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President's Corner
What a year! Another busy one for ANREP.
First, a big thank you to ANREP board members whose terms conclude at the end of December and will move on to serve the organization in other ways. All three have made outstanding contributions to ANREP through their thoughtful leadership.
Bob Bardon - 2015 Past President
Peter Warren - 2014-2015 Western Region Representative
Lara Milligan - 2014-2015 Southern Region Representative
Next, this year's accomplishments...
ANREP Strategic Plan - The Executive Committee formally adopted the
2015-2020 Strategic Plan, culminating a two-year process that engaged many members in establishing a vision for our organization over the next six years. Two action steps this year were to revitalize the communications committee, now under Jamie Cohen's (University of Florida) leadership, make progress toward multiple approached to engage members on a regional basis, and continue to build our partnership with other Extension associations.
New ANREP Initiative - This year the new
ANREP Energy Initiative was approved - a great way for ANREP members and Extension folks in other associations to work together to deal with critical energy natural resources issues. That group is moving forward to organize the 2017 National Energy Summit.
2016 Joint Conference - The board is working hard with our
NACDEP and University of Vermont colleagues to put together a truly outstanding agenda for our
joint conference in Burlington next June. This conference will be a unique opportunity for both organizations. It will be a great event.
Professional Development - The Professional Development Committee and Climate Science Initiative developed a series of outstanding webinars for ANREP members this year. All of the webinars are archived on the
ANREP web site.
A new State Chapter - This year we welcomed our tenth state chapter -
Pennsylvania.
All of these accomplishments are due to the hard work by an outstanding Executive Committee and many member volunteers.
Finally, this is my last column as ANREP President. As I wrote in my first column, ANREP has been an important part of my professional life for the past 20 years. The opportunity to serve in this leadership role was truly an honor.
President, 2015
231-582-6232
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ANREP Executive Committee Election Results
The new ANREP Executive Committee, beginning January 1, 2016 will be:
President: Diana Rashash, North Carolina State University
President-Elect: Chris Jones, University of Arizona*
Past-President: Dean Solomon, Michigan State University
Secretary: Kevin Zobrist, Washington State University
Treasurer: Ramona Madhosingh-Hector, University of Florida
Northeast Region Representative: Amy Rowe, Rutgers University
South Region Representative: John Kushla, Mississippi State University*
North Central Representative: Kris Tiles, University of Wisconsin
West Region Representative: Bill Warren, University of Idaho*
* Newly Executive Committee members
In addition, we have several important appointed positions for 2016.
PILD planning committee representatives: Diana Rashash, North Carolina State University and Shahram Missaghi, University of Minnesota
Journal of Extension Board of Directors: Eli Sagor, University of Minnesota
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ANREP Professional Development Webinars
Since November 2014, the ANREP Professional Development Committee has:
- Conducted six webinars
- Supported six Climate Science Initiative (CSI) webinars
- Reached members and non-members in 20 states plus Washington D.C.
- Reached members is all six JCEP Associations (ANREP, ESP, NACAA, NAE-4HA, NEAFCS, and NACDEP)
- Received great feedback on evaluations
Of 58 responses to webinar evaluations from five webinars, on a 4pt. scale:
- 3.4 were satisfied with webinars (4 = extremely satisfied)
- 3.6 were likely to recommend ANREP webinars to others (4 = very likely)
- 3.3 were likely to share what they learned with others (4 = very likely)
- 3.0 agreed they increased their knowledge (4 = strongly agree)
- 2.9 were likely to change a practice based on what they learned (4 = very likely)
The Committee plans to work on conducting a regional meet-up via webinar prior to the 2016 Conference to begin the discussion of multi-state collaborations on successful programs and projects. Stay tuned...
Thank you to our amazing ANREP Professional Development Committee for making these webinars possible! If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Lara Milligan, ANREP Professional Development Committee Chair at
(727) 453-6905.
See IdeaExchange section for a related item on webinar sharing.
Submitted by:
ANREP Professional Development Committee Chair
Natural Resources Extension Educator
UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County
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ANREP Award Season Coming Soon!
The 2016 ANREP awards ceremony will take place during the June conference in Vermont. Submissions will be accepted during February, with winners being notified by late March/early April.
Educational Materials categories include:
- Long Publication (7 or more pages)
- Newsletter/Series of articles
- Promotional Materials
- Short Publication (6 or fewer pages)
- Televised Conference/Videoconference/Webinar
- Web sites/Social media/Online courses
Achievement awards include:
- Distinguished Career Leadership
- Early Career Leadership
- Innovative Program
- Outstanding Team
As part of the awards submission, abstracts will be limited to 150 words, and narratives to 300 words. Additional material can be uploaded.
Detailed information on the awards process and timeline will be sent to ANREP members in January. Those with questions can contact Awards Chair
Duane Friend.
Submitted by:
ANREP Awards Committee Chair
Environmental Stewardship and Energy Educator
University of Illinois Extension
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JCEP: Update from the President
Your national Joint Council of Extension Professional's (JCEP) Board has approved a new mission statement and strategic plan. As a member of your individual professional associations, you are members of JCEP. Your JCEP mission statement reads as follows:
'To elevate the awareness of Extension's national reputation as an organization of excellence, synergistically leverage the efforts of the member associations, foster leadership and collaboration, provide professional development and scholarship opportunities, and advocate for the Extension profession.'
The newly approved three year strategic plan which will guide us forward can be found at the
JCEP website. The Strategic Plan and Mission Statement were executed by a committee chaired by Ann Berry, ESP.
As my year as President comes to a close, I want to be able to share a few other highlights of your JCEP organization. The work which has been accomplished has been due to the selfless work of your individual association officers (Past President, President and President-Elect of each of your respective associations).
Significant news from our Winter Board meeting was the inclusion of the National Association of Extension Program and Staff Development Professionals (NAEPSDP) to the JCEP family. We are excited to broaden the talent and skills around the 'JCEP table' with the addition of their outstanding professional development and evaluation skills!
The 2015 JCEP Leadership Conference was led by Kathy Olson, NEAFCS. The conference was 250 attendees strong and continues our evolution from the conference's creation as an association leadership training, moving towards a broader leadership training conference. We even became an international conference in 2015 with an attendee from Saudi Arabia! The 2016 JCEP Leadership Conference will return to Las Vegas on February 10- 11. Dean Solomon, ANREP, will be providing the leadership for the upcoming conference with the theme, "Leadership Across Generations." And if you're a planner and looking to 2017, we will be returning east to Orlando, FL.
In 2014 a JCEP Blue Ribbon Committee was created to identify a mechanism to provide a new professional development opportunity for Cooperative Extension personnel. 2015 included approval of the Blue Ribbon Committee's white paper that directed an exploration of a focus- based, emerging national issues conference. Leadership for the white paper was chaired by Peg Ehlers, NEAFCS; the baton to develop the underpinnings of a conference was passed to chair, Alison Davis, NACDEP. The Blue Ribbon Committee created a survey to determine perception of emerging issues and future conference structure that 1400 of you responded providing powerful data for decision making. The committee has currently drafted a two page summary of the survey results; stay tuned for its release. Also, ECOP has agreed to lend their expertise as partners to support the execution of the first conference moving forward!
Kathy Riggs, NEA4-HA, chaired our 2015 Public Issues and Leadership Development Conference (PILD) which featured an exceptional advocacy leadership training, as well as celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Second Morrill Act establishing the 1890's. Jeff Holland, NEA4-HA, is chairing the 2016 PILD Conference to be held April 10 - 13 in Crystal City Virginia. Please plan to join us for this incomparable advocacy conference being built around the theme "Innovation: The Story of Extension."
A newly developed award, 'The JCEP Award for Creative Excellence,' has been approved by the JCEP Board and is ready for release.
The new award goal is to provide recognition for creativity and innovation, especially around emerging issues. It is designed to be attractive to all Extension folks (especially Millennials), encouraging creative and innovative ideas, as well as to fill a niche, recognizing accomplishments not explicitly identified in other association awards. Dean Solomon, ANREP, has chaired the inventive work done by this committee.
Lastly, it is my privilege to turn the leadership over to your new JCEP President, Kim Gressley, NEA4-HA. Kim will provide JCEP her original leadership through 2015 - 2016 along with her officer team, Cynthia Gregg, NACAA, President-Elect; Peg Ehlers, NAEFCS, Treasurer; and Ann Berry, ESP, Secretary. I encourage each of you to 'own' your JCEP membership and that when you have ideas that will benefit overarching goals of our Extension professional associations, please share them with your respective association representatives. Only then will Extension be the best it can be!
I am both grateful and humbled by the opportunity to have served each one of you as JCEP President.
Submitted by:
Dean Solomon on behalf of Jeff Meyers, JCEP President
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Facilitating a Regional Approach to Sea-Level Rise Planning
The Tampa Bay region is low-lying and densely populated and is therefore vulnerable to a variety of climate change impacts, most notably sea-level rise (SLR). SLR threatens natural resources, critical infrastructure, and quality of life.
In response to requests from local governments in the Tampa Bay region, UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County Florida Sea Grant (FSG) and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) are facilitating coordinated efforts to guide sea-level rise adaptation planning in the region.
The FSG educator is facilitating the Tampa Bay Climate Science Advisory Panel (CSAP), an ad-hoc group of scientists whose goal is to provide scientific support to local governments planning for a changing climate. The group is comprised of local experts researching and implementing adaptation projects related to climate change. The TBRPC is convening a network of planners, developers, emergency managers and policy makers through the ONE BAY: Resilient Communities Working Group
in order to improve the regional capacity of the area to withstand uncertainty and adverse impacts associated with sea level rise and other coastal hazards.
As a necessary first step in the adaptation planning process and after a careful review of scientific research and associated literature, the CSAP has written a Recommended Projection of Sea Level Rise in the Tampa Bay Region
. On October 11, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council (TBRPC) voted unanimously to accept the Recommendation for distribution to local governments.
The One Bay will utilize the Recommendation in future decision support systems and adaptation planning efforts.
Submitted by:
Libby Carnahan
Florida Sea Grant Educator
UF/IFAS Extension, Pinellas County
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Promoting the Use of Native Plants in North Carolina Landscapes
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Brunswick County, NC State Extension Horticulture educator, Sam Marshall, uses a hand-on ecology game to discuss various environmental impacts regarding native plants. Photo by Sabrina Woofter
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Many organizations, including NC State University, are promoting the use of native plants in the landscape. Development and the love of exotic ornamentals have taken a toll on many ecosystems, including the Cape Fear area of North Carolina. Non-native plants can strain natural resources because they usually require more water, pesticides, and fertilizers. They also fail to support the ecological role that plants should be providing in a healthy ecosystem. In general, significantly fewer insects feed on non-native plants. This means fewer benefits from insects and other pollinators, including birds (whose young need high-protein insects).
Needs were assessed via research and conversations with homeowners and plant vendors about both the lack of supply and demand for native vegetation in southeastern North Carolina. Members from NC State Extension Staff, NC State Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, Cape Fear Audubon Society, NC Native Plant Society, New Hanover County Libraries, Cape Fear's Going Green Magazine, and Cape Fear Garden Club collaborated to plan and implement a Native Plant Festival. The hugely successful festival was held this past October.
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Michael Gore, of Grizz's Nursery in Leland, NC, explains to on-lookers the importance of native plants, showcasing his own locally-grown specimens. Photo by Sabrina Woofter
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The goal of the festival was to educate the public about the importance of native plants. It was also important to showcase local native plant vendors so that the demand and supply of this vegetation could both increase. The festival included native plant vendors, community education booths, kids' activities, a full schedule of speakers, and a food truck. About 500 people attended the event. A survey conducted as attendees arrived and left the event concluded there was a 20% average increase in knowledge of native plants and their importance. The festival also highlighted the future 3,000 sq. ft. native garden at the New Hanover County Arboretum in Wilmington, NC. Through interactive signage and maps, the garden will serve as an educational opportunity for all who visit the New Hanover County Arboretum (and the affiliated NC State Extension office) in the future.
Submitted by:
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
New Hanover & Brunswick Counties
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E-Resources That You Can Use: The New Climate Forest and Woodlands eXtension and the Climate Learning Network
Forestry and agriculture face many challenges as climate change poses a new and more urgent threat. There are many resources out there, but it can be difficult to find them, or to find the most relevant and useful ones. To address this issue and work towards creating an online and in-person community of climate-literate Extension specialists and educators, the already existing Climate, Forest and Woodlands Community of Practice (CFW), is being updated, and the new Climate Learning Network (CLN) has just been created. These electronic platforms will be part of a newly updated, flexible eXtension.org system, which is geared towards providing connections, learning materials, and more for Extension personnel. The CFW and CLN are committed to a balanced nationwide effort achieved partially through effective partnerships with the USDA Climate Hubs and a close alliance with each other. The CLN includes agriculture and forestry as its subject area, while the CFW is exclusively forestry.
However,
both projects are working to
assemble and organize resources from multiple locations to make it easier for Extension professionals to access them.
 The
CFW
,
funded by the USDA NIFA program
,
strives to advance private forest landowners' needs and objectives in support of resilient forests, and to promote informed decision-making through sharing of educational content focused on the effects of climate variability and change on forests and woodlands, while highlighting adaptive practices to conserve or enhance function. Currently, the CFW membership of Extension personnel represent 37 states, Puerto Rico and Washington DC, are all connected to the local and regional needs of their forest landowner clientele. Materials found on the CFW site are "ready for use" - for sharing research-based, current climate-related information with forest landowners. The CFW is working to expand its reach through a broadly implemented, focused social media communication campaign employing Twitter, Facebook, and a blog.
 The CLN's goal is to provide the information and tools necessary for state and county Extension educators to have a better understanding of how changes in climate can affect resources in their region and how producers can adapt to these new conditions. The CLN will focus on utilizing technological resources, connecting Extension professionals, and producing professional development programs. It is a collaborative effort between the USDA Office of the Chief Economist and eXtension, the CLN is also tasked with connecting the Regional USDA Climate hubs' outreach team with Extension professionals, and ultimately, their clients so that the hubs can share research results on climate resiliency in forestry and agriculture. As a first step, the CLN has launched a webinar series, which will be used to develop learning modules. The CLN will also work directly with a select group of Extension professionals to cultivate an active group of climate literate Extension agents. The CLN is currently utilizing Facebook and Twitter to connect partners in this effort.
So, what are the next steps? How can you become involved or learn more?
We are actively seeking new and increased engagement from any and all extension professionals whose work encompasses forests, agriculture and climate change. Please join the CFW CoP so you can contribute content from your state or region. The structure of the CFW and CLN allow for flexibility and innovation, and we want your help! Please go to our websites and let us know what is useful to you, or what you would like to see. Please share resources and innovations that have worked for you, and please join our online communities.
Submitted by:
Extension Associate
Climate Change and Bioenergy
Southern Region Extension Forestry
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Sunnyside Mobile Pyrolysis Demonstration
On August 13, 2015, Utah State University Forestry Extension and the Utah Biomass Resources Group (UBRG) presented a demonstration of mobile pyrolysis technology as part of the 14th annual Timber Harvest Tour in Sunnyside, Utah. This demonstration was part of a unique partnership between Range Valley Ranch, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (DFFSL), the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the Intermountain Society of American Foresters. Forty-six attendees witnessed Amaron Energy's rotary pyrolysis kiln thermochemically separate woody biomass into biochar, bio oil, and syngas.
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Forty-six natural resource professionals and others participated in the Sunnyside Mobile Pyrolysis Demonstration in central Utah on August 13th, 2015, hosted by Utah State University Forestry Extension.
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The purpose of the demonstration was to introduce Utah citizens, businesses, and natural resource managers to mobile pyrolysis technology. Amaron's pyrolysis kiln is built around a 15 foot long, 24" diameter tube. This rotating metal tube is heated from the outside with gas burners to temperatures ranging from 400-600 degrees Celsius. This tube is constantly turning so that when the wood chips are dropped into the tube they are rapidly heated to temperatures as high as 600 degrees Celsius. The extreme heat placed on small particles in a low oxygen environment quickly transforms the wood into the three high-value products biochar, bio oil and syngas.
Although biochar has a 2,500 year history stretching back to the Amazon rain forest, it there has been a recent resurgence of interest in its potential as a soil amendment. Biochar is essentially pure carbon and, when incorporated into soil, has been shown to increase the water and nutrient holding capacity of certain soil types. The UBRG is working on multiple biochar studies from application on commercial vegetable farms on the Wasatch Front to experimenting with its potential to help reclaim and restore oil pad sites in the Uinta Basin. The bio-oil holds promise for a variety of products, but currently there are very limited markets for this material. The UBRG is working with scientists from Utah State University and the University of Utah to find ways of upgrading the bio oil into high value biochemical products such as plastics, adhesives, heating, and transportation fuels. The syngas produced is similar to propane and can be used in the processing of the biomass. The proportion of each of these products varies with the feedstock, but typically the output produces 30% biochar, 50% bio oil, and 20% syngas.
The reactor is housed in a 44 foot long storage container/trailer and is designed to process 20 tons of biomass every 24 hours. This is approximately equivalent to the volume of chips in a fully loaded semi-truck (approximately 25 tons). Large scale mobile pyrolysis could be one promising way to utilize the massive amounts of waste wood that result from forest restoration efforts such as pinyon juniper removal and aspen regeneration efforts. The UBRG sees a promising future for converting low-value waste wood into high-value biochar products.
Submitted by:
Forestry Extension Associate
Utah State University Extension
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New Citizen Science Opportunity for Stream Restoration
The Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center (AEC) and Penn State Extension have worked to develop a citizen science monitoring protocol that can easily and quickly show volunteers the good that comes from installing best management practices. Riparian buffers, livestock fencing, and streambank stabilization structures can dramatically improve the health of a stream. Unfortunately, most monitoring activities sample downstream and require many years of sampling to see a change. This new protocol, First Investigation of Stream Health (FISH), guides landowners or volunteers to record important environmental features, like vegetation growth, wildlife presence, and water clarity at restoration sites. These common measures show how the stream and its neighboring habitat are changing over time.
FISH is a simple, family-friendly activity that asks easy to answer questions about what you see around a stream. Recording with FISH helps you and others understand how the health of the stream habitat is changing over time. You can participate using the paper FISH survey, and thanks to a partnership with Chesapeake Commons, you can now also use mobile apps and an interactive website.
FISH is available for free. It's great for landowners with a stream on their property and also for concerned citizen volunteers interested in observing a stream site on public lands like a community park. Stream sections that have recently been restored; cleared of invasive plants, had trees planted along the bank, had livestock fenced out, or other projects, are the most likely to see dramatic change over time. FISH can encourage new landowners to restore their property when positive changes are recorded at a neighboring project site, according to Penn State AEC Director Matt Royer. "High deer populations, excellent fishing, and new birds at the bird feeder can be huge motivators for landowners," he says.
FISH was originally designed to be completed on paper, but Chesapeake Commons, an environmentally focused app developer, partnered with the Penn State AEC and Penn State Extension to create a smart phone app and website to make data collection a smoother and easier process.
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Citizen Science is a great way to engage entire families in stream restoration efforts.
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FISH was developed through funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through two large watershed focused grant projects, The Conewago Creek Initiative and Greening the Lower Susquehanna. Input on FISH was provided by many partner organizations. Questions about FISH and the grant projects that supported it can be directed to Kristen Kyler, AEC Project Coordinator, at (717) 948-6609.
Submitted by:
Watershed Youth Development Educator
Penn State Extension
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Florida Land Steward Partnership Receives USDA Two-Chief Award
Started in 2012 to better coordinate outreach and land management planning efforts for Florida's private landowners, the Florida Land Steward Partnership recently received the USDA Joint Forestry Team's Two-Chief Award. Receiving the award are Chris Demers, Michael Andreu, and Bill Giuliano, University of Florida School of Forest Resources and Conservation and Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; Anthony Grossman, Florida Forest Service; Joe Prenger, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and Michael Bush, Natural Resources Conservation Service Florida State Office.
This coalition created a first-of-its-kind, one-stop private landowner center to enhance natural resource management capabilities. The center utilizes multiple communication tools to deliver information and technical assistance to landowners, including a website, email listserv, Facebook page, and blog, to distribute land stewardship information and publicize upcoming events. Outreach programs organized and coordinated by Florida Land Steward partners are attended by diverse audiences. The partners also created multi-agency teams to develop whole-property management plans and provide technical assistance to landowners. The Partnership's resources serve as a timely, centralized source of information on forestry, agriculture, and natural resource management. Outreach efforts allow attendees to receive information and services in a unified package, which helps prevent duplication of effort, contradictory messages, or missed opportunities.
The USDA Joint Forestry Team is a national partnership of the USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Association of State Foresters representing state forestry agency executives, and the National Association of Conservation Districts. The Team's purpose is to make recommendations that result in coordinated interagency delivery of forestry and conservation assistance for working forests, farms, and ranches. Team participants seek to improve the sustainability of the nation's forests in order to provide optimum levels of public benefits and ecosystem services. More info about these and other awardees is on the Joint Forestry Team website.
Submitted by:
Extension Program Manager-Florida Forest Stewardship Program
UF/IFAS School of Forest Resources & Conservation
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Pennsylvania...Newest ANREP State Chapter!
In November 2014, several members of ANREP who work in Pennsylvania met at the PA JCEP meeting and began discussions about the formation of a formal PA state chapter. This small team reviewed the constitutions and by-laws of other state ANREP chapters and adapted them for Pennsylvania, with review and approval by national ANREP in January. In spring 2015, national ANREP members from PA voted to approve the constitution and by-laws and officially formed the state chapter (PA ANREP). A team of inaugural officers was also elected.
So far
PA-ANREP has held several officer meetings and an online meeting of the general membership. We currently have 27 members from the Penn State University Park campus, county Extension offices, and PA Sea Grant offices with expertise in forestry, water resources, invasive species, wildlife, agronomy, and other topics. We surveyed the membership for chapter priorities and event ideas which will be organized in 2016. Several members volunteered to develop a Natural Resources Education Champion Award to recognize a partner of natural resources Extension in PA. The first face-to-face meeting of PA-ANREP will take place as a formal part of the 2015 PA JCEP meeting on November 17. We are excited to grow interest in ANREP and in natural resources extension education in Pennsylvania!
Submitted by:
PA ANREP President
Watershed/Youth Development Extension Educator
Penn State Extension
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Minnesota new hire
The University of Minnesota Extension Forestry team is pleased to welcome Emily Dombeck as our new Forestry Program Coordinator. Emily will be working with a number of Educators and Specialists in programs related to forest ecosystem health, invasive species, agroforestry, and urban forestry. In addition, Emily will be working on improving MyMinnesotaWoods, our primary website and communications tool to reach forest landowners across Minnesota.
Submitted by:
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
University of Minnesota
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Upcoming webinars
Snow Control Tools Webinar
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
10:00 - 10:45 AM (CT)
The University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Department of Transportation has created two computer decision tools: a cost benefit tool and a snow fence design tool. Topics reviewed in the webinar will be:
-Two decision support tools
-Working with farmers and landowners
-Involving 4-H and youth to hand pick corn in standing corn rows
Shrub-Willows for Living Snow Fences Webinar
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
1:00 - 1:45 PM (CT)
-Establishment
-Design
-Functionality and snow capture
-Potential environmental impacts
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IdeaExchange
ANREP Webinar Sharing
The ANREP Professional Development Committee would like to help streamline the overwhelming influx of webinar offerings from various groups. If there is a site you frequently visit for webinars that would be relevant for ANREP members, please send the web address to Lara Milligan. Use subject line: "ANREP Webinar" for the email. Thank you!
Submitted by:
ANREP Professional Development Committee Chair
Natural Resources Extension Agent
UF/IFAS Extension Pinellas County
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Pollinator Friendly Trees and Shrubs Factsheet
I am looking for resources and partners to create a list of trees and shrubs that are pollinator or bee friendly. I am focusing on the Midwest for now. Hardiness zones may make it difficult to create a multi-region fact sheet. If you have resources or would like to help in this factsheet project please contact me.
Submitted by:
Extension Agroforestry Educator
University of Minnesota Extension
(507) 389-6748
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ResourceExchange
Revisiting your land legacy: a new publication brings it all together
North Carolina State University Extension Forestry has combined forces with an unusual ally to conserve working lands. In partnership with
NC Sentinel Landscapes, a multi-stakeholder effort with the military, this new guide is part of a larger effort which seeks to unite stakeholders toward a core mission - strengthening rural economies through working land protection.
The handbook features a series of steps that can be conducted in a sequence that makes sense for each individual.
Numerous case studies are presented to help landowners envision a future that works for their unique situation. Worksheets are provided to stimulate the thought process and allow family members to compare their land conservation visions with each other. A complete reference section also lists resources and contacts in NC to further explore options. While focused on NC, the steps in the journey would apply regionally or nationally.
Extension Associate Professor
Director, Forestry & Environmental Outreach Program
North Carolina State University
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Educational kiosks in neighborhoods and conserving natural resources
Many natural resource impacts stem from homeowner actions on individual lots. Some homeowners adopt sustainable practices but these do not spread throughout a community. Communication is lacking and there needs to be a way for residents to learn about sustainable options.
Educational kiosks have been placed in Madera (Gainesville, FL) and Town of Harmony (near Kissimmee, FL) and have helped homeowners to adopt sustainable practices. These kiosks contain panels that discuss different natural resource topics and the panels can be easily swapped out. Kiosks can be installed in new and established neighborhoods.
One idea is to place these kiosks near a "green" yards and homes and showcase practices, creating a communication pathway with a local environmental steward.
Submitted by:
Professor
Dept. of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation
UF/IFAS
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Using social science to encourage more natural shorelines and healthier lakes
Increased shoreland development on lakes can have a negative impact on wildlife habitat, water quality and natural scenic beauty. . Engineering and lake science are necessary to understand how to solve problems and restore healthier lakes, but they do not provide guidance on how to get people to implement these practices in and around lakes. Addressing these issues frequently require understanding barriers to individual behavior change. Social science is essential to understanding how shoreland owners' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs interact with land use decisions and lake-friendly behaviors on their property.
Natural resource Extension professionals from the University of Wisconsin and their partners conducted years of outreach and research to explore how social marketing strategies could be used to encourage more natural shorelines among lakeshore property owners to promote wildlife habitat and protect water quality. Check out this website hosted by the UW-Extension Lakes program that describes principles of social marketing and includes examples of outreach materials as well as reports and peer-reviewed articles about this work.
Submitted by:
Environmental Communication Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Extension
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The Great Lakes Silviculture Library
The Silviculture Library was created in 2015 by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Forest Resources Partnership, with funding from the Great Lakes Forestry Alliance.
What is it? The Silviculture Library is a website archive of actual silviculture treatments from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario. Each case includes descriptive info about the site, silviculture objective, silviculture prescription, what actually happened during the treatment, and what you learned from it.
Why did we build it? Every silviculture treatment is an experiment, and every forest manager is both a teacher and a learner. Too often we fail to share the experience that we gain from our day-to-day work, limiting the value of what we have learned. The library is designed to serve as one piece of the institutional memory of the Great Lakes forestry community. We welcome case study submissions from anybody with direct experience managing forest land in the Great Lakes region.
Contacts: The Silviculture Library is maintained by Eli Sagor and Julie Hendrickson of the University of Minnesota's Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative, based at the Cloquet Forestry Center. For more information, contact Eli (218-409-6115) or Julie (218-726-6403).
Submitted by:
Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative Manager
Associate Extension Professor
University of Minnesota
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G-WOW (Guiding for Tomorrow) Changing Climate, Changing Culture Initiative
G-WOW is unique among climate change literacy models in several ways. Short for 'Gikinoo'wizhiwe Onji Waaban,' which means 'Guiding for Tomorrow' in Ojibwe, it integrates place-based evidence people can observe on how climate impacts cultural practices they enjoy with scientific projections of how changes in climatic variables may affect the habitats and sustainability of species that support these practices. Developed for middle school to adults, G-WOW creates a culturally relevant climate change perspective that can directly resonate with any learner. This strategy also makes the model transferrable to other cultures. Most importantly it links cultural, place-based evidence with scientific climate research as equally valuable ways of examining this issue. Unlike other climate literacy models, G-WOW prompts learners to move from awareness to action by engaging in mitigation or adaptation practice.
G-WOW has an online curriculum and has been added to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. An article in the soon-to-be-published Fall issue (vol. 35, issue 3) of LakeLine (a publication of the North American Lake Management Society) provided the text for this item. For questions or more information on G-WOW, please contact Cathy Techtmann, (715) 561-2695.
Submitted by:
Environmental Outreach Specialist
University of Wisconsin-Extension
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New Minnesota Forestry Publications
The University of Minnesota Extension staff has created a fact sheet on gathering and growing fruits and nuts from trees and shrubs.
Learn how to control invasive species and unwanted woody plants and vegetation in your landscape
This makes a great gift for wild gatherers in Minnesota and the northern states.
Submitted by:
Extension Agroforestry Educator
University of Minnesota Extension
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A Word from Your Editor
I've suddenly realized that we've entered that time of year where we travel to and from work in the dark. Not particularly my favorite time of year but the dogs do like the added challenge of tracking down the tennis ball in the dark when I throw it for them after work. This time of year also reminds me that reporting deadlines are looming. Impact statements, contact numbers and other end-of-year reports will be soon due. Showing value and impact have become especially important lately and I've already blocked time off in my calendar to work on these tasks (although I always seem to be submitting them at the last minute, no matter how much I try to plan ahead). I wonder how many contacts ANREP members account for over a year? I bet it's an impressive number. Makes me proud to be a part of a strong network of professionals that make such an impact across the country.
Since the next newsletter issue will be out in 2016, I'll give you a head's up that I'm going to be exploring changes to the layout of the newsletter to make it more readable and possibly some content changes as well. Drop me a note if you have suggestions on improving the value of the newsletter.
The next deadline for content submittals is February 1. With luck, the next newsletter will be out February 15.
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