USDA Forest Service WATERSHED - FISH - WILDLIFE - AIR - RARE PLANTS ::: WFW MONTHLY WFW STAFF NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2006 CONTENTS National in Scope * HOT BREAKING NEWS * Director's Discussion * General/Cross Areas * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * NatureWatch * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Coming Events - Conferences & Meetings * General/Cross Areas * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Technical Information & Publications - New Technical Information that is broadly applicable * General/Cross Areas * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Training - Tools - Interesting Information * General/Cross Areas * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Regional Round Ups * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Vacancies/Employment Opportunities Federal job announcements can be found at: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/agency_search.asp * General/Cross Area * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife * Other Catch of the Day (critters, botanical finds, and bizarre occurrences in the news) * General/Cross Areas * Air * Appeals & Litigation * Aquatic/Fish * Planning * Partnerships * Soil * TES * Watershed * Wildlife Submit your information; Disclaimer & Non-Discrimination Statement National in Scope: * GENERAL/CROSS AREAS Literature - Where to find it Reminder - visit www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/literature.html for links to the various literature sources for you. You must be on a USDA computer to access some sources. Read the "Technical Information and Publications" in this newsletter for new services. Thank You Partners! To all our Partners -- Thank you for your hard work implementing these conservation projects; planning future projects; developing partnerships; and reporting your accomplishments and opportunities. The Partnership Report, the Find a Photo library, and WFRP-MS, available on the Internet, would not be possible without our partners' work. These tools and products will help accomplish more conservation work, and focus more effectively on work where several partners - and potential partners - share objectives. The Deputy Chief of the National Forest System is officially announcing the availability of these three Internet tools/products for use by both partners and the general public in a downloadable letter. The letter is being shared directly with our partners through our national, regional, forest and district program leaders and biologists. Partner Letter: Thank You - 3 Tools/Products Announcement PDF 48.8 KB Word DOC 53.5 KB AWARD NOMINATIONS Wildlife Management Institute: Touchstone & Presidents Awards Nominations Due Date: December 1, 2006 Nominations may be submitted now for the Wildlife Management Institute's 2007 Touchstone and Presidents awards. These awards recognize exceptional professional creativity, ingenuity and tenacity in developing programs that have advanced sound resource management and conservation in North America. Nominations can be for programs in any natural resource discipline. The Presidents Award honors the division, department, office or program of a state, federal, provincial or other natural resource agency or institution. The Touchstone Award recognizes the achievement of a natural resource management program, professional or group of professionals in the public or private sector. Nominations must include a letter that specifies (1) the name and mailing and email addresses of the prospective nominee(s), (2) the name and mailing and email addresses of the nominator(s), (3) a brief synopsis of the accomplishment, including its origin and dates, and (4) the names and phone numbers of three individuals who can give independent testimony about the value, scope and other merits of the achievement. The awards will be announced and presented at the 72nd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, being held in March 2007, at the Hilton Portland and Executive Towers Hotel in Portland, Oregon. Award winners will be profiled in the 72nd Conference Transactions. Nominations should be sent to: WMI Awards, Wildlife Management Institute, 1146 19th Street, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036, or by email to bmckown'at'wildlifemgt.org by December 1, 2006. http://www.wildlifemanagementinstitute.org/pages/awards.html. Rise To The Future (RTTF) Award Nominations Due Date: December 15, 2006 Call for 2006 is out! RTTF Awards honor leaders in implementing our fisheries program. Please nominate top performers making significant contributions to aquatic resource management within the National Forest System. Two new 2006 awards categories (1) The "Partner" award recognizes individuals or groups making outstanding contributions to the Forest Service fisheries and aquatic resources program. (2) The "Friend of Fish" award honors non-fisheries/aquatic Forest Service employees making significant contributions to the restoration or enhancement of aquatic resources. RTTF Awards Summary* & Form: doc 30.2 KB pdf 29.8 KB RTTF Nomination Call Letter: doc 40.6 KB pdf 29.8 KB *Note that several of the awards can be given to either internal or external individuals or groups. Making Tracks Award Nominations Due Date: November 12, 2006 Nominations are out for 2006. Making Tracks is a Forest Service partnership program with the National Wild Turkey Federation, state wildlife agencies, conservation groups and individuals; emphasizing wild turkey management on your national forests. Form Letter 5th Annual Elk Country Awards Due Date: December 12, 2006 Nominations are invited recognizing outstanding projects, programs, and individual achievement in the conservation of elk and elk habitat. The existing Elk Country program was developed in 1986, largely through the initiative and efforts of individuals that were employed by the Forest Service and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. These awards are provided through Elk Country - the National Elk Program for the Forest Service. Nominations will be accepted in the following categories: Land Protection, Habitat, Conservation Education, and Individual Achievement. Submit nominations electronically to Sandy Kratville, Forest Service Liaison to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, via e-mail at spkratville"at"fs.fed.us. Contact: Sandy Kratville 406-329-3588 spkratville"at"fs.fed.us Nomination Call Letter Form Sample Form Requirements Categories and Criteria National Wetlands Awards Due Date: December 15, 2006 The National Wetlands Awards Program honors individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the conservation and restoration of our nation's wetlands. Awards are given in six categories: * Education and Outreach; * Science Research; * Conservation and Restoration; * Landowner Stewardship; * State, * Tribal, and Local Program Development; and * Wetland Community Leader This is an excellent opportunity to recognize individuals making significant wetlands contributions. The Forest Service sponsors this award along with the Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and Environmental Law Institute. For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit www.nationalwetlandsawards.org Submitted By: Karen Solari, USFS, EMC Two Chiefs' Partnership Award Due Date: November 17, 2006 This new award is a great opportunity to highlight someone working in partnership with FS, NRCS and State forestry agencies. The partnerships support conservation and forest stewardship. The awards are intended to highlight and acknowledge existing work and relationships occurring across the country. Nomination submissions should include a description of no more than 150 words detailing the relevant work of the nominee, a list of the partners, and the outcomes of the partnership. Contact: Katie Goslee kgoslee"at"fs.fed.us 202-205-1376 Ted Beauvais tbeauvais"at"fs.fed.us 202-205-1190 Submitted By: Kimberly Anderson, USFS, R9, Acquisition Management & Partnerships SAFETY Driving Safely A good reminder - in a poster format - about driving safely. "The Good - The Bad - & The Ugly" Comic Illustration pdf (1.35 MB) doc (4.37 MB) Defensive Driving Training -- MANDATORY Defensive Driving refresher is required every three years. A current Defensive Driving certificate is required for anyone who drives USFS vehicles, vehicles under contract to USFS, rental vehicles driven during assigned duties, and even POV when used on official business. This On-line defensive driving course makes it easy to update credentials. It is already set up; all you need to have is the site, and the log-in information. The easiest part is that you can log in and log out at your convenience. So if you have a small time-block available, you can take part of the course and log out. When you log back in, you start back up where you left off the previous time. Another bonus is that if you have your password and login (that you create), you can access this from any other computer as well. Again, trying to make the required safety courses as user-friendly as possible, not to mention having one designed to fit into busy schedules. Final bonus is that some insurance companies will accept a certificate of completion for DD as a way to lower insurance premiums. The Forest Service's Defensive Driving Site has been updated. The web address is www.safetyserve.com/usdafs Contact Rhonda Stewart (WO/WFW) for the access code. The Access Code expires on February 20, 2007 and all users must complete their training by that date. Submitted By: Rhonda Stewart, USFS, WFW * AIR 2005 CLEAN AIR AWARDS FOR AIR QUALITY The Clean Air Award celebrates excellent performance by air quality specialists, technicians, and scientists displaying great initiative, superior skill, outstanding determination, extraordinary commitment, or high achievement in furthering the stewardship on National Forests and Grasslands. They are frequently called upon to show their leadership by coordinating with regulators and managing, modeling, or monitoring the air resources in an outstanding manner. The 2005 Award Winners are: Mr. Trent Wickman, NFS, R9, Superior NF Dr. Andrzej Bytnerowicz, RSWS, Riverside, CA * WILDLIFE MAKING TRACKS New Coordinator Selected Congratulations to Ted Schenck! Ted is the new Making Tracks Coordinator. Ted is assigned to the Southern Region's Biological and Physical Sciences Unit (BPU) in Atlanta. He reports on November 13 to the National Wild Turkey Federation headquarters in Edgefield, South Carolina. Give Ted a call and talk about wild turkey habitat in your neck of the forest or grassland. Acting National Wildlife Program Leader Christina Vojta is the Acting National Wildlife Program Leader from November 6 to December 22. Thanks to Peter McDonald (R2) for his work as Acting Wildlife Program Leader the past few months. Coming Events - Conferences & Meetings: * WILDLIFE Wildlife Habitat Council - International 18th Annual Symposium Connecting People & Nature. November 13 - 14, 2006 The International Wildlife Habitat Council will present two tracks, Habitat & Biodiversity and Human Dimensions at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Maryland. This year's conference explores the complex relationships between society and the natural environment. Keynote speaker, David Sobel, the leading expert on place-based education will address learning that is rooted in what is local - the unique history, environment, culture, economy and art of a particular place. Attend new indoor workshops on pollinator gardens, habitat management plans, environmental education curricula and wildlife photography. Take an engaging, outdoor field to experience habitat restoration or interactive learning. Register: www.wildlifehc.org/events/symposium.cfm Contact: www.wildlifehc.org Submitted By: Vanessa Kauffman, WHC, Director of Marketing & Communications Technical Information & Publications: * GENERAL/CROSS AREA The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online The University of Cambridge (UK) and the Charles Darwin Trust http://darwin-online.org.uk/ (Warning! slow link!) "This site currently contains more than 50,000 searchable text pages and 40,000 images of both publications and handwritten manuscripts. There is also the most comprehensive Darwin bibliography ever published and the largest manuscript catalogue ever assembled. More than 150 ancillary texts are also included, ranging from secondary reference works to contemporary reviews, obituaries, published descriptions of Darwin's Beagle specimens and important related works for understanding Darwin's context." What makes the site concept evolutionary is the split frame design for displaying content. You can read any specific page from any of Darwin's works in the left frame as an ordinary web page, while the right frames shows the exact scanned image from the actual document. For example, the site uses scanned images from an actual first edition of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species." It opens with a scanned image of the spine of the book, and takes you from cover to cover (literally) through the entire book. You also have the option of reading the document as ordinary text on a web page or as scanned images from the actual document." Email Sharing By: Dennis Lapcewich, USFS/PNW/Gifford Pinchot NF National Forest Service Library: OPEN TO ALL FS EMPLOYEES! Library services are now available to ALL Forest Service employees. You'll benefit from the expertise and resources of all of the library locations: Ft. Collins; CO, Madison, WI; Ogden, UT; San Juan, PR; St. Paul, MN; and Delaware, OH. Monthly Alert current awareness service is available electronically and hard copy. The Monthly Alert contains about 300 citations for current journal articles, conference proceedings, chapters and other publications covering a variety of natural resource and forest products topics. The Management Alert offers articles of interest to executives, managers, administrators, and, in fact, any employees who want to improve their work life. The electronic Alert provides links to PDFs (when available) or you may request items on the Alert shopping cart style. The items will, with rare exceptions, be delivered directly to your inbox. http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/library/ Submitted By: Julie Blankenburg, USFS/Forest Products Laboratory Geobase & GeoRef Available at DigiTop Geobase supplies bibliographic information and abstracts for the Earth sciences, ecology, geomechanics, human geography, and oceanography. Covers approximately 2,000 international journals, including both peer-reviewed titles and trade publications. Coverage: 1973-Present. GeoRef provides access to the geoscience literature of the world. Contains over 2.6 million references to journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses, as well as all publications of the U.S. Geological Survey. Coverage: 1693-Present (North America); 1933-Present (Worldwide). Submitted By: Julie Blankenburg, USFS/Forest Products Laboratory The Pacific Southwest Research Station has the following issues of Science Perspectives available in bulk hard copy orders: 1. Science Perspectives, Summer 2006, Restoring Forest Health, 6 p. Even after 140 years without a fire, mixed-conifer forest such as Teakettle's Experimental Forest has a distinct patch pattern and complex structure. Researcher Malcolm North and colleagues examined the structure and function of these ecosystems and their response to widely used restoration treatments. Collectively the studies found fire was essential to restoring many ecosystem processes and that thinning could be best used as a tool to influence burn intensity and extent. Online at: www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_sp007/sp007_singlePG.pdf 2. Science Perspectives, Fall 2004, Managing Wildland Fires, 6 p. Flames from the Old Fire sweep through lands north of San Bernardino during late fall of 2003. Like many Southern California fires, the Old Fire consumed susceptible forests at the urban-wildland interface and spread to nearby city neighborhoods. By incorporating weather models into fire perimeter projections, scientist Francis Fujioka is improving fire modeling as a tool for managing wildfire and protecting life and property. Online at: www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/sp-004/sp004_single.pdf 3. Science Perspectives, September 2005, Caspar Creek Experimental Watersheds, 6 p. Research at Caspar Creek provides information that helps forest managers assess and predict the environmental effects of forest practices and natural disturbances on downstream resources. Monitoring long-term effects and adapting practices can help protect and restore water quality and fish habitat in Northern California. Online at: www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_sp005/sp005.pdf There is NO charge for these publications and to order single or multiple copies: Email: rschneider"at"s.fed.us (include full mailing address in block format) FAX: (970) 498-1122 Phone: (970) 498-1392 Mail: Send your name and address, in block format, to: Publishing Services Rocky Mountain Research Station 240 West Prospect Road Fort Collins, CO 80526-2098 USA Submitted By: Richard D. Schneider, USFS/RMRS, Publications Training - Tools - Interesting Information: * GENERAL/CROSS AREAS The WFW Continuing Education program's workshops still have openings. Don't delay - register now in AgLearn. Policy & Legal Aspects of Endangered Species Management November 13 - 16, 2006 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/pla/index.html Asking & Answering the Right Monitoring Questions November 29 - December 1, 2006 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/aarmq/index.html Leadership & Communications January 30 - February 8, 2007 March 27 - April 5, 2007 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/lac/index.html Wildlife Conservation & Management Online & Onsite (Blended Delivery Methods) Online: April 2 - May 11, 2007 Onsite: May 14 - 18, 2007 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/whpm/index.html Natural Resource Policy, Values & Economics May 7 - 11, 2007 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/rpve/index.html Endangered Species Act for Line Officers May 7 - 10, 2007 www.fs.fed.us/biology/education/workshops/esal/index.html Vacancies & Employment Opportunities: * AIR Air Resource Program Manager, R8 Outreach is being conducted for the USDA Forest Service, Southern Region, Air Resource Program Manager. GS-401-13. Duty station is Atlanta, GA. Permanent Full Time position; provides direction, leadership and quality control for Air Resources. Serves as the authority, advisor on the Clean Air Act as it affects the use and management of the forest and rangeland resources. Ensures coordination and liaison with the State Air Regulatory Agencies, State forestry agencies, EPA, Park Service and other RO Staff Units. Maintains a working knowledge of the effects of air pollutants and changing environment on forest resources, research, development, and application principles to evaluate these effects. Evaluates effectiveness of all air resource activities with respect to enacted legislations and National direction, and initiates program changes necessary to effectively provide program execution. Provides air resource leadership and assistance to Forests as it relates to the land management planning process. Determines Region's needs for trained and qualified Air Resource Management specialists. Outreach Response form (voluntary) is due November 24, 2006. * WILDLIFE - OUTREACH National Wildlife Program Leader Outreach is being conducted for the USDA Forest Service National Wildlife Program Leader position, for the Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air and Rare Plants staff (WO-WFW). This permanent, full-time position located in the Nation's capital, is open to all federal employees, or those with re-instatement rights, who qualify for a GS-13 or GS-14. Outreach Notice DOC 417 KB * OTHER - OUTREACH National Budget Coordinator Outreach is being conducted for the USDA Forest Service National Budget Coordinator position. The National Budget Coordinator oversees national budget programs for the National Forest System. Located in the Washington Office, the Budget Coordinator position resides on the primary staff of the Deputy Chief for the National Forest System Deputy Area. The incumbent provides overall leadership to program planning and budget within the Deputy Area. The Budget Coordinator oversees formulation, allocation and execution of the budget programs, covering natural resource management programs of 193 million acres of National Forests and Grasslands. Moreover, the position demands the ability to analyze and monitor national budget trends and devise appropriate strategies to respond to them. It also calls for a solid understanding of the interrelationship between management of national forests and the Federal budgetary process. Outreach Notice DOC Contact: Angela Coleman, (202) 205-1676, acoleman'at'fs.fed.us National Ecosystem Management Coordination Director Outreach is being conducted for the USDA Forest Service National Ecosystem Management Coordination (EMC) Director position. The EMC Director serves as a member of the agency's National Leadership Team and reports to the Deputy Chief for the National Forest System. The incumbent oversees development and implementation of national programs and policies associated with: Land Management Plans-the 15 year guide for National Forest management; compliance with laws governing National Forests, including National Environmental Policy Act, National Forest Management Act, among others; monitoring and evaluation programs, including Environmental Management Systems; appeals and lawsuits that challenge agency policies and decisions. Outreach Flyer DOC Contact: Angela Coleman, (202) 205-1676, acoleman'at'fs.fed.us WFW Newsletter Contact Information: Disclaimer - Non Discrimination Statement WFW Newsletter is a monthly newsletter without a clever name and is provided by the National Forest System Watershed-Fish-Wildlife-Air-Rare Plants staff (including Soils) of the USDA Forest Service. Contributions are welcome and should be submitted to Netta Grant at agrant@fs.fed.us or your favorite Program Leader no later than the 20th of each month. We reserve the right to edit contributions for clarity and brevity. Emphasis on brevity. Links to detailed URLs or documents are great - include them in your information contribution. If brevity and clarity are a struggle for you, we recommend the "Plain & Simple! Document Writing" workshop instructed by Dr. Jud Monroe. If photos are included in your submission please provide alternative text with each photo. Alternative text should not repeat captions but describe the scene shown in the photo. Positions listed are for outreach purposes only and are not full announcements. Interested individuals should contact the forests referenced or consult the USAJOBS website. "The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation or marital or family status. (Not all bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave. S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."