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From The State Conservationist - Robert N. Jones

April 2005

Mike Roden Is National RC&D Coordinator of theYear

Cream rises to the top, and our own Mike Rodenis the cream of the crop! Mike was selected as theNational RC&D Coordinator of the Year for 2004.Mike received the award at the national meeting inWashington in March. From program developmentand implementation to fostering partnershipinvolvement, Mike’s innovative skills and abilitiesindicate he certainly is the best of the best. Mike isthe first Alabama RC&D Coordinator to receive thisprestigious award. Congratulations Mike!

AlabamaMountainsRivers andValleys RC&DCouncilCoordinatorMike Roden (r)accepts thenational awardfrom nationalRC&DPresidentSharon Ruggi.

Alabama Employees Win National Awards

Spring has always been a favorite time ofyear for me. It is a time of new beginnings, newgrowth, and new cycles. I think it is a veryappropriate time to move to a new place and starta new experience - I will become the stateconservationist in Alaska on May 15.

I have had a wonderful experience inAlabama and this will be my last article for theAlabama NRCS newsletter. I have thoroughlyenjoyed my tenure in Alabama. I have greatrespect for the Alabama NRCS team, and Iappreciate the contribution that each of you hasmade to ensure we get the job done here. I havelots of years behind me and I realize it’s thepeople who are important. The programs will beimplemented, but it is the association with co-

workers who make the journey enjoyable.Because of these close associations, there is a tugat my heart -- I will miss all of you.

When I access the Alaska NRCS web page,to the world it looks like Alabama’s. The continuityreminds me that we are all about the same task.

While I leave with a lump in my throat, I alsohave a spark in my eye. Life is full of adventures,and I look forward to the challenges that await mein Alaska. I leave with a heartfelt “thanks.” Bestwishes to each of you as you carry on with thework in Alabama. The welcome mat is out if youever venture up to “the last frontier!”

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Don Surrency Wins National Award

Plant Materials National Program Leader BobEscheman announced in February 2005 the nationalwinners of the Plant Materials Program Awards for2004. Don Surrency, Plant Materials Specialist inAmericus, Georgia, won the Plant MaterialsMeritorious Service that is presented to a PlantMaterials employee who has made a significant andtangible contribution to the discipline over a longperiod of time. Don has contributed much over theyears including outreach to limited resource farmersand promotion of constructed wetlands. His projectsinclude improving water quality by encouraging manystate and federal agencies and conservation partnersto use constructed wetlands for residential areas and

commercialbusinesses.Don is alsoactive inoutreach tosmallfarmers andpromotingthe use ofplantmaterials forconservation,especiallynew plantreleases andrelatedtechnology,

for conservation and enhancement of naturalresources.

Choctaw County DAC Wilma Newton is Honoredat NCDEA Employee Choice Awards

Wilma Newton won the Outstanding DistrictProfessional award at National Conservation DistrictEmployee Association Employee Choice Awards.

Wilma has been the District AdministrativeCoordinator (DAC) in Choctaw County for 18 years.She was instrumental in forming the AlabamaAssociation of Conservation District Employees, andserved as the first President.

As President, Wilma led a campaign to changethe District Clerk name to District AdministrativeCoordinator – which is more reflective of the position.She has served as President for four years and iscurrently Vice-President.

(l-r) Ann Labore, Cleburne County; Cherrie Haney,formerly with Cullman County; Wilma Newton; andBrenda Wigginton, Limestone County,

Special Award Honors Jerry Johnson

To honor Jerry L. Johnson, our former State StaffForester, a new award has been developed with agrant from the Bradley/Murphy Forestry and NaturalResources Extension Trust. The Alabama Associationof Conservation Districts and the State Soil and WaterConservation Committee will administer the grant.

Jerry’s work anddedication positivelyimpacted the forest,wildlife, and waterresources of our state. Hewas steadfast in his beliefand support of landstewardship principles. Hisdedication to conservationfar exceeded his officialduties.

This award seeks to recognize Alabama NRCSemployees who exhibit the characteristics of JerryJohnson’s spirit and concern for his family, fellowemployees, the environment, and his community.

After the selection criteria are developed, NRCSemployees will be notified of the nominationprocedures. If an NRCS employee meets the criteriaand is selected for the award, a plaque and $1,000will be presented by NRCS at the annual meeting ofthe Alabama Association of Conservation Districts.

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Outreach in Alabama

Goat and Sheep Festival in Talladega CountyBy Eddie May, DC, Talladega, AL

The crowd is expected to swell to 2,000 for the Goatand Sheep Festival May 7, 2005, at the Marianna GreeneHenry Equestrian Arena near Talladega.

The speakers include Carla Shoemaker fromAuburn University and Dr. Ralph Noble from TuskegeeUniversity. Games and contests, along with prizes, will befun activities for children. There will be working dog and asheep shearing demonstrations. Different breeds of meatgoats will beon display.The USDAOutreachCoordinatorfromWashingtonis expectedto attend andAlabamaPublicTelevisionwill be filming. Come and join us from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m forquality information, an abundance of food, and lots of fun!

USDA Minority Farmer Register

The USDA Minority Farm Register is a tool to promoteequal access to USDA farm programs and services forminority farmland owners, farmers, ranchers, tenants, andother individuals with an agricultural interest. Throughoutreach, participantsmay receiveinformation or bepersonally contacted.Participation on theFarm Register isvoluntary. Theinformation providedis shared through theUSDA Office ofOutreach with otherUSDA-approved outreach partners such as community-based organizations, educational institutions, and othergovernment agencies. Alabama recently held meetings toexplain the program and to provide an opportunity forindividuals to register. Assistant Secretary for Civil RightsVernon Parker introduced the Minority Register at theFederation of Southern Cooperatives Annual Conference inEpes, Alabama.

First Minority Farmers Conference Held in South CarolinaBy Alice Love, Farm Bill Specialist, Auburn, AL

Alabama NRCS staff and farmers attended the 1st Minority Farmers Conference in Columbia, SC, in March. Theevent was a partnership effort of USDA; United Farmers USA, Inc.; South Carolina State University; and the Center forMinority Farmers. Conservation practices such as fencing and irrigation systems were discussed along with informationabout USDA programs that could be used to cost-share in the installation of these practices.

NRCS Chief Knight gave a brief overview of the department’s goal to assist minority and limited resource farmers.Programs highlighted included the EQIP and CRP. Vernon Parker, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, explained the fairand equal assistance in the delivery of all USDA programs.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between USDA and the Marriott hotel chain was discussed. The MOUwill help producers market their produce.

Alabama participantsattending the conferenceare: (l-r) Rob Dickey, RalphBrown, Regenia Gully,Gloria Bishop, Finest Miles,Jerry Cooper, Alvin Melton,John Melton, Willie Brown,Thomas Turner, and AndrewWilliams. Not pictured-AliceLove.

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NRCS Programs in Action

CSP Implemented in Alabama

The Wheeler Lake Watershed, located inportions of eight Alabama counties (Cullman,Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison,Marshall, and Morgan) and four Tennessee counties(Franklin, Giles, Lawrence, and Lincoln) is a part ofthe 2005 Conservation Security Program (CSP).According to Ben Moore, CSP Coordinator inAlabama, “Unlike other conservation programs, CSPis not designed to ‘fix’ a problem. Rather, it isdesigned to recognize those who have implementedoutstanding conservation practices through the yearsand to reward those who are willing to go the extramile.” NRCS held five workshops throughout thewatershed to help producers understand the programand to provide information so they could determine ifthey were eligible or interested in applying for theprogram. Eligibility hinges on treating soil and waterquality to specific levels. Since this is only the secondyear of the program (last year just a few pilotwatersheds across the nation participated), and thefirst year for Alabama, there are still manyunanswered questions.

A crucial part of the program involves farmerdocumentation of farm improvements. While thereare still many unknowns, NRCS determined that earlyspring was the time for producers to begin looking atthe program and to gather records before they gotbusy in the fields with spring planting. There wasgood participation at each of the workshops. Sign-upfor the program is March 2-May 27, 2005.

This workshop at Brewer High School in Morgan Countywas one of five held in the watershed area to provideproducers information about the CSP program.

Alabama Soil Scientist Participates in Conferencein AlbaniaBy Zamir Libohova, Soil Scientist, MLRA, Tuscaloosa

I was very excited to be a member of theorganizing committee and topresent two posters at aninternational conference in Tirana,Albania, in March. Division 4 ofthe International Union of SoilScience, in cooperation with theAlbanian Ministry of Agriculture;Albanian Ministry of Environment;Swiss Agency for Developmentand Cooperation; Swiss Agency for the Environment,Forest, and Landscape; and the U.S. Agency forInternational Development held the conferenceentitled “Element Balances as a Tool for SustainableLand Management.” More than 90 researchers andspecialists representing 18 countries participated.

The aim of the conference was to bring togetherstakeholders (soil scientists, agronomists, foresters,decision makers, etc.) concerned with sustainableland use issues to evaluate how mass balanceapproaches can be used for early recognition ofenvironmental problems and the development ofsolutions. The focus of the conference was guidancefor southern and eastern European countries, whichhave been subjected to dramatic political and social-economic changes during the last 15 years and arenow facing land management problems during theirtransition to a free market economy similar to theones faced in the past by Western Europeancountries and the USA.

Presentations were given by 30 world-widerecognized experts and 32 posters were presented onissues such as soil erosion, soil sealing andconsumption from construction, soil and waterpollution from atmospheric depositions, wastedisposal, and excessive application of fertilizers andpesticides. The participants were organized in fourgroups to discuss issues related to their respectivecountries and suggest solutions to problems related toa sustainable land use and management.

Access more information about the conferencehttp://www.elementbalances05.org/http://www.iuss.org/division4/publications.htm

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Cleanup of CRP Pine Stands after Hurricane Ivan

Hurricane Ivan hit Alabama in September 2004,bringing extensive damage and destruction, especiallyto the southwestern part of the state. If not harvested,timber damage in the 12 hardest hit counties isestimated to be more than $400 million.

Pine plantations that had been recently thinnedsustained the most wind damage. Thinning is aregular part of pine management and promotesgrowth of individual trees within a stand by removingsurrounding trees that compete for water, sunlight,and soil nutrients. Thinning of a stand of trees isbeneficial to the overall health, provides income, andimproves wildlife habitat.

Many of the damaged stands across the stateare enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program(CRP). These stands are required by CRP guidelinesto maintain at least 200 trees per acre unless a waiveris granted by the State Conservationist. As a result ofthe wide-spread damage, the State Conservationist

CRP Pine Timber Damaged in Geneva County.

Damaged CRP stand after salvage operation.

has granted waivers on 52 CRP contracts allowingthese stands to be salvaged below the 200 trees peracre minimum. The total CRP plantation acres thinnedto date is 4,654.

This has been a great benefit to the landowners,allowing them to remain in the program and receivesome compensation for the lost timber. These stands,even with less than 200 trees per acre, will meet theintent of the program: protecting our naturalresources, improving and preserving water quality,and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat.

The low densities of these stands will alsoprovide an additional benefit to wildlife populations,due to the increased light reaching the forest floor.The increased light, in conjunction with prescribedburning, will increase the yield and quality of herbage,legumes, and browse beneficial to wildlife.

The widespread devastation to the timber inAlabama warrants administrative relief in thesecircumstances and everyone involved is genuinelyappreciative of the help.

Farewell Bob and Kit JonesWe wish you all the best as you

relocate to Alaska.Good luck with the amphibian flight

lessons! Hope your days there will befilled with unforgetable adventures.

From your friends in Alabama!

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RC&D Finds Workable Solutions for Tough TimesBy Julie A. Best, PAS, Auburn, Alabama

The Resource Conservation and Development(RC&D) program has a way of finding solutions toproblems. That’s exactly the stance that the CawacoRC&D Council took when they saw a need for help inthe Five Mile Creek watershed north of Birmingham.According to Paul Kennedy, “Cawaco RC&D saw aproblem, looked at the bank statement, and, insteadof saying, ‘we cannot help you,’ we found a way to puta very bright individual in charge of a project that hadgone unanswered for too long.” That individual isHilary Aten, a VISTA volunteer. VISTA is a program ofAmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps wherethousands of individuals are making a difference incommunities across America.

Hilary grew up in northern Michigan on LakeHuron, went to school at Kalamazoo College, andearned an undergraduate degree in political science.After graduation, she moved to Arizona and worked ina domestic violence shelter. She decided to movefrom Arizona and started looking for other jobs. Shefound that many jobs require either a master’s degreeor several years of experience. “I was in limbo—Icouldn’t get a job without a master’s degree andI couldn’t get experience without a job,” says Hilary. Itwas a dilemma, but there was an answer-- theAppalachian Watershed Development Team.

The Appalachian Watershed Development Teamis a partnership between the Office of Surface Miningand the AmeriCorps VISTA. The primary goal ofAmeriCorps VISTA is to address poverty issues, andthe Office of Surface Mining has a program called theAppalachian Clean Stream Initiative to address acidmine drainage. Combining these two programs, theAppalachian Watershed Development Team wascreated. This program places VISTA volunteers inhistoric coal mining regions of Appalachia fromPennsylvania to Alabama where they work ingrassroots watershed organizations to address waterquality issues and economic problems associated withthe history of coal mining.

Five Mile Creek, north of Birmingham, hassuffered from decades of industrial, mining, and urbanpollution and impact. After devastating floods in2001-2003, the Five Mile Creek GreenwayPartnership was formed to protect and preserve thewater quality and quality of life for residents along thecreek by protecting streamside buffers and planningfor “smart-growth” within the watershed.

Cawaco RC&D joined the greenway partnership.When the partnership needed a project coordinator,Cawaco applied for a VISTA volunteer.

Hilary says, “EachVISTA volunteer hired isin the project for oneyear. My term is over atthe end of July, but theVISTA contract is forthree years. There willbe someone in thisposition for three years.Each person whoparticipates in theAmeriCorps program canvolunteer a total of threeyears. I have only onemore year in the programand I have the option ofworking one more year inthis project.”

AmeriCorps VISTAmembers successfully completing a term of service inan approved national service position are eligible toreceive either a $4,725 education award or end-of-service stipend of $1,200. Education awards can beused to pay education costs. Throughout the VISTAemployment, the individual gets a living stipend. “Thestipend is very low because it is a full-time volunteerprogram, and, since we are working on anti-povertyissues, they want us to be able to understand what itis like to live below poverty level,” says Hilary.

So what is the advantage of being anAmeriCorps VISTA volunteer? According to PaulKennedy, “When we do not have surplus, let aloneadequate financial, technical or human resources,and the tasks and needs at hand are daunting, theVISTA program and the great young people thatvolunteer for it are a ‘God send’ to conservationorganizations like Cawaco.” From Hilary’sperspective, “I’d recommend the program to anyone.It helps you get the experience that you need. Forme, it helped me figure out what I want to do, what Iwant to go to graduate school for. It helped me getthe experience I needed to get a higher level job.”

Paul says, “Hilary has exceeded our goals for theFive Mile Creek Project. She is making a hugeimpact in a small watershed that is serving as anexample for other watersheds in our area. We wereable to accomplish this by looking beyond theproblem.”

Seeking assistance from the AmeriCorps VISTAprogram was a creative solution to a financialdilemma for the Cawaco RC&D Council. Could it beused in other ways for NRCS?

Hilary Aten at work on thebanks of Black Creek, atributary of Five Mile Creek,where she found acid minedrainage.

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Cultural Resources TrainingBy Teresa Paglione, Cultural Resource Specialist,Auburn, AL

Cultural Resources training (Modules 7 and 8)was recently completed by new NRCS and Districtemployees. The General Manual Part 401.24(Training and Certification) states that “NRCS willprovide training and informational materials to fieldpersonnel and other interested parties for theconsideration of cultural resources in accordance withfederal laws.”

All NRCS employees responsible for planning orimplementing NRCS programs are required tocomplete the training to the level designated for theirposition within one year of their appointment.Training sessions were held in Huntsville andWetumpka in January and in February in Atmore onthe Poarch Creek Indian Reservation.

In Huntsville, the group toured Pond Spring StatePark (formerly known as the Wheeler PlantationHouse) and Old State Bank in Decatur, the oldestbank building in Alabama. The Wetumpka sessionincluded a guided tour of Fort Toulouse/Jackson State

Park and a visit to theAlabama State Archives andHistory Museum inMontgomery.

Members of the PoarchCreek Indian Tribeparticipated in the sessionheld on the reservation inAtmore, including RobertThrower, the Tribal HistoricPreservation Officer, and hismother Gail Thrower, theCultural PreservationOfficer. The Atmore groupvisited Fort Mims, whereUniversity of South Alabama

NRCS Training Updates

Robert Thower in Creek Indianclothing that would have beenpopular in late 18th and early19th centuries.

Three housesfrom an 1818cabin to the1890’sWheelerPlantationHouse.

Pre-Civil WarMontgomeryHill BaptistChurch andcemetery werelisted on theNationalRegister ofHistoric placesin 1988.

NRCSemployeestoured FortToulouse/Jackson.Shown is oneof thereconstructedbastions ofthe 1814 FortJackson.

archaeologists have been conducting test excavationsto locate the remains of the fort walls and interiorstructures, including the Mims house and the nearby1890’s Montgomery Hill Baptist Church and cemeterythat is listed on the National Register of Historicplaces.

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Surveying 101By Perry Oakes, State Conservation Engineer,Auburn, AL

During the “good old days,” SCS new fieldemployees often worked with other experiencedemployees who transferred surveying skills andknowledge through on-the-job training. Someemployees were actually assigned to permanentsurveying crews and were able to acquire valuablesurveying skills that they used later in their career.

The “good old days” are long gone and NRCSoften doesn’t have the luxury of placing newemployees with experienced technicians for training.New employees are often thrown immediately intothe working and production environment. A fewyears ago Surveying 101 was introduced in Alabamato help new employees develop their basic surveyingskills. Fourteen students recently attended this classthat will probably be held in the state every twoyears. To date, 44 new employees have completedthe training.

Toolkit 5.0 TrainingBy Zona Beaty, Resource Conservationist, Auburn, AL

NRCS has entered a new phase of conservationplanning assistance. All future conservation plans willbe written using new technology. Toolkits 5.0 is acomputer program that will be a vital part of theplanning, contracting, and reporting systems that our

agency uses to provide assistance to landusers.All District Conservationists, Soil

Conservationists, Soil Conservation Technicians,Engineers, and many of the Alabama Soil and WaterConservation District Employees will be trained byMay 2005. Toolkit Database Architecture, Basic Arc-GIS, Conservation System Guides and Systems,Soils Data Management, and Conservation Planningare covered in the three-day training sessions thathave been taking place weekly since February in theNRCS State Office in Auburn.

Toolkits 5.0 is a computer application that islinked to other applications that provides a completecircuit of information generated and used by theagency. The NRCS Contracting Module calledProTracts, the Progress Reporting System (PRS), theNational Conservation Planning Database, and FundManagement are all interrelated with Toolkits. ByOctober 1, 2005, all conservation plans will bedeveloped in Toolkits 5.0.

Toolkit 5.0 training are intense 3-day sessions withpresentations by experienced NRCS staff with hands-on computer instruction.

New employees get hands-on training in Surveying 101.

Public Affairs is seeking staff membersto feature in the “Employee Highlights”section of my.NRCS. If you have, or know ofan employee, with an usual hobby, donesomething significant in the community, oraccomplished something special on the job,etc., please notify Julie Best or Fay Garner inthe State Office. View past stories on themy.NRCS website.

Employees Wanted

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113th Annual Farmers Conference at TuskegeeBy Gwen Lewis, District Conservationist, Tuskegee, AL

Attendees of the Tuskegee University 113th AnnualFarmers Conference were excited to hear about NRCSprograms during my presentation and a question andanswer session. It was an opportunity to reach farmerswho perhaps haven’t participated in our programs.

The Annual Farmers Conference evolved out of aneed to improve the conditions of rural black farmers inthe South. Having just gone through slavery, blackfarmers in the South had a wealth of social, economic,educational and morale problems that neededattention.

Upon his arrival at Tuskegee, Booker T.Washington observed these conditions andimplemented monthly meetings attended by about75 farmers. These meetings were the stepping stonesto the first Annual Farmers Conference held in 1892,which drew over 400 farmers and professionalagriculture workers from all areas of the rural South.Historical milestones associated with the conferenceinclude the appointment of Thomas Monroe Campbellas the first extension agent in the United States.

The objectives of the 2005 annual farmersconference were: (1) to share up-to-date informationrelevant to small-scale farmers and landownersinvolved in production of traditional and alternativeagricultural products; (2) to create awareness aboutfamily health, nutritional challenges, and existingresources for rural families; (3) to provide research-based information in a consumer adaptable format; and(4) to strengthen networks and partnerships thataddress problems of small scale agriculture and ruralcommunities.

NRCS Participates in Events Across Alabama

Partnership Works to Improve Water QualityBy Danny Williams, District Conservationist,Huntsville, AL

NRCS, Alabama A&M University, and theDistrict’s Watershed Advisory Committee arepartnering with a landowner in the New Hope area inMadison County to make environmental improve-ments on her farm. The landowner currently leasesher farm for cattle production and is unhappy with theproblems cattle have created for a stream flowingthrough her property. Sam Sandlin, Flint RiverWatershed Coordinator, and I visited the site andsuggested that the landowner consider ContinuousConservation Reserve Program buffers.

The landowner agreed to install 38 acres ofbuffers consisting of hardwood and pine planting.Alabama A&M University will monitor the change inwater quality created by the buffers. Water samplingis underway to create a baseline representing currentconditions of the stream. Follow-up sampling will bedone over the next three years to collect data on howthe buffers impact water quality.

The project leader is Mike Landers, a graduatestudent at Alabama A&M University. Dr. TeferiTsegaye, soil physics professor at A&M, and otherA&M staff will direct the project. The School ofForestry at A&M plans to plant areas outside thebuffer zone to pine and shrubs to benefit wildlife.A&M biologists will monitor the buffers use by wildlife.

The partnership plans to install a buffer to limitcattle access to the stream and improve water quality.

NRCS andAlabama A&MUniversity staffdiscuss waysto protect thisstream flowingthrough a farmin MadisonCounty.

Participantsat the AnnualFarmersConferenceattended afield trip totheTuskegeeNationalForest.

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Statewide Watershed AssessmentBy Vic Payne, Soil and Water ConservationCommittee, Montgomery, AL

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)requires that each state conduct a statewide nonpointsource watershed assessment every five years. Sincethe last one was conducted in 1998, we are a little bitoverdue.

The results of the last assessment have beenwidely used, not only by NRCS and SWCDs, but alsoby other agencies. Since the watersheds in everycounty were prioritized with regard to potential fornonpoint source pollution, NRCS was able to use thisinformation to target funding to the most criticalwatersheds. It has also been a great benefit to theAlabama Department of Environmental Management(ADEM) in compiling the many reports they have tosubmit to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)and to Congress.

The new assessment will be different in a coupleof critical ways: 1) we will use the new nationwide12-digit Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) versus the old11-digit codes, and 2) all data will be entered online.

As with the last assessment, ADEM will provide$3,500 to each district to complete five phases of thework:

Gathering data and ranking watershedsConducting a public meeting to present thedata, get input, and hear concernsForming or revitalizing the District’sConservation Advisory Committee (CAC)Developing a watershed Plan of Actionwith assistance of the CACSubmitting the report

An interagency team consisting of NRCS, ADEM,Soil and Water Conservation Committee, AlabamaDepartment of Public Health, and the state’sInformation Services Division has been working fornearly a year to develop the online assessmentprogram. In addition, six pilot districts are using anMS Excel version of the program to initially acquiredata for three of their watersheds.

“We think we’ve got a really good program thatcould become a model for other states,” says BillHughes, NRCS State Resource Conservationist. “Ifnothing else, it is going to be a great resource forAlabama.”

The timetable for completing the assessment isstill fuzzy. Districts must be trained and then theproject must be keyed into the overall NRCS workloadfor the year. However, we anticipate that the entireeffort will be completed by November this year.

State Land Judging EventBy Julie Best, PAS, Auburn, AL

Autauga County hosted the state land judgingcontest this year. Twelve teams representing regionalcontest winners participated. Land judging is a part ofthe state FFA program and NRCS helps conduct theregional and state contests. The 2005 state contestwinners were:

Millry High School - 1st

Horseshoe Bend High School - 2nd

Douglas High School - 3rd

Brantley High School - 4thA special award, in honor of our former State

Staff Forester Jerry Johnson, was given to the studentwho scored highest on the forestry segment of thecontest. That award went to Landon Morgan, amember of the Brantley High School team.

“Land judging is a program that helps studentslearn about soil and protecting and conserving land,water, and the environment, ” says Troy Newton,Education Administrator with the Alabama Departmentof Education.

The following groups/individuals supported andsponsored the 2005 State Land Judging contest:

Alabama Chapter SWCSAutauga County SWCDCharles Love, State Soil Scientist, NRCSCoaker Farms, Washington CountyKoptis Farms, Baldwin CountyMobile County SWCDPangaea Environmental ConsultantsProfessional Soil Classifiers Association ofAlabamaSoils Five, Inc.

Millry High School from Washington County, thefirst place winning team of the state contest, willrepresent Alabama in the 54th National Land JudgingContest in Oklahoma in May 2005.

1st Place - Millry High School from Washington County

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Auburn Hosts the 45th National Collegiate LandJudging Competition

During the week of April 4th, Auburn Universitywas proud to host the 1st national soils contest ever tobe held in Alabama, and the 45th annual nationalcontest. Dr. Joey Shaw, Associate Professor in theAgronomy and Soils Department, coordinated theevent. “We have the unique opportunity to show acouple of physiographic regions and show typical soilsfor those regions. We prepared 19 practice sitesthroughout the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. NRCSworked with us to evaluate the pits and to get themready for student evaluation,” says Shaw. The 19sites are necessary to accommodate the 22 teamswho participated in the contest.

Dr. Neil Smeck, coach for the Ohio StateUniversity team, says, “We don’t do a lot to get readyfor the contest. We talk about the landscapes bydiscussing what we have read. When we get here,we look at the practice pits, which have beendescribed and classified by the host. The studentsmake their own evaluations, and then we talk aboutthe differences. We have three days to learn aboutthe soils of the area.”

Dr. Larry West, coach for the University ofGeorgia team, says, “By participating in the nationalcompetition, students get to see different soils indifferent parts of the country. It’s a great learningexperience.”

The students worked in the practice pits onMonday-Wednesday. Individual competition was heldon Thursday and team competition was held onFriday. The Virginia Tech team placed first in thecompetition; the high scoring individual honor went toDoug Frisco, also of Virginia Tech.

Dr. Neil Smeck, coach for the Ohio State Universityteam, talks with Dr. Joey Shaw, Auburn University, inone of the practice pits.

Students in the collegiate land judging contest have threedays to learn about the soils of the host region.

Southern Regional Conference on How ToCombat Alien Invasive Plants

The citizens of Alabama are becomingincreasingly aware of how extensive invasive plantshave become and how the productivity and naturalheritage of our lands and ecosystems are ultimatelyat stake. The Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council is

a regional organization dedicatedto combating invasive plants and

restoring native ecosystems.They are challenged to domore to fight against this alien

takeover.The Alabama Invasive Plant

Council (ALIPC) is hosting a region-wide conference in Birmingham on May 3-5. Thetheme of the conference, “Invasive Plants: Arming toDefend and Win,” is aimed at sharing the latestknowledge and technology on combating invasiveplants. Everyone interested and involved in stoppingthe spread of alien invasive plants species is invited.The conference is the seventh in a series held by theSoutheast Exotic Pest Plant Council. The conferenceis being held at the Carraway-Davie House andConference Center on the southern edge ofBirmingham on the bluffs overlooking the CahabaRiver. Two full days of expert presentations anddiscussions will be followed by a third-day field tour.Registration is $85 by April 4 and $95 afterwards,which includes all breaks and two lunches. Vendorsand sponsors are requested as well. For registration,nearby hotels, and more information visit: http://www.se-eppc.org or call Curtis Hansen at334-844-1630.

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NRCS Celebrates 70th Anniversary!

The Soil Conservation Act, the first soilconservation act in the history of this or any othernation, was signed by President Franklin Roosevelton April 27, 1935. With the passage of Public Law46, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) wasestablished as a permanent USDA agency. Theagency, later called, the Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS), will be 70 years old onApril 27.

During the days of the Dust Bowl, in the early1920’s and early 30’s, soil erosion became a crisis.The welfare of the nation was at risk. HughHammond Bennett, soil erosion expert and the firstchief of SCS/NRCS, devoted his entire career tostudying soil erosion and its effects. Bennett, knownas the “Father of Soil Conservation” came to believethat soil erosion was taking such a toll on farmlandthat, if left unchecked, it would impair the nation’sability to produce food. Through demonstrations,lectures, and articles, Bennett encouraged Americansto take action. He insisted that conservation manage-ment practices were necessary and beneficial. Hisdetermination and persuasion eventually led to thepassing of the Soil Conservation Act.

Today, NRCS holds fast to the vision of Bennettand continues to support conservation efforts throughprograms and outreach. The 70th anniversary themeis “A Partner in Conservation Since 1935.” We areproud of the agency heritage and look forward tocontinuing the conservation legacy that was started70 years ago.

As part of the celebration, a 5-minute video, “APartner in Conservation,” has been developed topromote events and activities to mark the anniversaryand increase agency visibility. Request copies fromJulie or Fay in Public Affairs.

Read more about the beginning of SCS/NRCSand Hugh Hammond Bennett at the following websites:

• www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov/about/History/Hugh- Bennett.html• www.soil.ncsu.edu/about/century/hugh.html• www.nwf.org/halloffame/inductees_ bennett.html

PERSONNEL

Hugh Hammond Bennett (l) visited Alabama in July 1939for the Kudzu Jamboree at Camp Hill, Alabama. Bennettand Regional Agronomist R.Y. Bailey exam kudzu plot atthe Alabama Experiment Station. KUDZU! grown on purpose?

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, politicalbeliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of programinformation (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call(202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Promotions

Autry Burns, Soil Conservation Technician, Rainsville, AL

Renea Dyer, Soil Conservationist, Florence, AL toDistrict Conservationist, Florence, AL

Maurice Johnson, Soil Conservation Technician,Greensboro, AL

Stephon Thomas, Soil Scientist, Huntsville, ALWalker Williams, Soil Conservationist, Evergreen, AL

to District Conservationist, Evergreen, AL

Reassignments

Anne Cross, Soil Conservationist, Brewton, AL toGuntersville, AL

Butch Kelley, Construction Inspector, Andalusia, AL toSoil Conservation Technician, Andalusia, AL

Sylvia Long, Soil Conservationist, Auburn, AL to SoilScientist, Marion, AL (duty station Auburn, AL)

Deana Mann, Soil Conservationist, Guntersville, AL toScottsboro, AL

Joyce Nicholas, Soil Conservationist, Bay Minette, ALto Marion, AL

Stephon Thomas, Soil Scientist, Huntsville, AL to SoilScientist, Tuscaloosa, AL