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Posts tagged: Wyoming

NRCS Snow Surveyor Collects Vital Water Data, Lives Dream Job

Snow surveyors approach SNOTEL site on Mount Hood.

Snow surveyors approach SNOTEL site on Mount Hood.

Koeberle’s job carries her over mountains by helicopter and horse, snowshoes and skis. She has encountered grizzly bears, avalanches and wolves and visited ridges that few people have seen.

Koeberle is a hydrologist and snow surveyor for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and works on the agency’s snow survey team—a group of specially trained scientists who maintain snow gauges that are important to farmers, business owners and many other people in the West. Read more »

Forest Service Botanist Shares Fall’s Native Plant Diversity on South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest

Fall needle cast is natural for many conifers, including ponderosa pine. The trees shed their oldest leaves each fall, but the leaves at the branch tips remain green.  Pine trees that lose their newer leaves at the branch tips may be stressed or diseased. Photo by Jill Welborn.

Fall needle cast is natural for many conifers, including ponderosa pine. The trees shed their oldest leaves each fall, but the leaves at the branch tips remain green. Pine trees that lose their newer leaves at the branch tips may be stressed or diseased. Photo by Jill Welborn.

Perhaps it’s just me, but I think many people are relieved to see the fall colors and relish the cool mornings here on the Black Hills National Forest. Read more »

New Conservation Agreement Provides Wildlife Habitat and Creates Recreational Opportunities

Cattle graze in meadows along South Piney Creek on the Fish Creek Flying W Ranch west of Big Piney in 2011. Photo by Mark Gocke, Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Cattle graze in meadows along South Piney Creek on the Fish Creek Flying W Ranch west of Big Piney in 2011. Photo by Mark Gocke, Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

A new land conservation agreement will protect key wildlife habitat in Wyoming’s Green River Valley. The agreement, which establishes two conservation easements on the Fish Creek Flying W Ranches near Big Piney, was coordinated by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and The Conservation Fund. Read more »

NRCS Helps Preserve Wyoming Ranching Family’s Way of Life with Conservation Easement

A large, family-run ranch in Wyoming was recently placed in permanent conservation easement with the help of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and The Conservation Fund. The efforts of other partners were also key.

Barn: View of one of the homestead ranches now protected by two conservation easements. Photo by Mark Gocke.

Barn: View of one of the homestead ranches now protected by two conservation easements. Photo by Mark Gocke.

The ranch, which is one of the oldest operating ranches held by one family in the Green River Valley, will be permanently protected under NRCS’ Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP). The 10,000-acre ranch is actually two homestead properties owned by the Budd-Espenscheid family, near the town of Big Piney, and will be protected under two easements. Read more »

Giving: The true spirit of Christmas

Capitol Christmas Tree lit December 7, 2010

Capitol Christmas Tree lit December 7, 2010

Do you have any idea how many ornaments it takes to decorate a 67-foot-tall Christmas tree? Do you ever count your ornaments? For this year’s Capitol Christmas Tree Wyoming did. Read more »

It stands for more than the season

"Crewmembers with the Capitol Architect's Office guide the Capitol Christmas Tree into the five-foot-deep stand that will hold the tree upright throughout December on the west lawn of the Capitol building. The Lighting Ceremony for the tree is slated for Tuesday, December 7." USFS photo by Keith Riggs

"Crewmembers with the Capitol Architect's Office guide the Capitol Christmas Tree into the five-foot-deep stand that will hold the tree upright throughout December on the west lawn of the Capitol building. The Lighting Ceremony for the tree is slated for Tuesday, December 7." USFS photo by Keith Riggs

It stands as a tribute and image of the season, when we as a nation celebrate Christmas. It is the focus of a nation for the lighting ceremony and is the background of news footage, specials and photographs throughout December. It stands in the spotlight for only a few weeks and then the lights fade and it is gone. Read more »