NRCS This Week - 06/08/01

News

Friday, June 8, 2001 Washington, DC.

"The history of every nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil."

– From a statement at the signing of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945), 32nd President of the United States

Focus on the Field

Arizona: Arizona Livestock "Stomps" Toward Conservation

Indiana "Woodsman (Developer) Spare That Tree"

Kansas: OWLS Go to School

Pennsylvania: Conservationists "Learn to Burn"

Virginia: Controlled Grazing Pays Big Environmental Dividends

What's Up in Washington

NRCS Conservation Planning Policy Revised

House Subcommittee Hearing

$17.5 Million for Farmland Protection

PLANTS Continues "Growing" - Up 74 Percent over March 2000

National/Regional

Master Stress with the Leader in You

Farmable Wetlands Project Begins

Summer 2001 Algal Blooms: Pfiesteria Update

Tech Tip

NRCS Erosion Data Presented at National Conference

Accolades

Chief Reed Recognizes NRCS USDA Honor Award Winners

NRCS Employee Inducted into Hall of Fame

USDA/NRCS 'NetNewsLinks

Find out what USDA is doing to prevent Foot and Mouth Disease from entering the U.S. at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/fmd/index.html, http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/default.htm, or http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/envinfo/fmd/index.htm.

NRCS National Water and Climate Center Snow-Precipitation Update for the West: ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/ws.txt.

NRCS Legislative Summaries: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/about/legislative/Summary106.html.

Also on the 'Net:

AGRICOLA: USDA's AGRICultural Online Access

e-Notes from NACD: Weekly news briefs from the National Association of Conservation Districts: http://www.nacdnet.org/eNotes/.

Conference & Training Connection!

See the June 6 "Conference & Training Connection" for an updated, alphabetical-by-subject list and a chronological list of upcoming events.

FOCUS ON THE FIELD

Arizona Livestock "Stomps" Toward Conservation - Using livestock trampling over the distributed hay as a tool to plant grass seed is a technique that dates back to the 1950s, but the Plant Materials Center (PMC) in Tucson, Arizona, has given the practice a new twist. By using native grass hay, baled from seed production fields, the PMC has modified the technique to successfully revegetate deteriorated rangeland at several sites. Native grass hay, similar to conventional straw, can be applied at the same rates as straw mulch; however, using native materials in revegetation projects encourages development of a diverse native plant community. Your contact is Mark Pater, NRCS Plant Materials Center Operations and Research Coordinator, at 520-292-2999 or Mark.Pater@az.usda.gov.

"Woodsman (Developer) Spare That Tree" - Northern Indiana landowners Merle and Elizabeth Jacobs lamented that their forest was in danger of being developed into housing. To protect the land from development, the Jacobs donated a conservation easement to Wood-Land-Lakes Resource Conservation and Development District (RC&D), Inc. Since this first RC&D woodland conservation easement, within the past 7 months 2 others have been donated to the RC&D to protect farmland and wildlife habitat. The Jacobs' prime forestland, pond, and wetlands have served as an ecological study area for Goshen College students since 1974 as it attracts wood ducks, mallards, blue-winged teal and hooded mergansers. Old growth of walnut, red oak, maple, and cherry trees provide nesting areas to a number of non-aquatic birds as well, including hummingbirds, wood thrush, scarlet tanager, phoebe, red-eyed and white-eyed vireo, Acadian flycatchers, great horned and barred owls, and red-tailed and sharp-shinned hawks. Your contact is Kathy Latz, RC&D Coordinator, at 219-349-1433.

OWLS Go to School - Working with the NRCS field office in South Hutchinson, Kansas, the Obee Grade School is expanding its educational curriculum to include natural resource information through an Outdoor Wildlife Learning Site (OWLS) grant administered through the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The Obee outdoor classroom project included constructing a wetland and plantings site with help from NRCS, the Buhler High School horticulture class, and the Reno County Extension. The OWLS project provides students with an opportunity to learn about natural resource conservation and wildlife habitat through grant funding of outdoor learning sites that attract wildlife. Your contact is Robert Wimer, NRCS District Conservationist, at 620-669-0168.

Conservationists "Learn to Burn" - Twenty-four NRCS staff from Pennsylvania recently attended an introductory course on prescribed burning at the Leesport NRCS field office. Staff from the NRCS Grazing Lands Technology Institute provided instruction on the ecology, behavior, and characteristics of fire, as well as its effects on vegetation, animals, and soils. Considerations for planning and conducting a prescribed burn were reviewed along with NRCS National policy on prescribed burning and Pennsylvania burning laws. NRCS employees conducted their own "burn" of some warm season grasses, observing how backfires and head fires come together and extinguish themselves safely. Your Contact is Stacey Mitchell, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 717-237-2208.

Controlled Grazing Pays Big Environmental Dividends - Charles Epps, a part-time beef farmer in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, amazed neighbors and friends at a recent field day on his farm. By switching to controlled grazing with help from NRCS, Epps transformed poor pastures, where he had to haul water to his cattle, to a model farm with top quality forage, seven watering troughs, and cattle that rate excellent in body condition. About 85 producers attended the field day where sponsors from NRCS, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, and the Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District provided in-depth information on grassland management, livestock health, design of paddocks and handling facilities, and technical and financial assistance available to producers. Your contact is Mike Jones, NRCS District Conservationist, at 804-469-7717.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON

NRCS Conservation Planning Policy Revised - NRCS conservation planning policy has been revised and will soon be on the NRCS homepage. The guidance expands policy on certified conservation planners and covers certification issues pertaining to comprehensive nutrient management pans. Guidance has also been sent to the field for soil and water conservation assistance and agricultural management assistance. The information will be published in the Federal Register this week.

House Subcommittee Hearing - This week, the House Conservation, Credit, Rural Development, and Research Subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee held hearings on agricultural conservation programs. Ralph Grossi from American Farmland Trust testified on behalf of about 30 environmental groups, along with representatives from Ducks Unlimited, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, and the National Association of Conservation Districts.

$17.5 Million for Farmland Protection - This week, USDA announced that $17.5 million is available to help communities protect farmland. Through NRCS, the funds will protect an estimated 28,000 acres in 28 States. Through the Farmland Protection Program, USDA enters into agreements with States, tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations - such as land trusts, open space associations, and land resource conservation councils - to protect productive farmland through the purchase of conservation easements.

Farmland Protection Program fiscal year 2001 allocation by State:

California
$540,200
New Hampshire
$527,900

Colorado
$1,117,400
New Jersey
$765,600

Connecticut
$623,500
New York
$440,900

Delaware
$617,300
North Carolina
$598,100

Florida
$729,600
Oklahoma
$26,000

Idaho
$212,200
Pennsylvania
$665,800

Illinois
$520,000
Rhode Island
$527,300

Iowa
$289,100
South Carolina
$299,500

Kentucky
$635,800
Texas
$480,500

Maine
$663,800
Utah
$116,500

Maryland
$718,400
Vermont
$3,452,800

Massachusetts
$637,800
Virginia
$521,800

Michigan
$562,200
Washington
$588,800

Montana
$103,200
Wisconsin
$518,000

TOTAL
$17,500,000

PLANTS Continues "Growing" - Up 74 Percent over March 2000 - The highly successful NRCS PLANTS database continues to grow in popularity. For March 2001, the PLANTS website experienced a 34 percent increase in activity over January 2001 and a 74 percent increase over March of last year. With total hits of 2.7 million, PLANTS provided the equivalent of 15,313 hours, or 7.36 person-years, of technical assistance. Your contact is Scott Peterson, Director, NRCS National Plant Data Center, at 225-775-6280 or scott.peterson@usda.gov.

NATIONAL/REGIONAL

Master Stress with the Leader in You - "Stress Mastery," the final program in The Leader in You spring series, will focus on techniques to master stress, minimize health risk, and optimize high level function. Anyone dealing with stress or hoping to avoid stress in the workplace will benefit from the presentation by Dr. Todd Nelson, a naturopathic doctor. Dr. Nelson is president/owner of the largest, most successful naturopathic clinic in Colorado and is an author, trainer, wellness coach, health editor, and popular radio talk show host. "Stress Mastery" will be satellite broadcast Thursday, June 14, from 1-3 p.m., Eastern Daylight Savings Time. There is no cost to anyone in the NRCS conservation partnership to view the training over satellite transmission and taping rights are available. Satellite coordinates and information regarding handouts were provided through an e-mail to all employees, conservation districts, and State conservation agencies. Your contact is Barbara Wallace, NRCS Social Sciences Institute, at 616-942-1503 or Barbara.Wallace@usda.gov.

Farmable Wetlands Project Begins - The Farmable Wetlands Pilot Program (FWP) signup started this week and is expected to enroll up to 500,000 acres of small, upland wetlands under the continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. To be eligible for the signup, cropland must have been farmed 3 of the last 10 years and designated as a cropped wetland or a prior converted wetland. Enrollment in CRP under FWP is limited to a total of no more than 40 acres of wetlands and buffers per tract. Individual wetlands may not be in a floodplain and must be less than 5 acres in size with buffers less than 3 times the size of each wetland. Authorized by the 2000 Agriculture Appropriations Act, this pilot program signup in the 5 States is expected to increase interest in other buffer practices and accelerate Wetland Reserve Program signups in frequently flooded floodplain areas. Many conservation groups hope to expand this pilot to all States in the next Farm Bill. For additional details go to http://www.fb-net.org/CRP/WP/index.htm.

Summer 2001 Algal Blooms: Pfiesteria Update - In 1995, a one-celled organism called Pfiesteria piscicida caused a massive fish kill along the North Carolina coast in the New River and the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system. By 1997, this organism and others killed an additional 1.2 million fish in the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine system of North Carolina and thousands of fish in several Eastern Shore tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. In 1998, it killed a half million fish in the Albemarle-Pamlico system. Pfiesteria species, resident in quiet, nutrient-rich estuaries, have now washed downstream into areas unfavorable to their growth, as well as into favorable areas where they are recovering from the effects of recent hurricanes. A second species, Pfiesteria shumwayae, was a minor player in the 1997-1998 toxic Pfiesteria outbreaks, but has now displaced Pfiesteria piscicida as the organism to be most closely monitored, as it has been tested as highly toxic to fish. Your contact is Barry Rosen, Water Quality Specialist, Watershed Science Institute, at 919-828-9658 or barry.rosen@ftw.nrcs.usda.gov.

TECH TIP

NRCS Erosion Data Presented at National Conference - Information on trends in water and wind erosion, including results from the 1997 National Resources Inventory (NRI), was presented recently at the Seventh Federal Interagency Sedimentation Conference in Reno, Nevada. Data from the latest NRI indicate that soil erosion on cropland has declined by 35 percent - from 3.1 billion tons per year in 1982 to 1.9 billion tons in 1997. This reduction is attributed to increased use of conservation or best management practices, 1985 and 1996 Farm Bill Programs, and changes in land use. Even with these significant reductions in erosion rates, nearly 108 million acres, or 29 percent of the Nation's cropland, has been determined to be excessively eroding at a rate of 1.3 billion tons per year. This excessive erosion has increased concern regarding the related erosion problems of sediments, nutrients, pesticides, and other pollutants impacting water quality, especially in the West and Midwest portions of the country. The conference provided a forum for an interdisciplinary mix of scientists and managers from government agencies, academia, and the business community to make professional presentations on recent accomplishments and progress in research and on technical developments related to sedimentation processes and the impact of sediment on the environment. Your contact is Carla Kertis in the Resources Inventory Division, 301-504-2279.

ACCOLADES

Chief Reed Recognizes NRCS USDA Honor Award Winners

NRCS Chief Pearlie Reed recognized agency winners of the USDA 55th Annual Honor Awards. These awards are the most prestigious honors bestowed by the Secretary of Agriculture. "The Honor Awards are a tribute to our employees for their diligence, commitment, and sacrifice in carrying out their responsibilities and serving local communities," Reed said. "The NRCS workforce is dedicated to conservation and committed to public service." Award winners have demonstrated exemplary service and outstanding achievements in many fields, including maintaining and enhancing the Nation's natural resources and environment; enhancing the capacity of all rural residents, communities, and businesses to prosper; and operating an efficient, effective, and discrimination-free organization.

USDA 2001 Honor Award Winners

Maintaining and Enhancing the Nation's Natural Resources and Environment

Cache River Watershed Project Team, Anna, Illinois - For bringing together diverse agricultural and environmental interests to develop a highly successful local resource plan for improved land management on private lands within the watershed.

Group Leader: Richard A. Miller

Group Members: Keith C. Bell, Arthur L. Houseman, Terrence A. Wachter, Jesse C. Hall, Euley Simington, Danette M. Cross, Jeffrey L. Windhorst

Other Group Members: Union County Soil and Water Conservation District

Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District, Carthage, Illinois - For leading the State of Illinois in applying conservation buffers, contributing 3,900 acres toward the National Conservation Buffer Initiative program, which contributes to saving taxpayer dollars and improving human health and quality of life.

Group Leader: Lori G. Bollin

Group Members: John Gunter, Matthew LeMaire, Betty Buckert, Deborah Boyles, Abbie Sperry

Climate Change Negotiations Analytic Support Team, USDA Office of the Chief Economist, Washington DC - For significant contributions to improving the Kyoto Protocol through the consideration of forest, crop and grazing land management.

Group Leader: William Hohenstein, Office of the Chief Economist

NRCS Group Member: Jeri Berc

Other Group Members: Office of the Chief Economist, Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service

Geo-Spatial Information System Partnership, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Fairfax, Virginia - For leveraging expertise and resources through an innovative partnership of USDA agencies, State governments and universities to produce geo-spatial information system data layers in support of natural resource monitoring.

Group Leader: George A. Hanuschak, NASS

NRCS Group Members: Rosendo Trevino, John Allen

Other Group Members: NASS, Illinois Department of Natural Resources

Enhancing the Capacity of All Rural Residents, Communities, and Businesses to Prosper

Three Mile Reservoir Agency and Supporting Affiliates, Creston, Iowa - For the supreme effort of a group of committed citizens who developed a safe and dependable source of water for the people of their seven-county region.

Group Leader: Robert Brown, Three Mile Reservoir Agency

Group Members: Dennis Hilger, Paul Goldsmith, Erwin Aust

Robert J. Gotkowski, Bourbonnais, Illinois - For outreach efforts to limited resource minority producers, helping establish a cooperative and secure funding for field demonstrations, equipment and supply purchases, which built foundations for future success.

Southern Illinois-Southeast Missouri Outreach Project, Mt. Vernon, Illinois/Dexter, Missouri - For leading a bi-State outreach effort to assist two groups of small limited resource producers with establishing new markets and developing a cooperative.

Group Leaders: Roscoe Allen, Walter Smith

Trinity/Ore-Cal Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Group, Weaverville, California - For assisting rural residents, communities and businesses in northern California to achieve a vigorous economy, a happy community and a healthy natural environment.

Group Leader: Scott W. Eberly

Group Member: James L. Vancura

Other Group Members: Trinity RC&D Council, Ore-Cal RC&D Council

Oregon Conservation Planner Certification Cadre, Portland, Oregon - For development of a conservation technology transfer model that is used to develop the expertise of employees to ensure that the interests of landowners are addressed while complying with natural resources law and regulation.

Group Leader: Roy M. Carlson, Jr.

Group Members: Hal W. Gordon, Jeffrey P. Repp, Tom M. Gohlke, Bruce D. Wilson, Steven B. Campbell, Russell R. Hatz, Craig M. Ziegler, Roger H. Borine, John G. Eddy, Roy L. Manning, Robert Graham

Operating an Efficient, Effective, and Discrimination-Free Organization

Combined Administrative Management System Team, Beltsville, Maryland - For planning, development, and implementation of an automated human resources system to support critical program needs of seven agencies in three mission areas that will result in significant savings in both time and taxpayer dollars.

Group Leader: Hans E. Heidenreich

Group Members: Patricia D. Cecil, Sandra R. Smiley, W. Gordie Walker Jr., Donald R. Whitcomb, Brenda S. Young

Other Group Members: Rural Development, Farm Service Agency, USDA Departmental

Administration, Unisys, Inc.

Roland Wetland Restoration Team, Forest Service, Bedford, Indiana - For providing leadership in promoting and demonstrating the values of riparian area management to landowners throughout southern Indiana.

Group Leader: Patrick Merchant, Forest Service

NRCS Group Members: Terry Cornwall, Keith Gilmore

NRCS Employee Inducted into Hall of Fame - NRCS Northern Plains Region Conservationist, Richard Van Klaveren, was recently selected from the University of Wyoming College of Engineering 2001 class for induction into the university's Hall of Fame for his 20-plus year career in agricultural and civil engineering with the agency. The primary goal of the Engineering Hall of Fame is to honor graduates who, through their professional contributions, have brought distinction to themselves, the college, and the extended family of the university. Van Klaveren will join 15 current Hall of Fame members who include such notables as Thomas E. Osborne, inventor of the Hewlett-Packard hand-held calculator (replaced the slide rule) and U.S. Air Force General Samuel C. Phillips, former director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Apollo Program. Your contact is Linda Greene, NRCS Public Affairs Specialist, at 402-437-4075.

CONFERENCE & TRAINING CONNECTION

June 8, 2001

As a service to NRCS personnel and the agency's partners, "NRCS This Week" offers the following by-subject list of conferences and training sessions. To add an event, please send an e-mail message to fred.jacobs@usda.gov

Date Order By-Subject	Date Order Random Subject Order
Agricultural Economics Agricultural Engineering Agroforestry/Forestry Coastal Zone Management Conservation Reserve Program Crop Residue Management Geographic Information Systems Locally Led Conservation Nutrient Management Policy Soil Science/Erosion Control Special Emphasis Program Training Volunteers NEW! Water Quality Watersheds Wetlands Wildlife and Natural Resource Conservation	June 2001 July 2001 August 2001 September 2001 October 2001 November 2001 NEW! December 2001

Agricultural Economics

American Agricultural Economics Associtaion Annual (AAEA) Meeting

August 5-8

Chicago, Illinois

AAEA seeks submission for posters, papers, organized symposia and free sessions for the 2001 annual meeting in Chicago. For more information, contact Nancy Herselius at 515-233-3202, or nancy@aaea.org or visit the meeting website at http://www.aaea.org/meetings/.