Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation Corps

Jim Hazlett, Mitch Michaud, Dennis Moore, and Bob Smith had the privilege of spending two days with some outstanding young men and women from the Upper Susitna Valley. Each year the Upper Susitna Soil Conservation District sponsors the Upper Susitna Youth Conservation Corps. The intent is to expose high school students from the Upper Susitna Valley to a wide variety of potential career opportunities in resource conservation. By utilizing the Conservation Corps as a workforce the district is able to efficiently put conservation measures on the ground.

One the first day Jim and Dennis met and trained the students at the district’s office. Training consisted of the information available in and the proper use of the Matanuska-Susitna Soil Survey. Many of the students looked up the soils information for the area where they live to determine the soil’s suitability for home site development. Other students were interested in areas where soils might be appropriate for recreational or commercial development. The students spent part of their work day digging holes, learning how to estimate field textures, locating themselves on aerial maps, and observing the variation in soil properties found around the district office and Susitna River. A few students learned the importance of properly preparing for a day bush whacking through devils club and wild rose, the hard way.

On the second day the group met at the district’s experimental farm where Mitch shared his forestry expertise with the Conservation Corps as well as expanding Bob and Jim’s perspectives. Mitch explained how the computation of tree height and tree diameter is used to determine the board feet of lumber in a standing tree. The importance of proper species selection was also emphasized. Next the appropriate methods of determining the number of trees in a given area were discussed. This information was then used to estimate the value of the trees in the area as a source of lumber.

Once this was done the other values gained from trees, such as wildlife habitation and protection, aesthetics, and temperature control applications, were explored and discussed, setting the stage for the remainder of the day’s activities—tree planting.

The Conservation Corps members were shown how to calculate the spacing of seedlings to permit proper growth,
maximize available space, and still allow for equipment movement during care
and harvesting operations.

The time spent helping the Conservation Corps better understand the importance of the soil capabilities and the plant communities in their area increases their respect for these resources, which helps them make better conservation related decisions. The exposure to NRCS personnel expands their perception of careers available in natural resource conservation, perhaps starting them down their own career paths. These are after all the future’s decision makers.       
 

Your contact is Dennis Moore, NRCS soil scientist, at 907-761-7766, or dennis.moore@ak.usda.gov

< Back to News Archives