Journal of Soil and Water Conservation back issues from May 2006:
2007 farm bill: a viewpoint from the Soil and Water Conservation Society's executive director.(HOMEFRONT)
May 01, 2006; ... Recently, I've been asked to make a series of presentations about the 2007 farm bill and what course the debate surrounding the conservation provisions of that bill should take. In my view, the debate about conservation in 2007 will focus on four big issues: money, environmental ...
Connecting regulators with researchers: a guest editorial written by a leading conservation professional.(United States Environmental Protection Agency's water quality standards )(Editorial)
May 01, 2006; ... In 2000, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) published ambient water quality criteria recommendations for rivers and streams, and directed states to set water quality standards "to protect the physical, biological and chemical integrity of their waters." The ...
National alliance forms to improve efficiency in water use.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Alliance for Water Efficiency)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... A new conservation organization, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, will soon make its home in Chicago. The final report for the creation of the alliance was submitted in June to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA supported the California Urban Water Conservation ...
Edward O. Wilson.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006; ... "A very Faustian choice is upon us: whether to accept our corrosive and risky behavior as the unavoidable price of population ...
Canadian Prairies forecasted to be dry.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(David Schindler's forecast)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... One of Canada's most prominent water experts, Dr. David Schindler, is forecasting that the Prairies will experience droughts worse that the 1930 dust bowl years. He foresees the problem to be so great, he is cautioning against immigration into Alberta in light of potential water shortages ....
Factoids--most endangered rivers of 2006.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006 ... 1. Pajaro River (California) 2. Upper Yellowstone River (Montana) 3. Willamette River (Oregon) 4. Salmon Trout (Michigan) 5. Shenandoah River (Virginia, West Virginia) 6 ....
Seeded pastures can sustain cattle and native rangelands.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Agricultural Research Service's Marshall Haferkamp)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Reducing grazing pressure on native rangelands and keeping herds of cattle adequately nourished can be compatible goals, according to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists. It just takes the right grazing strategy. Marshall Haferkamp, a rangeland scientist at the agency's Fort ...
GAO releases report on the Conservation Security Program.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Government Accountability Office's Conservation Security Program: Despite Cost Controls, Improved USDA Management is Needed to Ensure Proper Payments and Reduce Duplication with Other Programs)
May 01, 2006 ... In late April, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report, Conservation Security Program: Despite Cost Controls, Improved USDA Management is Needed to Ensure Proper Payments and Reduce Duplication with Other Programs, to answer three things for Congress: 1) why did the ...
New trend toward septic tanks is affecting nitrogen leakage.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... Suburbs today make up an area of probably three or four times the size of Ohio, says Jennifer Jenkins, University of Vermont in a USA Today article. Many metro areas--to discourage against unnecessary sprawl and save money--have instituted the policy to limit sewer extensions. The ...
NRCS unveils new strategic plan.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Natural Resources Conservation Service)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... In May, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) unveiled the agencies new strategic plan called, Productive Lands--Healthy Environment. The plan has three overarching strategies--the watershed approach, a market-based approach, and cooperative conservation. The agency continues ...
New bond package to support California's water and parks.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... California environmental groups prepare to ask voters to support the largest parks and water bond in the state's history says a Mercury News article. Eleven groups drafted the ballot measure to raise $5.4 billion to shore up levees in San Francisco Bay, build new drinking water ...
Managing Agricultural Landscapes for Environmental Quality.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006 ... A multidisciplinary workshop for people who use science to quantify the environmental benefits of applying conservation on agricultural land at landscape or watershed scales. The workshop will also characterize the implications for conservation policy and practice from what research ...
Farmers provide wide range of environmental benefits.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(American Farmland Trust)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... Through its Farm Policy Campaign, American Farmland Trust has worked with hundreds of farmers and ranchers, academics and policymakers who have told the Trust that significant changes to U.S. farm policy are coming and that they can provide a wider range of environmental benefits and ...
MOU helps manage natural resources.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Memorandum of Understanding of Department of Defense, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies)(National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in January between the Department of Defense, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies that will help manage natural resources on military installations under provisions of the Sikes ...
New edition of a classic environmental management guide released.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Frank Friedman's Practical Guide to Environmental Management, 10th ed.)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... Frank Friedman released the 10th edition of his Practical Guide to Environmental Management. The new edition contains new material on social responsibility, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, criminal sentencing guidelines, ...
State forests in Minnesota certified sustainable.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... As of January, Minnesota has the largest certified forestland base in the United States with state forestland covering 4.8 million acres. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council issued the certifications. To receive certification there is review by ...
Eastern Europe struggles with forest management challenges.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... Eastern European nations face challenges as forests are transferred from state to private ownership, said the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). At the recent European Forestry Commission meeting in Zvolen, Slovakia, FAO called for experts to aid the ...
Going to the heart of water scarcity at environmental management conference.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Soil and Water Conservation Society)
May 01, 2006 ... The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) annual conference will be held on July 22 through July 26 at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado. Summer is a wonderful time to take in the surroundings of this full-service resort, which has activities such as biking, championship ...
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-up 33.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006 ... All Farm Service Agency offices have posted lists of acceptable and rejected offers. Here are a few facts from the 33rd CRP sign-up: * 1.4 million acres were offered; 1 million acres were approved for enrollment * There were 22,990 offers made, of which 18,140 were ...
Environmental literacy in the United States.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(National Environmental Education and Training Foundation's report)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (NEETF) has a report that looks at the environmental knowledge of the general public. The report's findings show the Nation has major knowledge limitations on the root causes of ...
Secretary of the Interior Norton resigns.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(Gale A. Norton)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... In March, Gale A. Norton, U.S. Secretary of the Interior resigned. During her five years in office, Norton won the support of many business leaders, but antagonized environmentalists on several issues. Environmentalists believed Norton's reopening of Yellowstone National Park to ...
Ralph Waldo Emerson.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006; ... "To the dull mind nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the ...
LCV has a new president.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)(League of Conservation Voters, Gene Karpinski)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Gene Karpinski is the new president of the League of Conservation Voters (LCV). Karpinski has spent the last 21 ...
Disappearance of the Aral Sea.(CONSERVATION NEWS YOU CAN USE)
May 01, 2006 ... The Aral Sea was deliberately sacrificed by Soviet planners. The water from the two main rivers flowing into it, the Syr-Daria and Amu-Daria, was diverted for the purposes of irrigating intensive cotton plantations. The resultant drop in the level of the Aral Sea was supposed to be made ...
www.fao.org/geonetwork.(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' website)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006; ... A new version of the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) spatial data catalogue, called FAO GeoNetwork, which provides agriculture information to decision-makers, allowing them to access satellite imagery, interactive maps and spatial databases from FAO, the World Food ...
Coir products for soil engineering.(Cover story)
May 01, 2006; ... Rapidly increasing human population continues to increase the demand for construction of highways and bridges. Clearing more land to meet this need can destroy wildlife habitat. "Do it right the first time" should be the slogan for restoring this habitat. Proper design, selecting the ...
Subsurface drainage and liquid manure.
May 01, 2006; ... Although land application of liquid animal wastes is a widely used BMP, in fields with subsurface drainage it can result in rapid movement to drains and offsite. In the four-year period, 2000 to 2003, ninety-eight incidents where agricultural wastes in drainage waters contaminated streams ...
Agricultural exhaust: a reason to invest in soil.
May 01, 2006; ... Agriculture depends upon soil to serve as a medium for plant growth, as a reservoir of nutrients and water, and as a filter to detoxify chemical inputs. Soil of high quality contributes to the production of abundant, high quality food and fiber. Unfortunately though, poor management can ...
Professional development through workshops and conferences.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Brief article)(Calendar)
May 01, 2006 ... July 22-26, 2006 Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference This 2006 environmental management conference will be held at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colorado. The SWCS annual conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers at all ...
SWCS annual conference 2006.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... The annual conference is being held in Keystone, Colorado. This exciting opportunity gives you the chance to experience the fantastic scenery of Colorado while exploring current issues in natural resource management and planning with fellow practitioners and researchers. The ...
New Director of Learning and Development joins staff at SWCS.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Dewayne Johnson is the new Director of Professional Development for the Society. Dewayne has worked for and with environmental organizations for more than ten years. He has spent the last five years as executive director of the Iowa Recycling Association. Dewayne received his ...
Report offers direction for farm conservation program.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Department of Agriculture)
May 01, 2006 ... In late May, a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts releases a report that offers direction for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure the Nation's conservation programs are efficient and effective outlets for the taxpayer's money. The Panel has been analyzing a USDA project, at the ...
Heather Behrens joins communications department.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Heather Behrens is the new communications intern at SWCS. She is a senior in Journalism and Mass Communication with an emphasis in public relations at Iowa State University (ISU). While at ISU, she has been active in many organizations including a Hip Hop Dance Club and the Public ...
Communications department welcomes Kala King.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... Soil and Water Conservation Society would like to welcome our newest communications intern, Kala King. Kala is a junior at Iowa State University studying, marketing and public relations. She plans to pursue a career in communications law after graduation. Kala is actively ...
Cox participates in Water Quality Collaborative.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Soil and Water Conservation Society's Craig Cox)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... The Soil and Water Conservation Society's (SWCS) Executive Director, Craig Cox, traveled to St. Louis, Missouri in early June to participate in the Mississippi River Water Quality Collaborative. The strategic plans were ...
SWCS Executive Director Craig Cox travels.(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Soil and Water Conservation Society)(Brief article)
May 01, 2006 ... The Soil and Water Conservation Society's (SWCS) Executive Director, Craig Cox, traveled to Washington, D.C., and then on to Columbus, Ohio in late March. He attended the Food and Farm Policy Project coordinating council meeting to review a preliminary set of policy recommendations ...
Congratulations to SWCS awards winners!(SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY IN ACTION)(Soil and Water Conservation Society)
May 01, 2006 ... The Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) awards committee is pleased to announce this year's award winners who will be recognized at the annual conference in Keystone, Colorado. Thanks to committee members Rick Robinson--Awards Committee Chair; Herb Huddleston--Outstanding ...
Effect of urban soil compaction on infiltration rate.(RESEARCH)
May 01, 2006; ... Urban areas in Florida are rapidly expanding, with Florida accounting for approximately 11 percent of all new homes constructed in the United States in 2003 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Soil compaction is associated with this urban development. Compaction can be the intentional compacting ...
Soil carbon pools in central Texas: prairies, restored grasslands, and croplands.
May 01, 2006; ... Soil organic matter is a heterogeneous mixture of organic substances that has an important role in determining soil productivity. For modeling purposes, it has been beneficial to separate soil organic matter into separate pools that have different functions and degradation rates in the ...
Spatial variation of soil organic carbon in a northeastern U.S. watershed.
May 01, 2006; ... The adoption of land management strategies which promote the storage of carbon (C) as soil organic matter has been identified as one means to lower the atmospheric concentration of C dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) and reduce the potential impact of global climate change (Lal et al., 1998). The ...
Cattle grazing effects on plant species composition and soil compaction on rehabilitated forest landings in central interior British Columbia.
May 01, 2006; ... Forest landings are areas of cutblocks where harvested trees are processed and loaded onto trucks. Their construction involves removal of surface soils and leveling. Soil degradation on landings may be so extensive to completely prevent tree growth, causing a reduction in the productive ...
Integrated bioengineering and geotechnical treatments for streambank restoration and stabilization along a landfill.
May 01, 2006; ... Conventional treatments for streambank stabilization such as riprap revetments and concrete retaining walls have been criticized for their environmental effects (Simpson, 1982) and poor aesthetics (Riley, 1998). Alternative approaches relying on the stabilizing properties of vegetation, ...
Infiltration rate in andisols: effect of changes in vegetation cover (Tenerife, Spain).
May 01, 2006; ... The island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain), which is 2,054 [km.sup.2] (507,554 ac) in size and has a maximum elevation of 3,718 m (12,198 ft) above sea level, boasts a wide variety of microclimates, depending on altitude and orientation. Sub-aerian geological materials--for the most ...
Evaluation of silvicultural treatment effects on infiltration, runoff, sediment yield, and soil moisture in a mixed conifer New Mexico forest.
May 01, 2006; ... Tree densities in southwestern U.S. forests have increased considerably over the last century. Prior to European settlement, many southwestern forests were described as open and park like, supporting diverse herbaceous plants (Cooper, 1960; Weaver, 1964). Today many of these forests have ...
The effectiveness of polymers and additives on reducing suspended sediment.
May 01, 2006; ... Water quality is a serious concern among scientists, environmentalists and consumers. Sediment is the largest water pollutant by volume in the United States (Becker et al., 1974; York and Herb, 1976; Hagman et al., 1980). Nonpoint source pollutants are the major source of sediments and ...
Oral presentations for 2006 SWCS annual conference.
May 01, 2006 ... 2007 Farm Bill Grazing interaction with Wildlife in CRP grassland management Klein, J.C Corresponding author: John C. Klein, USDA-NRCS, Phone: (641)-322-3116, Email: John.Klein@ia.usda.gov Wildlife has become a major factor in the selection and ...
Poster presentations for 2006 SWCS annual conference.
May 01, 2006 ... BMP Evaluation/Design US EPA agricultural best management effectiveness database Flahive, K. Corresponding author: Katie Flahive, US EPA, Office of Water, Nonpoint Source Control Branch, Phone: (202) 566-1206, Email: flahive.katie@epa.gov As ...
Symposia for 2006 SWCS annual conference.
May 01, 2006 ... 2007 Farm Bill Multiple objectives: Finding the balance in agri-environmental programs Claassen, R., Hellerstein, D., Johnasson, R., and Nickerson, C. Corresponding author: Roger Claassen, Economic Research Service, USDA, Phone: (202) 694-5473, Email: ...