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Kansas Highlights - December 2006Inside this Issue:
Kansas Earth Team (ET) Has a Great 2006!The Kansas Earth Team had a very successful Fiscal Year (FY) 2006. There were more than 550 volunteers, donating nearly 40,000 volunteer hours! Listed below are the FY 2006 Kansas ET Volunteer award recipients:
In addition, these recipients were forwarded to the national level for further consideration. Congratulations to all of the state award recipients! Kansas Leadership ReviewUSDA's NRCS National Leadership Team recently visited Kansas for a three-day meeting, October 31 to November 2. Arlen Lancaster, Chief; Dana York, Associate Chief and Team Leader; Katherine Gugulis, Deputy Chief for Strategic Planning and Accountability; Kevin Brown, Deputy Chief for Management; Tom Christensen, Deputy Chief for Programs; William Puckett, Deputy Chief for Soil Survey and Resource Assessment; Lawrence Clark, Deputy Chief for Science and Technology; Merlin Bartz, Central Regional Assistant Chief; and Joyce Swartzendruber, Maine State Conservationist, were those who visited. On the first day, Harold L. Klaege, Kansas State Conservationist welcomed the group and gave an overview of Kansas conservation programs and state concerns. Discussions were covered in the following subject matter areas: Management, Survey and Resource Assessment, Engineering, Ecological Science, Operations, and Program Management. The next day, the group went to the Abilene and South Hutchinson Service Centers. Staffs from the Junction City and Kingman field offices also participated. Some of the topics covered included the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Security Program, Continuous Conservation Reserve Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Grassland Reserve Program, Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention (PL-566) Program, and the Resource Conservation and Development Program. Field office staffs and conservation district partnership members were on hand for group discussions. Field tours were held in the afternoon. Submitted by Sheila Forrester, Visual Information Specialist, Salina SO Program Gets Kids All WetReprinted with permission
Nearly 1,000 students were expected to attend the day's event at Garfield Park, where organizers had planned to set up at least 26 water-related activities, without about half taking place outdoors. But water from the sky put a damper on those plans, with morning rains forcing everything to be moved indoors. Laura Downey, executive director of the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education, said all but about 250 of the students planned to be on hand were consequently asked to stay at their schools, where organizers plan to later bring water festival activities to them. Children attending Thursday's festival were mostly from schools in northeast Kansas outside Topeka, Downey said. She said participants took part Thursday in lessons that taught them about such topics as properties of water, how sewer systems work, how wetlands function and how water affects agriculture, wildlife and weather. At one exhibit, the National Weather Service showed youngsters a machine that uses fans and condensed water vapor to create a simulated tornado. At another, students got an opportunity to hold snakes, including some from species that live near water. Downey said the exercise was designed to help children understand that preserving water quality is important because water serves as a habitat for various kinds of creatures. "If water quality's not good, it's not going to be good for the wildlife, either," she said. Chinese Chestnuts Offered in Outreach EndeavorWhile most of us don't think of chestnuts as a snack food, the Korean population sure does. Some people like to peel and eat them straight from the tree. The general consensus is that nuts need to be steamed or boiled and then frozen for use over the coming months. The chestnuts are used not only as a snack but may be included in various rice dishes according to Yong Beliveau. They may also be roasted and eaten or put in a poultry dressing. Recently, while gathering chestnuts at the Plant Materials Center (PMC) a gatherer remarked, "these chestnuts are the sweetest I have found anywhere." She rated them superior to ones growing in Japan. The mahogany-colored nuts start dropping from the trees in mid-September. It is not long afterward that people start showing up wanting to gather the nuts. It is a lot of work to gather the nuts, not to mention the back pain. In exchange for the nuts, gatherers are asked to share their harvest with the PMC. "This frees up PMC Staff for other tasks as fall is such a busy time at the PMC," says Rich Wynia, PMC Manager. "We get what we need to meet the PMC's needs while proving the point that the Chinese chestnut is a good candidate for a cottage industry kind of crop," adds John Row, Plant Materials Specialist, who has been studying the Chinese chestnut since 1989. Groves located near population centers could provide an additional source of income for small farmers or anyone wanting to diversify their operation, though yields are not consistent from year to year. It is estimated that one can expect yields of 1½ tons per acre in any given year. While it is possible to get nut production the second year of the tree's life, five to seven years is more likely. It is also worth mentioning that deer and other wildlife relish the chestnuts as well. If we didn't pick up the nuts they'd all be gone by Thanksgiving, leaving only a multitude of hoof prints and chestnut husks under the tree. Submitted by John Row, Plant Materials Specialist, Manhattan Plant Materials Center Hamilton County and Kearny County Farm Safety Day
Kathy Acre, District Manager, Hamilton County Conservation District, (CCD) and Julie Jones, District Manager, Kearny CCD, were coordinators for this event. They were required to attend additional training prior to putting on their own Safety Day event. In doing so, they helped other nearby district managers conduct their own Safety Day events. Farm Safety Day classes included:
Students learned about the hazards of large farm equipment used in farming today and how accidents can easily happen when a person is visually hidden by machinery in various blind-spots. In the hand-washing session, students put lotion on their hands and then looked at them under a black-light to see how dirt would appear. After washing their hands, students were amazed to see how "unclean" their hands were under the black light. Students also learned the importance of wearing a helmet and riding the correct-sized vehicle. Students completed a questionnaire at the end of the day. The responses from the students and teachers were very positive, and a Safety Day is already in the works for 2008. Submitted By Kathy Acre, District Manager, Hamilton County Conservation District, Syracuse FO Tips for SupervisorsConsistencyAs a federal manager, one of the best ways to protect yourself is to be consistent in your dealings with subordinate employees. Although this principle sounds simple enough, often federal managers find themselves in difficult situations because they are unable to show their treatment of subordinates is consistent. This basic principle of consistency applies across the board to the full range of employment actions federal managers routinely take. Consistency is a best practice whenever you are considering:
A manager who does not treat employees consistently might unnecessarily give the impression of disparate treatment, which could lead to a discrimination complaint. Even beyond the threat of such complaints, inconsistent treatment might raise questions about the legitimacy of a decision. In the case of a disciplinary action, inconsistent penalties may raise a question as to whether the action taken against an employee is disproportionate. In the federal workplace, where employees have specific legal protections and viable avenues for seeking redress, inconsistent treatment can sometimes lead to serious consequences for both the agency and the individual manager. For this reason, although there are exceptions to most rules, it is always wise to take the time to be sure you can really justify any decision to treat one employee less favorably than another. Making Use of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)Let's face it, you manage/work with/supervise humans--and humans can have personal problems. If personal problems become unmanageable, they may cause an employee to become less productive on the job. When that happens, there is a legitimate management interest in steering the employee to the resources that can restore them through EAP. As a federal employee, you should not be afraid to take advantage of EAP's services. EAP provides short-term counseling to identify an employee's problem and make appropriate referrals to assist the employee in resolving that problem. EAP counseling is free, but it is intended to direct employees to the resources that can achieve long-term solutions. The government does not pay for these outside resources, but an employee's healthcare insurance may pick up some or all of the costs. EAP can help employees find resources for dealing with such things as workplace stress, family problems, alcohol abuse, drug addiction, mental illness, and a variety of other issues. You can even arrange for EAP counselors to work with your staff as a group, particularly in the event of a traumatic event affecting the workplace as a whole. In addition, EAP counselors may be able to help in the prevention of workplace violence. Often, supervisors are in the best position to observe the effect of these problems in the workplace. For this reason, NRCS encourages supervisors to recommend EAP's services to employees in need. At the same time, understand that participation in EAP is strictly voluntary, and that an employee cannot be compelled to participate. If an employee declines a recommendation of EAP counseling, do not raise the issue repeatedly. Keep in mind that confidentiality is a critical component of any successful EAP. To avoid potential legal issues, do not ask employees about whether they have followed through with EAP counseling, much less about the substance of their communications with EAP counselors. When suggesting that an employee consider using EAP, limit yourself to discussing the availability of different types of EAP services. Do not ask an employee for details about problems you suspect are contributing to a decline in productivity or a change in behavior. If an employee's conduct is inappropriate, supervisors should consider taking corrective action, regardless of whether the employee follows through with EAP counseling to address the causes of that conduct. Where disciplinary action is being considered, employees may volunteer information about personal problems. When an employee volunteers such personal information, the supervisor can and should consider that information because it may indicate that mitigating factors are present, warranting a lesser disciplinary action. However, if an employee chooses not to share personal information, the supervisor should address only the employee's conduct. In that event, do not press for personal information, even if your opinion is that the employee would benefit from sharing such information. In short, remember that EAP services are available, and don't hesitate to refer employees to them when appropriate. The EAP provider for Kansas is The Sand Creek Group. Detailed information is available on their Web site or through the NRCS Kansas Web site. Telephone numbers are 1-651-430-3383, and 1-888-243-5744. E-mail is info@sandcreekeap.com. Submitted by Emma J. Medina, Human Resource Manager, State Office Last Modified: 05/14/2007 |
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Fourth
grade students from schools in Hamilton and Kearny counties had the opportunity
to attend a Farm Safety Day event last September. This also included the towns
of Deerfield, Lakin, and Syracuse. Sponsored nationally by "Progressive
Agriculture Safety Day", the intent of the program is to make students aware of
the potential hazards that are present in a farm setting. 
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