Extension Update: September 2008 Archives

The Energy Answers significant issues grant is off to great start. Denise Blaha has joined us on a part-time basis as its coordinator. Denise will continue to work at the Complex Systems Research Center at UNH where she was a co-founder of the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge, a UNH initiative committed to providing New Hampshire residents and communities with information, tools and support to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of each household by 10,000 pounds per year.

Extension Educators Alice Mullen and Tim Fleury are heading up the Energy Answers project. The plan is to conduct needs assessment forums with consumers, industry and energy-related agencies. Information garnered from these forums will then be developed into an energy education curriculum. This project is currently funded for one year.

UNH Cooperative Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program connects directly to the research and resources of the 106 Land Grant universities and colleges of the Cooperative Extension System. This connection strategically positions 4-H to strengthen the country's global competitiveness and leadership. For more than a century, 4-H has engaged our country’s youth in the building blocks of economic success.

This has meant a solid focus on agricultural science, electricity, mechanics, entrepreneurship and natural sciences. Today, 4-H out-of-school opportunities also exist in subjects like rocketry, robotics, bio-fuels, renewable energy and computer science.

4-H Science, Engineering and Technology programs reach more than five million youth with hands-on learning experiences to encourage young minds and to fill the pipeline of young leaders proficient in science.

These experiences are supported by more than a half million dedicated adult volunteers who are placing 4-H youth on a path towards successful careers. The 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology Program must be part of the long-term solution for improving science literacy and aptitude of America’s youth.

4-H will address our nation’s critical challenge by preparing one million new young people to excel in science, engineering and technology by 2013. As a public-private partnership, 4-H can focus a variety of resources and expertise to strengthen young people’s discovery and exploration of science. We believe fostering passion in science today will shape education and career decisions tomorrow.

You can get involved today by joining 4-H youth as they celebrate national 4-H week. 4-H youth from across the nation will be “Keeping It Green” as they celebrate 2008 National 4-H Week October 5-11 by raising awareness about environmental issues and initiating environmental projects that make a positive difference in their communities.

The third Hillsborough County Conversation Monday gave guests an opportunity to get an up-close view of UNH research and Cooperative Extension efforts focusing on outreach partnerships, with a special emphasis on hunger and food sustainability.

Hosted by UNH President Mark Huddleston, Hillsborough County Commissioners and County Delegation, and the Hillsborough County Extension Advisory Council, the event involved a tour of four unique locations addressing the issues of hunger and food sustainability, before returning to UNH Manchester where those attending learned more about the outreach projects taking place in Manchester and in several surrounding communities.

Visits included the Massabesic Audubon Center, home to the NH Common Ground Garden Project, which integrates four major initiatives: the 4-H Green Thumb Team for Youth, Elders on the Grow for seniors at the Hillsborough County Nursing Home, Rooting for Families for families at the Pine Street Community Garden and Shared Harvest for the community, helping to develop or enhance gardening programs for youth, families and elders.

Also visited was the NH Food Bank and the Food Bank's production garden where a half-acre plot was developed this year to provide fresh produce to the Food Bank through the help of Master Gardeners, volunteers, and Food Bank staff. At the Food Bank, participants learned more about the crisis of hunger and poverty in New Hampshire, including the strategies of this program, sponsored by NH Catholic Charities, to address the problem.

There was a special focus on Cooperative Extension's role with Recipe for Success, the new culinary training program, Operation Frontline, and food safety training for those who staff food pantries, soup kitchens and various shelter programs from around the state.

A stop at the Refugee Community Gardens at Brookside Congregational Church rounded out the tour designed to inform delegation members, county commissioners, and other decision makers. At Brookside, the Rev. Carolyn Keilig, Megan Bracy from the International Institute of NH, Amina Abdullah, one of the gardeners, and Joan Bonnette, a Master Gardener, related their experiences with this growing community effort.

At UNH Manchester, Deb Spratt of the Hillsborough County Advisory Council provided the welcome. UNH Manchester Dean Kristen Woolever, John Pike, Cooperative Extension's Dean and Director, and UNH President Mark Huddleston greeted guests and discussed the significance of outreach projects into the larger community of Manchester.

Dr. Malcolm Smith elaborated on the philosophy and value of public partnerships by discussing the Family Education Collaborative, a Family Resource Center in development through the collaborative efforts of Cooperative Extension, YWCA, UNH Manchester, UNH and Child and Family Services.

A large array of exhibits documented the work of UNH Cooperative Extension in Hillsborough County. The six funded projects stem from the “engagement and outreach” priorities of the UNH Academic Strategic Plan, as well as academic program goals in UNH Manchester’s and Cooperative Extension’s Strategic Plans.

In addition the Family Education Collaborative, the projects include Reaching Green through Service Learning, New Hampshire Citizen Planner, An Evaluation of Real-Time Distance Learning Practices for Use in On-line Geospatial Training, Reconfiguring Computing Curriculum with Community Service Projects, and Whole Grain Foods: Developing a Curriculum with and for Older Adults.

Please enjoy the slide show of the tour and UNH Manchester event.

Mark W. Huddleston was installed Tuesday as the 19th president of the University of New Hampshire. Ed Dupont, chair of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, provided welcoming remarks at the "virtual" inauguration, charging President Huddleston to "lead in the model of your inauguration today, sustainable, resourceful and leading by example."

President Huddleston, in his remarks, pointed to several positive achievements at UNH over the past year, including the completion of the 12.7-mile long Ecoline pipeline, which means that beginning next semester, "we will be powering most of the campus with clean, green, processed-landfill gas."

He also told those attending the inauguration "the campus looks great. Despite thin capital and meager R&R budgets, we've completed renovations of Fairchild Hall, put up the third residence hall in the Southeast Residential Campus, and completely rebuilt DeMeritt Hall."

He also looked to the future and some initiatives, including the establishment of a Blue Ribbon Panel on Research, the launch of a second panel to examine the university's model of funding intercollegiate athletics, the health of the university called "Healthy UNH," and future fundraising efforts for UNH through a capital campaign.

UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist Julia Peterson, as chair of the Extension Educator's Council, congratulated President Huddleston on his installation, on behalf of Extension educators both on campus and in the county offices across the state. She noted that "Extension provides New Hampshire with research-based education and information designed to help strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources and improve the economy." She told President Huddleston that his "commitment to providing a forum to promote the work of Cooperative Extension through the County Conversations series is a testament" to his dedication to the university's role as a resource to the entire state of New Hampshire."

Please take a moment to read the full text of President Huddleston's remarks or watch his inauguration.

The tornado that swept an almost 50-mile path from Northwood to Effingham on July 24 took one life, damaged or destroyed several homes and uprooted or damaged about 8,500 acres of timber spanning Merrimack, Belknap, Carroll, Rockingham and Strafford Counties.

With communities needing reliable information following the event, the Forestry and Wildlife program team organized quickly and worked closely with the Division of Forests and Lands and other state agencies. Karen Bennett, Forest Resource Specialist, acted as the main liaison with the state, communicating with the Division of Forests and Lands and other agencies to organize a response.

Staff set up a storm damage web page almost immediately. The page was updated several times a day following the storm. Sarah Smith, Industry Specialist, communicated with sawmills and loggers to find out how markets might be affected. County Forest Resources educators went door-to-door, answering questions about debris cleanup.

Extension organized five meetings throughout the storm affected areas to bring community members together in one place, disseminate information and answer questions. County Forest Resources educators answered natural resource questions, as did state officials from the Division of Forests and Lands, Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Department of Revenue, and the NH Insurance Department. Over 213 people attended these meetings.

County Forest Resources educators remained on call over two weekends to answer landowner questions and make site visits. The staff had answered 86 calls at the time of this article, more than half of which came in following the community meetings.

The weeks following the tornado were and continue to be challenging for the communities and landowners affected. UNH Cooperative Extension’s Forestry and Wildlife Program staff response demonstrated that flexibility, organization, and strong communication are essential in getting critical information to the citizens of New Hampshire.

UNH Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station, part of UNH's College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, both received positive feedback at the end of a week-long Civil Rights review held the last week of August.

As part of a regular rotation of Land Grant universities, USDA conducts compliance reviews. A team of four reviewers spent the week reviewing employment data on campus, traveled to both Hillsborough and Strafford County for review of their county programming efforts, and met with UNH faculty, Extension program leaders and staff, and graduate students as part of their review process.

I want to thank staff in the Hillsborough and Strafford county offices, as well as staff in Taylor Hall, who worked to compile the needed information and ensure the data was up-to-date for the reviewers.

During their exit briefing, the reviewers noted the many excellent efforts extended to give all citizens of the state an opportunity to benefit from the research of UNH and the Land Grant system.

A final written report will be sent in 60-90 days. Recommendations will be reviewed and any required policy and/or procedural changes will be incorporated into our Civil Rights policies, plans, and procedures as appropriate.