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From the Field

photo of 2 men and chainsaw

Chainsaw Safety and Skills Training Held

Three West Virginia counties were home to Chainsaw Safety and Skills training sessions this fall. The sessions were held on the Tree Farms of Juergen Wildman in Marion County, Buck Chestnut in Kanawha County and the Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Jackson County.

Landowners interested in taking a more active role in the management of their woodlands had the opportunity to learn more about such topics as: personal protective equipment, reactive forces and safety features of the chainsaw, the chainsaw tooth, the bore cut, notches and hinges, spring poles and the five steps in felling a tree.

The one-day training was provided by Cahojo Consulting with help of the West Virginia Tree Farm Committee.

For more information contact Barbara McWhorter at the NRCS WV State Office.

Great Kanawha RC&D

Learning About the World Around Them

Children at Buffalo Elementary in Putnam County, WV can now learn more about the world around them. Thanks to the partnering efforts of American Electric Power, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, WV Budget Digest, and the Great Kanawha RC&D.

Map resources were non-existent at the small Putnam County School, but thanks to Norman Walter, Great Kanawha (GK) RC&D chairman, they can now look at new world, US, State and Historical Maps. “I just stopped in the school when we were preparing to get our state grant money and asked them what they needed” commented Walter.

Principal Mike Mullins mentioned that the teachers had decided they would like a new set of maps for each classroom. They had been promised $2,000 from AEP and had access to a $2,000 earmark for their school from the WV Budget Digest. However, they were still in need of another $4,390.00. GK RC&D had $600 they could put toward the project and Jackie Byars, Coordinator drafted a grant to local Toyota Motor Manufacturing that provided the school with the remaining $3,790.00 that was needed.

The maps were purchased and in place for the beginning of the 2007 school year. Principal Mullins said, “Without the assistance from GK RC&D we would not have been able to purchase these wonderful map resources for our children. The teachers and students have really put these maps to good use”.

The RC&D felt this project was very important for educating the students about world climate, topography, and soil and water resources.

For more information contact Jackie Byars at the Great Kanawha RC&D Office.

photo of Steve and students

Romney Field Office

Hampshire County Career Day

The Romney Field Office participated in a career day at Hampshire High School on the morning of January 24, 2008. A display on NRCS services and activities that was provided by the NRCS/Landcare Exhibits office was used in this event.

Over 260 eighth grade students from the two Hampshire County Middle Schools attended the career day that was sponsored by the vocational-technical department of Hampshire High School, in an effort to encourage next year’s freshman class to consider future technical careers.

Pamphlets on conservation careers and the Earth Team were provided to the students.

“This event was a good opportunity for next year’s new high school students to meet and talk to professionals in a variety of technical fields about their work and educational requirements”, noted District Conservationist Steve Ritz.

One of the high school students assisting with the event plans to become an Earth Team Volunteer in the Romney Field Office during the summer of 2008.

For more information, contact Steve Ritz at the Romney Service Center.

Mountain Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D)

Commercial Foods Workshop on Food Recall and Bio Terrorism Procedures

The Mountain RC&D Council provided fiscal sponsorship to the WV Dept. of Agriculture (WVDA), Commercial Foods Workshop. The January 7-8, 2008 workshop included training in Recall Procedure writing, current regulations concerning bio-terrorism guidelines and registration, and other pertinent regulations involved in the processing of food at a commercial level. The course was also attended by WV Public Health District Sanitarians and WVDA personnel. Mountain RC&D provided grant management for a Work Force Development grant and funding support from WV Dept. of Agriculture totaling $5,000.00. Dr. Susan Sumner-VA Tech instructed the workshop.

For more information contact Mike Gasper at the Mountain RC&D Office.

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