oregon nrcs strategic approach to conservation: technical ... · conservation planning tools . the...

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service

Helping People Help the Land.

“CONNECT 2012” 4/26/12

Oregon NRCS Strategic Approach to Conservation: Technical and

Planning Updates

Tom Makowski Leader for Technology, OR NRCS

& Mike Merrill

Watershed Planner, OR NRCS

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

What we will talk about today?

Oregon NRCS’ Transition to Strategic Approach to Conservation

Highlights of new or updated

Areawide and On-Farm Conservation Planning Tools

The GOAL of the Strategic Approach to Conservation

is to enhance our capacity:

to invest strategically to solve natural resource problems and be more effective, efficient, and

accountable for staffing, funding and partnerships

A lot of conservation practices and restoration projects have been funded. What resource problems have been solved?

Strategic Approach to Conservation

$0

$10,000,000

$20,000,000

$30,000,000

$40,000,000

$50,000,000

$60,000,000

$70,000,000

$80,000,000

$90,000,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

TOTAL



ACCOUNTABILITY

SOLVE PRIORITY RESOURCE PROBLEMS

Oregon NRCS Conservation Investment 2002 – 2011 $599 Million (FA and TA)



OUTPUTS vs.

OUTCOMES

Top Ten Practices as Based on Acreage Applied?

Code Practice Extent Units

528 Prescribed Grazing 252,793 ac

645 Upland Wildlife Habitat Management 221,778 ac

590 Nutrient Management 215,462 ac

328 Conservation Crop Rotation 201,168 ac

595 Pest Management 190,657 ac

449 Irrigation Water Management 133,344 ac

612 Tree/Shrub Establishment 105,999 ac

442 Irrigation System, Sprinkler 89,408 ac

441 Irrigation System, Microirrigation 60,547 ac

314 Brush Management 43,493 ac

Strategic Approach to Conservation Conservation Effectiveness Partnership

Memorandum of Understanding

NRCS, OWEB, DEQ and ODA will work together to share information and technical expertise to monitor, evaluate and report the effectiveness of cumulative conservation and restoration actions in achieving natural resource outcomes.


9

Coordinate with partners! Local Work Groups


Long Range Plans (or drafts) are available for most counties.


GOAL: All NRCS funding and technical assistance will be linked with a

Conservation Implementation Strategy.


Promotes discussion with partners regarding

priorities and investments.


Public Affairs Team: Outreach and Marketing can be more strategic too! • Focus outreach on natural resources rather than Farm Bill programs • Create easily customized products that compliment local implementation strategies • Standardize to create the opportunity for identity recognition • Replace program-specific outreach with focused materials based on defined resource concerns

Themes • Pasture Management • Water Management • Forestry Management • Wetland Management • Range Management • Soil Management


Coming Soon! Basin or County web pages describing NRCS strategies and funding.

What we will talk about today?




Updates: Areawide and On-Farm Conservation Planning Tools

http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/conservation_planning.html

http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/conservation_planning.html�


Conservation Planning Certification Policy -includes on-farm Conservation Planning, Areawide Planning &

Contracting/Agreements -recertification every 3 years using spot checks, QARs, etc.

-3 plans to become Journey level planner - petition to use certification from other states

NRCS Staff: 88 Certified Planners

13 Basic; 70 Journey; 5 Master SWCD Staff: 27 Certified Planners

26 Basic; 1 Journey


NEPA Environmental Evaluation use National CPA-52 (Not OR-EVT-1)


Updated Form: Request for Cultural

Resources Review and T&E Species List


Interim Standard 798 Seasonal High Tunnel System

for Crops


Irrigation Water Management (449) Spreadsheets covers solid set, wheel line, hand line, pods, and micro sprinkler systems. In the future there will be additional files for linears, flood, and micro drip. The IWM plan sheets are organized around 3 levels of IWM.

• Basic: scheduling irrigation based on historic ET averages. • Intermediate: Check-book method. • Advanced: soil moisture sensors are installed for irrigation scheduling.


595 - Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Standard

The new standard is a significant departure from the previous version.

So is the process used to evaluate a client’s pest management strategies and treating identified

risks that are not adequately mitigated.

We are no longer in the business of assisting producers in the implementation of an IPM plan.

Rather, a planner’s job is to evaluate the risk of a client’s chosen pest management activities, and assist with the implementation of IPM techniques that treat inadequately mitigated risks that are

identified.


MMP is the new Oregon tool for CNMP (previously using Oregon OnePlan)


RUSLE2 has some added flexibility to be able to handle soil erosion

calculations in orchards, vineyards, and Christmas trees operations.

WEPS version updated and training available for wind erosion prediction.


Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG)


Latitude/Longitude of fields/management units and associated information on conservation practices applied or planned.

Internal NRCS tool for evaluation and spatial analysis - “IDEA”


Internal NRCS tool for evaluation and spatial analysis - “IDEA”

Spatial Wavelet Analysis – Conifer Point Data


Spatial Wavelet Analysis – Conifer Point Data


Spatial Wavelet Analysis – Conifer Canopy Classification 0-5% (dark green), 5-10% (light green), 10-20% (orange), >20% (red)


Conservation Delivery Streamlining Initiative (CDSI)

1. Simplify Conservation Delivery – Easier for customers and employees.

2. Streamline Business Processes – Increased efficiency and integrated across business lines.

3. Ensure Science-based Assistance - Continued delivery of technically-sound products and services

BACKGROUND

Concerns over the clerical burden on the FO technical staff from the expanded FA roles.

Reduced time in field with customers (20-40%?).

IT tools complex, time consuming, not integrated.

Stove-piped processes, policies, data and tools.

Potential loss of technical expertise.


Customer Service Toolkit (CST) will be going away in FY2013 – soon!


NRCS Webinars & Conservation Lunch and Learn

What talked about today?




Helping People Help the Land.

United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service

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THANK YOU! Questions?

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