Colorado Sustainable Agricultural Professional Development Program, (2019)

 Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Gilpin County has been disproportionally impacted by COVID-19. According to a USA Today article in April 2020, Gilpin County had the greatest percentage of its economy shut down among all counties in the entire nation (Stebbins & Stauter, 2020). The Parks and Recreation Department, consisting of the Community Center and Campus, are entirely closed as a result. Extension is looking for strategies to continue to educate and engage during this pandemic. Our target audience is Gilpin County residents, who encounter many challenges in the high country trying to grow sustainable landscape plants. Our demonstration gardens show that choosing the right plants for our soils and temperatures can yield beautiful and sustainable landscapes.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

Gilpin CSU Extension office will promote the interpretive gardens on our website and weekly emails that go out to the community. We will also submit an article to the local newspaper to promote this new educational resource.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

The WSARE funds will be used for educational material – interpretive signs. Due to COVID-19, no formal events will be planned for the immediate future, however informal visits by residents and users of our campus trail and arena, will utilize the information.

• Target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

We expect an increase in knowledge about local native plants and noxious weeds.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

Behavioral changes include knowledge and ability to identify and eradication noxious weeds, and to choose appropriate native plants, in individual properties in Gilpin County.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Our beautiful mountain habitat will be improved as we engage more land stewards who understand and practice sustainable landscaping. More residents that know about noxious weeds will hopefully reduce the number of infestations in the county, which saves money for residents, businesses, and ranchers.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Our target audience is Adults and community members in Bailey. We would also like to work with families involved in the WIC program to help provide fresh produce for their families. With the education we hope that they will be able to then start gardening at home.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

Partnering with the WIC office will help us to reach those families. We will also promote this program through Facebook and the chamber of commerce.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

We will have a sign up for the 5 beds that we hope to build, and then we will hold relevant classes to what is happening in the gardens for example: Seed Starting, transplanting started seeds, weeding, harvesting, preserving your harvest, season extension, designing gardens, xeriscaping, cool season crops etc. We would also like to create some educational materials to place in a kiosk and hand out to community members about how to start and maintain mountain flower and vegetable gardening at home. 

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

We are hoping to encourage our community to see the health benefits of gardening, eliminate hunger, empower communities and foster a social and educational environment.  Many studies have shown the mental and physical health benefits from gardening and I would like to increase the awareness and acceptance of this in the Park County community.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

We hope to improve nutritional choice behaviors as well as dietary diversification. Participants are also expected to integrate better gardening techniques such as use of quality seed, planting bed preparation, and food preparation.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Food Security. We only have one grocery store in the whole County and we are hoping to teach people to grow their own food to give them access to affordable produce. By providing this garden space it allows them the space to garden that has otherwise inhibited them from growing their own food in the past.

Better With Beef Happy Hour[131480]

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Colorado beef producers, mainly cow/calf and stocker operations.  Included in this is the catch to provide opportunity to include family situation and discussion over or after a family meal via internet. 

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?      

It will promoted via social media through CCA, CLA and Extension.  Additionally, advertised via radio and media outlets in Colorado.  May be released across multi state area via social media

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

            Develop and educational series for six weeks on Thursday evenings in January and February to be delivered virtually.  Topics to be discussed include marketing, genetics, heifer development, calving and heard health. 

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project?

Increased knowledge to be applied at the ranch level production situations including calving decisions, replacements development and bull selection. Increase the producer’s ability to make more decisive marketing decisions, including timing markets, heard health and purchasing or changing bulls/genetics for the operation. Decrease in treating sick calves through changes to herd health practices. 

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

Greater responsiveness to calving difficulties. Individual producer development of marketing strategies. Increased herd health and more pre-conditioned calves marketed. Producers strategize more on the advantages of genetics (bull and female)

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

The goal is to update and improve producer knowledge so that they can make more informed decisions that will allow them to better plan and develop plans that they will be able to sustain and be economically beneficial to operations.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Extension professionals, produce growers and buyers, food systems professionals are the target audience. 

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

Email, social media, website

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

Multi-day conference for the Colorado produce sector.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

Attendees will report knowledge gained increased professional networks.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

Growers will report intent to implement knowledge gained and buyers will report intent to purchase Colorado produce. 

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Ag producers will increase farm resiliency and realize business goals through improved access to appropriate resources and best practices

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

CSU Extension agents eager to learn more about Emergency Management in order to help their communities prepare, respond and recovery from disasters. Colorado has experienced a severe drought this summer and numerous wildland fires, including the largest one in history. Many Extension agents were called into duty, learning as they went. They are now very eager to learn more. Funding for professional development at CSU has been reduced this year due to the effects of COVID 19 on the University budget.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

An email about the possibility of attending the EDEN conference has been sent to agents who helped with the fires this summer and in the past and it has been met with great enthusiasm. The early registration period ends September 6th .If this proposal can be processed immediately ten agents will be able to attend for 900$. If this proposal cannot be processed, the cost of attendance for the 10 agents will be $1200. https://extensiondisaster.net/news-events/annual-meeting/

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

Register 10 CSU Extension agents for the annual EDEN conference (September 22-24, 2020). This year the event will be virtual.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

They will be introduced to EDEN, its organizational structure, programs, processes and resources.
They will make connections with other state Extension colleagues working with their communities on emergency management issues.
They will attend a half day post conference event on mental health issues and disasters, a topic of great interest in our state.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

Agents will be better equipped to help their communities prepare, respond and recover from local disasters because of their clearer understanding of the emergency management cycle, the example set and experiences shared by agents in other states, and appreciation of the research resources available through EDEN on disasters.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Greater community resilience to disasters in Colorado.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

In this inaugural year we will be targeting beginning and novice beekeepers.  Included in this group are current backyard beekeepers who are relatively new and have a desire to learn more as well as those that have not raised bees in the past but would like to. 

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

An aggressive social media advertising campaign has been designed to reach an audience that includes gardeners and those interested in pollinator issues.  Print media will also be utilized including flyers in home and garden stores.  Finally, the word will be spread to regional Bee Clubs to expand the audience to their friends, neighbors and contacts that may have expressed an interest in beekeeping.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

A 2-day course covering topics in which an aspiring beekeeper would need to know to be successful and sustainable has been designed.  Local, experienced beekeepers as well as Extension professionals will be leading these classes.  A course book for participants will be designed and printed to provide participants with reference material to review as they need.  By having both the classroom and book the desire is that the information presented will be remembered and utilized as attendees begin or continue in their beekeeping endeavor. 

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

The expectation is that participants in this course will leave with the knowledge and resources to become successful beekeepers.  They will be more aware of management practices and health issues that currently affect the sustainability of bees.  As we create more awareness and successful beekeepers we hope to also increase the population of pollinators in the area.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

Our desire is to show that with the proper knowledge and management, bees can be successfully kept by those willing to put forth the effort.  The hope is that those with intentions of raising bees would become more aware of what is required and make more educated decisions when it comes to managing their hives.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Pollinator’s and the honey bee in particular have been a hot topic the last several years.  The struggle to maintain the population and importance in food production has been well documented.  This has led to many people having a desire to do their part and not only keep bees but to also improve their practices in order to provide better habitat and better health of bees.  The education and mentoring that will take place as a result of this school will help to insure the future sustainability of pollinator’s in the area.  Those in attendance will learn from local beekeepers and experts about management and health of bees therefor better equipping them to begin or continue in their beekeeping aspirations.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Cattle, hog, sheep and other (non-poultry) livestock producers in Colorado interested in building new production, processing and marketing strategies.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

Through CSU Extension, our website (https://foodsystems.colostate.edu/educational-impacts/meat-supply-chains/), and our e-newsletter than includes >1,000 people.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc. 

The Western Meat School is an innovative learning experience where farmers, ranchers, butchers, & others will learn how to direct market meat. This 6 week long course will cover key topics in production, processing, & marketing to produce high-quality meat and sell to diverse market channels. 

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

The meat school covers all of the essential for direct marketing meat from experts in production, marketing, processing and pricing, and includes six interactives classes, two optional classes, textbook, handouts, and a private student forum. Module topics include marketing (identifying and developing new markets for meat), production (finishing ruminants for optimal gains and quality meat), production 2 (animal handling, meat quality, and evaluating a live animal), processing (basics of meat processing, carcass quality, meat science, fabrication, regulations ,and working with your processor), processing 2 (processing for specific markets, maximizing carcass value, packaging and labeling), marketing 2 (selling meat, attracting customers, building loyalty). 

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

As a result of participation in the Western Meat School, Colorado ranchers will better understand the entire meat supply chain, therein producing higher quality meat, understanding how to better communicate with processors and customers, and getting a premium for their product through diverse, loyal markets. 

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Participants should become more profitable, in part through gaining access to new and expanded markets as a result of the course. 

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

The primary target audience of this grant is the landowners who wish to refrain from using chemical to control Canada Thistle on their properties. The project will be open to private landowners who are interested in the program, this will include landholding organizations, local governments, and businesses.

An additional target audience is the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) who is interested in this partnership because it informs their insectary staff about the efficacy of rust fungus control on Canada Thistle at the high elevation of Custer County and the relatively dry climate.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience? 

On file in the Extension Office is a list of landowners who have called seeking alternatives to chemical control of Canada Thistle.  This list will be contacted as well as the local High Altitude Gardening Club, the Custer County Weed Advisory Board, and our partners at the San Isabel Land Trust for promotion of the program.  The program will also be promoted through social media, newspaper, and radio press releases.  This request will purchase 20 releases (each release is about 75 grams of the rust fungus) and so participation will be limited.

To engage the CDA, we will purchase a subscription that will provide 20 releases and will support their staff returning in future years to monitor and collect spores.

• Describe briefly what you are going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

The Extension Office will order the releases, purchase spray bottles for each landowner, create educational materials, and advertise the program.  The Extension Office will also oversee the application of the spores to the Canada Thistle and work with the landowner to make sure 

Community members will be recruited for this program through promotional strategies including word of mouth, direct contact, social media, newspaper, and radio press releases. Site visits of all interested landowners will be conducted to identify the best properties to release the fungus. The owners of selected properties will receive a required training on Integrated Pest Management Strategies and how to apply the rust fungus.

Landowner education will teach participants how to inoculate the thistle plants, how to nurture the growth of the fungus for maximum success, and how to mark them for monitoring.  Another component of the education will include the access expectations for state and extension staff.

In following years, this project will provide information to the CDA about growing conditions for this fungus in Custer County. For example, was it more successful near water? Was it successful in a grazed or mowed area? The CDA staff will also work with the Extension Office to collect future supplies of the fungus for local and statewide application.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)  

The primary change is to have landowners manage their Canada Thistle in a way that suppresses the infestations. Because some people do not wish to use chemicals, they are hand pulling or doing nothing to control the infestations.

This project will increase awareness about the safety of host specific biocontrol use, as often people misunderstand how bio-controls are developed.  The Rust Fungus is already present on the plant and therefore in the state and county. This project aims to increase the abundance of the fungus for systemic control of thistle patches.  In future years, successful marketing of the program, and the success of this specific project on patches will increase interest and help control local and statewide Canada Thistle infestations.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

The intent of the inaugural Rust Fungus program is to create a demand for future purchase and release of this fungus in the county. CDA currently lists over 250 acres infested with Canada Thistle in the county and it is the goal of this program that this program continues in future years and using this inaugural year as a catalyst for future participation.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

The benefit of these changes is to improve the control of Canada Thistle in the county on properties that will not receive chemical controls.  The other benefit will be the supply of rust fungus for the CDA Insectary for distribution in similar climates across the state.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

1) Ranchers

2) Land managers (both public & private)

3) NRCS employees

4) Forest Service employees

5) BLM employees

6) CSU Extension employees

7) Soil Conservation District employees

8) Colorado Section of Society for Range Management members

9) CSU Range students

10) Open Space managers

We hope to have between 100 & 150 people in attendance.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

The CSSRM will distribute conference information in a variety of newsletters, social media, and email list serves that committee members have access to. The section will also look for promotional assistance through partners such as the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s monthly statewide newsletter.

Additionally, the section will provide an electronic flyer via the CSSRM list serve. In addition to these methods, Barn Media may be willing to provide an announcement on their website and we might be able to get it onto their radio broadcast around the state.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

An educational conference will be hosted to discuss topics such as animal health, land

health, grazing management, family communication, ranching enterprise diversity, and other critical issues and topics facing ranchers and land managers today. The key focus of this year’s conference will be breaking down communication barriers on the range and encouraging conversation on tough social topics. This will encourage all stakeholders to focus on collaborative land management for the betterment of our resources. Presenters will be a mix of communication experts in the field of natural resources and specialists throughout the field of range. Additional topics will include a tour of the Poudre Learning Center short grass prairie restoration, agricultural leasing opportunities, a young professional focused session, native seeding for reclamation with Don Hijar, interviews with Maria Fernandez-Giminez (CSU) and Nick Trainor (Trainor Cattle Co), and presentations on the Rangeland Assessment Platform presentation and the CARM Grazing Calculator.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

1) The audience will become familiar with restoration practices available to practitioners on the short grass prairie.

2) The audience should gain knowledge in animal health, range science, & animal

behavior principles which can help improve productivity and keep a ranching operation both sustainable and environmentally sound.

3) The audience should increase their awareness in social relationships and build a stronger knowledge base in how communications can impact the ranching operation. This information should be valuable both within the family and for interconnected relationships working towards improving and building upon current range practices.

4) The audience will become familiar with new tools available to them to improve range-related practices.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

1) It is hoped that as a result of this conference the audience members will be better equipped to engage in communication with family members and partnering entities in their ranching operation. We also hope that they will seek to understand differences and find common ground when communicating.

2) As a result of attending this conference the audience should better understand animal health and range management principles that can allow them to make smart decisions for animal/land interaction.

3) As a result of attending this conference, it is hoped that the audience will be more informed on best available science and tools to understand grazing threshold and rangeland health.

4) It is hoped that audience members will utilize knowledge gained from this

conference to apply some principles of short grass prairie restoration in their land management techniques and utilize native seeds in restoration efforts. 

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

1) Better stewardship of both the land & the livestock.

2) Greater potential for profitability and/or efficiencies through use of new tolls in rangeland management.

3) A foundation for starting conversations with people from different backgrounds and differing opinions to better create relationships to benefit rangeland management

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Practicing ranchers throughout Colorado who are most likely to encounter wolves in the next few years. i.e., Ranchers in Western Colorado

• How will you promote the event to ensure reaching this audience? 

It  will be posted on the CSU Extension website and on the website for the new Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence.  It will be marketed to livestock organizations like Colorado Cattlemen's, Colorado Woolgrowers, Agricultural Extension Agents in Western Colorado and local livestock associations.

• Describe briefly what you are going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

We will create 8-15 individual video interviews of ranchers and wolf experts in MT and WY. Once these videos are created, we will edit them and place them all on a Colorado State University webpage, individually or as a package.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

Wolves have been absent from the sate since the mid 1900's. Contemporary ranchers in Colorado have never had to operate with this predator and it's well documented that wolves prey on domestic livestock, principally cattle and sheep. Current Colorado ranchers have little to no practical knowledge operating with wolves. These videos will raise their awareness about wolf and livestock management tools and practices used by ranchers in the Northern Rockies states who have been dealing with this predator for 20-40 years. The attitudinal changes include learning about wolf management tools so ranchers can see they can manage wolves and still have a sustainable agriculture business.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience?

Tools and strategies that can be implemented by Colorado ranchers will enable them to minimize wolf predation and sustain their ranches. These tools are greater than just lethal means, and that's specifically important since killing an introduced grey wolf in Colorado is a federal crime.  Non-lethal means are less known than lethal management methods by Colorado ranchers. These educational videos will show other ranchers using nonlethal tools to manage wolves.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Livestock production in Colorado will have to incorporate practices for the management of wolves. If ranchers in other Northern Rockies states can manage them, Colorado ranchers can learn to manage wolves too and thus sustain the Western American tradition of raising livestock and food production in Colorado.

Project description – answer the following questions:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Ranchers, hay producers, professional land managers, and general public

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

Electronic communications based on local Extension Office contact lists

Colorado Cattleman’s Association and land trusts in Southern Colorado newsletters

Colorado State extension Range, Small acreage, and ABM websites

Radio 

Flyers posted at local farm and ranch supply stores, etc. 

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

We will host 2 education workshops on soil health at demonstration sites that have been treated with high fungal compost.  At these workshops we will bring in a guest speaker (soil scientist/agronomist) and/or animal nutritionist/human nutritionist to discuss the connection between nutrient rich soils and food. 

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? (Be specific)

Ranchers and farmers will build drought resilience into their operations by incorporating soil building strategies

Producers will learn about high density grazing and have the opportunity to compare results of adding application of compost extract

All participants will learn about the importance of the soil microbial community and connection to nutrient dense fool

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? (Be specific)

What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

Ranchers will begin implementing grazing practices that allow recovery and build soils

Ranchers will spend some of the off-season experimenting and implementing soil health practices they can share with neighbors

The general public will become interested in supporting a market that is committed to growing nutrient dense food

Project description:

• Who is the target audience? Specifically, identify the group or groups that will be targeted for participation in your project.

Colorado beef cattle ranches (cow-calf operations). Any size and location.

• How will you promote the event to insure reaching this audience?

TRAC works with local extension and cattlemen’s groups to identify and recruit participating ranches. We currently have a waiting list of 15-20 interested ranches.

• Describe briefly what you’re going to do, such as hold an educational event, produce educational materials, etc.

TRAC team members make on-site ranch visits to meet with producers, listen to their unique successes and challenges, and collect an array of production and financial data. To gain better insight into the ranch involved, a pre and post survey is sent to each producer who participates. Data collected is analyzed to determine critical production, financial and integrated measures. Producers receive a custom report that details performance measures specific to their operations, with only an aggregate summary of results reported to the public for benchmarking purposes.

• What changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes are expected to occur as a result of the target audience participating in the project? 

Results will strengthen producer and educator knowledge of production and financial targets and increase the value of cow-calf management recommendations in Colorado.

• What changes in decision-making, intentions or action do you hope will take place among the target audience? 

An individual TRAC report is then given to the ranch which provides a unique opportunity for each ranch to identify areas to reduce cost of production and improve production and marketing efficiency. We hope that through the TRAC process each producer will acquire a more accurate record keeping system and utilize performance measures/trends to make improved decisions for their operations.

• What is the intended benefit from these changes (e.g. improved stewardship, economics, market access)?

To improve ranch family livelihoods through a dedicated partnership around continual analysis and integration of animal-, human-, and resource-oriented program pillars.

Answer the following five questions to explain what impacts you expect these travel funds to have on extension programming, your organization or your community.

• Specifically, what do you hope to learn by attending this training?

This will be the second ANREP national meeting I’ve attended. Since our state doesn’t have an ANREP chapter, the only contact I have with other members is through email and webinars. I think one of the primary benefits will be to meet with and create relationship with other members.  Another think I hope to find are tools, trainings, exercises, programs, etc. that other ANREP members are using effectively to work with natural resources.  Finally, climate issues are becoming something we are beginning to discuss at CSUE and there are several ANREP members who host monthly climate webinars and I would like to discuss with them how CSUE might benefit from their connections and the work they’ve already done. I currently am on two national ANREP committees so it will be beneficial to meet in person with the committees and identify strategies moving forward.

• When you return home, with whom will you share the learned information? (Who is your target audience?)

Since I’m still active with the Natural Resources Program Reporting Unit (PRU), I will certainly bring it back to this group for future planning.  Also, I’ve worked extensively with other natural resources agencies in Teller County and the surrounding region including the Colorado State Forest Service, NRCS, Coalition for the Upper South Platte, and the US Forest Service to create programs for land, water, noxious weed control, and fire mitigation.  The information from the conference will certainly benefit this group as well.  Finally, I’m working with several Departments on CSU campus regarding Natural Resources, including CNHP, CSFS, CEMML, SoGES, and Warner College of Natural Resources. The information from the conference could really assist these partnerships.

• Do you have a specific activity in mind, such as meetings, demonstrations, work sessions with specific producers or other programming that you plan to organize in this subject area?

I will share with the NR PRU and to the larger PRU at Forum. I’ve also been working with a five-state team on climate change and will bring back pertinent information for that group. I am also working with a horticulture PRU team on developing a Pollinator App based on the Colorado Woody Plant App I chaired and launched in 2019.  Dean Hayes in the Warner College of Natural Resources has invited our NR PRU to continue working with them on programs and projects and this would be an opportunity to share new ideas and possibilities. These meetings are more than just gatherings to discuss policy, we are adamant about establishing deliverables to the users, including Ag, Natural Resources, and small acreage managers.  

I will also be presenting at the national meeting on the development of phone Apps such as the Colorado Woody Plant App and the Emerald Ash Borer App that I chaired.  

• Do you have plans to incorporate this topic or subject area into existing programming or projects?  If so, please briefly describe:

Yes, the information will be incorporated into the Natural Resources PRU at our annual Forum and will be blended into the climate change group as well. Also, my county advisory committee identified defensible space and school-wide understanding of forest health as part of what they would like me to focus on over the next several years.  I’m hoping to find programs that other states have incorporated into their school systems that I can adapt for us in Teller.

• Do you have an estimate of how many people you might reach with knowledge you gain from receiving this scholarship? If so, please share that estimate:

This is hard to tell but at the very least, 75-100 other agents and professionals and I would anticipate several hundred Ag and NR clients. If I can get something into the schools, there could be several thousand youth affected by the information and programs I develop for our community.