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(from left) Wisconsin NRCS State Conservationist Pat Leavenworth looks on as NRCS Chief Bruce Knight presents Paul Daigle with the 2006 Excellence in Conservation AwardWisconsin 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

(from left) Ohio NRCS Assistant State Conservationist Tom Perrin, Mike Patterson, and Ohio NRCS Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator Mitch CatrellNational 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.

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Congressman Gil Gutknecht (left) worked with Bill Hunt, Minnesota NRCS State Conservtionist (center) and NRCS Chief Bruce Knight, to erect a wood duck nesting house on the Bhagyam property at this week's celebration (photo courtesy of The Farmer)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
 

Jim Odiorne, presents a Conservation Rancher award to Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Gipson for their outstanding conservation efforts.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.”
 

Joe Fuchtman, NRCS resource conservationist in the Neligh field office, will be working in Afghanistan on a nine-month detail through the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.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.
 

 

from left: USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Merlyn Carlson and New Jersey NRCS State Conservationist Tony Kramer visit with landowner Harry PurselCooperative 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!

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APIO NRCS 2006 posterCelebrate 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

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switchgrassSwitchgrass 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.
 

 

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SARE-funded professional development projects often include in-the-field education such as this tour of an organic onion farmSARE 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.

 

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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.