<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Quinney College of Natural Resources Archives - The Utah Statesman</title> <atom:link href="https://usustatesman.com/tag/quinney-college-of-natural-resources/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://usustatesman.com/tag/quinney-college-of-natural-resources/</link> <description>USU's Student Newspaper</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:37:48 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <image> <url>https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/cropped-screen-shot-2017-10-19-at-4.33.29-pm-32x32.png</url> <title>Quinney College of Natural Resources Archives - The Utah Statesman</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/tag/quinney-college-of-natural-resources/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Quinney College of Natural Resources celebrates 82nd annual Logger’s Ball</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/quinney-college-of-natural-resources-celebrates-82nd-annual-loggers-ball/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lacey Cintron]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 18 Nov 2024 14:03:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Logger's Ball]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wildlife ecology]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22132059</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Every year, students from the Utah State University Quinney College of Natural Resources don their flannels and lace up their…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/quinney-college-of-natural-resources-celebrates-82nd-annual-loggers-ball/">Quinney College of Natural Resources celebrates 82nd annual Logger’s Ball</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Every year, students from the Utah State University Quinney College of Natural Resources don their flannels and lace up their boots for a night of community and tradition at the annual Logger’s Ball. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>On Nov. 9, the ball commemorated 82 years of growth and development for QCNR. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Abbigail Lane is a fourth-year wildlife ecology and management student and USUSA senator for QCNR.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“Each year, we try to keep the spirit of the Logger’s Ball alive, which is fellowship, friendship, socialization, having a good time and connecting people within the university and the community,” Lane said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The first Logger’s Ball was held in 1928 by a group of forestry students attending USU, then known as the Agricultural College of Utah. 40 years later, a small series of courses about ecology would become a fully realized college known as QCNR. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“It started as an informal gathering that the forestry students put together at the end of the logging season to celebrate,” Lane said. “Everyone would show up dressed in their field clothes, like a traditional lumberjack.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Many keep the essence of the original event alive by dressing up in logger’s attire.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“I’m going for logger-chic this year,” said Ellie Tenbrink, a fourth-year forest ecology and management student. “I’ve got a dress and a flannel going on.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The college continues to celebrate the ball, adapted with more formality and organization to suit the modern day. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“It’s evolved into a bit more of a structured event,” Lane said. “In years past, a lot of people will wear their cocktail dresses or white shirts and slacks, but a lot of people wear flannels, jeans and boots. It’s a fun dress code and allows people to dress to their comfort level.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>QCNR students embrace informality as an aspect of the college’s culture. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“The fact the dress code is not formal-required represents our college and the fact that we are more informal than I think many other colleges and departments here in the university,” Lane said. “That’s something everyone really leans into, and it’s a lot of fun.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>As senator, Lane leads a committee of students in planning major events for QCNR, such as the Logger’s Ball and Natural Resources Week. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“I got elected back in April, and I have been working on some aspects of the Logger’s Ball since June,” Lane said. “It’s been a lot of planning, and there’s a lot of logistics to go over.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The QCNR Student Council aims to tailor each year’s ball to the desires of the students. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“It’s a lot of talking with the students and the council and hearing what they envision for the event,” Lane said. “It’s really important to me. I want students to feel represented. It’s a lot of outreach and advertising and trying to get momentum and support from within the college and the university as a whole.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <div id="attachment_22132148" style="width: 487px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22132148" class=" wp-image-22132148" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-600x400.jpg" alt="" width="477" height="318" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-600x400.jpg 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-335x223.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2-1050x700.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241109_loggersball-07-2.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 477px) 100vw, 477px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22132148" class="wp-caption-text">Paper Smokey the Bear and a USU A sit on stage while Citrus plays at Loggers Ball Nov. 9.</p></div> <p>The event featured a meal and dessert accompanied by live music from local bands.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“I love that we have live music,” Lane said. “We try to get a band to play live music every year. Last year we had The Last Wild Buffalo, which was a lot of fun — people just got up and started dancing, and it was a great energy that live music brings.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The event also hosted a prize drawing and an array of other activities, acting as an opportunity for students and faculty to intermingle. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“It’s really fun to get to see your classmates and professors outside of a school setting,” Tenbrink said. “I’ve really liked getting to listen to music and dance, and we have cornhole tournaments, and it’s just kind of a fun social event.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>QCNR is the smallest college at USU Logan campus, with under 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled. Students within the college have formed tight-knit communities, culminating in efforts such as the ball. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“The Logger’s Ball represents a really big facet of the culture in the QCNR,” Lane said. “We’re small, but it’s really fun because you get to know everyone.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s a tradition for us,” Tenbrink said. “I think it represents how we’re a community. Being a small college means we do all know each other and are a close-knit community, and the Logger’s Ball is a representation of that.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">This year, the council has pushed for students outside of QCNR to attend the event and forge interdisciplinary connections across the colleges. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The Logger’s Ball is for everyone at USU and anyone in the community who would like to attend,” Lane said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">This annual event enables students to build new friendships within QCNR, with a new focus on building bonds university-wide. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I love to have anybody and everybody who wants to come,” Tenbrink said. “I’ve made friends at the Logger’s Ball, and I love to reach out and see everyone.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">At the core of the ball is building community, both within QCNR and the university as a whole. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“This is one of my favorite things about the culture of the QCNR that is represented in this event,” Lane said. “Bringing people together and facilitating those bonds of friendship and camaraderie.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/quinney-college-of-natural-resources-celebrates-82nd-annual-loggers-ball/">Quinney College of Natural Resources celebrates 82nd annual Logger’s Ball</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Column: Marine science in landlocked state, USU partners with Loveland Living Planet Aquarium</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/column-marine-science-in-landlocked-state-usu-partners-with-loveland-living-planet-aquarium/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Avery Truman]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 04 Nov 2024 14:48:48 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Aquarium construction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Avery Truman]]></category> <category><![CDATA[draper aquarium]]></category> <category><![CDATA[draper aquarium construction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Edd Hammill]]></category> <category><![CDATA[loveland aquarium]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Loveland Living Planet Aquarium]]></category> <category><![CDATA[marine biology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[marine research]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Marine science]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ocean]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trisha Atwood]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU aquarium partnership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU marine science minor]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Utah marine college]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22131773</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>In the middle of the desert, a university sends students to Australia to learn about coral, will offer a marine…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/column-marine-science-in-landlocked-state-usu-partners-with-loveland-living-planet-aquarium/">Column: Marine science in landlocked state, USU partners with Loveland Living Planet Aquarium</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the middle of the desert, a university sends students to Australia to learn about coral, will offer a marine biology major and is partnering with one of the biggest aquariums in North America. Utah State University is taking the initiative to make Utah a place where marine science is a feasible option when the nearest ocean is hundreds of miles away.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>As an environmental studies major, most of my courses teach the importance of the ocean to every ecosystem — even the landlocked ones. It seemed obvious to me that any university that studies natural resources would also teach marine science.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>It was impossible for kids fascinated by sea creatures to pursue their interest as a career in Utah until recently. Now, with the official partnership with USU and the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah, there’s a promise of a path where these dreams can be achieved. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-22131781 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-600x448.png" alt="" width="410" height="306" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-600x448.png 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-1000x747.png 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-300x224.png 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-72x54.png 72w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-335x250.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm-1050x784.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.07.33pm.png 1320w" sizes="(max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px" /></p> <p>The aquarium was the first in the Intermountain West and is home to over 4,000 animals from playful otters to a graceful octopus. Once their expansion project is completed, it will be the largest aquarium in North America. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>I had the honor of being asked to represent USU at the signing ceremony by my previous professors Edd Hammill and Trisha Atwood, two remarkable scientists who forged the path for this partnership. On Oct. 25, representatives from both institutions gathered in the aquarium’s ballroom to witness the start of a collaboration intended to change the science scene in Utah for generations. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The audience was surprised when Hammill and an aquarium diver joined the sharks in their tank to display signs representing their respective organizations during the signing, holding hands to signify the partnership to come. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><img decoding="async" class=" wp-image-22131780 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-595x600.png" alt="" width="401" height="404" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-595x600.png 595w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-991x1000.png 991w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-297x300.png 297w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-1522x1536.png 1522w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-335x338.png 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm-1050x1060.png 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/screenshot-2024-11-03-at-5.06.23pm.png 1746w" sizes="(max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></p> <p>The Quinney College of Natural Resources already offers its watershed science students a minor in marine science and several courses that teach about the ocean. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>USU offers a study abroad experience during a summer trip to Heron Island, a pristine spot on the Great Barrier Reef and home to a world-renowned research station.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>I first met Hammill and Atwood when I had the opportunity to join this trip in the summer of 2023. From swimming with sharks to applying real-life research techniques on the reef, I returned to Utah changed for the better. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Learning about the ocean while immersed in its vast ecosystems that seemed so ancient and strong yet fragile, changed my perspective on everything I knew about the Earth. This was my awakening into the world of marine science.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Not all students are lucky enough to travel all the way to Australia to have such an awakening, making USU’s partnership with the aquarium more important than ever. Inspirational moments that happen on a reef are also possible at the aquarium where hundreds of children visit to learn about their favorite animals and more importantly, how to protect them. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The changing climate threatens everyone who calls this globe home — human or not. With sea levels rising and ocean acidification increasing, more people must join the effort to start acting on ocean science. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>In Australia, it was clear how humans had impacted the reef. Coral bleaching, habitat loss, plastic pollution, overfishing and dead zones are only a few of the threats the ocean is facing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>I am overjoyed the aquarium is adding several labs and classrooms to their building to spread knowledge of the marine sciences. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>During a tour of the construction zone, I walked through the new classrooms that will teach desert-raised students about the oceans they rely on. The aquarium is also adding various exhibits to give its current residents more room. Their Komodo dragon Raja is expected to outgrow his current enclosure, so a new one is being built with his needs in mind. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-22131775 aligncenter" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-600x450.jpeg" alt="" width="401" height="301" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-600x450.jpeg 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-72x54.jpeg 72w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-335x251.jpeg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/img_4337-1050x788.jpeg 1050w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 401px) 100vw, 401px" /></p> <p>The new space is deceivingly large and will include beautiful skylights on slanted ceilings to let in natural light. I can’t wait to see what kind of inspiration it strikes in its visitors. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The aquarium’s partnership with USU will provide QCNR students with internships and field trip opportunities, and someday soon, Atwood hopes to launch the first marine biology major in Utah. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>During a recent dinner conversation with my family, I learned my mom dreamt of going to school for marine biology but was hindered by the lack of options in Utah. Who knows what her education could have looked like if this partnership existed when she was in college.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The ocean is full of systems and forces scientists are only beginning to understand, but one thing is certain: It’s the Earth’s lifeblood. I hope more educational institutions follow my university’s lead by stepping away from teaching only what seems logical and instead finding a way to teach what’s important. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/column-marine-science-in-landlocked-state-usu-partners-with-loveland-living-planet-aquarium/">Column: Marine science in landlocked state, USU partners with Loveland Living Planet Aquarium</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>QCNR Camp gives students taste for the field</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/qcnr-camp-gives-students-taste-for-the-field/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Claire Ott]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:57:31 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[chemical properties of rivers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hiking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[natural resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[outdoors]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR camp]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR committee]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[river water]]></category> <category><![CDATA[river water health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[river water quality]]></category> <category><![CDATA[rivers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[water quality]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22130462</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Elexis Bernstein, forestry club president, organized a club event to update the forestry club scrapbook in the spring semester of…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/qcnr-camp-gives-students-taste-for-the-field/">QCNR Camp gives students taste for the field</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">Elexis Bernstein, forestry club president, organized a club event to update the forestry club scrapbook in the spring semester of 2022. Bernstein and another student, Ellie Tenbrink, discovered Forestry Camp while looking through historical photos to put into the scrapbook.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Bernstein, Forestry Camp started as an eight-week course provided at many forestry schools for foresters to learn relevant skills and techniques needed for work in forestry that ended in the early 2000s due to a Hantavirus outbreak.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I was just kind of jealous of the opportunities that we used to have and that a lot of students around the nation had that I didn’t,” Bernstein said. “And so I was like, ‘I have to make this happen for me and my peers.’”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">She also talked to students that missed out on valuable field work experiences due to the pandemic, which led to many feeling lost about where to go post-graduation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“That really motivated me to provide that for everyone,” Bernstein said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">There are more degrees available now than before according to Bernstein, and she felt the desire to give people the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of natural resources-related topics.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I wanted to expand from doing it just with forestry club to more of an open-minded, let’s gather as many skills as we can,” Bernstein said. “And that’s why I opened it to all of the departments.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">From this discovery and assessment of need by Bernstein, QCNR Camp was born.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The Quinney College of Natural Resources held its third annual QCNR Camp Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 21 and 22.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Stephen Bunnell, chairman for the QCNR Camp committee this year, mentioned a common barrier to access within the natural resources field is people often feel as though they don’t have enough experience to start.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’m a firm believer that natural resource education, an opportunity to be in the field and work in the field, should belong to anyone,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Bunnell, field work is a vital component to work in the world of natural resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s vital – without being in the field, you can’t hope to understand ecology,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">With this in mind, he had similar goals as years past for the camp this year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell said, “The goal of the camp is to provide the opportunities to help people get that job and to build confidence so when they do get into the field, or if they’re thinking about joining the college, they get a chance to build that confidence and feel like they have the experience to belong.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell began prep work for the camp in March, when he assembled a committee. From there they decided what they hoped to accomplish this year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Last year, we focused more on hard techniques. This year, we’re focusing a little bit more on good things to have background in going into the field,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell organized the camp previously in 2023, without the help of a committee and compared the experiences.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We were all there to work, to learn, and so having a committee with me helped me have a better camp experience,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <div id="attachment_22130538" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22130538" class="size-medium wp-image-22130538" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-600x289.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="289" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-600x289.jpg 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-1000x481.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-300x144.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-335x161.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5-1050x505.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-5.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22130538" class="wp-caption-text">Five members of the QCNR camp committee pose for a photo at the camp site in Franklin Basin on Sept. 22.</p></div> <p><span data-contrast="auto">To limit barriers for people to attend the camp, the committee provided camping gear at no additional cost to campers from the Outdoor Programs rental shop located on USU campus.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell said the committee helped coordinate a lot of those things such as rentals, meal plans and van reservations.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I didn’t have to worry about some of those little things that needed to get done, but I just didn’t have the time or capacity to do,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Bunnell, the camp included two days of activities that featured professors, students and USU alum who taught various skills and talked about various topics.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The schedule provided by Bunnell showed the camp opened with a land acknowledgement walk by Jack Greene, USU sustainability staff.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Also scheduled were activities such as a GPS and orienteering, hand tools and hitch preparedness workshops.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Tenbrink, a senior in forest ecology and management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, taught the hitch preparedness workshop.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“When you’re preparing, designate some time to sit down and think through, not necessarily every possible scenario, but lots of scenarios,” Tenbrink said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">She hoped to pass, at times hard-earned, knowledge down to the campers she’s acquired through three years of field work.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’ve had some experience and some time to experience trial by fire, so that I could pass on some of the knowledge, so that hopefully, as these people get their first field jobs, they don’t have to do as much trial by fire, and they already have a few things under their belt,” Tenbrink said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">While she said preparation is a very important component of field work, she also said attitude is important.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Another important piece of it is going into field jobs with a positive attitude and an attitude that you’re just going to roll with the punches,” Tenbrink said. “A lot happens when you’re working in the field.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">She’s taught a section at each year’s camp thus far and also helped Bernstein with the organization of the first camp.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I taught people how to take tree cores for dendrochronology and estimating tree age,” Tenbrink said. “And then the second year, I helped Steve with some of the meals, and I taught a course on chainsaw maintenance.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bernstein and Tenbrink agreed that a field skill-based weekend could be beneficial for people in pursuit of natural resources field jobs and organized the first one in 2022.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Abby Lane, natural resource senator and senior in wildlife ecology and management, said QCNR Camp helped her seek out opportunities to get more involved.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Experiencing firsthand, coming from a place of uncertainty, having those experiences at QCNR Camp with the people there and learning the skills that I did gave me the confidence to then seek out opportunities to get involved and hopefully give those same experiences,” Lane said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">She agreed that preparation of field skills is an important effort.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s a huge part of just the way the industry is structured,” Lane said. “Students, being able to gain field skills, to get field jobs, is exactly what they need in order to get their foot in the door and get them where they want to end up in their career.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Lane attended camp as a junior and a camper last year and attended this year to help out as the senator for the college.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I really enjoyed just being around all the campers and watching the different stations and just observing how people were talking and interacting with each other,” Lane said. “They were asking questions and being really involved in the rotations. It just made me really happy to see that people were putting in effort to get something out of the camp.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to the schedule, the first day closed with a fireside by Larissa Yocom, USU fire ecology professor.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <div id="attachment_22130545" style="width: 477px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22130545" class=" wp-image-22130545" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-600x400.jpg" alt="" width="467" height="311" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-335x223.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1-1050x700.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 467px) 100vw, 467px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22130545" class="wp-caption-text">Assistant professor, Larissa Yocom, speaks with students about wildland fire during QCNR camp on Sept. 21.</p></div> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell said the fireside was a pretty popular section based on results of the post-camp survey though he also said there was interest in activities across the board.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The schedule had five rotating activities on the second day, which included a water quality assessment, soil science workshop, a stream measurement workshop, a crash course in western plants and wildland first aid fundamentals.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Eliza Hegewald, first-year student in environmental studies and rangeland ecology said she liked the variety of workshops and skills taught.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I think especially since they were like, you can put this on your resume, even though you only did it for an hour – you were in the river for an hour and that counts,” Hegewald said. “It gave you a taste of what being in a river would be like, and doing work there, or doing work firefighting would be like, or being a plant biologist would look like – just a taste of every little side of the different field works.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <div id="attachment_22130540" style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22130540" class=" wp-image-22130540" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-600x428.jpg" alt="" width="435" height="310" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-600x428.jpg 600w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-1000x713.jpg 1000w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-300x214.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-335x239.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3-1050x748.jpg 1050w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240921_qcnrcamp-3.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22130540" class="wp-caption-text">Two QCNR campers use probes that measure the chemical properties in water to assess river water quality at QCNR camp on Sept. 22.</p></div> <p><span data-contrast="auto">As a senior in wildlife and rangeland ecology and management, Bunnell hopes the event continues. The committee consists of almost entirely seniors with Kennedy Price, junior in wildlife ecology and management, as the only one who will remain a student after this year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">She expressed the hope that she will be able to help make the camp happen next year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“There are a lot of moving parts, and there’s room for everyone so I hope that I will be able to find a spot that will be helpful,” Price said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Paige Sargeant, senior in management and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, also participated on the committee and said she felt a responsibility to give back.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“One of the reasons I’ve found success in college is because I’ve had other students mentor me through some cool things,” Sargeant said. “It’s been a rewarding experience and a good way to work together with my friends to create something that’s worthwhile for other students.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell believes that no one knows what students need better than the students themselves.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“You’re relying on people that have that shared experience with you, that you know aren’t in the same classes as you are in the same situations, majors, colleges, whatever it may be with you, and it’s it was started by students, for students, and I really want to see that legacy continue,” Bunnell said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">He thinks the camp has grown tremendously and that there is only more potential.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The group of campers this year was incredible. They were so engaged, they were so excited and interested in all of the different concepts and things that we learned,” Bunnell said. “It was really fun. I’m really happy with how it went. And I couldn’t have had it go better.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bunnell said he is ready to pass the banner as it was passed to him previously by Bernstein.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s been super fulfilling in my life, and I think it’s been really an awesome journey watching people that participated the first few years, wanting to get involved and wanting to help with future years,” Bunnell said. “It’s a chance to learn and then to give back.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Both Bunnell and Bernstein said the camp is not just about preparing people for field work in natural resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s hard to know what you don’t know, and so I’ve learned that making those experiences accessible really helps people in the long run,” Bunnell said. “It’s cool to still see people that met at camp last year, walking around campus together.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Bernstein, a USU graduate, works as a forest service worker in the Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho. She said she still uses skills she acquired when she organized QCNR Camp.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I really wanted to get everyone to know each other and recognize that we all love being outside and that we all love conserving natural resources,” Bernstein said. “And while we might have different opinions of how to do that, we can all work together to do it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"335557856":16777215,"335559738":240,"335559739":240}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/qcnr-camp-gives-students-taste-for-the-field/">QCNR Camp gives students taste for the field</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Rest stops blossom into buzzing oases through USU, UDOT collaboration</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/rest-stops-blossom-into-buzzing-oases-through-usu-udot-collaboration/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sydney Lyman]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 03:04:01 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[pollinators]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Pilot Pollinator Habitat at Utah Rest Area in Perry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[UDOT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[UDOT pollinator enhancement program]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Utah]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Utah Pollinator Habitat Program]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129212</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>When highway travelers take a break in Perry or Brigham City, they are greeted by not just convenient pit stops,…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/rest-stops-blossom-into-buzzing-oases-through-usu-udot-collaboration/">Rest stops blossom into buzzing oases through USU, UDOT collaboration</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">When highway travelers take a break in Perry or Brigham City, they are greeted by not just convenient pit stops, but vibrant, </span><span data-contrast="auto">bloss</span><span data-contrast="auto">oming pollinator habitats, turning roadside lots into encounters with nature’s busy bees. </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">These enhanced pollinator habitats come from a collaboration between Utah State University’s S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources and the Utah Department of Transportation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Beyond acting as beautifiers to the sides of Utah’s highways, these habitats are a carefully planned conservation effort focused on providing habitat for pollinators. Native </span><span data-contrast="auto">ages, condiments, spices, </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">flowers and plants are a vital part of this effort.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Mindy Wheeler, the QCNR native plant conservation project leader for the UDOT pollinator enhancement program, described herself as “the plant person” on the project.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Native plants are really the ones that our insects have evolved with,” Wheeler said. “They know certain plants’ defenses and have evolved to work their way around them. For example, the monarch butterfly can lay their eggs and eat milkweed, even though milkweed is poisonous to many other insects.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Native plants are becoming less common as urban areas expand, eliminating vital habitats pollinators need to live. Wheeler said non-native plants don’t provide enough resources for pollinators to thrive. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“If you introduce something new — that is, in terms of horticultural plants or non-native plants — it either doesn’t provide the food that they need or the shelter that they need, or it will take them a while to figure it out,” Wheeler said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">A USU study found North America’s bumblebee population had declined by 93% in the last decade. Cited reasons for this decline were habitat loss, improper airway management, climate change, pathogens and pests, competition and colony collapse.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The study, titled “Factors Contributing to Bee Decline,” encourages people to grow native plants to encourage the creation of bee habitats, the very thing the UDOT pollinator enhancement program is trying to do.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wheeler said the pollinator decline is concerning because of the instrumental role bees, butterflies and other pollinators play in the ecosystem.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Pollination is kind of the basis of everything,” Wheeler said. “I think one out of every three bites of food is provided by — something by an insect that has pollinated that food. Pollination is also really important to our economy. If you don’t get things pollinated, you don’t get seeds. You need those seeds for plants to keep going.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The report about the UDOT project, titled “The Pilot Pollinator Habitat at Utah Rest Area in Perry, Utah,” details the necessity of bees.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It is estimated that pollination is needed for 75 percent of the crop plants grown worldwide for food, fiber, beverages, condiments, spices, and medicines. Moreover, one out of every three to four mouthfuls of food we consume is delivered to us by insect pollinators,” the report said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In Utah, there are over 1,000 species of bees. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Joseph Wilson, an associate professor of biology, said there are over 4,000 different kinds of bees in the U.S. For reference, there are about 1,000 different kinds of birds.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Though there are some commonalities, each bee and each pollinator require different things. For instance, Wilson found 282 different bee species that visit milkweed, but not every species in his research did this. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wilson said there are some things all bees need, though.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“They all need food, which is flowers, and they all need nesting habitat, which for 70% of them is ground and then for the other 30% is kind of mixed resources,” Wilson said. “For food, there’s not one plant that supports all bees.”</span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wilson said some bees aren’t as picky, and certain species are more than happy to nest in backyards as cities grow, but some will only nest in sunny, bare ground. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">One of the transformations the Perry rest stop underwent was the removal of sod. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The report details this removal process, along with the construction to put in a trail, which allows viewers to see the habitat without disturbing it.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“For the general public, a pollinator habitat is best viewed and enjoyed from a wandering but distinct walking path,” the report said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The project protects the habitats of 361 plants and seeded 13 species in the project area. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wheeler said this work has paid off. Beyond raising awareness of the importance of Utah’s pollinators, many pollinators like bees and butterflies are using this area as a stopover habitat. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We have seen a really quite sizable increase in the number of insects that have been found there,” Wheeler said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The conversion of the south end of the Perry Rest Area to a functional pollinator habitat has been an overall success,” the report said. “The establishment of dozens of native species at the site has brought an associated increase of pollinator abundance and diversity, including breeding monarch butterflies, as the repeated pollinator surveys show.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Students wanting to encourage pollinators to come to their own yards don’t need acres of land to contribute. Wilson said leaving a small patch of bare ground can act as a bee habitat. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">People can also request pollinator kits through the Utah Pollinator Habitat Program. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/rest-stops-blossom-into-buzzing-oases-through-usu-udot-collaboration/">Rest stops blossom into buzzing oases through USU, UDOT collaboration</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>T.W. Daniels Experimental Forest: USU’s slice of nature</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/t-w-daniels-experimental-forest-usus-slice-of-nature/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Aubrey Holdaway]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 05 Apr 2024 02:43:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Forest service]]></category> <category><![CDATA[forestry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[long-term data collection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[school forest]]></category> <category><![CDATA[T.W. Daniels Experimental Forest]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129202</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>A 45-minute drive from Utah State University is a patch of national forest known as the T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest.…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/t-w-daniels-experimental-forest-usus-slice-of-nature/">T.W. Daniels Experimental Forest: USU’s slice of nature</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">A 45-minute drive from Utah State University is a patch of national forest known as the T.W. Daniel Experimental Forest. It is located on Sinks Road, south of Bear River Summit. The forest can also be found via a short trail up Little Bear Canyon. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Ryan Jess is the manager for the forest’s dendrochronology laboratory, which tracks and dates tree rings.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The first time I went to the School Forest I was surprised by how close the forest is to campus, and by how large the School Forest feels,” Jess wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Known colloquially as the School Forest, this four-square-mile piece of land is a significant part of USU’s history. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Before it became Utah State University, the Utah State Agricultural College purchased a square mile of Cache National Forest in 1936. At some point between then and the 40s, the college developed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service to operate within that section, plus three more adjacent sections, for educational use.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Over the decades, this living laboratory has undergone transformational phases, from its origins as the School Forest to a hub for research, ecological conservation and forestry education through the S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In 1946, Ted Daniel was hired by Utah State Agricultural College to work as a silviculturist, or someone who works to establish forest health, and the next year, started a summer camp for forestry students. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“They started measuring cones, tracking wildlife, quantifying how much timber was on the plot,” said Justin DeRose, assistant professor of wildland resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Many of the forest’s research endeavors gained momentum in the late 1990s, with a project led by Fred Baker and Jim Long demonstrating ecosystem management approaches that mimicked natural disturbance. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The forest continued to be a focal point for scientific exploration with projects addressing topics such as goshawk habitat, landscape-scale disturbance processes, aspen decline and lynx habitat.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">DeRose has been involved with the forest since his undergraduate in the late 90s. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time in the forest doing the same thing: teaching students, demonstrating forestry and working on research projects,” DeRose said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The forest witnessed a diverse range of projects in the early 2000s, from addressing drought and water resources to uneven-aged silviculture for Engelmann spruce. The installation of monitoring equipment, data loggers and towers marked a technological leap, enhancing the forest’s capabilities for long-term data collection.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Because it’s an experimental forest, it gives leeway to do management activity under categorical exclusion in the NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] process,” DeRose said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">This means USU or the Forest Service can do less common treatment to help teach or demonstrate something to students. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The forest has continued its evolution in recent years. DeRose installed several large, fixed-area monitoring plots in 2019, and in 2022, biology professor Robert Schaeffer began a pollinator habitat study, extending the forest’s reach outside of QCNR.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Demonstrations and outreach on subjects such as silviculture and ecosystem management occur every year during the summer months in the form of field trips.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Ellen Orlemann, a forestry major, spent time in the School Forest with the Forestry Club. The club has a fundraiser each fall where they harvest firewood to sell. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It can be a really good experience for people to try their hand using a chainsaw for the first time, which is a super big resume booster,” Orlemann said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Many natural resource students are required to take an intro-level class called WILD 2400, which includes field trips up to the forest. Orlemann said this has a direct effect on whether or not people stick with the program. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Having fun doing things in the outdoors definitely makes people stick with it more,” Orlemann said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Spending time in the forest and getting hands-on learning experience can be beneficial educationally.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It makes what we’re doing real,” Orlemann said. “Being able to take people out in the forest and give them real-world experience brings a lot of people in.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Opportunities to go on field trips to the forest help foster a sense of community among the students and faculty. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“You go up not really knowing any of the people you’re going up with, but then when you come back down, you’re good friends,” Orlemann said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Jess has seen the way students benefit since he began working as the lab manager in 2017.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I learn best by doing, and I think a lot of students appreciate being able to practice the skills and principles they have learned in a real-life setting,” Jess wrote. “The School Forest is a laboratory not only for research, but as a place to gain useful experience students can use later on in their careers.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Although the forest exists as a learning vehicle for students studying natural resources, it’s accessible to anyone looking to hike, mountain bike, camp or stargaze.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I would just encourage anyone who has the chance to go out there and to do it,” Orlemann said. “It’s really cool that USU owns a chunk of the Cache National Forest.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The forest remains a testament to the enduring synergy between education, research and conservation, embodying a commitment to understanding and preserving the intricate balance of forest ecosystems.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The forest is something that the chance to experience how principles you learn in the classroom really work in the complexity of a real ecosystem,” DeRose said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":240}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/t-w-daniels-experimental-forest-usus-slice-of-nature/">T.W. Daniels Experimental Forest: USU’s slice of nature</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>USU celebrates Natural Resource Week, QCNR</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/usu-celebrates-natural-resource-week-qcnr/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Essence Barnes]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:30:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Department of Wildland Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Environment and Society]]></category> <category><![CDATA[natural resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[STEM science fair]]></category> <category><![CDATA[watershed sciences]]></category> <category><![CDATA[woodland resources]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22129132</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Utah State University celebrated Natural Resource Week, with five days of events from March 25-29 showcasing the S.J. and Jessie…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/usu-celebrates-natural-resource-week-qcnr/">USU celebrates Natural Resource Week, QCNR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Utah State University celebrated Natural Resource Week, with five days of events from March 25-29 showcasing the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Nathan Omer, the college senator, coordinated this year’s events.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“The focus of the college is obviously natural resources, and ways that we can better utilize and manage the resources that we have,” Omer said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The week was filled with a variety of events to highlight the importance of natural resources, including yoga, planting flower pots, a trivia night and a campfire at Green Canyon.</p> <p>“Our events try to span what we feel most students like to do,” Omer said. “We’re also trying to spend as much time outside as we can.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>QCNR partnered with the College of Science and the College of Engineering to hold the You Belong in STEM & natural resource science fair.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“I think a lot of people don’t realize that there’s a lot of science that goes on in natural resources,” Omer said. “We have tons of research going on.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The science fair gave students a glimpse into what it is like to be a STEM student, and it highlighted the student research and academics going on within the field of natural resources. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“Our entire society is based on and supported by natural resources,” Omer said. “I think that is deserving of celebration.”</p> <p>Eric LaMalfa, an assistant professor in wildland resources, spoke on his perspective of working within the field.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“What separates us from biology or agriculture is that our students are working with natural ecosystems and communities to solve natural resource issues,” LaMalfa said. “That prepares our students to solve some of these wicked problems like climate change, invasive species and human wildlife conflicts.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>Natural resources are a big part of the climate change conversation, specifically how to better manage resources so they sustain societies’ future needs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>According to the Ford Foundation, a private philanthropy foundation aimed at promoting human welfare, the rapid growth of natural resource extraction has been contributing to environmental and social damage, especially in minority communities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“These issues require people talking and working together to solve complicated problems that you can’t solve with just biology or economics or social science,” LaMalfa said. “Natural resources are a blend of all those things.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>There are three departments in QCNR: environment and society, watershed sciences and wildland resources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The department of environment and society focuses on the social side of developing better community and policy interactions with the environment. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“They do a lot of talking to people and thinking about policy and economics, and what these decisions mean for our communities,” LaMalfa said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The department of watershed sciences focuses on water-based conservation, restoration and the ways rivers and streams change over geologic time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“Those rivers are alive and moving,” LaMalfa said. “But we don’t see that.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>The department of wildland resources focuses on terrestrial wildlife and vegetation management. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>“We learn how to assess the health of an ecosystem by looking at the plants, the species that are there and the composition,” LaMalfa said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to LaMalfa, all of the departments are interconnected and serve the purpose of helping students understand the Earth’s natural ecosystems and services. He said each department is important in its own right because they each influence the health and wellness of society. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“There’s a give and take between the vegetation, the soils, the air and the animals,” LaMalfa said. “We try to take all of that into account when making decisions on how people can recreate, how many animals can be hunted and how we’re trying to restore ecosystems.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">LaMalfa said any major can help contribute to making Earth a healthier place, and Natural Resource Week is a great opportunity for students to learn about how they can do so. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s an opportunity to think about if you’re an economics major, and if you care about these things, how can your study of economics be a part of this new, better way that we’re going to do things in the future,” LaMalfa said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to LaMalfa, natural resources is a vast and complex field that requires perspectives from agriculture, biology, policy, engineering, art and more to help solve large-scale issues.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We can all work together to either be getting the word out or doing innovative, interdisciplinary science that’s thinking about these questions in new ways,” LaMalfa said. </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/usu-celebrates-natural-resource-week-qcnr/">USU celebrates Natural Resource Week, QCNR</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Symposium on economics and sustainability designed to inspire changes</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/symposium-on-economics-and-sustainability-designed-to-inspire-changes/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Caitlin Keith]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 01 Feb 2024 01:53:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[News]]></category> <category><![CDATA[campus sustainability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dialogues on economic growth and sustainability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[economic growth]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category> <category><![CDATA[symposium]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22127981</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The Dialogues on Economic Growth and Sustainability is an interdepartmental symposium at Utah State University meant to discuss and brainstorm…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/symposium-on-economics-and-sustainability-designed-to-inspire-changes/">Symposium on economics and sustainability designed to inspire changes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">The Dialogues on Economic Growth and Sustainability is an interdepartmental symposium at Utah State University meant to discuss and brainstorm ideas on the relationship between economics and sustainability. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Located in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall, the event will take place across three different dates: Feb. 2, 9 and 16. Each session will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will last about two hours.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The symposium is organized by watershed sciences department head Patrick Belmont, Jon M. Huntsman School of Business senior associate dean and professor of economics and finance Frank Caliendo and economics and finance department head Ben Blau. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I had been noticing that there are a lot of different issues that we’re all grappling with right now, coming out of the interface between economics and sustainability,” Belmont said. “I think it weighs pretty heavily on people because these things like Great Salt Lake and climate change — those are all direct conflicts between economics and sustainability.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Belmont said the symposium is focused on these topics specifically because they are two big drivers of conflict. Efforts like looking for cheaper energy and cutting down forests are driven by economic goals with impacts to climate and the environment. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“How do we turn that around?” Belmont said. “How do we get the economics working for us rather than against us?”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Each session of the symposium will have a different focus and goal. The first will be focused on creating a shared foundation of knowledge and understanding about the relationship between economics and sustainability. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We’ll have a couple of different talks there,” Belmont said. “Two of them are diabolically opposed — I appreciate that both those speakers are willing to kind of throw it out there and make it a little bit provocative.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">One of the keynotes for the first session is titled “Economic Growth Must Continue, or We Can’t,” and the other is titled “Economic Growth Will End. Soon. Done Well, This Will Be a Good Thing.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Week two will be a reflection of the first week’s presentions, where attendees and speakers will revisit disconnects and differences in perspective. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">This will include a panel for discussions and a few short case studies that will be looked into further. The case studies presented at this session will be chosen based on the discussions that happen during the first week. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The last week will be all forward looking, with speakers including Jeff Reece, a social entrepreneur, and Darren Parry, the former chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">At the end of the last session, there will be a panel discussion addressing questions about how to move forward.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I expect this will lead to other events, whether it’s a follow up directly on this or whether there are some spinoffs, maybe looking locally at Logan and Cache Valley and focusing more on these problems that are very soluble here,” Belmont said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Other people who will be presenting and participating at the symposium are Caitlin McLennan, USU’s sustainability coordinator, and David Zook, Cache County executive. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The organization of the event included those at Utah State but also experts from outside the university and different members of the community. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">While the events will cover broad subjects, there will also be discussions about more specific issues such as the Great Salt Lake and local changes that can be made within Cache Valley. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Belmont encouraged students to attend the symposium, even if they don’t know anything about economics and sustainability. He said the event gives people the opportunity to learn about these issues in a thorough way over just a small amount of time. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We’re at a point in human history where we can do incredible things,” Belmont said. “But we’re also at a point in human history where we can get rid of entire mountains. We’re eliminating entire forests. We have such capacity to do damage as well, and so we’re at a place where it’s really important that students understand the capacity that we have and the major transformations that are happening in our economy and in our natural resources.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245417":false,"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/symposium-on-economics-and-sustainability-designed-to-inspire-changes/">Symposium on economics and sustainability designed to inspire changes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Ella Stott]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 23 Oct 2023 13:00:01 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Highlander]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Biology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[DWR research]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[job opportunities]]></category> <category><![CDATA[prairie dogs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[volunteering]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wildlife]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22126169</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>On Oct. 2, Barbara Sugarman, Utah prairie dog recovery biologist for the Division of Wildlife Resources, came to Utah State…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/">Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">On Oct. 2</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Barbara Sugarman, Utah prairie dog recovery biologist for the Division of Wildlife Resources, came to Utah State </span><span data-contrast="auto">University </span><span data-contrast="auto">to share important information for those considering a wildlife career.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In the presentation</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Sugarman explained how she came to work for the DWR despite receiving her undergraduate degree in forestry. It was a long process involving many jobs that Sugarman found she wasn’t passionate about.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s first introduction to wildlife work experience was the summer after her first year of her undergraduate. She worked for the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project, which aimed to reintroduce wolves in the Grand Canyon area.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I got a lot of experience dealing with very unhappy and difficult people through this job,” Sugarman said in her presentation. “I learned that I did not enjoy doing environmental advocacy work.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">This job</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> allowed her to network with experts in the field to get her experience more closely related to what she wanted to do. Although she was majoring in forestry, Sugarman said that she always wanted to focus on the wildlife aspects of natural resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s boss for the Grand Canyon Wolf Recovery Project had worked with prairie dogs in the past, and she recruited Sugarman to help trap and </span><span data-contrast="auto">re</span><span data-contrast="auto">trans</span><span data-contrast="auto">locate the animals for a month.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“That was the random thing that I did that led to my entire career,” Sugarman said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Although she gained experience with prairie dogs early on, Sugarman didn’t return to them until after she got her graduate degree. During this time, she had many different jobs ranging from park ranger to working with bears.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Finally, things fell into place when Sugarman’s old supervisor wrote to </span><span data-contrast="auto">her saying</span><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman that </span><span data-contrast="auto">she got a promotion within the division and the prairie dog recovery biologist position was available. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I had done my master’s thesis work with prairie dogs,” Sugarman said. “So I applied for her job and I got it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Now, Sugarman continues to work with prairie dogs. A major part of her job is counting the animals.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Prairie dogs move around so much,” Sugarman said . “It’s really important to see where they’re at right now, so we do a mapping.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman and her technicians count prairie dogs from 1,300 colonies every year.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We’re just documenting how many prairie dogs there are and trying to get the best data,” Sugarman said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">There is some human-wildlife conflict between farmers and prairie dogs because the animals often get into the soil the farmers want to use. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We go and we trap Utah prairie dogs from locations where there’s like human wildlife conflict.” Sugarman said. “So it’s very important to get an accurate spring count of a property.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman hires seasonal technicians to help perform these counts. Two of them, Jake Durbin and Josh Morris, came with Sugarman to an interview following her presentation. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin knew he wanted to go into wildlife since high school after participating in</span><span data-contrast="auto"> the</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Future Farmers of America.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’ve just been pretty much doing wildlife my entire academic career,” Durbin said. “I figured, might as well make a job out of it.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin’s passion continued in college when his school’s mascot was a live buffalo. He got to help handle it during sports games and parades. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“That was kind of where I knew I wanted to do live animal handling,” Durbin said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Morris said </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">his passion for wildlife came early on as well, but not because of school activities. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I grew up on a farm, so I’ve always loved working with animals and hunting and fishing,” Morris said. “I just wanted to have a career in that field as well.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Morris, his time being a prairie dog wildlife technician is helping him gain experience to work with larger animals and eventually become a biologist.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I’d like to eventually work with game mammals like deer or elk,” Morris said. “I also just enjoy being outdoors and preserving what we have now.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In her interview, Sugarman said she really appreciates the work of her technicians, as it takes a lot of people to count all the prairie dogs. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Sugarman, getting involved in volunteer work or </span><span data-contrast="auto">working </span><span data-contrast="auto">as a technician early on is crucial to getting your foot in the door of wildlife resources.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Volunteering is one thing you can do to get as much experience as you can during your undergrad,” Sugarman said in an interview. “That’s how my whole career ended up happening.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman said </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">being able to take opportunities when they were presented is important to finding footing in the field.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Your career is this transformation,” Sugarman said. “Something leads into something else that leads into something else.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Durbin agreed </span><span data-contrast="auto">students should be</span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">taking advantage of opportunities as soon as </span><span data-contrast="auto">you can is very important.</span><span data-contrast="auto">they can.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s a lot easier on yourself if you have that volunteer work to add to your stuff right out of college,” Durbin said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Nakaila Wengreen, senior in wildlife ecology and management, </span> <span data-contrast="auto">attended Sugarman’s presentation.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It’s always great to hear professionals talk about the work that they do,” Wengreen wrote. “I love hearing about the research that’s going on in Wildlife Management and all of the cool work that people are doing.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Wengreen, some of the opportunities </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman mentioned were very important to getting experience in her desired field.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I learned about work opportunities next year with the DWR,” Wengreen wrote. “It helps to get career advice and to get an idea of what options I have when I graduate.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wengreen wrote </span><span data-contrast="auto">she had</span><span data-contrast="auto">that she</span><span data-contrast="auto"> dreamed of working with animals since she was a kid.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Going into a career in wildlife means that I will be doing work that’s important and that I’m passionate about,” Wengreen wrote.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman gave lots of advice during her presentation on how to get involved in wildlife for those considering going into the field, but she also made sure to note </span><span data-contrast="auto">that </span><span data-contrast="auto">everyone can do their </span><span data-contrast="auto">own </span><span data-contrast="auto">part when it comes to conservation.</span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I find a lot of people with the intent to do good,” Sugarman said. “But often, when they don’t understand the situation, they make it worse.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Sugarman’s main piece of advice for people who don’t know much about wildlife is to ask experts. This can be as simple as looking something up when they don’t know the right thing to do.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Wengreen agreed</span><span data-contrast="auto">,</span><span data-contrast="auto"> that </span><span data-contrast="auto">everyone should do what they can to appreciate and conserve wildlife.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Wildlife plays important ecological roles in natural ecosystems that would collapse if they were to disappear,” Wengreen wrote. “Those ecosystems need wildlife, and we need those ecosystems.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">According to Morris, the efforts of the DWR are helping a lot to preserve these ecosystems.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I think it’s important just to preserve species that we have to protect the amount of wildlife,” Morris said. “The conservation that we’re doing helps.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">For more information on the Division of Wildlife Resources and how to get involved, visit </span><span data-contrast="auto">wildlife.utah.gov</span><span data-contrast="auto">/</span><a href="https://wildlife.utah.gov/"><span data-contrast="none">https://wildlife.utah.gov/</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">For more information on USU’s natural resources programs, visit </span><a href="https://qcnr.usu.edu/"><span data-contrast="none">https://qcnr.usu.edu/</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">.</span><span data-contrast="auto">qcnr.usu.edu.</span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/utah-prairie-dog-recovery-biologist-speaks-on-career-options-at-usu/">Utah prairie dog recovery biologist speaks on career options at USU</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Give often, eat well, drink wine</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/give-often-eat-well-drink-wine/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Maya Mackinnon]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 15 Mar 2023 14:00:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cache Food Pantry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CAPSA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chocolate Festival]]></category> <category><![CDATA[cooking]]></category> <category><![CDATA[donations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fry Street Quartet]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fundraising]]></category> <category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category> <category><![CDATA[greenhouse]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Intermountain Wine Advisor]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Office of Global Engagement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Planned Parenthood]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[service]]></category> <category><![CDATA[SNAC]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Spain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[upr]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU college of natural resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[utah public radio]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Valley Dance Ensemble]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wine]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22123681</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>I arrived at an oddly familiar house. Overgrown native plants and a Planned Parenthood yard sign assured me I was…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/give-often-eat-well-drink-wine/">Give often, eat well, drink wine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p1">I arrived at an oddly familiar house. Overgrown native plants and a Planned Parenthood yard sign assured me I was at the right place. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">As instructed, I made my way through the greenhouse to the backyard, where I was greeted by Utah Public Radio playing on the speaker and a well-lived-in garden. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Geno Schupp caught my attention; his tie-dye shirt and distinct gray beard have not changed in the 15 years I have known of him. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Janis Boettinger joined us, and we gathered three chairs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Few things are more peaceful than a warm September evening in Logan, Utah and a good conversation. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Janis and Geno have called Logan home for 30 years. More than 20 years of that time has been spent being involved in and supporting the community through numerous nonprofit organizations. Although their dedication to the community has not dwindled, they lack the time to support all the commitments they want to.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Geno and Janis have made good food and good wine the motif of their charitable work. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“We could just write a check, which we do,” Geno said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">But one thing they like to do — and have increasingly done over time — is incentivize other people to give as well. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“We decided that food is one of the best ways to do that,” he said. “Along the way, wine came into it as well. It became a more and more important part of that culture of a good meal with family. Family around a table with good food and wine and good conversation. We can — it turns out — sell that to other people.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h3 class="p3" style="text-align: left;"><b>“It wasn’t like we were raised this way.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h3> <p class="p2">Janis grew up in northern New Jersey. Her mother, a “tomboy,” never cooked, making Janis’ father the curator of her childhood culinary experience. She started to cook full time in her university dorm room when the meal plan was unsatisfactory. In graduate school, she spent her time with friends who also liked to cook good food and buy fresh produce from farmers markets.</p> <p class="p2">“You have to be able to cook to eat the way you want to,” Janis said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">She received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, and her doctorate in soil science from the University of California Davis. Immediately after finishing her Ph.D. in 1992, she accepted a job at Utah State University. Janis studies and teaches soil science, has been the vice provost in the provost’s office since 2011 and is the interim director of the Office of Global Engagement. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“I have never felt more at home any place than here in Cache Valley and Utah,” Janis said. “Partly because I am so drawn to interesting landscapes. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place. Seeing the mountains every day means so much to me.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Geno was raised in Florida — and in his mother’s kitchen. Starting with fruit pies, cooking has always been a significant part of his life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“I always like to eat,” Geno said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">He grew up raising livestock, growing gardens and taking part in agricultural clubs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“I have always appreciated the importance of good, fresh, local ingredients. It has been a natural part of my life,” Geno said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">He wasn’t immediately drawn to academia, but he always knew he wanted to learn how the natural world worked. Geno eventually attended college and started his career as a tropical ecologist. After he did postdoctoral research in Spain, he became fascinated with its semi-arid shrublands and woodlands. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">The semi-arid climate of Utah was attractive to Geno. He was hired in the department of range science at USU and found work he felt would make a bigger impact. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“I could still ask the questions I was always interested in, but apply them to species of concern or systems of concern,” Geno said. “For 30 years, it has worked out beautifully. I am 70, and I’m not retiring. Maybe someday, but they are paying me to do what I love to do.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">While Janis and Geno could trace the importance of good food to their childhoods, their strong desire for investing in and helping their community was something they came to independently. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“It wasn’t like we were raised this way,” Geno said. “It is something we chose because we care about people in our community, and we have the ability to help.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">They met 28 years ago through mutual friends, and as Geno said, “The rest is history.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h3 class="p3"><b>The Intermountain Wine Advisor<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h3> <p class="p2">Geno and Janis’ first community endeavor was the creation of their free, irregular electronic newsletter, The Intermountain Wine Advisor. Currently in its 18th year of publication, the newsletter has more than 400 subscribers. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Inspired by their graduate students’ inquiries about affordable wine, Geno and Janis originally curated the newsletter to highlight deals on wine in Utah. It has expanded to a theme of “life in the Beehive State,” including food news — only local businesses, that is — restaurant and food truck reviews and of course, all things wine. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">In the introduction to the first volume of the Advisor, the couple wrote that “the theme of our ranting and raving” would be diversity. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“We really get tired of people saying they only drink merlot. Or cabernet sauvignon. Or chardonnay. Or they don’t like pink wines. Or floral wines. Or fruity wines. Or whatever,” the intro read. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Janis and Geno wrote that they “are sickened by the homogenization of wines around the world.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“There are so many kinds of wonderful wines out there,” they wrote.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">They cater to what they want to promote, such as fundraising events, nonprofit organizations and places they want people to support. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Logan has seen a lot of growth in local cuisine, with significant support from the community Janis and Geno have helped formulate. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“Coming here, there was really no place to go except for the Grapevine, 30 years ago,” Geno said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">The Grapevine was a local restaurant, started by Bill Oblock, who later opened Crumb Brothers Bakery. According to Geno, it was not somewhere most people could afford to go to a few times a week. And so, lacking alternatives, he said, a culture developed of people getting together with a nice meal and drinks at someone’s house.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“That feeling of friends and family around a table with good food and wine is absolutely not specific to here,” Shupp said. “It became a more important part of our culture with our friends because we couldn’t say — now you can — ‘Let’s meet down at the bar and have a few beers and burgers and catch up.’” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h3 class="p3"><b>“Spain is in my soul.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h3> <p class="p2">Geno’s postdoctoral research in Spain began in 1988. Since that time, the couple have spent two sabbaticals in Spain. Not only was Geno’s love for semi-arid climates realized, but the food, wine and culture captivated both him and Janis. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“Spain is in my soul,” Geno said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">They embarked on a Spanish cooking journey when trying to recreate meals they enjoyed in Spain. They would eat and cook and refine until they perfected a recipe. Spanish cookbooks became a staple. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“Being in Logan, we realized very quickly, if we wanted a good meal, we would have to make it ourselves,” Geno said. “That is when we really started diving into becoming more experienced cooks and exploring a broader range of options and types of cuisines. That passion and ability fed into when we wanted to contribute — what can we contribute?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Wine tasting and Spanish tapas came to mind first. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h3 class="p3"><b>Planned Parenthood</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></h3> <p class="p2">Planned Parenthood stickers and LGBTQ+ ally signs decorated the nameplate on Nancy Sassano’s office door in the education building on USU’s Logan campus. Without a face to the name, I did not realize I would so instantly recognize the woman who welcomed me in. Decade-old memories resurfaced of selling home grown chicken eggs at the Cache Valley Gardeners’ Market — she had been a regular customer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Sassano, a proposal development specialist at USU and Planned Parenthood board member, has known Janis and Geno since she moved to Logan 25 years ago. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">The Logan Planned Parenthood clinic has a solid base of support in Cache Valley, Sassano said, and the annual Chocolate Festival fundraiser is that support personified. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“We love the community, and we want to give back,” Janis said. “Even when I didn’t have a lot of money, I did what I could. Early on, we were making desserts to donate to the chocolate festival.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">Janis and Geno’s involvement has evolved to donating signature meals for the auction. Their donation of a meal is the donation of a night out. Donors who meet or exceed the minimum amount receive an invitation to a night at Janis and Geno’s house, complete with wine tasting and eating homemade Spanish tapas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade affects organizations like Planned Parenthood. Sassano, Geno and Janis said their support for Planned Parenthood may have to increase due to the change. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“We have been periodically picketed and called baby killers at the chocolate festival, going back at least 20 years,” Geno said.</p> <p class="p2">But Geno said the attacks “only make us more committed to fight.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">“It is going to take money for court challenges. It is going to take money for educational campaigns. And it is going to take money for political campaigns,” Geno said. “And we are going to raise that money. At least ramp up our efforts to do our part. But it will take all of us.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h3 class="p3"><b>“Giving back is good. If you like a place, we think it is important to be invested in it.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h3> <p class="p2">Although wine tasting and Spanish tapas stayed signature to Planned Parenthood, they began to donate different international meals and wine for other nonprofits. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p class="p2">CAPSA, Cache Refugee and Immigrant Connection, Stokes Nature Center, the Cache Humane Society, Valley Dance Ensemble, the Cache Bar and the Fry Street Quartet have been recipients of meal donations from Janis and Geno.</p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Giving back is good,” Janis said. “If you like a place, we think it is important to be invested in it.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Janis has been on the board of Valley Dance Ensemble since 2003. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Kids were told they didn’t have the right body type for ballet,” Janis said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Janis said the group embraces different body types and creative movement.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">‘There is always a home at Valley Dance Ensemble for children and adults,” she said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">CAPSA has also been a significant recipient of Geno and Janis’s support. They have donated wine tasting events and dinners.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">James Boyd, the chief development officer at CAPSA, said he has not seen anybody else model fundraising like Geno and Janis. Their method of sharing something one enjoys and incentivizing participants to donate simultaneously is effective community engagement, Boyd said, and he would like to see more people taking that initiative. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It is really important to nonprofits to have individuals who truly are friends of the organization,” Boyd said. “I have always felt like that since the first time I met them at a wine pairing to the time they said, ‘We have furniture, can this help a client?’” </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Over the past eight years, CAPSA has increased their budget by almost four times and more than doubled their homes. Boyd said this is very good, but it requires continuous community support. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">In 2020, Janis organized a way to collect donations for workers of JBS Foods — many of which were undocumented and could not receive government assistance — to support them in staying home when sick. JBS did not pay their employees if they were caught coronavirus and could not work. Charitable organizations within the community came together to collect money, food and material donations for those in need. The money was used to pay off bills for those who could not make payments. Over 50 families were supported through this effort. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">The Fry Street Quartet, a resident string quartet at USU’s Caine College of the Arts, is a more recent recipient of Janis and Geno’s fundraising. After hearing them play at a Stokes Nature Center event, Janis and Geno began organizing events to fundraise for the quartet’s summer music festival — which sponsors school-aged children through scholarships to perform.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Rebecca McFaul, a violinist in the quartet and professor of professional practice at USU, said Janis and Geno’s forms of support create community. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Joy in the food, joy in music, joy in the connection,” McFaul said. “It is just this kind of great relishing — when you stop to think about it — what actually makes life worth living.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <h3><strong> “Right now, we have more money than we have time.”</strong><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></h3> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Janis and Geno’s expanding list of things to support has its limitations, they said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Right now, we have more money than we have time,” Geno said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Being asked to be on boards, to tour facilities and to volunteer is not something they can commit to.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“We are barely getting by day to day with what we are already doing,” Geno said. “We haven’t thought much about expansion to a new level.” </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Janis said, in retirement, she would like to serve on the board of a bigger organization, like CAPSA. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“The only hesitation we have is in deciding how much we can do and stay sane,” Geno said. “How much we can commit to. It is easy to offer dinner that gets auctioned off and makes a lot of money. But you have to deliver on it. There is a limit as to what we can really handle.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">McFaul, Boyd and Sassano all said what they hope for the most is more of the community to be inspired by Geno and Janis and take on a similar initiative. Janis said her and Geno’s goal is the same.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“I hope that someday the things that we do will inspire people like you and your friends to say, ‘Yeah, this is a really cool place. Maybe someday when I have more money than time, I will be in a position to give back,’” Janis said.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">For the time being, Janis and Geno will continue supporting the community in any way they can — over a good meal and well-chosen glass of wine. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <h3><strong> The Garden </strong></h3> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Crickets and neighborhood sprinklers consumed the evening sounds as I wrapped up my last conversation with Geno and Janis — sitting again in their garden. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“It is part of us and our being.” Geno said. “Sharing these meals is sharing stuff from our garden, sharing our produce with others. I think that also makes it a more meaningful experience. They are eating our food that we raised.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">To no surprise, they have donated over 100 heads of lettuce to USU’s Student Nutrition Access Center and other produce to the local food pantry. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Geno should admit that he finds it very therapeutic,” Janis said. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">“Absolutely,” he answered. “Nurturing things along, seeing them grow and start producing. It is a good way to either come to life in the morning — wake up with the garden. Or meditate and close out the day in the evening in the garden.”</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">It had struck me how comfortable and familiar being in their garden made me feel. Perhaps it was the plants I could recognize from my parent’s garden, or the glowing string of lights lining the perimeter. Maybe it was UPR playing on the radio when I arrived the first night. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Most likely, it was their recognition of our community and culture.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Regardless, I knew their garden — like my parent’s — was an overgrown metaphor for what they value most. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":200,"335559740":276}"> </span></p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/give-often-eat-well-drink-wine/">Give often, eat well, drink wine</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Meet your QCNR Senator — Rachel Chamberlain</title> <link>https://usustatesman.com/meet-your-qcnr-senator-rachel-chamberlain/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dara Lusk]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:17:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[All]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lifestyles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Student Life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[aggies]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CHASS Senator]]></category> <category><![CDATA[college senator]]></category> <category><![CDATA[QCNR]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Quinney College of Natural Resources]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rachel Chamberlain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[USU]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ususa]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://usustatesman.com/?p=22106328</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>It is not uncommon to see the Quinney College of Natural Resources’ Senator Rachel Chamberlain living it up in the…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/meet-your-qcnr-senator-rachel-chamberlain/">Meet your QCNR Senator — Rachel Chamberlain</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is not uncommon to see the Quinney College of Natural Resources’ Senator Rachel Chamberlain living it up in the great outdoors. Whether it’s mountain biking, trail running, snowboarding, or bumping a volleyball, she’s there with a smile. This love for nature began as a child, however, has recently grown to be more than just a few fun hobbies, but rather, the start of a career as well as an avenue to improve Utah State University. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rachel was born in California and raised in Salt Lake City before moving to Logan to attend USU. For her, the school seemed like an obvious choice because of its beautiful location and its short distance from home, but more than anything, the Natural Resources department. She felt it was ‘well-established’ and offered many opportunities, such as scholarships and internships, that she knew she wanted to be a part of. She is currently a senior set to graduate next fall with a degree in Conservation and Restoration Ecology along with a minor in Sustainable Systems. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think I’ve kind of always just had [and] felt a connection with being outside. Growing up, just hiking, camping, and different things like that.” Rachel explained, “And once I found out that you could get a job where you could be outside all the time and also, learn about… [and] understand how plants grow and interact with each other and animals, really interested me.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This interest has driven her to succeed within her major, turning heads along the way. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Rachel is an excellent student, hard worker, and has been diligent in making the most of her undergraduate experience.” Said Shelly Kotynek, Rachel’s academic advisor for the past four years as well as her QCNR student council advisor, “She has done undergraduate research, worked as a member of a faculty lab, has participated in a study abroad to the Great Barrier Reef and been a contributing member of the undergraduate student body not only as a Senator but throughout her entire experience.” </span></p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-22106329" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel1-72x54.jpg 72w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel1-335x251.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel1.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to her sophomore year, Rachel had no experience with student government. Yet, motivated by her passion for the department, she joined the Natural Resources’ Student Council. It was through this experience that she was able to work closely with the previous NR senator and get a taste for the level of responsibility required for the position as well as the impact it could have. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“… It seemed like a good way to to help improve the college that I’m passionate about.” She said when asked about her inspiration for running for Senator. “One of my main motivations was to help push sustainable issues and environmental issues, whether it be in our college or in the university—kind of more so the university…also [to] improve student access to different resources…” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rachel was elected by the student body of the College of Natural Resources last spring and officially began the position at the start of the fall semester. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a senator, she attends weekly meetings with senators from the other colleges in order to present and debate legislation that will improve the University as well as to report on the progress made within their respective councils. Her position as senator puts is as the head of the QCNR student council that works to better the college and plan events to promote relationships with the community. They also work to help students gain scholarships, grants, and be given access to opportunities for internships and research. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Rachel is one of the most motivated and ambitious people I know, and never shies away from tackling a problem even though others may be complacent. She has a lot of innovative ideas and is fiery enough to see them all through.” Said Maria Catalano, a friend of Rachel’s as well as fellow council member. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Catalano continued, “I think Rachel is an amazing senator and is doing a lot to help the college. Although she has planned new and fun events, she goes beyond that responsibility to make true changes in the college. She is working closely with the dean to increase representation and diversity, as well as update some of our outdated curriculum. She has also been incredibly passionate about the important issues, climate change for example, while still being respectful of the wide range of opinions she balances across the college and university. I think that she has set a precedent of fighting for important changes at our university and [I] hope that this sticks with the NR for years to come.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shelly Kotyenek agreed, explaining, “She has gone the extra mile to engage the undergraduate student body. She has been on a team that coordinated a Climate Strike, submitted a Women of the Year Grant, and coordinated an undergraduate research week, just in the first three months of the semester. She is extremely productive…” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-22106330" src="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel2-300x292.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="292" srcset="https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel2-300x292.jpg 300w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel2-335x326.jpg 335w, https://usustatesman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rachel2.jpg 512w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Rachel would like to encourage anyone interested in the major to reach out and take part in all the college of Natural Resources has to offer: a wide range of scholarships, internships, and research opportunities. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although Rachel is not sure exactly what she will be doing after graduation, other than something she enjoys regarding the environment, her future looks bright, as a senator and beyond. Shelly Kotyenek put it perfectly, “…I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!”</span></p> <p><em><a href="mailto:-dara.lusk@outlook.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">—dara.lusk@outlook.com</span></a></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">@daramarie815</span></em></p> <p> </p> <p>The post <a href="https://usustatesman.com/meet-your-qcnr-senator-rachel-chamberlain/">Meet your QCNR Senator — Rachel Chamberlain</a> appeared first on <a href="https://usustatesman.com">The Utah Statesman</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>