NRCS Alaska News

September 30, 2005

In this Issue:

Two Generations of Kenai Farmers State’s First CSP Participants

NRCS Helps Stem Sedimentation on Karluk River

Streambank Revegetation in the Mat-Su Valley

Soil Survey Reaches Out to Russian Community

Web Soil Survey Now On-Line

New NRCS Banner Available

Personnel Actions

Two Generations of Kenai Farmers State’s First CSP Participants

In the 1950s, Patrick and Mary Joe McElroy homesteaded a forested piece of Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula.  In 1958, the couple cleared their first field, planted oats and developed horse pastures.  Along the way, they built a home, grew a family, and became one of the few commercial dairy farms on the Peninsula.

In the 1960s, with the advice of the local extension agent and technical assistance from the Soil Conservation Service, the McElroys began more intensive management of their dairy operation.  Utilizing the latest animal waste handling technology and feed/ forage management techniques, they maintained their farm dairy processing and distribution business well into the 1970's making it the last working dairy on the Kenai.

The McElroys understood then – as they do now - the importance of soil testing as a means to manage their resources and ensure the quality of their land.  The couple began soil analysis with a soil testing kit on which seeding and fertilizing recommendations were made by local agricultural agencies.  They have more than 50 years of written farm records that read like a history of farming in Alaska noting changes in equipment, animals, plant varieties and weather data.

Today the McElroys  continue to raise hay and graze cattle and horses on pasture  on a slightly smaller farming operation.

Their daughter, Kerry Nelson, acquired ownership of part of the original homestead and grazes cattle and horses on native pasture and raises hogs.

Both Kerry and her parents qualified for Tier III CSP contracts – Alaska’s first farmers to do so.

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NRCS Helps Stem Sedimentation on Karluk River

Koniag Native Corporation maintains a remote fishing camp along the Karluk River on Kodiak Island. The Karluk River provides many benefits to local residents including a ready source of salmon and income from guided fishing and bear viewing.

The primary foot and ATV trail access point to the river was eroding and dumping sediment directly into the water. Through NRCS Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program financial and technical assistance provided by Kodiak Field Office, about 200 ft. of trails were hardened with geoblock.

Riparian vegetation will now have chance to heal-over the bare surface areas, stopping further sedimentation to this pristine river.

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Stream Bank Revegetation in the Mat-Su Valley

Members of the Mat-Su Field Office attended a two-day Streambank Revegetation Workshop sponsored by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game June 22-23 in Wasilla.

On day one participants got an overview of techniques that have been used with success in other parts of the state and their applicability to various situations.  In addition to revegetation techniques, discussion included permitting procedures at various levels of government and costs associated with such projects.  The centerpiece of this discussion was the recently revised STREAM BANK REVEGETATION AND PROTECTION, A Guide for Alaska (2005).  Limited quantities have already been distributed through the State Office and an online version is available at http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/SARR/restoration/restor.cfm

On day two participants got actual hands-on experience employing the various revegetation techniques.  Participants were given a feel for just what is involved with these types of projects and will be able to take that knowledge forward and speak with confidence to people interested in conducting such activities.

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Soil Survey Reaches Out to Russian Community

Здравсвуйте! (Hello!)  The Greater Delta Soil Survey began its second field season this summer.  The survey area extends from the Gerstle River to Eielson Air Force Base and is a diverse land and cultural region. Large portions of the agricultural land and many parcels owned by Russian and English speaking Alaskans are encompassed by the survey.

A bilingual publicity campaign was launched this spring to raise awareness about soil survey activities throughout the English and Russian speaking communities. NRCS employed the help of Svetlana Nuss and the International Academy to translate written materials from English to Russian including recording a public service announcement (PSA) to be broadcast on local radio stations. Posters providing information in both languages were also displayed and used to explain soil survey and why it is important. In addition to the PSAs and posters, landowners received a letter written in both Russian and English with soil survey information and a request for permission to access their land.

Results were that twice as many landowners, including several Russian-speakers, returned their postcards this year in response to NRCS' request, and many others called or referred to having read the material when contacted personally.

We hope our outreach efforts in both languages have provided a greater number of people with an understanding and awareness of the importance of soil survey and soil survey activities.

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Web Soil Survey Now On-Line

Alaska farmers, conservationists, engineering firms, and city planners now have quick and easy access to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national soils information. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has launched the Web Soil Survey website, http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov, which will provide secure public access to soils data that contributes to every aspect of public and private land use and development.

In Alaska, NRCS soils staff are planning to provide public workshops demonstrating the use of Web Soil Survey as new survey products are released.  The first workshop is tentatively planned for this winter in the Kenai Field Office.

The Web Soil Survey website has been designed with three easy to use features – Define, View and Explore – and operates much like websites that provide driving directions. Users are asked to "Define" a geographic area of interest by selecting a state and county or just by highlighting an area. Once a location has been defined and displayed on the screen, the user has the choice to print the map and related information, save it to their hard drive or download the data for use in a geographic information system (GIS).

The user can also "Explore" the designated location for specific information on soil suitability in relationship to usage. This flexibility provides an opportunity to build a customized report that addresses the user's individual needs. Information can be delivered in a variety of formats, including print, CD, DVD or other media.

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New NRCS Banner Available

NRCS has added a new backdrop display to its catalog of resources available for staff use in meetings or exhibits.  The banner is 7’ x 3’ and features the new NRCS tagline “Helping People Help the Land” with photos of NRCS staff working in rural, non-traditional-agricultural settings.  The banner weighs less than 10 pounds, is easy to transport and ship, and can be set up by one staff person in less than ten minutes. It is perfect for small or shared exhibit spaces.

Also available to field offices are the NRCS Agency Intro 8’ x 10’ backwall and the NRCS Resource Inventories 8’ x 10’ backwall.  Field offices on the road system can also reserve the “Alaska’s Awesome Soils” soil tunnel.

Contact Public Affairs for more information or to reserve a display.

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Personnel Actions

Promotions

• Amy Rohner, State Design Engineer, effective October 20.

Lateral Movements

• Ann Rippy, Resource Conservationist, Fairbanks, effective mid-October.

Military Deployment

• Jim Helm’s deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom in Iraq has been delayed.