Extension Update: May 2008 Archives
Extension Specialist Ken La Valley is the recipient of a $48,000 grant to develop an automated fixed gear marking technology to help the National Marine Fisheries Service increase its understanding of fishing gear and whale interactions with the goal of reducing entanglements.
The proposed system will use micro-chip and GPS technology to track fishing efforts in real time and allow scientists to pinpoint the specific locations where whale entanglements occur. Ken will be collaborating with Blue Water Concepts, Inc., a marine consulting from Kittery, Maine. The funds will be awarded through a joint project of the International Foundation for Animal Welfare and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The national board of directors of the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy recently recognized the achievements of the New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition and expressed appreciation to its many volunteers. UNH Cooperative Extension has been involved with New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition since its inception.
Laura Levine, executive director of the Jump$tart Coaltion for Personal Financial Literacy and member of the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy with the U.S. Dept. of Treasury, said, "New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition has been a model coalition for years, with successful and innovative programs, including their annual Financial Fitness Fair, MoneySmarts Teacher Conference, and Investment Simulation, as well as participation in Financial Football and LifeSmarts competitions."
Dan Hebert, president of the New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition accepted the award. The coalition is a statewide, all volunteer, non-profit association dedicated to improving the personal financial literacy of children in the Granite State. Suzann Enzian Knight currently serves as vice chair of the Board of Directors and chairs the Education Committee, and Kathe Fredette is a member of the Education Committee. In 2007, UNH Cooperative Extension was awarded the NH Jump$tart Coalition Volunteer Service Award.
A power outage didn’t stop a full day of activities as Cooperative Extension staff from throughout the state came to UNH’s Memorial Union Building Monday to attend our annual professional development conference.
Highlights included the awarding of the sixth Maynard & Audrey Heckel Extension Educator Fellowship to Paula Gregory, an introduction of new staff and a great keynote address by Gary Hirshberg, chair, president and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm. He was introduced by UNH President Mark Huddleston, who also welcomed the Extension staff from throughout the state to the UNH campus.
Hirshberg, who told staff Extension was the "bridge between the planet and consumer," received a round of applause when he announced that Stonyfield Yogurt had awarded a $2,500 grant to Bear Hill 4-H Camp in Allenstown for solar water heater panels for the dining hall.
The 2008 "Friend of Extension" award was presented to Jack Sherburne of Deerfield, a retired New Hampshire legislator who served on the Rockingham County Advisory Council, for his many years of support and commitment to Extension. (In the photo to the left, Jack Sherburne is shown receiving the "Friend of Extension" award from me. Left to right are 2007 "Friend of Extension" recipient Joe Stone, Jack Sherburne, John Pike and USNH Trustee Merle Schotanus.)
Another highlight of the day was the presentation of several awards, including the Professional Courtesy Award to Deb Anderson, Support Staff, Forestry & Wildlife, Sharon Blake, Administrative Assistant, Dean’s Office, Ann Hamilton, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Resources, and Judie Harvey, Business Service Center.
Four innovative programs received our Program of Distinction award this year, including Karyn Blass, Project C.A.S.H., Malin Clyde, NH Coverts Project, Mary Tebo, Green Roof Project, and Seth Wilner, Holistic Farming Project.
Three staff members received the Performance Beyond Expectations award: Karen Bennett, Extension Specialist, Forestry, Peg Boyles, Staff Writer/Editor, and Becky Grube, Extension Specialist, Sustainable Horticulture Production.
The Diversity and Pluralism award went to three recipients this year: Rick Alleva, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Chris Conlon, Jody Jackson and Paula Gregory - 4-H Camps, and Sarah Smith, Extension Specialist, Forest Industry.
UNH Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Bruce Mallory also offered remarks. Special thanks to the Conference Planning Committee for their excellent work in designing this educational and fun-filled event. Members are Wendy Brock, co-chair, Sue Cagle, Darrel Covell, co-chair, Tim Fleury, Michele Gagne, Lynn Garland, Gail Ramsey, Thom Linehan, Deb Russell and Holly Young.
Here's the presentation in Flash or Powerpoint presented by Gary Hirshberg at our conference and a link to the movie he mentioned.
Here's Paula Gregory's Powerpoint for the Maynard and Audrey Heckel award.
UNH President Mark Huddleston has identified, in a letter released today to UNH faculty and staff, steps to address the University’s serious financial challenges projected for FY09's budget and beyond. These actions include a hiring freeze for all non-grant funded, benefits-eligible faculty and staff positions, including county-based positions. This freeze began as of last Thursday, May 8, 2008. You can review the criteria in the freeze announcement.
While the hiring freeze and other possible steps the University will take to address the financial challenges will have some impact on UNH Cooperative Extension, I want to let you know we remain committed to minimizing the programmatic impact of any cost reductions.
Please take a moment to review President Huddleston's letter. You may also want to review the April 24, 2008, letter from Dick Cannon, Vice President for Finance & Administration, and David Proulx, Assistant Vice President for Financial Planning and Budgeting, outlining UNH's financial status.
I will keep you apprised of our situation in the coming months. Please contact me or your Program Leader if you have further questions.
UNH Cooperative Extension recently received the following grants:
Shane Bradt, Extension Specialist, Geospatial Technologies, $11,000 from the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, for the project, "Application of On-Lake and Satellite Remote Sensing of Lake Water Quality as a Monitoring Tool." This project will develop and refine remote sensing algorithms to predict the abundance of chlorophyll and cyanobacteria in New England lakes, and apply them to aerial and satellite imagery.
Charlotte Cross, Extension Professor/Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, $50,000 from the National Military Family Association for "Operation Military Kids 2008." The Operation Military Kids State Team will continue to work with the Joint Family Support Assistance Program to support military youth and families in New Hampshire.
George Hamilton, Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources, is the recipient of several Integrated Pest Management grant awards from the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets and foods, including: Monitoring European Corn Borer - $4,957, Corn Earworm and Fall Armyworm - $4,998, Monitoring Oriental Fruit Moth - $4,976, and Farm Sprayer Calibration Demonstration - $4,959.
Suzann Knight, Extension Professor/Specialist, Family Resource Management, $1,200 in support of the NH Saves Campaign from the Consumer Federation of America, and $15,000 through the NH Charitable Foundation in support of the NH Earned Income Tax Credit Alliance and efforts to enhance program participation in the state.
Julia Steed Mawson, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, an additional $13,147 from the Education Development Center, for her continued work on the National Partnerships for After School Science program.
Mark Wiley, Extension Associate Professor/Specialist, Marine Science Education, $15,000 from the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, in support of the 2008 Nor'Easter Bowl.
Three UNH Cooperative Extension staff were among the 13 faculty members who graduated last Friday from the 2008 UNH Outreach Scholars Academy. The three UNH Cooperative Extension staff graduating were Rick Alleva, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Julia Peterson, Extension Professor/Specialist, Water Resources, and Malcolm Smith, Extension Professor/Specialist, Family Education and Policy. They were recognized for their successful completion of the academy, along with faculty from other departments and UNH Manchester.
The 2008 Outreach Scholars Academy is a faculty development program in its fourth year. It consists of several workshops, group discussions and projects designed to encourage outreach scholarship at UNH.
Provost Bruce Mallory, Associate Vice President, Research and Outreach Scholarship, Julie Williams, and Faculty Fellow, Sharyn Potter all spoke to the importance of keeping the university’s public service mission in the forefront by working with our community partners in mutually beneficial ways. They also stressed the importance of faculty being recognized and rewarded for this type of work. Malcolm Smith was one of two scholars chosen by the class to address the audience with reflections on the academy.
Rick, Julia, and Malcolm join 10 other Extension specialists/faculty who have now completed the Outreach Scholars Academy. Congratulations!
Co-investigators Ken La Valley, Extension Specialist, Commercial Fisheries, and Rich Langan, director of the Atlantic Marine Aquaculture Center, just received news of a grant award from the NOAA Marine Aquaculture Program.
The research team will receive $212,000 over two years. This project will conduct outreach to individuals and groups in the New England fishing industry to generate interest in offshore mussel farming, and to provide technical assistance for start-ups in all aspects of offshore farming, from site selection and permitting to operations and marketing.
The investigators anticipate this project will greatly improve the possibility for expansion of offshore mussel farming in the United States and contribute to the economic and social welfare of coastal communities.
Please join me in congratulating the following staff for their years of service to UNH Cooperative Extension and to our two Presidential Awards of Excellence winners, Frank Mitchell and Pam Doherty, shown in the photo.
They were formally recognized Friday during the UNH 2008 Staff Recognition Program, hosted by UNH President Mark Huddleston and the UNH Council Chairs. This year, 212 Operating Staff, PAT and Extension Educator staff were recognized for their years of service and outstanding contributions to the University. Their combined years of service equal 4,045 years.
Recognized for 10 years of service:
Robin Peters, Educational Program Coordinator, Nutrition Connections
Tina Savage, Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
Michael Toepfer, Local Area Network Manager
15 Years
Julie Peterson, Extension Associate Professor/Specialist, Water Resources
20 Years
Roland Barnaby, Extension Educator,
Karyn Blass, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Resources
Faye Cragin, WWW & Media Specialist
Nancy Evans, Extension Program Associate, 4-H Youth Development
Nada Haddad, Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
Jonathan Nute, Extension Educator, Forestry & Wildlife
Nancy Oakley, Administrative Assistant, 4-H Youth Development
Judi Strauss, Computer Network/Systems Manager
25 Years
Claudia Boozer-Blasco, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Resources
Tom Buob, Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources
Lori Levac, Administrative Assistant, Sea Grant
Deborah Maes, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Resources
Northam Parr, Extension Educator, Forestry & Wildlife
30 Years
Phil Auger, Extension Educator, Land & Water Conservation
Deborah Cheever, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
Paula Gregory, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development
Julia Steed-Mawson, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development
Presidential Awards of Excellence
Frank Mitchell, Extension Specialist, Land & Water Conservation, is the 2008 Extension Educator Presidential Award of Excellence recipient and Pam Doherty, Administrative Assistant at our Family, Home and Garden Education Center, is one of two 2008 Operating Staff Presidential Award of Excellence recipients.
The Hopkinton Library was the site Monday for the third Merrimack County Conversation, Woods to Wood: The Economic Impact of the Forest Industry in Merrimack County and the State of New Hampshire.
As part of the County Conversation, we also toured HHP, Inc., in Henniker earlier in the day, a state-of-the-art hardwood sawmill. HHP, Inc. is the state’s largest hardwood sawmill. It is an integrated forest products company that employs several UNH graduates and includes:
- a hardwood lumber mill producing both kiln-dried and green lumber,
- a pallet manufacturing facility producing custom and standard-size pallets, offering pallet
- sterilization to meet international shipping standards and
- a roundwood chip plant producing paper-quality hardwood and softwoods chips.
HHP, Inc. has received assistance from UNH Cooperative Extension, but more importantly, frequently serves as a host for many Extension-sponsored workshops. Ross D'Elia, president of HHP and a UNH graduate, was on hand to greet us and talk about how the business has grown over the past 20 years. 
At the library, State Rep. Christine Hamm provided participants with a tour of the library prior to the County Conversation, which began with Merrimack County Advisory Council Chair Andy Duncan welcoming the group. Those attending included county advisory council members, public officials, representatives from UNH and partnering organizations, and volunteers.
Extension Educator Tim Fleury and Extension Specialist Sarah Smith opened the program, setting the stage by talking about the value of the forest industry to New Hampshire (it contributes over $1 billion in value of shipments to New Hampshire’s economy.) They were followed by Don Quigley, Forest Technology professor, Thompson School of Applied Science, who talked about “what the University is doing for you,” and its value, while Phil Bryce, director, NH Division of Forests and Lands, talked about current use and the economic importance of forestry.
Darrel Covell, Forestry & Wildlife Program Leader, moderated the panel, fielding a lively question and answer session on New Hampshire’s forests, current use and the future of forest land in the state.
To showcase the deep history and connection to New Hampshire’s forests and trees, Sarah invited State Rep. Elizabeth Blanchard to the podium. Rep. Blanchard read a poem her mother had written about a maple cutting board her father made from a tree in their front yard. Her parents ran one of the two Turkey Pond sawmills in Concord that sawed up millions of board feet of timber from the 1938 hurricane. Holding up the maple cutting board, she noted how she had swung from one of the lower branches of the same tree as a child and how the maple board was cut to become a “useful part of a memory.”
Congratulations to all involved in planning and conducting this successful event.
(In the top right photo, UNH President Mark Huddleston is shown with John Pike, Dean of UNH Cooperative Extension, while the bottom left photo shows the audience at the Hopkington Library.)