Forest Service, US Department of Agriculture WATERSHED – FISH – WILDLIFE – AIR – RARE PLANTS ::: WFW MONTHLY WFW STAFF NEWSLETTER June 2009 CONTENTS News Coming Events Technical Information & Publications Training & Tools Sharing Success Vacancies/ Employment Opportunities General/Cross Area Federal job announcements can be found at: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/agency_search.asp News: GENERAL/CROSS AREA America’s Wildlife Heritage Act (Introduced in House) HR 2807 IH Super-sized MIS:  A bill introduced into the House June 10, 2009. If passed, it would have huge implications for Forest Service management. “To sustain fish, plants, and wildlife on America's public lands.” “Mr. KIND (for himself and Mr. JONES) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned…” Online Bill Comments from: Defenders of Wildlife (URL) Trout Unlimited (URL) Multi-organization campaign to support wildlife management on FS and BLM lands – including passing HR2807. Efforts are underway formulating and introducing a Senate version of HR2807. Your Lands Your Wildlife – Campaign (URL) Your Lands Your Wildlife – Sportsmen (URL) Your Lands Your Wildlife – FAQ (PDF) Your Lands Your Wildlife – Restoring Balance (PDF) Submitted By: Wayne Owen & Marc Bosch, USFS/WO/WFW Landscape Paintings as Big as the Real Landscape: Wyland, NOAA & USFS Educate June 11, 2009 was an exciting day in Washington DC. People painted huge landscapes as part of the national education campaign Forest to the Sea in a Changing Climate. A detailed report and amazing photographs will be shared in our July WFW Newsletter. See our May WFW Newsletter for background information. Submitted By: Jean Thomas, USFS/WO/WFW Random Tidbit: BioPlastic Chip Bags In April, Frito-Lay unveiled a new Sun Chips bag that is 1/3 bioplastic. The company hopes to have a FULLY compostable bag by Earth Day 2010. More Information NATUREWATCH Bald Eagle Chick Live Cam - Update Our Eagle chick – Pengra - is 8 weeks old and is huge! Eagle cam viewing is primo! Watch the eagle family at the Live Cam (URL link) Submitted By: Don Virgovic, USFS/WO-R6/WFW Share the Experience – Photograph Contest Calling all shutter bugs!   Here is YOUR chance to show the world that national forests and grasslands are beautiful places.  Unfortunately, agency employees and their families are not eligible to enter the contest. Pass along this information. Excerpt from www.sharetheexperience.org, “America's Federal Recreation Lands are special places that bring people together and leave visitors enriched. From scenic vistas to diverse wildlife to historic landmarks, these lands offer a myriad of picture perfect moments to capture. We invite you to get out and explore these places and share your experience by entering up to three photos into the Share the Experience Photo Contest. This year in celebration of these special places, we've included two exciting categories and you can enter your 3 images in only one category or both. You can enter your photos in the Federal Recreation Lands Pass Category for a chance to have your winning photo adorn the 2011 Federal Recreation Lands Pass, earn you an Olympus E-3 DSLR Camera Kit and a trip to a Federal Recreation Area of your choice. There are fourteen chances to win national recognition and many great prizes. You can also enter the America at Its Best Category. This special category is being included to acknowledge the PBS special by Ken Burns entitled, "National Parks -- America's Best Idea."  Land set aside to be preserved unimpaired as National Parks has been called America's Best Idea. For more than a century, America has preserved and protected some of the greatest natural resources on this earth as national parks, national forests, fish and wildlife refuges and other lands. Take a photo in any of the federal recreation lands that you believe showcases "America at Its Best." The winning photo will be featured in an issue of Parks magazine and the winner of this one time category will receive an Olympus E-30 DSLR camera kit and the Ken Burns "National Parks – America's Best Idea" DVD and companion book. “ More information Submitted By: Gail Tunberg, USFS/R3/WFRP and Gene DeGayner, USFS/WO/WFW SOILS 2009 National Cooperative Soil Survey (NCSS) Conference – Reporting Out This year’s NCSS (National Cooperative Soil Survey) conference was titled “Soil Survey – Ecological Relationships and Soil Change”. The conference theme was demonstrated with the three field tours that occurred in conjunction with the conference. As the conference title states, this conference was focused on ecological processes and soil change, but the conference also has a large amount of NCSS business to conduct including reviewing recommendations for updates and/or changes to: soil taxonomy, soil interpretations, new technology, and research. A significant amount of time was devoted to ecological site descriptions. A detailed discussion is available at the USFS Soil WWW site. More information – Briefing Paper Submitted By: Randy Davis, USFS/WO/WFW TES – THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES National Pollinator Week – Pollinators on the Hill On 22 June, a symposium on bumblebees was held at the Smithsonian.  Bumblebee species world-wide have been declining, and several North American species are close to extinction, or may already be extinct.  Currently no bumblebees are listed under the ESA, nor are any designated as sensitive species by the FS.  Their habitats and conservation status on NFS lands merit close management attention. On Friday, 26 June, the Congressional and public briefing was held on the essential importance of pollinators to life and pollinator conservation, sponsored by the Pollinator Partnership.  About 100+ staffers, agency reps., individuals and Rep. Earl Blumenauer attended. http://www.pollinator.org http://www.nappc.org Bees were a focus and Dr. Stephen Buchmann spoke not only of honeybee colony collapse disorder, and the importance of and threats to, our native bee species, especially bumblebees. http://www.pollinator.org http://www.ecobooks.com/books/pollinat.htm Dave White, Chief, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, spoke of Farm Bill pollinator conservation provisions. Tom Van Arsdall, Pollinator Partnership, spoke of pollinator conservation and the Transportation Bill. Laurie Davies Adams, Pollinator Partnership, announced that even more examples of detailed Ecoregional Planting Guides for Pollinators (31 now) are now available for almost all U.S. ecosystems.  These are for use in large scale land management use as well - not only for homeowner use.  The Forest Service participated in the development of these guides. Zip codes quickly get you details in the guide for your area: http://www.pollinator.org/guides.htm Submitted By: Marc Bosch, USFS/WO/WFW Coming Events – Conferences & Meetings: GENERAL/CROSS AREA 55th Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute (36-page detailed PDF Brochure) July 23-25, 2009 San Francisco, California Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Register online Speaker biographies 3rd Regional Conference on Natural Resources in the Tropics (NRTrop3_2009) August 3 – 5, 2009 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Website: http://www.frst.unimas.my The NRTrop3 agendas will encompass broad issues in sustainable utilization and management of existing natural resources to support and enhance the national and regional economic developments. Energy Development: Access, Siting, Permitting, and Delivery on Public Lands September 10-11, 2009 Denver, Colorado Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Register online Speaker biographies Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies – Annual Meeting September 13 – 16, 2009 Austin, TX Website: http://www.fishwildlife.org/annualmeet.html Contact: Cindy Delaney, 802-865-5202, mailto:cindy@delaneymeetingevent.com Technical Information & Publications: GENERAL/CROSS AREA USU Tree Browser CD Available A desktop version (on CD) of the USU Tree Browser is now available. The USU Tree Browser is an interactive database containing information on 241 native and introduced trees growing in Utah and the Intermountain West.  Online or on CD, USU Tree Browser users can browse through the complete list of trees or narrow their choices by selecting from 21 general, growth-related, cultural, and ornamental characteristics, including whether a tree is native or introduced. You also can view over a thousand full color photographs. For each species there is a fact sheet, usually including descriptions of the leaves, twigs/buds, flowers/fruit, bark, wood, general comments about the tree's native habitat, and a description of its uses in cultivated landscapes. A full help section also is available. Click here to access the online version. The CD version is for those with slower or no internet connections or who want the added convenience of direct program operation without needing to be online. It works the same as the online version and can receive updates when an internet connection is available. It works on a Mac or PC. The cost is $15; quantity discounts are available. Order: extension.usu.edu/forestry/HomeTown/Select_TreeBrowser.htm Contact: mike.kuhns@usu.edu Submitted By: Shelly Witt, USFS/WO/WFW Service First If you haven’t heard about this you have been missing out on a good opportunity. “Service First” is a nationwide program facilitating partnerships between BLM, FWS, NPS and Forest Service. The website provides detailed information ranging from authorities to examples. “Service First is a way for the agencies to explore alternative methods of delivering one-stop customer service to the public, sharing people and resources, and harmonizing similar work.” More information Submitted By: Patti Krueger, USFS/R5/WFRP Article: Educational Leadership – The Window into Green By Mike Weilbacher Article Link: May 2009 | Volume 66 | Number 8 | Teaching Social Responsibility    Pages 38-44 Social Responsibility and Environmental Literacy; “With the new wave of interest in the environment, will we finally give students the tools they need to become environmentally literate citizens?” This article hits the nail on the head.  America's education system is not adequately preparing the next generation to deal with environmental challenges.  Here is a quote from the article: "... although students are overwhelmingly "pro-environment," they possess remarkably little information about breaking environmental issues. One small example: We asked them to name one bird they can identify by song. The leading answer? None. If local birds disappear from the landscape because of extinction, or arrive three weeks late because of warming climates, it's possible that no one will notice." Many thanks to those of you who help students take notice! Comment from R8 Forest Wildlife Program Manager prompted by this article, “Last year I was talking to a man 50+ years old that said he could not identify more than 2 birds by sight and name. The environmental education at all levels is inadequate. Remember Dr. Kellert with Yale found out that 76% of the population thought a manatee was an insect.” Submitted By: Gail Tunberg, USFS/R3/WFRP AQUATIC/FISH Bull Trout Monitoring Briefing Paper from USFS AWAE USFS/RMRS Air, Water and Aquatic Environments Science (AWAE) Program is releasing briefing papers describing completed science topics field practitioners have identified as relevant to their work. The briefing paper goal is to help field practitioners quickly identify if Briefing paper topic is relevant and lead them to the Scientist and other related work. Briefing Paper list (right hand navigation) including video presentations Bull Trout Monitoring Briefing Paper (716 KB pdf) Other topics include: Chinook Redd Distributions; Remote Sensing of Stream Channels; Bull Trout and Climate; Stream Temperature Modeling. Submitted By: Kerry Overton, USFS/R1, R4, RMRS Fisheries Technology Transfer TES – THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ESA Cases, DOJ, 2004 A good place to search for actual names/case number/summary of "most" ESA rulings pre-2004 Overview of the ESA and Highlights of Recent; Prepared by: DOJ (pdf) Submitted By: Marc Bosch, USFS/WO/WFW Training and Tools: WFWARP Continuing Education Program 2010 WFWARP Continuing Education Training Available! 2010 WFWARP Continuing Education workshops are open for registration! You can register in AgLearn. Detailed workshop information is available at our WFWARP-CE website. The official WO and RO “call” letters will be sent out soon. If you want to receive a hard copy of the 2010 WFWARP-CE brochure, contact Shelly Witt, Program Leader. Contact: Shelly Witt, 435-881-4203 or switt01@fs.fed.us Submitted By: Shelly Witt, USFS/WO/WFW Sharing Success: Read success stories at our USFS Success Story Reporting System. Have a USFS Success? Share it through the USFS Success Story Reporting System. http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/index.php - NOW ON WWW! Vacancies/Employment Opportunities: www.usajobs.gov WO WFWARP/WO – Budget Coordinator (vice Bob Glasgow) Due: July 28, 2009; $102,721.00 - $133,543.00 USD /year GS-0401/1301-13/14 Your chance to work in the heart of the action and make a difference. Location: Washington DC – Lovely downtown Yates Auditors Building Vacancy Announcement being advertised under 2 series. Biological: ADS09-NFS-WFP-401-00198G Physical: ADS09-NFS-WFP-1301-00198G Description: Exercises management responsibilities related to the initiation, administration, and/or closeout of grants, cooperative agreements, and/or interagency agreements (IAGs), including responsibility for monitoring performance. Manages (or assists in the management of) grant/cooperative agreement/IAG pre-application/agreement, grant proposal preparation, award, administration, and/or closeout activities. Manages the execution of approved budgets. Makes funds available in the approved fiscal year to organizations to support their missions, functions, and programs. Oversees the economical and efficient use of funds available to prevent excess obligations and expenditures. Outreach: R&D Fish Biologist/Aquatic Ecologist - VA DUE: July 13, 2009 – Extended Deadline GS-0401/13-14: $86,927.00 to $133,543.00 USD Research & Development Environmental Sciences Staff in Arlington, VA. Vacancy Announcement: ADS09-R&D-00048DP Online Announcement Contact: Marty Longan, 703-605-4180 Outreach: R&D Landscape Ecologist - VA DUE: July 08, 2009 – Extended Deadline GS-0401/14-15 : $102,721.00+ Research & Development Environmental Sciences Staff in Arlington, VA. Vacancy Announcement: ADS09-RDENV-00044DP (VH) Online Announcement Contact: Marty Longan, 703-605-4180 REGION 2 Outreach: R2/R4 Regional Air Quality Specialist/Program Leader DUE: July 10, 2009 GS-401-13 Location: Regional Office (RO) in Golden, Colorado Description: Permanent full time position - organizationally situated within the Physical Resources Staff Unit. Position is currently a shared Regional Air Quality Program leader for both the Rocky Mountain and Intermountain Regions of the Forest Service (Regions 2 and 4). The Air Quality Program Leader is under the direct supervision of the Region 2 Director of Physical Resources, but is accountable for a shared program of work between both Regions. The Region 4 Director of Fire, Aviation, Air Management provides direction for the Region 4 portion of the shared duties. The position supervises one subordinate, with the potential of one additional subordinate being added to the program area. Major duties of the incumbent include providing program leadership in formulating, guiding, coordinating and evaluating National Forest actions and programs that impact air quality, with particular focus on providing air quality protections to Class I air sheds in Regions 2 and 4 of the Forest Service. Contact: Randy Karstaedt, 303-275-5374, rkarstaedt@fs.fed.us REGION 3 Outreach: District Ranger – Coconino NF, Mogollon Rim RD DUE: July 10, 2009 GS-340-12/13 Duty Station: Mogollon Rim Ranger District in Happy Jack, AZ Vacancy Announcement: ADS07-WOJOBS-0029G. This is an Open Continuous Roster (OCR) with no closing date. Those who wish to be considered for this position must apply to the vacancy announcement specifying Happy Jack, AZ as a location, by July 10, 2009. The referral list will be issued to the selecting official after that date. Contacts: Joe Stringer, 928-527-3456 or Carol Boyd, 928-527-3440 Vacancy Announcement: Wildlife Biologist – Prescott NF DUE: July 24, 2009 Wildlife, Fisheries, Rare Plant Team Leader GS-401-12 Full-time permanent position, with the duty station of Prescott or Chino Valley, Arizona. Forest-level position responsible for managing the Forest WFRP program. Announcement number: ADS09-R3PNF-3932G(P-DB). Excellent opportunity for someone who wants program management and supervisory experience. It is located on a dynamic forest in a great location in the central highlands of Arizona. Contact: Mike Leonard, 928-443-8211, mikeleonard@fs.fed.us REGION 4 Outreach: Wildlife Biologist – Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, Logan/Ogden RDs DUE: July 10, 2009 GS-486-11 Position being filled via the Open Continuous Roster announcement(s) in USAJobs. Location: Logan, Utah Announcement Numbers: ADS08-FSJOBS-(WldBio)-0040G ADS08-FSJOBS-(WldBio)-0040DP Contact: Jennefer Parker, Logan District Ranger, 435- 755-3621, jenneferparker@fs.fed.us. REGION 6 Outreach: Fisheries/Wildlife Biologist – CRGNSA, Oregon DUE: July 10, 2009 GS-486, 482, or 401-11 Duty Station: River Gorge National Scenic Area (CRGNSA) Job Description: directly responsible for all aspects of the fish and wildlife programs; position also serves a critical role in assessing fish and wildlife impacts or opportunities for unit projects; position requires expertise and knowledge in fisheries science, wildlife science, aquatic and terrestrial habitat restoration techniques, and the effects of land management activities on fish, aquatic organisms, and their habitat; This is a supervisory position with direct responsibility for a GS-7 biological–technician, and indirect responsibility for 3 to 4 seasonal employees. This position is supervised by a Natural Resources Department Supervisor. Contacts: Diana Ross, Natural Resources Dept. supervisor, dlross@fs.fed.us or 541-308-1716 Greg Cox, Natural Resource Staff Officer, gcox@fs.fed.us or 541-308-1732 Outreach: Wildlife Biologist – Deschutes NF, Bend/Fort Rock RD DUE: July 24, 2009 – Get application into AVUE GS-0486-09 permanent, full-time appointment Beautiful part of the world on an extremely busy district. Location: Bend, Oregon Announcement Numbers: ADS08-FSJOBS-(WldBio)-0040G (for permanent federal employees) ADS08-FSJOBS-(WldBio)-0040D (open to the public) Anyone interested is encouraged to complete Outreach Response Form. You will still need to apply for the job separately. Obtain copy of Outreach Response form from Sean Ferrell. Contact: Sean Ferrell, 541-383-4701, saferrell@fs.fed.us REGION 10 Outreach: FERC Energy Specialist – Tongass NF DUE: July 15, 2009 GS-401-13; Biological Scientist (FERC Energy Specialist) Location: SO - Recreation, Lands, Minerals, and Heritage program area; Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, or Juneau, Alaska. Description: This position serves a Regional and Forest role as the Energy Program Leader for the Alaska Region and the Chugach and Tongass National Forests. The incumbent provides technical expertise for the following energy related programs: hydropower, wind, geothermal, tidal, oil and gas, and energy corridors. This position is responsible for providing leadership, coordination, and direction in interpreting, developing, reviewing, and recommending regional and forest policies, standards, and procedures for hydropower licensing, re-licensing, and administration of hydro-electric projects within Alaska Region. Consideration for Position - complete outreach response form located in the outreach database (internal FS access). Or contact Jon Martin for the Outreach Response form. Contact: Jon R. Martin, 907-747-4236, jrmartin@fs.fed.us OTHER BLM Vacancy: Alaska State Office Wildlife Program Leader Due: July 14, 2009 GS 12/13 wildlife program leader position at the Alaska State Duty Station: Anchorage, AK. Announcement ABC - American Bird Conservancy International Program Director DUE: July 24, 2009 Greater Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area www.abcbirds.org The International Program Director leads ABC’s efforts to conserve resident and migratory birds in Latin America and the Caribbean.   The Director manages ABC’s international team and leads it in developing and implementing international conservation projects and programs.  The Director works with a network of ABC in-country partners to carry out an ambitious, effective and integrated conservation program.  S(he) works in close collaboration with the ABC’s President and Chief Conservation Officer to develop this work, and coordinates ABC’s international efforts with ABC’s domestic and advocacy programs as well as in-country and multinational NGOs.  S(he) ensures that ABC develops and maintains effective liaisons with resource management agencies and NGO leaders throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The Director plays a major role in finding and obtaining funding for international programs.  The Director reports to ABC’s Chief Conservation Officer and supervises International Program staff. Send cover letter and resume to: Merrie Morrison, Vice President of Operations, American Bird Conservancy, P.O. Box 249, The Plains, VA 20198 or e-mail to:  hr@abcbirds.org 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 and Meteorology) 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 is on brevity. Links to detailed URLs or documents are great – include them in your information contribution. 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. If brevity and clarity are a struggle for you, we recommend the “Plain & Simple! Document Writing” workshop instructed by Dr. Jud Monroe. Vacancy Positions listed are for outreach purposes only and are not full announcements. Interested individuals should contact the units referenced or consult the USAJOBS website. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (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 to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer." WFW Newsletter Page 1 of 12