NRCS Alaska News

October 3, 2006

In This Issue

Farm Family of the Year Conservation Leaders

Fourteen Complete Conservation Planning Course

It’s A Wildlife In Anchorage

Traditional Knowledge Merges with Physical Evidence to Evaluate Flooding Risks

Kongiganak EWP: Data Collection and Outreach

Homer Soil Survey Crew Introduces Students To Soils

Third Season Wraps Up for Greater Delta Soil Survey

Engineer On-The-Go: First Trip to Fairbanks

CFC Offers Feds Chance to Help Favorite Charitable Organizations

Earth Team Volunteer Hours Up 38 Percent from Last Year

Field Offices to Receive Outreach Tool

TSP and Death Benefits

Open Season for Flexible Savings Accounts Approaching (November 13 – December 11)

“Farm Family of the Year” Conservation Leaders

The Wrigley Family of Delta Junction was named the 2006 Farm Family of the Year at the Alaska State Fair. 

Wrigley Farms were formed in 1983 after the family moved from Idaho to Delta Junction.  The move was inspired by an article in Successful Farming about the Delta Ag Project.  Today the farm is operated by three generations of Wrigleys:  Rex and Shirlene, son Steven, and son Bryce and his wife Jan.  Three of Bryce and Jan’s children are still at home and are also very active in the farming operation:  Jonathon, Milo and Mallory.

The principle crop on the 2,500 acre farming operation is barley, with approximately 1,000 acres being planted each year.  Other crops grown on the farm include oats, oat hay, broccoli, smooth brome hay, and potatoes.  This year five acres of canola was planted as a test crop.  The canola did well and they are planning to incorporate more canola into the crop rotation.  The Wrigleys used to have a 1,300 hog operation, but have since decided to put more effort into raising crops than livestock. 

Rex and Bryce have been working with NRCS for almost two decades.  This past year the Wrigleys were able to see tremendous results from mulch till.  Nearly all the soils near Delta Junction are highly erodible and moisture conservation is also a concern.  Like many farmers in the area, the Wrigleys were also concerned with the ever-increasing costs of fuel, fertilizer, and other inputs. 

In 2005 the Wrigleys rented a farm with an EQIP contract and agreed to implement the contract.  There was quite a bit of skepticism about whether this “new fangled” mulch till system would work.  By the end of harvest, the Wrigleys were happy with the results and decided to try mulch till on their own farm and some rented farms in 2006.  Each farm was a slightly different soil and had different planting histories.  The mulch till yielded well and held in the moisture.  In addition, the entire farm was planted in seven days and they used less diesel fuel, had less equipment repair costs, and did it all with less manpower than in previous years. 

In addition to the mulch till, the Wrigleys have also seen a cost savings when following NRCS nutrient and pest management plans.  Some members of the agricultural community scoffed when told less fertilizer was applied and said “it will never work.”  When the harvest results were in, the Wrigleys had just as much grain and more money in their pockets than the skeptical farmers.

Rex is the Chairman for the Salcha-Delta SWCD and a state director for the Alaska Farm Bureau.  Bryce is the District Manager for the Salcha-Delta SWCD and has served on the FSA County Committee.     

Photo: Wind erosion from conventionally-tilled barley field near Delta Junction.  Photo by Catherine Hadley

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Fourteen Complete Conservation Planning Course

Fourteen employees representing NRCS, Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Alaska Association of Conservation Districts recently completed Phase II of the NRCS Conservation Planning Course.  The course was held October 2 through 6 at various locations in the Mat-Su Borough.  In addition to classroom instruction, students participated in a practice exercise and instruction at the UAF Experimental Farm near Palmer and then were given the task of developing alternatives and a Conservation Plan on the Correctional Facility farm at Point Mackenzie.  Resource concerns and conservation alternatives were discussed and planned regarding management on cropland, pasture grazing, hayland, forestry, water quality, engineering, wetlands, wildlife, economics, soils, cultural resources, and other environmental concerns.

Although the main purpose of the course is to fulfill phase II of the requirements to become NRCS Certified Conservation Planners, some of the students were only participating to become more knowledgeable about the all of the requirements that go into making a successful conservation plan in the field offices. Phase I included completing five on-line training modules.  After completing phase II all participants must successfully complete a real conservation plan on their own to be reviewed and approved by their assigned NRCS mentor.  

Photo Caption: Group discusses pastureland resource concerns and alternatives at Point Mackenzie. Photo by Bill Wood.

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It’s A Wildlife In Anchorage

More than 2000 students, researchers, vendors and wildlife professionals were in Anchorage recently to attend the 13th Annual Conference of The Wildlife Society (TWS). Abstracts from more than 350 of the week's presentations can be found at ftp://ftp.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/cntsc/FishWildlife_Trng/.

The Egan Center was filled to capacity with interested professionals from all over the world. Poster sessions, photography contests, certification assistance and counseling kept pace with Society business meetings as well as a wealth of technical information ranging from Multi-Dimensional Evaluations of Wildlife Compensation Schemes to Indigenous Peoples Wildlife and Ecosystem Management.

NRCS at the National level has been a prime sponsor of TWS annual conferences for about three years. Bob Jones, State Conservationist, received a request from NHQ to represent the agency with a booth and display for the four day conference. Alaska NRCS took up the challenge and focused its effort on projects, challenges and opportunities for wildlife project implementation and associated issues. Habitat fragmentation (especially as associated with trail/erosion problems), fish passage and streambank and shoreline stabilization were featured in graphics and case studies, against a beautiful large color backdrop created for this special occasion.

Staff in the booth spoke personally to over two hundred conference goers and handed out “Understanding The Landscape” videos (100+), program information, Farm Bill wildlife accomplishments and condensed versions of Alaska’s WHIP conservation projects. Reference material was sent in by the Homer, Kenai and Bethel field offices, and was developed into high-impact graphic and story-line displays. The Alaska NRCS display showcased Hooper Bay, Karluk River, Kenai Peninsula, Chester Creek and Ft. Yukon existing and potential projects.

It was amazing how many attendees had never heard of NRCS before, or that NRCS was instrumental in the installation of thousands of wildlife centric conservation plan and activities across the nation. Several contacts were made with landowners attending the conference who stopped by the booth to discuss potential project related opportunities on their properties.

The weather was unusually agreeable for a late September Alaskan venue, and many conference attendees reveled in some once-in-a-life-time experiences during their trip this year to Alaska. The Wildlife Society’s national conference moves to Tucson next year.

Photo: Bill Woods is ready to greet conference attendees at the NRCS booth.

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Traditional Knowledge Merges with Physical Evidence to Evaluate Flooding Risks

On a recent site visit to Napaimute, Andy Oxford and I were asked an interesting question by Village Administrator Mark Leary: “Can you use trees to figure out the high water mark of historic flood events?”

Mark had heard that at a previous site visit to Georgetown, NRCS had used trees to establish some physical evidence of a past flood.  Mark further explained that some of the village elders were concerned that the established 100 year flood level was much lower than what they thought the level should be.  Mark’s inquiry was an attempt to merge traditional knowledge and modern river hydrology models by using physical evidence to verify the 100 year flood stage. 

Andy and I explained to Mark that tree scars may be used to indicate high water. We had used this in Georgetown to verify what was determined to be the 100 year flood event. What was determined was that high water had gone higher than the 100 year flood stage but we could not determine if the flood event was actually the 100 year event or a much larger flood.

We set off into the field assessing the village forest resources keeping an eye out for the following

1. Tree scars that are facing up stream or toward the river. 

2. Groups of trees with identical scars that are all at the same height. 

3. Trees with the scars are all about the same age based on size and condition.

Within the hour we found a tree with a scar that could have been caused by ice or floating material. This gave us a potential flood height and we continued looking for more scars.  In the next two hours we discovered over a dozen trees that all had the same type of scar.  These were all at roughly the same distance from the top of the river bank, with the correct direction of scaring and all at the same height.  There were no trees with similar scars further away from the river or closer to the river.  Younger and smaller trees had no evidence of scaring and all had a better form, straighter and with no sign of disease. Our observations indicated that a high water event at roughly 4 feet in height from the base of the ground caused something to hit the trees and scar the bark.  We also noticed other trees of that age class were deformed with bends and forks at roughly the same height. 

Andy and I then did a level survey using a pocket survey rod and a clinometer and determined the height of the alleged flood above the current level of the river. We also increment bored a tree to determine how many years ago the damage occurred.  By finding the ring that was placed over the wound on the first year after the flood, we could then determine the number of years the flood occurred.  We bored a tree 4 times until we found a spot where the break between the new growth and the scared tissue was just a thin black line. This represented 98 years of growth.  Our theory is that 98 years ago a flood caused the water to spill out of its banks and bring debris down to the trees and cause scars to occur.  With elevation and information from the forest, we went back to the village and reconstructed the flood event by doing another level survey to a building that had was being used to mark more recent floods. The flood dating back 98 years ago was 4.8 feet higher than the most recent flood that was marked on the buildings. 

Mark then showed us photos from an early settlement that indicated ice damage to buildings. The date of these photos is unknown, but we could convince ourselves that they were from the early 1900’s,  These photos also verified that an ice jam may have caused the river to rise at approximately the same time the trees were damaged.

How this compares to the 100 year flood stage being used for village develop is still unknown.  The tree scars are higher than any modern day documented flood event and higher than the established building recommendations, but is still less than what some elders consider a comfortable level for construction.

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Homer Soil Survey Crew Introduces Students To Soils

On a rainy late September afternoon the Natural Resources class at Homer High School observed landforms and soils at two locations on the lower Kenai Peninsula.   The students, a subset of those who make up the Homer Envirothon team, are beginning their studies of the natural resources of the area.  The basics of soil/landform relationships and interpretations were conveyed by Homer Soil Scientist Mike Mungoven. Stephanie Schmit prepared the exposures and worked with the students as they observed the horizonation, textures, and colors of the Moose River soil exposed along the Anchor River and the Redoubt soil on the ash covered till plain nearby.  These are some of the best students attending Homer High and many will likely be active in the resource conservation arena in the years ahead.  Later in the winter they will interpret the soils for various uses as part of a land management plan. 

Photo: Homer soils staff explains stratification and alluvial processes to Homer Natural Resource students at the Anchor River.

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Kongiganak EWP: Data Collection and Outreach

Kongiganak has been approved for an Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) project.  The Kongnignanohk River is eroding its bank through a section of the village.  As it progresses, it is threatening structures. 

With the project approval, NRCS employees went to Kongiganak September 19 and 20 to gather survey data needed for design.  Steve Durgin and Joe Gasperi from the NRCS Regional Design Team came up to assist Andy Oxford, Brant Dallas, and Aimee Rohner in the project.  The onsite evaluation and survey were completed and design alternatives are currently being determined.

As with many village visits, we were the subject of much interest -- especially for the children.  There were many children who watched and asked questions inquisitively.  We even had some offer to help, although they couldn’t understand why we were taking dirt home with us in bags.  Being able to interact with the people and explain that we were there to help with the erosion was a valuable part of the visit.

Photo: Children in Kongiganak have fun inspecting Brant Dallas' survey equipment.  Photo by Aimee Rohner.

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Third Season Wraps Up for Greater Delta Soil Survey

The Greater Delta Soil Survey has wrapped up its third field season. Mapping has been completed on more than 200,000 acres (thanks to an excellent field crew) and is expected to be completed next summer. 

The Greater Delta Soil Survey encompasses the road corridor between Eielson Air Force Base and the Gerstle River. More than one-third of the survey area is privately owned farmland, which provides a good opportunity to interact with members of the community.

This year’s crew, known as the “Soil Ninjas,” consisted of Dallas Glass and Rachel Tarpey.  Dallas received his master’s degree in fire ecology and wildland soils from the University of Nevada-Reno.  Rachel received her master’s degree from Michigan Tech in soils and forest management.  Both were enthusiastic to see and experience the soils of Interior Alaska.  While honing their soils skills, they also practiced soil ninja skills which include mid-air mosquito catching and the Zen art of tussock walking.

Other visitors to the crew were Mark Clark, Stephanie Schmit, Finn Gottshalk, Dennis Moore and Joe Moore. Overall, it was a very good very productive summer.

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Engineer On-The-Go: My First Trip to Fairbanks

As a lifelong Alaskan, most people would expect that I have traveled extensively throughout Alaska and experienced many a great adventure.  However, being the typical Alaskan that I am, I have rarely left my south central stomping grounds.  If you’ve been up here at least six months, you’ve probably seen more of Alaska than I have.

I made my first trip to Fairbanks to receive training from Jeff Oatley in August.  Ever being the skeptic when it comes to flying, I put a damper on traveling for some time.  So, having to actually get on the plane without going into an all-out panic was the beginning of my grand adventure into interior Alaska.

Upon my arrival in Fairbanks, I got to meet again the great people who work up there.  The game plan was to go visit some sites under construction, do a few site visits, and do some design work.

I proudly admit – I’ve now been to Chatanika, even got the pictures to prove it.  This project, the Beistline Stream Stabilization, uses stream barbs to help divert the flow from the bank to control the bank erosion and to reestablish vegetation to hold the bank (obviously it’s still in the construction phase).

I also got to see the Chena River Stabilization project.  This project required a riprap toe and revegetated bank.  This area of the river gets a great deal of traffic – not only foot traffic, but boats travel extensively up and down this river.

I got to do a pond design with Jeff’s assistance, which I hadn’t done; so, that was fun!  Jeff also let me tag along on some field visits for potential EQIP projects.  Knowing what to look for and what alternatives to consider under different situations is an excellent skill to acquire.  Sometimes it’s difficult to imagine what is going on – hence, you cannot learn everything from a book or pictures – get out there and look! 

On your adventures, stop and take a look at these WHIP projects.  These are just a few of the many projects NRCS does around the great state of Alaska.  Next time you’re in Chatanika, send me some pictures – I would love to see the progress!

Photo: the Chena River Stablization Project. Photo by Jane Standifer-Trenton.

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CFC Offers Feds Chance to Help Favorite Charitable Organizations

“Reach for the Stars” is the official campaign slogan for the 2006 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). CFC is the only authorized solicitation of federal employees in the work place on behalf of charitable organizations.

Odds are pretty good that that your favorite charitable organization is participating in CFC. There are more than 1,700 charitable organizations who meet the requirements to be participants. Approximately 100 of these are from Alaska and provide services we hear about all the time. These include Red Cross local chapters, and the Alaska Avalanche School. You can find a complete list of participating local organizations starting on page 30 of the CFC brochure.

The thing about the CFC that impressed me from my first exposure to it back in the 1970s is standards that organizations must meet to get listed. One such requirement is that organizations indicate how much of the money raised goes towards administration and fundraising activities. This statistic can be found next to the service type for each organization and helps me determine how efficiently they use my money. 

Another thing I really like is that I can contribute in so many ways, even unanimously, and still get the tax deduction.   

I will be sending some brochures out later today and I encourage you to check out the opportunities CFC offers by looking through the brochure. Payment is simple, you can contribute cash, check, money order, or by my favorite, payroll deduction.

Yes, they make it easy to donate to your favorite charity. It’s a good thing since the time frame is rather short. I must report all NRCS contributions on the 27^th.  So please move the brochures along so everyone gets a chance to consider giving. If you have questions drop me an e-mail or, better yet, a phone call.   

Finally I would like to challenge all office locations to meet or exceed the Wasilla Field Office’s participation level. I think it will be 75% or better. Are you up to the challenge?

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Earth Team Volunteer Hours Up 38 Percent from Last Year

This year NRCS Alaska logged 519 volunteer hours from 19 volunteers in five field offices.  This is a significant increase from last year when 375 volunteer hours were contributed to the agency.

Using Earth Team volunteers can be an effective way to share the workload of conservation. To learn more about having Earth Team volunteers in your office, contact Cassandra Stalzer at Cassandra.stalzer@ak.usda.gov.

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Field Offices to Receive Public Awareness Tool

Popping up in your mailbox this week will be a table cover featuring the agency’s logo and new mission statement.  This table cover should provide a flexible solution to agency identification at all types of events. Please contact public affairs if you have other ideas for tools that would aid your public awareness and outreach efforts.

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TSP and Death Benefits

Any TSP account owner who does not want his or her account distributed according to the statutory order of precedence should fill out the Designation of Beneficiary form (TSP-3), which is downloadable from the TSP Web site (www.tsp.gov).  Once completed, the form should be mailed to the TSP service office at the address on the form.  If a deceased TSP participant did not file a Designation of Beneficiary, then his or her entire TSP account will be distributed according to a statutory order of precedence, shown as follows:

• to his or her widow or widower

• to his or her child or children, equally, and to descendents of descendents of deceased children by representation

• to his or her parents equally, or to the surviving parent

• to the executor or administrator of his or her estate, or

• to his or her next of kin who is entitled to the participant’s estate under the laws of the state in which the participant resided at the time of his or her death.

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Open Season for Flexible Savings Accounts Approaching (November 13 – December 11)

The open season for the Flexible Spending Accounts is fast approaching.  Federal employees have the opportunity to voluntarily participate in health care and/or dependent care Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs) under the federal “FSAFEDS” program.  FSAs offer significant tax savings by letting you pay for many out-of- pocket medical and/or dependent care expenses on a “before tax” basis.

FSAs can provide a cost-effective and efficient way to address the rising cost of dependent child and adult daycare -- as well as the growing list of out-of-pocket co-payments, deductibles and other medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Don’t forget, current participants must re-enroll to participate in 2007!

To learn about FSAs go to https://www.fsafeds.com/fsafeds/index.asp.

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