Land Use Boards Training

Historic preservation - Thursday, May 31, 2012 7-9 p.m., Schuyler County Human Services Complex, Room 120, Montour Falls, NY

Presenter: Julian Adams, Head of Community Liaison and Tax Credit Units, N.Y.S Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

NYS Historic Preservation Office works with governments, the public, and educational and not-for-profit organizations to raise historic preservation awareness, to instill in New Yorkers a sense of pride in the state's unique history and to encourage heritage tourism and community revitalization.

• What is “Historic Preservation”
• How Communities can apply it
• Funding opportunities and grants available to municipalities

This training should count toward the 4 hour training requirement for Board Members. This training is FREE and Open to the Public.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Rocky Kambo (so that we have adequate materials for attendees) rrk45@cornell.edu (607) 535 -7161.

flier here.

Cornell Cooperative Extension in Schuyler County offers equal program and employment opportunities. Please contact CCE Schuyler County at 607‐535‐7161 at least one week before an event if you have any special needs. Requests received after that time will be accommodated, if possible.

Lawn Fertilizer Phosphorus Restrictions Now in Effect

As the lawn-care season gets into full swing, DEC is urging New Yorkers to be mindful of a new state law limiting the percentage of phosphorus in lawn fertilizers and restricting when and where they can be used. The fertilizer provisions of the NYS Dishwasher Detergent and Nutrient Runoff Law have been in effect since January 1. For more information, please see the NYSDEC website.

Social Media Strategies for Farms to Generate Education, Awareness, and Action


Webinar -Wednesday, May 2, 1-2pm EDT Free -- open to all interested

Facebook...Twitter...Linked In...Four Square.... They can be effective ways to connect with your community....Or they can be a huge waste of your time and energy. How can you use social media to build a supportive community online and in-person? Public relations expert Rachel Carter will explain how to develop a strategy for building a community of champions for your farm. Whether you are a farmer, a farm-based educator, or an Extension educator, this webinar will provide guidance for creating a strategy to use social media effectively and manage related risks.

Hosted by: Lisa Chase, Jessie Schmidt, Ben Amsden, and Erica Curry

University of Vermont Extension, UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Plymouth State University Center for Rural Partnerships, and the Farm-Based Education Association

To access the webinar, please follow this link five minutes before the webinar begins.

For technical assistance during the webinar, contact Jessie Schmidt at (866) 860-1382, ext. 203 (Vermont calls only) or (802) 223-2389, ext. 203, E-mail: jessica.a.schmidt@uvm.edu

Contact lisa.chase@uvm.edu, jessica.a.schmidt@uvm.edu, ecurry@ShelburneFarms.org, or blamsden@plymouth.edu for more information about the webinar.

To request a disability-related accommodation to participate in this program, please let Rose Crossley in UVM Extension (802-223-2389) know by April 13, 2012 so we may assist you.

Funding for this project was provided by the Northeast Center for Risk Management Education and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Energy Efficiency in Schuyler County

Upgrading Energy Efficiency in Schuyler County. Pursuing energy efficiency is an economic development strategy that will create jobs and improve a community’s overall health and vitality as energy savings recirculate locally. The material outlines how leaders in your community can move energy efficiency forward within three areas of focus: market demand, financing, and workforce.View document here or here

The Susquehanna-Chemung Action Plan

The Susquehanna-Chemung Action Plan is a watershed management plan for the Susquehanna and Chemung River Basins. This plan uses “ecosystem-based management” approach that integrates human needs, economic issues, and environmental concerns. This two year planning effort has culminated in a resource rich website, a GIS data viewer and an Action Plan. All located at www.susquehanna-chemung.org. Please use these resources, implement recommendations and communicate with Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board about how the action plan is working for you. They will be evaluating progress on this plan yearly and updating every five years.

New Energy Improvement Payment Option Available January 30, 2012

The On-Bill Recovery Loan Program allows you to finance energy efficiency improvements to your home through a charge on your utility bill. Your repayment amount will be based on projected savings on your energy bills.

http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Home/About/StatewideInitiatives/OnBillRecoveryLoanProgram.aspx

Northeast Silvopasture Conference Presentations

All the PowerPoint presentations from the Northeast Silvopasture Conference on November 7 -8, 2011 have been posted online at the following website: http://www2.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/info/pubs/index.htm
Scroll down to “Agroforestry – Silvopasturing” and choose which one you would like to view (you do not need a special viewer – they have been converted into PDF format for your convenience). Presentations available on-line at the site:
• Silvopasture Ecosystem Services
• Expanding Silvopature in the Northeast
• Graziers Woodland Management Basics
• Meat Goats and Sugarbush Woodlot Management
• Silvopasture Benefits
• Silvopasture Case Study
• Silvopasture Benefits to Integrating Farm and Forest
• Silvopasture Economics
• Silvopastures: a Pantry and Pharmacy for Man and Beast
• Suitability of Lands for Silvopasture
• USDA Resources Assistance for Silvopastoralists
• Woodland Managers Grazing Basics