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Professional development committee update
NEW ANREP initiative: Wildland Fire
ANREP supports 4-H forestry invitational
ANREP professional development scholarships
Hubbard farewell...but not really
Upcoming Conferences & Workshops
NACDEP 2019
One Water Action Forum
National Sustainability Summit + National Extension Energy Summit
FL educators participate in international ag and hort conference
A year older, a year wiser: five more things I've learned
Hybrid training engages master naturalist students
Artificial reef monitoring
Seeding Success course ongoing
Colorado State University Extension's land stewardship program online
Family Forests book
Profit from your forests video series
Making a lasting impression webinar
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President's Corner
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Greetings fellow ANREP members!
Oh, my, how time flies! I guess I was having too much fun this year. Well, this will be my last entry as your President in our ANREP Newsletter as I pass the baton on to my friend and our next President John Kushla. I can assure you he will be very attentive to our organization's needs as he works with the ANREP Executive Committee and also our friends at Oregon State University to plan for the 2020 ANREP Biennial Conference in Bend. The call for presentations will be here before you know it, so be thinking about what you're doing in your work that you can share with your fellow ANREP members. Don't take your work for granted. Share what you are doing with your colleagues. Bend will be a grand opportunity to do that.
I want to extend congratulations and real appreciation for the new Executive Committee members that answered the call to serve.
Lara Milligan, University of Florida, will be our next President-Elect.
Beth Clawson, Michigan State University, will be our next North Central Region Representative.
Kris Tiles, University of Wisconsin, will serve another term as our Treasurer.
Jennifer Dindinger, University of Maryland, will serve another term as our North East Region Representative.
Also, I want to thank Bindu Bhakta, Michigan State University, for her years of service as our North Central Region Representative.
And finally, thanks to Chris Jones, Arizona State University, for his years of service as he completes his last year on the Executive Committee as Past President.
At our most recent Executive Committee a new ANREP Initiative was approved with a focus on Wildland Fire. An excellent proposal was submitted by a diverse team that made a compelling case for establishing the ANREP Wildland Fire Initiative to meet our members' needs for helping Extension clientele prevent catastrophic wildfires and to create and maintain healthy ecosystems. This will result in valuable professional development opportunities for our members. Please read the article in this issue of our ANREP Newsletter on this subject by Jennifer Fawcett, North Carolina State University.
It will be 2019 soon and I will assume the role of Past President. I will have one last year on the Executive Committee and I look forward to working with the other members of ANREP Executive Committee to care for the business of our association. I enjoyed seeing so many of you at our 2018 Biennial Conference in Biloxi and I can't wait for our 2020 Biennial Conference in Bend.
Find time to get out of the office and get outdoors!
Sincerely,
James
James Henderson
ANREP President, 2018
Coastal Research and Extension Center
Mississippi State University
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ANREP Updates
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ANREP Professional Development Committee Compiles Webinar Opportunities
The ANREP Professional Development has been compiling upcoming webinar opportunities and shares the information with ANREP members. If you have a webinar that you would like to share with ANREP members, simply forward the webinar announcement to
[email protected] one month in advance and it will be promoted to the ANREP membership.
If you have any questions about these webinar announcements, please contact ANREP PD Chair,
Nicole Strong.
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New ANREP Initiative: Wildland Fire
ANREP has launched a new initiative! On October 17, 2018 the National Extension Wildland Fire Initiative (NEWFI) became the fourth initiative to be endorsed and approved by the ANREP Executive Committee, adding to the three existing initiatives: National Network for Sustainable Living Education (NNSLE), Climate Science Initiative (CSI), and the National Extension Energy Initiative (NEEI). NEWFI will facilitate a pathway for Extension to play a larger and more effective role in the wildland fire community.
Wildland fire issues are a pressing concern for ANREP members and the people they serve across the country. A combination of factors, including the exclusion of fire, drought, and more people living near natural areas, have helped create conditions that allow catastrophic wildfires to burn in diverse places. Meanwhile, the need for prescribed fire is increasingly being recognized across the nation, not only to prevent these catastrophic wildfires, but to create and maintain healthy ecosystems.
Since Cooperative Extension is tasked with meeting community needs and serves as a trusted resource, Extension can and should play an active role working with landowners and communities on wildland fire issues.
There is an urgent and critical need for Extension educators to be willing and able to provide research-based science findings and their meanings to a wide range of Extension audiences.
Many ANREP members have participated in post-ANREP Conference wildland fire meetings for the past several years, and the momentum has been building. Although the specifics have yet to be sorted out, NEWFI will likely operate much the same as NNSLE and the CSI: participants are those who are interested in the topic and wish to develop more expertise AND contribute to projects that support their local and state programs, as well as nationwide programs. Nineteen ANREP members have volunteered to serve in leadership roles to organize and launch the initiative.
Some goals of this initiative are:
- Promote and facilitate a Cooperative Extension system-wide response to wildland fire issues
- Provide professional development opportunities for ANREP members and non-members through training opportunities to expand members' knowledge base so that they are able to more effectively serve their clientele.
- Develop educational materials (using various print and electronic media) to meet the needs of various Extension clientele.
- Help to implement goals and actions within the 2018-2022 RREA Strategic Plan as they relate to wildland fire and natural resources.
- Create opportunities to work together to develop programs, initiatives, and sharing of information on wildland fire Extension programming occurring across the country.
- Increase involvement of Extension professionals in wildland fire issues most relevant to their local areas, including wildfire response and safety and promoting the safe and effective use of prescribed fire.
- Promote involvement of extension professionals in fire research teams and expand dissemination of fire science research results.
Are You Interested in Participating?
If you would like to be added to the ANREP Wildland Fire Google Group to receive email communications and updates in the future, please go to
https://groups.google.com
, search "ANREP Wildland Fire Initiative" and request to join from a Google email account. If you have any questions, please contact:
Extension Associate
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
North Carolina State University
919-515-8288
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ANREP Supports Annual 4-H Forestry Invitational
ANREP received thank you notes from each 4-H forestry invitational team that participated in the 2018 event in Virginia. The Board believes it is important to support future natural resource professionals, and makes a small donation each year to support the event.
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ANREP Professional Development Scholarships
The Board would like to announce a new professional development scholarship
that will be available to ANREP members starting in 2019. Members who are in good standing 2 years in a row (the year of the application and the prior year) may apply for up to $500 to attend PILD, JCEP Leadership Conference, or another relevant professional development activity. The scholarship will be available in the non-ANREP conference years. Applications are due and will be reviewed January 15
th
and June 12
th
, 2019.
Once the Board has approved the 2019 budget, the application will be posted on the ANREP website. (Expected by beginning of December.)
One additional note, the Scholarship Committee is looking for ONE MORE volunteer to help review applications. Please contact Diana Rashash if you are interested.
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Bill Hubbard: Farewell...But Not Really
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I had to review our archived minutes on the ANREP website to check, but sure enough, I've been on the Executive Committee for over 20 years. I started as a regional representative for the new organization in 1998 and was voted in as President in 2000. This was when those who missed meetings were nominated and voted in to positions like this (I'm dead serious here). After my term was up, I was asked to be the Executive Secretary, a new, nonvoting member of the Executive Committee. The primary responsibilities were to keep track of membership rolls, invoice new and renewing members, set up the organization as an entity and apply for nonprofit status. Before too long, we added a webmaster and it was our joint responsibility to keep the website up and current, as well as to store archives and bank records. The time has gone by in a flash! It has been an honor and pleasure to serve ANREP leaders and members in this capacity and I have met and made many good friends and colleagues from all natural resource fields because of this assignment.
I have accepted a position with the University of Maryland in 2019 that will require my full attention and then some, so I think this is a good time to step down as your part-time Executive Secretary and let someone else fill the role. I won't be leaving ANREP though and plan to keep active in Maryland and the northeast. I also plan to help the new Executive Secretary understand the roles and responsibilities of the position. This is a great job, lots of wonderful benefits and a chance to have an impact with a very effective organization. Please let President James Henderson or any of the other Executive Committee members know if you are interested in pursuing this position. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you want to know more about what the Executive Secretary does. Thanks again for all of your support over the years and see you in Bend if not before!
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Upcoming Conferences & Workshops
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NACDEP 2019 Conference Details Announced
The National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) 2019 Conference will be held June 9 - 12, 2019 in Asheville, North Carolina. We are extending an invitation to our friends in ANREP to join us for stimulating speakers, informative sessions and energizing mobile learning experiences. We will be staying downtown at The Renaissance Asheville and there will be plenty of opportunity to sample the local flavor that has made Asheville a Foodtopia and a Beer City USA. Save the date and look for conference registration to open in early 2019. Questions? Email Conference Co-Chair Susan Kelly.
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One Water Action Forum
The Forum will bring together researchers, educators, practitioners, and policy-makers to advance more connected and cohesive approaches to water and watershed management in the North Central Region. Together, we will deepen the one water conversation, localize lessons learned by delegates and attendees of the National 2018 One Water Summit, and take steps to put one water to action in the Midwest.
Registration closes
Wednesday, November 28. Hurry!
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National Sustainability Summit & National Extension Energy Summit
Share your experiences, stories, and insights at the inaugural
National Sustainability Summit (NSS)-formerly the Extension Sustainability Summit-and biennial National Extension Energy Summit (NEES). Hosted by the University of Florida IFAS Extension and the Southern Rural Development Center in partnership with USDA-NIFA, this joint conference will be held April 16-19, 2019 at
The Westshore Grand in
Tampa, FL.
This national conference will bring leading sustainability and energy educators and practitioners together to showcase land grant university Extension and research program successes, share challenges, and identify opportunities to strengthen our collective impacts. Participants will hear from dynamic plenary speakers with expertise in sustainability and energy issues, enhance their professional knowledge and skills through pre-conference educational tours and/or mobile workshops, attend inspiring abstract presentations and networking sessions, and learn from local exhibitors and sponsors. Extension professionals from all national associations will benefit from the cross-disciplinary and process-oriented structure of the joint Summits.
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Submitted Articles
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Florida Educators Participate in International Conference on Agriculture and Horticulture
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County Horticulture Agents Lynn Barber and Susan Haddock, attended the 13th International Conference on Agriculture and Horticulture in Zurich, Switzerland. As a team, we presented
Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL): A Grass-Roots Residential Program That Promotes Urban Environmental Stewardship. The oral presentation provided information on the nine principles of Florida Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL), the "Water 2070" report as it relates to population growth and future water needs, and Florida state legislation that states that the ongoing FFL program is fundamental to reducing future water demands and protecting water quality. The presentation highlighted statewide water conservation data from 2017 and summarized Green Industries Best Management Practices (GIBMP) program results from 2008 through March 2018.
Conference attendees were impressed that FFL water conservation programs utilized 89 UF/IFAS Extension faculty to reach 60,600 residents of which 93% reduced irrigation to two days/week, 90% reduced irrigation in winter months, 87% reduced irrigation during adequate rainfall and 69% switched to low-maintenance plants. The educational outreach impact presented was:
- 176,405,796 gallons of water saved - enough to supply 2,005 households with water for one year
- $583,903 saved on utility bills
- $458,655 saved by utility companies on water preparation/delivery costs
Conference attendees were equally impressed by the GIBMP program structure and impact. Many attendees were surprised at the scope of coursework offerings: on-line, in-person or DVD, and in three languages, and how that provides many options to enhance green industry professionals' knowledge and judgment and brings awareness to their role in protecting Florida's water and environmental resources. GIBMP Objectives were presented: 1) Reduce off-site transport of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides through surface or ground water, 2) Use appropriate sight design and pant selection, appropriate rates and methods of fertilizer and irrigation application to prevent pollution, conserve water, and promote healthy plants, and 3) Incorporate integrated pest management (IPM) to decide when pesticide applications are needed to manage pests in the landscape.
The educational outreach impact was presented in visual graphs and included that:
- Total attendance in GI-BMP programs for all delivery methods is over 56,000 with 47,622 certificates issued.
- On-line and DVD options have increased to 47% in the past three years.
- Significant increases in behavior change measured 6-12 months post training in water conservation, reduction in pesticide use, and proper fertilization application.
- BMP attendees noted a positive change in attitude and ability to communicate with clients regarding cultural practices, water conservation and IPM: reduced pesticide use, money savings, and natural resource protection.
Other conference sessions involved topic areas of agricultural engineering, agricultural production systems, agricultural biotechnology, agriculture and food security, plant science, agricultural production systems, fertilizer and pesticide, crop sciences, and soil and water management. Poster presentations were made by graduate students and other presenters.
Four attendees were from the United States. Other presenters were from Australia, South Africa, India, Vietnam, China, Mexico, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Japan, Hungary and Chile. There were many interesting professor and student presentations, most involving research projects and results; such as: Improving crop production in developing countries, Quantifying and correcting for clay content effects on soil water measurement by reflectometers, Modern techniques for walnut propagation, Sewage water effects on Okra growth affected by organic matter, Effects of day length on mineral concentration, chlorophyll content and yield of kale microgreens, and Fabrication and evaluation of novel slow release agrichemicals for improving nitrogen update.
Swiss trains were close to the hotel, on-time, clean and generally quite occupied. The train station in Zurich was like a shopping mall with grocery stores, restaurants, bars, flowers shops, and book and card shops. There was a significant amount of Italian food available, pasta and pizza, and we enjoyed Swiss fondue and raclette, a melting cheese you melt over grilled vegetables. Switzerland was breath-takingly beautiful, and extremely clean. The people were friendly and helpful. We found Zurich to be very walkable.
As a result of the presentation, several conference participants asked for a copy of our presentation and business cards, took our handouts and gave us their contact information due to interest in developing a similar program in their country. The conference was an excellent experience and the contacts we made will be valuable for potential future collaborations. Thanks to Esen Momol, Ph.D., CJ Bain, John Bossart, Claire Lewis and Don Rainey for their input and assistance in this endeavor, and the Dean's office Extension Service Professional Development Mini-Grant, our District Director, Brenda Rogers, and the FANREP travel scholarship program for financial assistance.
Submitted by:
Commercial Horticulture and Integrated Pest Management
UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
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A Year Older, A Year Wiser: Five More Things I've Learned About a Career in Extension
Editor's note: This is a followup of an article we featured in the Fall 2017 newsletter. Both of David's articles were featured in the Entomology Today blog.
Below is the first portion of the article.
To read the entire post, click the link at the bottom of the article.
It's funny how life works sometimes.
When I last wrote
about switching from research to extension, I lamented a little about the difficulties in obtaining a tenure-track job. (This is a well-documented and often-covered issue in academia; see essays by
Dr. Jeremy Yoder and by fellow Entomological Society of America member
Dr. Christie Bahlai). I talked about
eschewing the traditional tenure-track job hunt to focus on an extension program I created. Well, fast-forward a year, and here I am in a tenure-track job. Was it my plan all along? I'd be lying if I said yes. I had made peace with the notion of not getting a tenure-track position, and that wasn't easy. But, I loved working in extension and had a good personal situation, so it made sense. Then, by chance, a position became available at Clemson University, just up the road from where I live, and the description was nearly a perfect match for my skill set.
I didn't blow the interview, and now I'm an assistant professor in Clemson's Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. So, as I said, it's funny how life works.
The job I'm doing now is very similar to the one I did before: forest health and invasive species extension. That said, after another year of extension experience under my belt, I've learned some additional things that would have been nice for younger me to know and that may help other young extension professionals. Consider this list a sequel to my earlier article, as I think most of these topics are relevant to anyone in extension, be their position academic tenure-track, working for a state agency, or making a go of it on grant funding. In the end, those of us who work in extension are all translating research for the public and helping people make better management decisions. We just wear different hats and shirts.
You're always learning new things.
Previously, I wrote about the need for a large breadth of knowledge in extension. That hasn't changed; it's the one constant in this job. I mean, I'm always learning new things. New invasive species, like the spotted lanternfly? Yep, better know about that one, even though it's just recently made its way to the southern region. How about the ins and outs of pine straw production? Turns out, it's important to know that too, because doing it incorrectly can stress the trees and lead to pine bark beetle issues.
I was trained in natural forest systems, but insects like ambrosia beetles don't always see that distinction. If a tree is stressed, in the woods or a neighborhood, pests will get in there, and now I'm learning about arboriculture and street tree care and maintenance. Not to mention all the pesticide information, and, hoo-boy, is there a lot to know and remember when it comes to different pesticide formulations, application methods, and rates. Did I mention "forest health and invasive species" includes invasive plants, too? So, yeah, there's a whole lot to learn-it's definitely making me a much better naturalist, though.
Be efficient with your time.
As with life in general, one of the most valuable professional (and personal!) commodities I have is time. You have to be efficient in extension: It's the old "work smarter, not harder" thing. I've developed a few strategies for maximizing my time over the last few years, and without those there's no way I would be able to get everything done that needs doing.
Being in extension, I spend a lot of time in a vehicle, often alone, and I also get a lot of phone calls from stakeholders, other extension agents, and other colleagues. So, rather than just idly drive, I use that time to make phone calls. This may seem...
Submitted by:
David Coyle
Assistant Professor, Forest Health and Invasive Species Extension
Clemson University
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Hybrid Training Engages Master Naturalist Students
One of the most powerful audiences we can engage in natural resource education is the nonprofessional audience. The Master Naturalist course is a fantastic educational program directed at the general public: people who talk to neighbors, lead communities, and vote with no skin in the natural resources game. Because the course is offered over several weeks, participants typically get to hear from multiple speakers and have several hands-on experiences. However, one of the challenges of the traditional in-person format is engaging the participants in learning experiences while also maximizing and evaluating knowledge gained.
This fall, with help from the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture, UGA Extension developed
Trees of Georgia, an online training and evaluation to compliment a traditional Master Naturalist class. In addition to attending nine weeks of classes in person, participants completed eight online modules on the ecology and identification of 75 tree species, native and invasive, found in Georgia. Each module required students to watch an interactive video lecture on a cohort of trees, during which they answered questions on the lecture material. After watching the video lecture, they could review the information through flash cards and study tools for each tree species. They could also expand their knowledge by following related links curated for each module. Before moving forward, participants had to complete a quiz, identifying at least 80% of the tree cohort correctly.
Twenty students participated in the Master Naturalist hybrid in 2018. Each student completed a pre-evaluation and a comprehensive final exam. On average, students were able to identify 63% of trees in the pre-evaluation. Upon completion, they were able to identify 87% of trees correctly on average, an increase of 24%. In addition to gauging knowledge gained, data also showed which trees students were best able to identify and which they struggled to identify. For instance, students struggled most with hickories and ashes. It was enlightening to see this as an instructor, because the students perceived that they struggled most with oaks.
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Students were comfortable engaging with lecturers after completing the online tree identification modules. Credit: Anne Randle
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It was also interesting to see the level of participation among the students. All of the students over 50 years old completed the online course. Of the students under 30, only half finished the online course. It was quite a surprise to find it easier to engage the older students in the online portion of the class. However, this rate also correlated to the overall participation between age groups, with younger students missing more class time than older students.
Overall, students responded positively to the inclusion of the online training. Despite the learning curve associated with any software, they were willing to participate and found the modules challenging but rewarding. Several students commented on being surprised they scored so well on the tests, showing retained much more knowledge than they realized. They also began engaging in plant identification during class time, taking particular pleasure in quizzing lecturers. It served as a successful learning tool and a bonding experience.
For instructors, it provided another way to connect to the subject matter. Students were prepared to talk to guest lecturers about a variety of subjects, which made the entire experience more fulfilling. Going forward, we intend to improve the course based on students' results. We are also exploring the use of other online tools, including a plant photo collection submitted by students through the Trees of Georgia platform. We plan to make Trees of Georgia available for future Master Naturalist courses and encourage Extension professionals to explore similar hybrid models in their own programming.
Submitted by:
Anne Randle
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
University of Georgia Extension
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Artificial Reef Monitoring: A Collaborative Program in Taylor County, Florida
Since 1995 Taylor County have been deploying artificial reef cubes, tetrahedrons, concrete culverts and scrap metal to create an artificial reef at the Buckeye Reef, located 22 miles offshore, west of Steinhatchee. As it has become a popular recreational fishing spot, it is necessary to identify and understand the fish structure associated to the artificial reefs and assess the reef structures on the sea bottom. Grant funds from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) were allocated to perform the Buckeye Reef Monitoring Program. The artificial reef monitoring program provides meaningful, scientific-based, and consistent and periodically data to evaluate the bio-ecological and fisheries characteristics of the artificial reefs in Buckeye reef site and stimulate management actions to promote the use and enjoyment of artificial reefs by the public.
A Social media campaign was set to enroll volunteer divers willing to support the monitoring efforts to do fish census and bottom and reef assessments on a Citizen Science-based program. A total of 86 divers initially signed up for this initiative.
A training session, including an online module for fish identification in artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, and a five hours in-person training session for fish census, artificial reef structure assessment and fish identification methods was held by Florida Sea Grant agents to train volunteer divers in this citizen science program, including the participation of FWC staff. A total of 30 volunteer divers were trained in stationary and roving diving methods for fish census and the forms to collect data for the reef structure assessment. The goal was to collect valid scientific data over fish population and artificial reef structures at 18 different deployed sites in Buckeye Reef to promote these locations for recreational fishing, diving and to report the impact of the county artificial reef program to FWC. A total of 32 dives were performed by 2 groups of divers: the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) certified divers, and other volunteer divers.
To date, volunteer divers involved in the program have invested 785 total volunteer hours, of which 56 are diving hours, equivalent to $18,314 in contributions. In total, volunteers traveled 13,990 miles on land, and accumulated 704 miles traveled on sea. Preliminary fish data indicates the presence of at least 22 fish species, with relative higher abundance in scrap metal, tetrahedrons, culverts, and Lindberg cubes, respectively. All deployed artificial structure is intact on the sea bottom and predominant coverage species include incrusting algae, sponges and anthozoans. Other important finding is the absence of the invasive Lionfish in the artificial reef structures. During the dives, the volunteers interacted with sea turtles, dolphins, barracudas and schools of fish that made the dives very likely to participate in the monitoring program in 2019.
Submitted by:
Marine & Natural Resources Extension Agent
Sea Grant UF/IFAS-Taylor County
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National Online Course for Early Career Extension Forestry and Natural Resource Professionals Sessions Recorded for Easy Viewing
Seeding Success: Tools, Technology and Techniques for a Successful Extension Natural Resources Career, a unique course covering ins and outs of Extension natural resources has been offered live this fall. This 8-part course, which was put together by a national team, includes 11 sessions, covers the basics of onboarding, program delivery, audiences and needs assessments, evaluations and more. While the live course is more than halfway complete, all of the modules have been recorded and are accessible. In addition to the recorded webinars, the course organizers have assembled a curated selection of resources relevant to each topic, including templates for evaluations, models and examples. This course is only be offered live this one time, but the webinars will be turned into e-learning modules next spring.
Funding for this program has been provided by USDA National Institutes of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA) Capacity Grant, Award number 2016-46401-25871. Join the last few live sessions: Extension Scholarship for Promotion and Tenure (November 27th), Finding financial support for program enhancement (December 3rd) and Negotiating External partnerships (Dec. 11th). For updates on the course, join the listserv for more updates.
Submitted by:
Sustainable Forestry Extension Associate
Southern Region Extension Forestry
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Colorado State University Extension Land Stewardship Program Offers Land Management Training Online
Colorado State University (CSU) Extension has teamed up with CSU Online to offer a first of its kind,
Land Stewardship Program, in an online format. The badge program is designed to help land owners or managers gain a better understanding of the available natural resources, how to cultivate them sustainably, and build an effective long-term land management plan. This program has been specifically developed for the arid west's soil and climatic conditions, providing the learner with more localized land strategies. Where overgrazing and poor land management inevitably lead to increased operational costs, this program gives the small acreage farmer a comprehensive guide to avoid some of the most common pitfalls. Over two years in the making, this convenient, self-paced program isolates key aspects of land ownership and allows learners to understand the fundamentals of SWAPA (soil, water, animals, plants, air) while developing smart goals for their small acreage property.
Participants in this program will have the opportunity to:
* Develop S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely) goals for your property, and learn about the dynamic relationships between soil, water, air, plants, animals, humans, and energy.
* Learn the fundamentals of physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, including soil fertility and soil texture.
* Understand the relationship between humans and water quality, become familiar with the major laws created to protect our water, and learn how you can protect water resources on your property.
* Develop a pasture management plan.
* Learn to identify, prevent, and manage weeds on your property.
* Learn how water and habitat can attract wildlife and understand deterrent tools.
* Develop an emergency plan for your family, house, pets, livestock, and property.
This online program is ideal for anyone who owns or manages property in Colorado or the Western United States, including: Small acreage land owners, Farm operators, Urban and rural hobby farmers, Gardeners and horticulturalists, Landscapers and property managers, Other land-based agricultural professionals.
Courses in this program are self-paced. Study on your own schedule and customize your learning experience to match your individual goals. Take all courses to earn your Mastery Badge, or take only the courses you're most interested in. Learn more about available courses and how digital badging works by visiting: CSU-LandStewardship.com
Submitted by:
Small Acreage Specialist
Colorado State University Extension/USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
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ResourceExchange
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Family Forests: Portraits of Private Land Stewardship in Florida
The
Family Forests book, by Florida Forest Stewardship Program Manager, Chris Demers, is an attempt to put a face on a portion of Florida's forests that are in private ownership. Through the stories of nine forest landowners, the book provides a snapshot about who owns and manages Florida's family forests, the range of management goals and objectives they have for their properties, the many benefits
these lands provide the landowners and society, and some thoughts about what the future holds for them.
Dr. Bill Hubbard, Southern Region Extension Forester, gave it a read and shared his comments about the book: "As a lifelong Extension forester I was mentored early on that the only way to make a complex concept understood was by to put into the personal language of your stakeholder. Chris has done a marvelous job of not only highlighting the wonderful stewardship stories of eight forest stewards in Florida, but providing important forest management concepts, opportunities and issues. Highly recommend for your personal and professional library, regardless of where you live and what you do."
Contact:
Chris Demers
, Extension Program Manager-Florida Forest Stewardship Program, UF/IFAS
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Profit From Your Forests Video Series
Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Chenango County, through a grant from the New York Farm Viability Institute has created a series of videos called
Profit From Your Forests. The videos in this series have featured the forest owners and their enterprises, including a sawmill, local maple syrup businesses, and a forest lease contract. These business owners share with their viewers the advantages of their forest enterprises, their successes, and their struggles. Two of the videos feature Steve Childs, of the
Cornell Maple Program, speaking about the important characteristics of a woodlot that create a successful maple syrup operation. In these videos, Childs walks through a woodlot pointing out the positives and negatives that he recognizes, demonstrating how a viewer could do the same in their own woodlot.
To find out more about this project, or to complete a forest business plan contact
CCE Chenango, or visit their
Facebook page.
Contact: Ashley Russell, Communications and Outreach Coordinator, Chenango County Cornell Cooperative Extension
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Making a Lasting Impression: Lessons from Long-Running Women's Landowner Programs
Thursday, December 2, 2pm ET/1pm CT
Dr. Tamara Walkingstick (Arkansas Women Owning Woodlands Program) and Tiffany Hopkins (Oregon WOWNet) will discuss how each of their programs have successfully engaged women for more than a decade. They will share their experiences with building institutional support within the university extension system and the importance of fostering the understanding that women-focused landowner programs have positive impacts that extend far beyond acreage. Both leaders will explain how their successes have been built on passion, sensitivity to local needs, and embracing collaborative participant-driven learning.
Contact: Cassidy Dellorto-Blackwell, Program Specialist, Sustaining Family Forests Initiative, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
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IdeaExchange
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| A Word From Your Editor__________ |
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I found myself standing on the shores of Lake Superior before dawn the other day. I was visiting some colleagues and wanted to stretch my legs and clear my head after the usual crummy night of sleep in a hotel. Standing in the frosty pre-dawn stillness, the word "Transition" popped into my head. Ice was forming along shore and I was standing next to a row of sailboats that had been pulled from the water, prepped for winter, and were resting on storage blocks. The ground was covered with several inches of snow, the result of a couple of lake-effect snow events. The lake and the community were transitioning from an abbreviated fall to full-blown winter.
Later that same day I had a quick phone call with a colleague and friend from Michigan State University Extension. It was her last day in the office as she transitioned into a well-deserved retirement. It was great to hear the excitement (and a wee bit of apprehension) in her voice as she described her plans for the future. As you read above, long-time ANREP Executive Secretary Bill Hubbard is transitioning out of that role and into a new role with Maryland Extension. It'll be a big transition both for Bill and ANREP. We'll certainly miss his steady leadership and he's been a rock of this organization but this transition creates the opportunity for someone else to contribute to the ongoing support of ANREP. Plus, he promises to still be involved so we're not completely losing him!
Transitions are even nested within transitions. I'm transitioning into a new position within UW-Extension while UW-Extension itself is transitioning into a new organizational structure AND transitioning into UW-Madison (we were a separate institution up until now). Sometimes it feels like the ground is constantly shifting under my feet but I guess that's how you learn balance. Transitions and change are inevitable and they can be unsettling but at the same time invigorating. I try to take the outlook that (most) changes are good and present great opportunities if you look for them. I've found that for me, that approach alleviates a lot of stress in my life, especially since many of those changes are beyond my ability to control them.
Whether transitions are seasonal, organizational, natural, or job-related, I hope you have the ability to take a moment to appreciate the situation(s) and consider what opportunities are provided. No deep meaning for my ramblings today, I'm just sharing some thoughts that happened to connect themselves in my brain recently.
I hope you all have (or had, depending on when you read this) a relaxing and stress-free Thanksgiving. Not that the calendar needs an excuse to move any quicker but you all know the next month will be gone before you know it now that we're in holiday and end-of-year deadline season. My thanks to all of you for answering my quarterly calls for newsletter material. I thoroughly enjoy reading about your work and sharing it with our colleagues. Keep it coming!
The next deadline for content submittals is February 1. With luck, the next newsletter will be out around February 15. Submit content at any time. Try to limit article length to 600 words. Photos (with captions/credit) are appreciated but please send them separately. Don't embed them into a document. As always, please contact me if you have questions.
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Chad Cook |
ANREP Newsletter Editor | University of Wisconsin - Extension
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