NRCS Alaska News

In This Issue

Homer Soil Survey Staff Using Pedon

NRCS Updates Vision and Mission Statements

Alaska Staff to Receive BlackBerries

New Managing Wild Berry Publication Available

eFOTG Updates

New Survey Measures Producer’s Attitudes About Farm Policy

Mississippi Association of RC&Ds Needs Volunteers for Katrina Clean-Up

UAA Continues Alaska Collaborative Leadership Series

Ag Waste Website Available

COLA Reduction Takes Effect

Personnel Actions

Homer Soil Survey Staff Using Pedon

The Homer soils staff has made the change to Pedon PC, a nationally supported Microsoft Access database application used for entering soil survey data.  The soil survey staff relied for years on an Access database application that was supported only by the Alaska State Office.  Pedon PC contains the same table structure as the National Soil Information System (NASIS) database so that the data can be uploaded from one to the other.  Pedon PC has some great tools for analyzing soil survey data.  Using one form all soil and vegetation data can be accessed to create new queries, access saved queries and filters, apply filters spatially to an ArcMap project, and apply filters and queries to other useful forms in the database.  GPS points can be uploaded to Pedon PC and photos can be linked to their respective waypoints.  Pedon will be a useful tool here at the Homer Soil Survey Office for our two upcoming soil surveys, the Nushagak-Mulchatna Watershed Area Soil Survey and the Kodiak Island Soil Survey.

(back to top)

NRCS Updates Vision and Mission Statements

General Manual Title 130 Part 400 – Vision and Mission Statements, was recently updated to reflect the new NRCS vision statement, “Productive Lands – Healthy Environment,” and new NRCS mission statement, “Helping People Help the Land.” You can read the rationale behind the new vision, mission and guiding principles of NRCS at http://policy.nrcs.usda.gov/scripts/lpsiis.dll/GM/GM_130_400_a.htm.

(back to top)

Alaska Staff to Receive BlackBerries

State Conservationist Bob Jones announced that about 60 staff will receive BlackBerry wireless handheld devices as part of NRCS Alaska’s State Office Pandemic Plan. The BlackBerry is primarily known for its ability to send and receive e-mail anywhere it has access to an appropriate wireless network of a cellular phone carrier and includes the usual PDA applications (address book, calendar, to-do lists, etc.). The BlackBerries are intended to keep staff apprised of relevant information during a pandemic or emergency while allowing the agency to continue essential duties as appropriate.  More information about the State Office Pandemic Plan will be available in November.

(back to top)

New Managing Wild Berry Publication Available

The NRCS/UAF Publication “Managing Wild Bog Blueberry, Lingonberry, Cloudberry and Crowberry Stands in Alaska” has been published and copies are on their way to each field office.  Please contact public affairs if you require additional copies.  I hope to make the publication available soon on the website.

(back to top)

eFOTG Updates

State Resource Conservationist Gene Schock announced that the Electronic Field Office Technical Guide (eFOTG) has been updated as listed below.  The eFOTG for Alaska is available online at http://efotg.nrcs.usda.gov/efotg_locator.aspx?map=AK.

Section IV

Posted new/revised practice standards:

• Fuel Break (383)—dated March 2006

• Use Exclusion (472)—March 2006

• Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)—dated March, 2002

• Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (380)—dated May 2006

• Forest Slash Treatment (384)—June 2006

• Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)—June 2006

• Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats (643)—June 2006

• Early Successional Habitat Development/Management (647)—June 2006

• Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural Waste (591)—dated  July, 2006

• Closure of Waste Impoundments (360)—dated  July, 2006

• Irrigation Water Management (449)—dated  July, 2006

• Land Reclamation, Landslide Treatment (453)—dated July, 2006

• Solid-Liquid Waste Separation Facility (632)—dated  July, 2006

• Spring Development (574)—dated  July, 2006

• Streambank and Shoreline Protection (580)—dated  July, 2006

• Vertical Drain (630)—dated  July, 2006

• Waste Treatment (629)—dated  July, 2006

• Water Well (642)—dated  July, 2006

• Well Water Testing (355)—dated  July, 2006

• Dam (402)—dated  September, 2004

Posted specifications and job sheets to conservation practice folders:

• Fuel Break (383)

• Forest Slash Treatment (384)

Posted the following drawing to the Watering Trough conservation practice folder:

• Watering Trough Standard Drawing

 Posted the following drawing to the Wildlife Escape conservation practice folder:

• Wildlife Escape A Standard Drawing

• Wildlife Escape B Standard Drawing

(back to top)

New Survey Measures Producer’s Attitudes About Farm Policy

Farm Foundation's 2007 Farm Bill Forum contracted a survey of 15,000 farmers and ranchers in 27 states regarding farm policy.  Here are the results:

• Producers ranked renewable energy, enhancing opportunities for small and beginning farmers, and assuring a safe and affordable food supply as their top three goals for the next farm bill.

•  When asked to rank existing programs that should continue to receive funding, farmers and ranchers put disaster assistance programs at the top of the list, followed closely by other safety net tools and working lands conservation programs.

• Respondents support technical and financial assistance to address conservation goals, particularly water quality and soil erosion control measures.

• Producers value continued support for the Conservation Security Program (CSP) watershed approach.

More information about the survey is available online at http://www.farmfoundation.org/projects/06-02ProducerSurvey.htm.

(back to top)

Mississippi Association of RC&Ds Needs Volunteers for Katrina Clean-Up

On October 10 and 11 the Mississippi Association of RC&D Councils (MARCDC) is hosting a Gulf Coast Clean-Up Day that will focus on the Coastal Preserve of Deer Island, located a few miles off-shore ( a 5 minute boat ride), and that still abounds with every kind of debris imaginable, mostly household, from Hurricane Katrina. Deer Island is home to many rare and endangered species and is also a wintering habitat for numerous types of migratory bird species.

MARCDC is asking for volunteers to join in the effort.  Funding has been secured to help offset some shelter housing expenses for those signed up as Earth Team Volunteers. Housing will be provided at $15 per night.

For more information, contact MARCDC President Martha Watts at mmwatts@hotmail.com, or at 601-587-2341.

(back to top)

UAA Continues Alaska Collaborative Leadership Series

Resource Solutions is a program of the University of Alaska Anchorage to further strengthen the vital links between UAA and the communities it serves. Resource Solution’s Alaska Collaborative Leadership Series leadership focuses on natural resource issues and continues throughout the year with these upcoming workshops:

• October 17-18, 2006: Collaborative Problem Solving: This workshop focuses on solving public and natural resource issues using a collaborative approach. Participants will learn the steps in the collaborative process and how to tailor the process to fit a variety of issues and situations.

• November 14-15, 2006: Building Sustainable Partnerships: This workshop focuses on a watershed approach to creating successful partnerships and implementing effective work projects. Participants will learn the steps to follow in organizing a partnership and implementing a work project. Travel funds are available for those who work outside the Anchorage area as part of a watershed effort. Contact us at the number listed below to inquire about eligibility and the required paperwork.

• February 21-22, 2007: Facilitating Work Groups and Public Meetings: During this workshop, participants participate in a variety of exercises to learn a step-by-step process for facilitating work groups and public meetings. They learn how to manage conflict and keep the meeting focused. Working in small groups, they plan, conduct, and critique a simulated meeting on an Alaska issue. 

• March 21-22, 2007: Building Relationships and Communicating for Agreement: During this workshop, participants asses their own communication styles and review a variety of communication skills that assist in communicating for agreement. There will be an emphasis on how to manage conflict when working on difficult community or public issues. The group will apply their learning using real case studies. 

• April 25-26, 2007: Public Participation in Community Decision Making: This workshop reviews various public participation structures, considers how power and coalitions are used to affect public decisions, describes opportunities for tribes to become cooperating agencies, and provides participants with applied tools through the use of techniques and guides to effectively plan a public participation process.

All workshops are conducted for two days in Anchorage and are held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional information and registration forms are at http://resourcesolutions.uaa.alaska.edu . If you have questions, please call Jane Oakley, Resource Solutions Training Coordinator, at 257-2717, or email her at anjeo@uaa.alaska.edu.

(back to top)

Ag Waste Website Available

Livestock & Ag Waste Intelligence (http://AgWasteIntel.com/) is a new web site that professes to provide the latest information on livestock & agricultural waste management, waste-to-resource, and waste-to-energy issues.

 The publisher says that AgWasteIntel.com is intended as a resource for

• producers & producer advocates

• regulators & policy makers

• researchers & educators

• technical advisors & consultants

• equipment suppliers

The publisher is an agricultural engineer who formerly administered Oregon's confined animal feeding operation water quality program and who now works with producers on regulatory compliance issues.

(back to top)

COLA Reduction Takes Effect

On August 2, 2006, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 43897 a final rule that changed COLA rates in Alaska. The changes are effective the first day of the first pay period beginning on or after September 1, 2006. Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau will see COLA rates drop by one percent. The rest of Alaska is unchanged.

(back to top)

Personnel Actions

Extra Effort Awards

• Yvonne Magnuson

• Teresa Cortes

• Brant Dallas

• Catherine Hadley

• Meg Mueller

• Mark Kinney

• Crystal Leonetti

(Performance Awards and Quality Step Increases to follow in next newsletter)

(back to top)