Milwaukee's Riverside Park and Urban Ecology Center featured in February Issue of Orion Magazine

From Erik Hoffner
<grassroots@orionsociety.org>

Riverside Park is Milwaukee’s green oasis, in large measure due to the work of The Urban Ecology Center, which makes its home here. Their green construction project, citizen science curriculum, and Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) are connecting urban kids and adults to the local ecology in great new ways.

Learn about the Center in February’s Story from the Grassroots profile at
http://www.oriononline.org/stories

All past Stories from the Grassroots profiles are archived at the link above.

Residual Contaminants Threaten BAAP Wildlife

From: "CSWAB" <cswab@merr.com> 

A recently released report challenges more than a dozen Army proposals to weaken cleanup goals at the closing Badger Army Ammunition Plant - a move that could save the military tens of millions of dollars in cleanup costs but would leave higher levels of ecological toxins in the environment.

Concerned about the potential long-term risks to the local ecology, CSWAB hired noted wildlife toxicologist Dr. Peter deFur to comment on an Army study that suggests soil contaminant levels at Badger do not pose a risk to wildlife.

DeFur, an Affiliate Associate Professor in the Center for Environmental Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University and President of Environmental Stewardship Concepts, concluded that the Army's assessment is flawed and fails to show that the cleanup goals previously approved by the WDNR and USEPA are inappropriate.

Read the complete press release at
http://www.cswab.org/residualcontaminants.html 

Theologians Warn of 'False Gospel' on the Environment

In an effort to refute what they call a “false gospel” and to change destructive attitudes and actions concerning the environment, a group of theologians, convened by the National Council of Churches USA, an open letter on February 14, 2005 calling on Christians to repent of “social and ecological sins” and to reject teachings that suggest humans are “called” to exploit the Earth without care for how our behavior impacts the rest of God’s creation.

The statement, “God’s Earth is Sacred: An Open Letter to Church and Society in the United States,” points out that there is both an environmental and a theological crisis that must be addressed.

The statement calls on Christians to take two important steps to enable socially just and ecologically sustainable communities for future generations: first, to “repent of our sins, in the presence of God and one another,” and, second, to pursue, “with God’s help, a path different from our present course.”

In its call to repentance, the statement confesses that, “we have abused and exploited the Earth and people on the margins of power and privilege, altering climates, extinguishing species, and jeopardizing Earth’s capacity to sustain life as we know and love it.” It goes on to identify eight norms to guide people on a new environmental path: justice, sustainability, bioresponsibility, humility, generosity, frugality, solidarity and compassion.

Read the complete announcement from the National Council of Churches.

Read the statement at
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/14.02.05theologicalstatement.html 

New Conservation Program for Apple, Cherry Production

Signup Period Feb 16-March 4

From: "Anderson, Renae - Madison, WI" <renae.anderson@wi.usda.gov> 

Wisconsin apple, cherry and other orchardists may now apply for cost-sharing for environmental practices suited to orchard crops.  The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that the statewide signup period for orchard practices will open Feb 16 and continue through March 4, 2005, at all USDA Service Centers in Wisconsin.  For the first time this year, the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program offers financial and technical assistance to help orchard producers with improved pest management.

Pat Leavenworth, State Conservationist for NRCS in Wisconsin, announced that $100,000 will be available this year to help apple, cherry and other fruit growers apply pest management practices to reduce chemical use.  Growers will work with private-sector crop consultants to implement approved pest management plans.

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, called EQIP, is a competitive and very popular program.   EQIP also provides costsharing in all counties for a wide range of conservation practices for all types of agriculture.  Special statewide signups are underway for animal waste storage and cranberry production.

To apply for conservation costsharing, growers should contact the NRCS office at the  USDA Service Center for their county.   More information on costsharing for conservation practices is available on the NRCS website at www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov under Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

Renae Anderson, PAS
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
8030 Excelsior Drive
Madison, WI 53717
608-662-4422 x 227

Wisconsin Farmers - Sign Up for Grassland Reserve Program by April 29

From: "Anderson, Renae - Madison, WI" <renae.anderson@wi.usda.gov>

Wisconsin farmers have until April 29, 2005, to apply for the USDA Grassland Reserve Program, said Pat Leavenworth State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This year, the Grassland Reserve received over $1 million for Wisconsin farmers.

The Grassland Reserve offers eligible producers the opportunity to enroll a minimum of 40 acres of pasture, grassland or hayland in permanent or long-term easements or rental contracts.

Applications received at USDA Service Centers by April 29 will be reviewed and ranked for funding this year.  Those applicants that are not selected this year will be held over and considered for funding when the 2006 funds are available, says Leavenworth, as will farmers who apply for the program at any time after April 29.   There are currently 122 applications in backlog. 

The Wisconsin NRCS website has more information on the Grassland Reserve, including the ranking process to help users see if they are eligible and find out how their application will rank.   It is available at www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov under Programs, Grassland Reserve (GRP).

The Grassland Reserve helps landowners restore and protect grassland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The program will conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to other uses. Wisconsin’s allocation so far is $1,110,332 for fiscal year 2005. 

Basin Briefs from DNR Division of Water

From" "Ambs, Todd L"
<Todd.Ambs@dnr.state.wi.us> 

Table of Contents:

• Year of Land and Water Conservation
• NASECA Wisconsin annual conference February 4
• DATCP Sends Siting Rule to Hearing
• Massive Manure Fire Burns Into Third Month
• Volunteer Stream Monitoring awards
• American Rivers report: Catching the Rain
• Protecting Water Resources with Smart Growth
• A National View of Agricultural Easement Programs
• EPA’s “NPS Outreach Digital Toolbox”
• Wetlands Conference looks at (Green) Bay
• Water Resources Monitoring Strategy
• NRCS Annual Report
• Lake Wingra Carp Removal Project

Read Basin Briefs at
http://www.wsn-archive/2005BB0126.doc