Extension News: September 2007 Archives

New Hampshire Partners in Education, a nonprofit promoting the efforts of volunteers and outside organizations that work with schools, has honored UNH Cooperative Extension's Awilda Muniz with a 2007 Gold Circle Award

Muniz, Hillsborough County program associate with the Nutrition Connections program, was recognized for her nutrition education work with third graders at the Ledge Street School in Nashua. Pilar Peigh, assistant principal from the Ledge Street School nominated Muniz for the award.

Ledge School teacher Bonnie Blaisdell said of the nutrition series, "Awilda's classes were always so motivating to the students. She used hands-on and fun materials. The students enjoyed all the healthy snacks she made with them. She stressed the importance of eating healthy food, and I've noticed this starting to make a difference in their choice of snacks. All of Awilda's lessons really involved the students. She made learning about nutrition and taking care of our bodies fun. We are looking forward to working with her again."

Congratulations, Awilda!

Rooftop planting offers a host of benefits to urban environment

A balloonist floating over Manchester City Hall's Connector Building might look down on an expanse of perennial flowering plants growing in rooftop containers and think, "How lovely!"

But "green roofs" like this GreenGrid System deliver many benefits, both to the building below and to the overall urban environment.

UNH Cooperative Extension conceived the idea for the demonstration project and began recruiting partners from the Manchester community in 2002. The essential project components--an appropriate site, city approval, and funding--finally came together last May, enabling us to us to move forward and get the roof in place.

Benefits of a green roof
Most of the rain that hits a conventional city building's roof flows off over pavement and into storm drains, carrying pollutants such as gasoline, oil, antifreeze, sand and trash.

The GreenGrid roof will absorb up to 95 percent of an average rainfall. By slowly percolating through the plants and soil of the green roof, roof runoff occurs several hours after peak flows, giving sewer systems time to handle other runoff.

The plants and soils in a green roof serve many other functions, which include:

• Reducing the energy needed to heat and cool the building below.
• Saving money by extending the life of the original roof.
• Filtering air pollutants.
• Improving air quality.
• Absorbing noise.
• Reducing the risk of flooding and overflowing sewers.
• Providing habitat for butterflies and other pollinators.

The green roof components

• Four-inch deep containers manufactured from recycled plastic.
• Lightweight growing mix.
• Perennial plants in this system--sedums and chives--which withstand extremes of temperature and precipitation, and require almost no maintenance.

• The GreenGrid System didn't require any roof construction or redesign.
• Workers placed a slip sheet on top of original roof.
• Then they lifted the pre-planted containers into place.
• Installation took two hours.

Watch a slide show of the entire process, from filling planters to final installation on roof. Show includes both text captions and audio.

The Manchester City Web site will provide updates on the green roof, including updates on temperature monitoring and pollutant absorption.

Check out our project sign, soon to go up in City Hall Plaza

Learn more
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Roof page
Green Roofs/Healthy Cities Network
Penn State's Center for Green Roof Research
Michigan State's Green Roof Research Program
ecogeek Cool photos!

By Mary Tebo, UNH Cooperative Extension community forestry educator and Green Roof Demonstration Project coordinator

Manchester Green Roof Project Funders

UNH Cooperative Extension in partnership with N.H. Division of Forests and Lands and USDA Forest Service
TFMoran Inc.
McLane Law Firm
Manchester Development Corporation
Lavallee Brensinger Architects Fund of the N.H. Charitable Foundation, Manchester Region
Weston Solutions, Inc.
N.H. Dept. of Environmental Services
Anonymous Fund of the N.H. Charitable Foundation
Breathe NH
SEPP - Enterprise Fund, administered by the City of Manchester Environmental Protection Division

In-kind Supporters

City of Manchester
Intown Manchester
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
UNH Manchester
Posted September 19, 2007

2 humans ill; horse dies of mosquito-borne viral illness

Two people in New Hampshire (Newton and Newfields) have fallen ill with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and a horse has died of the disease. EEE is a mosquito-spread, viral disease of birds that sometimes gets transmitted (via mosquito bite) to horses and people.

Only a handful of the 47 species of mosquitoes in New Hampshire can transmit EEE. Although the chances of getting it are very low, the consequences can be serious. Symptoms in people range from mild flu-like illness to inflammation of the brain, coma, and death. The human death rate is 35 percent, and about 35 percent of people who survive have lasting neurological effects of some type.

Infected humans can't pass the disease to others by coughing, sneezing or other means.

People most at risk for contracting EEE: those younger than 15 or older than 50.

The EEE season runs from late August until the arrival of hard frost, typically late September to mid-October. Southeast Rockingham County is at highest risk for EEE, although southern Merrimack, southern Strafford, and possibly eastern Hillsborough have a slightly elevated risk.

Protect yourself: Reduce your risk of getting bitten:

• Use insect repellent containing either DEET or picaridin when you are outdoors.
• Wear clothing that doesn't expose lots of skin. Consider wearing net-like clothing that is stiff enough to stay away from your skin, such as Bug Baffler.
• Try to limit time spent outdoors within an hour or so of dusk or dawn, especially in areas with lots of mosquitoes.
• Mosquitoes that transmit EEE aren't very active in mid-day. An exception is if you walk through thick brush or woods. You disturb the vegetation on which they rest, so they will then fly to you and bite.
• Be sure that sleeping quarters have tight-fitting screens on doors and windows. This includes tents and other camping quarters.
• Limit your activity in areas near freshwater marshes with permanent vegetation, especially cattails.

For more on the subject, read our 13-page fact sheet, which contains links to much more information.

You may also want to check the latest information from the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services.

By Dr. Alan T. Eaton, UNH Cooperative Extension entomology specialist