Organization (APIO) Fourth Annual Training Conference in Verdi, Nevada, July 16-18, 2002. This year's theme is "Asian American Pacific Islander, Outreach to Communities." The training will provide an opportunity for individuals to share their technical knowledge with the two agencies. APIO invites those currently working on a unique technical project and/or helping minority landowners, to present their work as a paper or poster. Presenters may attend as part of their official duties, providing they have approval from their supervisors. Those interested in making a presentation (or presenting a poster) can contact Lee Ko, at 503-655-3144, ext.109, or lee.ko@or.usda.gov. For more information on the conference, check out the website at http://www.apio.org/ or contact APIO President, Hao Vo, at hao.vo@mn.usda.gov, or Executive Vice President Pooh Vongkamdy, at pooh.vongkamdy@mn.usda.gov.
Asian Pacific Islander Organization Scholarship Program -
APIO is currently accepting applications for the APIO Scholarship Program. Three scholarships will be given to Asian Pacific American high school and college students who are pursuing careers in natural resource conservation, computer science, or engineering. Applications must be postmarked by May 31, 2002. More information is available on the APIO web site at http://www.apio.org.
Your contact is Jocelyn Bamba, APIO scholarship committee chair, at 973-538-1552 or jbamba@nj.nrcs.usda.gov.
WORD FROM WASHINGTON
Secretary Veneman Announces New NRCS Chief -
Bruce Knight will officially join USDA on May 6, as Chief of NRCS. "Bruce Knight brings to USDA a great deal of knowledge and first-hand experience in conservation and agriculture policy from having served as a congressional staff member, a public policy leader for a national trade association and a working farmer and rancher," said Secretary Veneman. "I know that he will use that knowledge and experience in administering important conservation programs for USDA."
Bruce Knight currently serves as vice president, public policy, for the National Corn Growers Association's (NCGA) Washington, D.C., office. NCGA is a producer-directed trade association representing U.S. corn growers.
Knight previously served on the staff of Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, Kansas, focusing on development of the conservation title of the 1996 Farm Bill. He also worked for the National Association of Wheat Growers and as a legislative assistant to Rep. Fred Grandy, Iowa, and Sen. James Abdnor, South Dakota. A native of Gann Valley, South Dakota, Knight has been a farmer and rancher since 1976 for a 1,500-acre diversified grain and cattle operation, using no-till and rest rotation grazing systems. Knight succeeds Pearlie S. Reed, who has served as Chief since March 1, 1998.
Pearlie Reed is a 32-year USDA conservation professional who has held positions in NRCS and the Department, including acting assistant secretary for administration where he provided leadership to more than 300 employees on the Civil Rights Action Team. Pearlie Reed previously held a variety of positions with NRCS at its local, State, and Federal levels. He served as Associate Chief under previous NRCS Chief Paul Johnson and as State Conservationist in California and Maryland. In 1996, Reed received the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award--the highest award that can be bestowed upon a career Senior Executive Service member. That same year, he received two USDA Honor Awards, one as an individual and the other as a group leader for developing and implementing the most comprehensive reorganization in the agency's history. He also received a USDA Honor Award in 1993 for his commitment and leadership in equal opportunity and civil rights. Reed is a native of Heth, Arkansas.
Celebrate Women's History Month! -
The official theme for this year’s celebration is "Women Sustaining the American Spirit." Schools and communities will celebrate the month with special curriculum and events, and many States and cities have extended the observance year-round by creating women's halls of fame.
The first International Women's Day was March 8, 1911. In 1981, U.S. Representative Barbara Mikulski and U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch cosponsored a Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming the week of March 8 as National Women's History Week. In 1986, the National Women's History Project helped expand the celebration to the entire month of March. In 1987 and subsequent years, National Women's History Month resolutions have been approved by Congress. Check out the many interesting events of Women's History Month by visiting the Feminist Majority website calendar at http://www.feminist.org/calendar/Calendar.asp.
Your contact is Barbara Compton, NRCS National Federal Women's Program Manager, at 301-504-2183.
2002 CF Industries National Watershed Award -
June 1 is the application deadline for the 2002 CF Industries National Watershed Award, which recognizes corporate and community excellence in watershed protection. Each year, one corporation and three watershed groups are recognized for their outstanding leadership in protecting America's water resources. The award, administered by the Conservation Fund, focuses on innovative, non-regulatory approaches to improving and maintaining water quality within a watershed. Particular emphasis is placed on local partnerships that demonstrate the success of incentive-based, voluntary initiatives and education. To be eligible, programs must have been operating for at least one year so that their success can be verified, and must exceed minimum legal requirements or existing regulations. Only working programs, not products or individuals, are eligible. A committee of national experts will evaluate all applications for the CF Industries National Watershed Award based on the following five criteria: stakeholder representation, community outreach, innovative non-regulatory action, interdisciplinary approach, and achievement of measurable goals. Complete information on how to apply, including an application form, can be found at http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2332.
Your contacts are Jesús Peralta, CF Industries, at 202-371-9279 or jperalta@cfindustries.com; or Beth Koonse, The Conservation Fund, at 304-876-2815, or b.koonse@freshwaterinstitute.org.
TECH TIP
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Established - The Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is the outcome of a collaboration of nations around the world through the Convention on Biological Diversity to make biological information globally accessible to decision-makers and the public. The GBIF is an interoperable network of biodiversity databases and information technology tools that are in various phases of development. Users will be able to navigate the world’s vast quantities of biodiversity information, which can be used for national economic, environmental, and social benefits. A GBIF subcommittee for the Electronic Catalogue of Names of Known Organisms (also known as the Catalogue of Life) has formed a Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (STAG). The STAG recently met in Sydney, Australia, to work on the Catalogue. Scott Peterson, National Plant Data Center Director, was a STAG participant. NRCS PLANTS http://plants.usda.gov and the Integrated Taxonomic Information System http://www.itis.usda.gov will function within this network. For more information, visit the GBIF Web site, at http://www.gbif.org/.
Your contact is Scott Peterson, Director, NRCS National Plant Data Center, at 225-775-6280 or scott.peterson@usda.gov.
Please send correspondence and material for "NRCS This Week" to the editor by: e-mail to: fred.jacobs@usda.gov or by fax to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," 202-720-1564; or by mail to: Editor, "NRCS This Week," NRCS, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013.
You can receive NRCSTW via e-mail by sending an e-mail to: listproc@nrcs.usda.gov (NHQ personnel should send their e-mail to: GW:"listproc@nrcs.usda.gov@i"). Do not use a subject line and put the following in the body of the message: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Firstname Lastname (example: subscribe NRCS-THIS-WEEK Rachel Carson). To get help with other commands that are available at the "listproc@nrcs.usda.gov" address, send a message with no subject and the word HELP on a line by itself in the body of the message. "NRCS This Week" is posted on the NRCS Homepage.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The NRCS Mission: The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment.
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