March 2012

Volunteers from the U.S. Forest Service joined forces with Leon County, Florida residents recently to participate in the county’s 17^th annual Super-Clean Sweep cleanup activities which included parts of the Apalachicola National Forest.

The county-wide event was part of the “Keep Tallahassee Leon County Beautiful” program which drew nearly 100 volunteers from county and city agencies, local organizations and local citizens.

Nebraska news media, including local daily and weekly newspapers and radio stations around the state highlighted the energy tour conducted by USDA Rural Development Nebraska State Director Maxine Moul on March 23.  She met with three Nebraska businesses that were assisted through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for energy efficiency improvements.  The visits stemmed from the release of the USDA report highlighting the impact of the program on promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Business visits started with Main Street Floral, LLC in Superior, which received a grant of more than $5,000 to install an energy efficient front door, windows and lighting.  The improvements also gave the store a new main street updated curb appeal.  Monson’s Garage in Sutton utilized a nearly $2,800 grant for energy efficient polyurethane foam roofing and replacing the interior lights.  The business realized a savings of 64 percent in year one and 70 percent in the second year after project completion.  Greg’s Market in Exeter utilized a more than $11,000 grant to install energy efficient freezers, new compressor units and lighting.  The business realized actual energy savings of 46 percent in year one and 33 percent in the second year after project completion.

The Spotted Bear Ranger Station at the Flathead National Forest in western Montana generates electricity using micro-hydropower. Like a traditional hydro dam, this small water system converts the energy of flowing water into electricity. When the water level of Addition Creek on the ranger station is adequate, the micro-hydropower system produces enough electricity to supply the entire compound which consists of 31 small buildings.

America’s farmers are among our first and finest conservationists. At USDA, we support their work to protect natural landscapes, improve water and air quality, and preserve wildlife habitat, forests and soil.

In addition to environmental benefits, this work helps drive economic growth and creates good, middle class jobs – particularly in rural communities. Farmers who help the environment improve their bottom line. Fishing, hunting, hiking, boating and other outdoor recreation adds $730 billion to our nation’s economy each year and supports millions of jobs.

That is why President Barack Obama launched his America’s Great Outdoors initiative to help re-connect Americans with the outdoors and create local partnerships focused on the long-term health of our nation’s landscapes. In the past months, as part of that effort, USDA took steps to work with landowners, farmers and ranchers conserving these lands while promoting outdoor recreation opportunities that create jobs and drive economic growth.

Conservation is in plain sight on Janet Kline’s Hidden View Farm in Virginia, with streamside fencing and buffers well integrated into the rolling vistas of the Massanutten and Little North mountains.

These conservation practices were implemented with the help of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), but caring for the land is a way of life for the long-time Shenandoah Valley resident.

The largest wood beams ever tested are being studied at the US Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in Madison, Wis. If you’ve ever wondered what 80,000 pounds of load looks or sounds like when applied to a 72-foot-long, 3-ton wood beam, now’s your chance. Bam! View this short video to get a sense of both the size of these glulam beams and the engineering acumen on display at the FPL. Hint: keep the volume up around the :53 second mark.

Glued laminated (glulam) timbers are a manufactured wood product composed of layers of sawn lumber glued together. Glulam beams are typically used in commercial construction to span large open areas, such as in churches or sporting arenas. They make for both an aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound option.

The FPL is one of the few locations worldwide that has the capacity to test such large wood specimens.  As FPL engineer Doug Rammer explains, that capability is key to determining their strength.

On March 14-15, employees from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) participated in the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Employment Extravaganza in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Thanks to advertisements in the school newspaper and other local media outlets, the event had a great turnout.  The school’s career office passed out plenty of literature to make sure the students and their potential employers made solid connections.  AMS was one of nearly twenty organizations, spanning from local government offices and non-profits to large Fortune 500 companies like Walmart, to attend the school’s last career fair of the academic year.

Most people are familiar with the weekly summer ritual of mowing the lawn.  At best, the smell of fresh cut grass is appealing, but often the task is considered time consuming, tiring and expensive.  What if your “lawn” was actually hundreds of acres in size, and how often you mowed it, what type of grass you had, and if you used pesticides greatly impacted the safety of nearby residents?  “Mowing the lawn” is just one of the tasks airport managers and biologists confront as they work to keep wildlife away from runways and aircraft.

It’s time for the NCAA Men’s Final Four --- and all eyes are usually glued to the action on the court.  But this year special attention is being paid to the actual court itself.

This ‘Court of Champions’ comes from the Menominee Forest and Menominee Tribal Enterprises in Wisconsin.  It all began with a maple tree which provided the amazing physical properties that are perfect for the court.  The wood is beautiful, tough and does not splinter or sliver.

If you teach it, you must live it.  That is the wisdom Steven R. Kochemba adheres to.

Kochemba is a science teacher and the athletic director for the Joseph Badger School District in Trumbull County north of Youngstown, Ohio.  He’s also a farmer.

Among his other science courses, Kochemba teaches 8^th and 9^th graders about energy conservation.  While doing research for his classes, “I ran across information about BCAP,” says the educator.