ACT Training for Conservation District Staff

Agricultural Conservation Technical Training Application
Basic "Boot Camp" Session
May 5-9, 2008
Fort Indiantown Gap
Annville, PA (Lebanon County)
Please note the dates have changed. Due to Fort Indiantown Gap scheduling of military training exercises, we have been bumped from any April dates. (Please check your schedule. Those who have submitted applications will be notified of the date change to confirm they are still able to attend.)

The application deadline has passed.

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Sponsored by the State Conservation Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service, PA Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc., PA Department of Environmental Protection, and the Dauphin County Conservation District.

Target audience: Appropriate for newly hired Agricultural Conservation Technicians, (ACT), new NRCS field staff, new Nutrient Management Technicians, new Chesapeake Bay Technicians, new Watershed Coordinators, and others with less than 1 year of professional experience, or less than 3 years experience if employee did not attend a previously held Level I ACT training.

Agenda Topics:
Agronomy Crops
Agronomy Grazing
Conservation Jeopardy
Soil Resources
Applicable laws and regulations
Basic Hydrology
Working with Landowners & Farmers
Basic Conservation Planning
Hydrology, Construction Materials, Quality Assurance
Wildlife

Fees: Participant registration fees are waived. Funding is provided through a Special Leadership Development Project Grant, sponsored by the PA Department of Agriculture/State Conservation Commission.

Please type or print the following information:

Name: ____________________________ Title:________________

Employer: ______________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

City: __________________________ PA Zip: _________________

Phone: (____)_________________ Fax: (____)_________________

Work E-mail Address:_____________________________________

Emergency Contact:_____________________ Phone:_____________

Employment information:

Time on the job: ___6 mos. Or less ___6-12 mos. ___12-18 mos.

___18 mos. to 3 years

Current Position: ____ ACT ____ NRCS ____ Bay Tech.

____ Watershed Coor. ____ Nutrient Management Tech.

____ Other:_____________________________________________

Formal Education: __________________ Degree______________

___________________________ Degree_____________________

Please Include all previous ACT trainings you've completed in addition to other related education/training/professional experiences (Please describe).

Complimentary On-site Lodging and Meals can be provided:

1. Do you wish to utilize the lodging accommodations at Fort Indiantown Gap? ___Yes ____No

2. Do you have any special dietary needs/restrictions? Please explain:

______________________________________________________

Return this application by March 14, 2008 to Lisa-Suhr@pacd.org

You will be notified by April 4, 2008 via e-mail, on the status of your application.

Information on Selected Topics to be Covered in
Basic Boot Camp Level I
May 5-9, 2008

Resource Information Synopsis
The objective of this section is to provide a comprehensive approach to obtaining all the resource data that is necessary to assist clients with making decisions. All resource concerns including soil, water, animals, plants, air and human must be considered. This collection of resource information is an integral part of the conservation planning procedure which eventually leads to a conservation plan that meets the Resource Management System planning level.

Soils Synopsis
Students will be taught Why Soils need to be the basis for all land use decisions. They will learn about basic soil properties and interpretations, how they are defined and how soil maps are made. Students will be shown how to get soil information from the Web Soil Survey and be introduced to the effects of land use and land management on soil and other natural resources.

Soils-Why Soil Needs to be the Basis for all Land Use Decisions
"The thin layer of soil covering the earth's surface represents the difference between survival and extinction for most terrestrial life".
---John W. Doran and Timothy B. Parkin Defining and Assessing Soil Quality

Agronomy Synopsis:
Agronomic principles must be well understood in order to apply them properly in designing cost effective conservation practices to address soil, water and other resource related problems. In this session we will look at the basics of agronomy, both in crop and forage production, on cropland, hay land and pasture situations.

Hydrology Synopsis
Basic concepts in hydrology will be taught including the use of hydrologic information related to conservation, watershed delineation, soils and land-use impacts on runoff, rainfall influences on hydrology, and the design of basic engineering conservation practices with these features in mind. Hand calculations using Engineering Field Handbook Chapter 2, Hydrology, will be taught as well as the computerized version.

Construction Materials Synopsis
This topic is important to the students overall understanding of construction materials and techniques to ensure effective planning, design, and quality assurance. The student will be able to properly identify construction materials, methods and techniques used in the installation of Ag. BMPs. Some of the topics that will be covered are; soils, aggregates, pipes, geotextiles, and concrete.