DNR weekend reading: Sharks you can text, cheaper waste-heat energy, and other stories

Some homeowners got an all-too-close view of the Whidbey Island Coupeville landslide last week. Photo: Isabelle Sarikhan/DNR, Stephen Slaughter/DNR. More landslide photos on Flickr

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics  published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

environment360: A Leading Marine Biologist Works to Create a ‘Wired Ocean’
Stanford University scientist Barbara Block heads a program that has placed satellite tags on thousands of sharks, bluefin tuna, and other marine predators to better understand their life cycles. Now, using data available on mobile devices, she hopes to enlist public support for protecting these threatened creatures

Scientific American: Shorter Winters Chip Away at New York State Logging Town’s Future
At least one third of logging occurs in winter, when frozen forests can bear the heavy equipment, but shorter winters and midwinter thaws are becoming more common. In danger are some of the 57,000 jobs in New York State’s forest-products industry, including up to 6,000 jobs working in the woods.

Science Daily: Soils in Newly Forested Areas Store Substantial Carbon That Could Help Offset Climate Change
Surface appearances can be so misleading: In most forests, the amount of carbon held in soils is substantially greater than the amount contained in the trees themselves, according to new research.

University of Massachusetts-Amherst: Homeowner Groups Can Support Native Species in Suburbia
A recent study suggests that well-managed development and landscaping, such as provided by homeowners associations, can support native wildlife and promote species diversity.

Rice University: Study: ‘Waste heat’ may economize CO2 capture
Rice University scientists have found that CO2 can be removed from power plant emissions more economically by using “waste” heat — low-grade steam that cannot be used to produce electricity. The find is significant because capturing CO2 with conventional technology is an energy-intensive process.

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Goldmark honors DNR employees for efforts in innovation, safety, and other areas

Forester Chris Rasor (left) shows off the DNR Annual Award for Innovation that he received from Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark recently. (Photo: Bob Redling/DNR).

Last week, Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark honored five DNR employees nominated by their coworkers for outstanding efforts on the  job in 2012. At a brief ceremony in the Natural Resources Building in Olympia, Goldmark presented Annual Commissioner’s Awards to:

• Alex Nagygyor (Engineering and General Services Division) for leadership that improved DNR’s management of roads and other forest activities. 
• Chris Rasor (Pacific Cascade Region) for innovations that helped DNR replant more trees more efficiently in southwest Washington.
• Dan Omdal (Resource Protection Division) for public service outreach and effectively sharing his technical knowledge of forest entomology with small forest landowners and other government agencies.
• Michele Zukerberg (South Puget Sound Region) for her leadership of several successful Puget Sound recovery efforts, including ecological restoration at Woodard Bay and Stavis Natural Resources Conservation Areas.
• Brad Pruitt (Aquatic Resources Division) for improving safety training and procedures for the DNR employees whose jobs include operating boats.

Commissioner Goldmark implemented the annual awards program in 2010 to recognize the DNR employees who make outstanding efforts at work, achieve positive results, and adopt successful, creative approaches to getting their jobs done. Nominations are submitted by DNR employees.

Stop in at DNR’s Facebook page to congratulate Chris and the other winners for helping make DNR a safer, and more efficient and responsive public agency.

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DNR weekend reading: The sand dune filtration system for polluted runoff water

The Fuzzy Top Trail takes hikers into the finest stand of old-growth trees in Capitol State Forest near Olympia, WA . Photo: Jessica Payne/DNR.

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics  published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

North Carolina State University: Researchers Devise Hidden Dune Filters To Treat Coastal Stormwater Runoff

When it rains, untreated stormwater can sweep pollutants into coastal waters, potentially endangering public health. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed low-cost filtration systems that are concealed beneath sand dunes and filter out most of the bacteria that can lead to beach closures.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: Scripps Scientists Discover ‘Lubricant’ for Earth’s Tectonic Plates

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have found a layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth’s mantle that may be acting as a lubricant for the sliding motions of the planet’s massive tectonic plates. The discovery may carry far-reaching implications, from solving basic geological functions of the planet to a better understanding of volcanism and earthquakes.

Daily Bulldog: UMF’s biggest geothermal project set to begin May 19
Some 80 geothermal wells will be dug in the heart of the University of Maine at Farmington campus starting this May. The $1.55 million project, which is expected to save upwards of 30,000 gallons of fuel oil each year, is part of the university’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2035.

Science Daily: Suggestions for a Middle Ground Between Unlogged Forest and Intensively Managed Lands

In the world’s forested regions, two management systems — retention forestry and agroforestry — are being used to alleviate conflicts between preserving biodiversity and addressing human needs in production landscapes. A new article draws a parallel between the ecological effects of the two systems.

Scientific American: Noisy Ships Creep Out Crabs (Podcast)

The cacophony of ships at sea is stressing shore crabs and could be bothering other marine life.

Spring cleaning? Time for Defensible Space 101

Defensible Space 101 is the first in a ‘how to’ blog series teaching you how to defend your home against wildfire. Defensible Space 102 is now available!

This house was saved by defensible space at the Chelan Butte Fire in July 2012. Photo by: DNR/Sarah Foster

Spring is here and that means it’s time for Spring Cleaning. The month of March always seems to bring us interesting weather. But soon you’ll be hearing the sounds of lawn mowers, trimmers, and leaf blowers. Yard work is inevitable and a sure sign that spring has arrived. Don’t let spring’s scattered storms and showers fool you, wildfire season officially begins April 15.

As you get ready to tame your overgrown yard this spring, take a look at your plants. Do you notice all the green foliage around your property? All of that green undergrowth will dry out in the hot summer months, turning into fuel that can put your property at risk of wildfire.

Defend your home from wildfire 101
Spring cleaning can be overwhelming, and it’s easy to let a project like creating defensible space against wildfires around your home slip until summer. Today, we’re starting with the basics. What can you do this weekend to protect your home, even if you only have one hour?

Several steps are recommended to protect your home from wildfire. Here are a few first steps you can do today, even if you only have a little free time to clean, to help protect your home from wildfire. 

Washington’s Salmon Recovery Funding Board recognizes DNR’s Craig Partridge for his service

Craig Partridge was honored for his service by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board last week. Photo by: DNR/Jessica Payne

What were you doing in September of 1981?

That was the month the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hired Craig Partridge under the administration of Brian Boyle. Since then, he has worked for four Commissioners of Public Lands. After thirty-one years – and a variety of job titles, assignments, major projects, and teams – Craig happily announced his retirement from state service early last month:

“I want to express my appreciation to Commissioner Goldmark for giving me an opportunity to serve in his administration at DNR.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the work I’ve been involved in.  When I started at DNR so long ago, I had no idea I’d eventually be an agency historian, but at this point I’m pleased at having had that among a number of rewarding roles.”

DNR will be sad to say goodbye to Partridge, the agency’s Policy and Governmental Relations Director, when he retires from state service on April 30, 2013.

“For more than three decades Craig Partridge has helped guide DNR policy to the benefit of the citizens of Washington and the long term sustainability of our state trust lands,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark. “I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Craig for his years of dedicated service to the DNR and the people of Washington State.”

DNR weekend reading: Moderate amounts of slash favor Douglas-fir growth

The estuary where Stavis Creek flows into Hood Canal. DNR is restoring wetlands at Stavis Creek Natural Resources Conservation Area. Photo: DNR

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics  published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

US Forest Service–Pacific Northwest Research Station: Logging Debris Gives Newly Planted Douglas-Fir Forests a Leg-Up
A new study led by the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station found that retaining moderate levels of logging debris, also known as “slash,” helped to both directly and indirectly increase the growth rate of Douglas-fir seedlings replanted after harvest. The findings, which are among the first to speak to the benefits of second-growth logging debris, are published online in the journal Forest Ecology and Management.

University of California-Davis: UC Davis researchers uncover earliest tobacco use in the Pacific Northwest
Native American hunter-gatherers living more than a thousand years ago in what is now northwestern California ate salmon, acorns and other foods, and now we know they also smoked tobacco — the earliest known usage in the Pacific Northwest, according to a new University of California, Davis, study.

Science DailyAmplified Greenhouse Effect Shaping North Into South
A comprehensive analysis of ground and satellite-based data by a team of scientists found that vegetation is growing more vigorously and spreading north. The study, published in the journal <em)Nature Climate Change, said that since the early 1980s, tall shrubs , trees and other vegetation once found at 57 degrees north  is spreading into former regions of tundra as far as 64 degrees north. The paper suggests that by the end of this century rising temperatures could lead to northward shifts of vegetation of more than 20 degrees latitude compared with the period 1951 to 1980.

Rice UniversityGround-level ozone falling faster than model predicted; pollution controls may be working better than anticipated

There is good news and better news about ground-level ozone in American cities. While dangerous ozone levels have fallen in places that clamp down on emissions from vehicles and industry, a new study from Rice University suggests that a model widely used to predict the impact of remediation efforts has been too conservative.

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Applications open March 18 for wildland fire equipment grants to small fire districts and departments

Firefighter demonstrates how to deploy a fire shelter in 25 seconds or less.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are offering grant funding to eligible fire districts and departments through the Wildland Fire Assistance Grant Program that is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

DNR administers the Wildland Fire Assistance Grant Program, which is open to all fire districts and fire departments serving communities of less than 10,000 residents. Fire districts and fire departments serving communities with more than 10,000 residents may qualify, providing their service area includes a rural area or rural community with a population of less than 10,000. The application deadline is April 26, 2013.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) and other fire equipment can be acquired mid-March until the last Friday in April. Eligible districts can easily select equipment online using the Phase I PPE Shopping Cart. Once the shopping cart is filled out, you will have the option to print a copy for yourself or save it as a pdf. You, then, email the form as directed on your screen.

This grant funding helps eligible rural fire districts across Washington State buy new fire and safety equipment, including newer-style fire shelters for frontline crews.

The application period opens March 18, 2013, and closes April 26, 2013. Interested districts can find detailed information on DNR’s Wildland Fire Assistance Grant Program. 

Firefighter Property Program enrollment begins June 1

This program helps fire protection districts and departments to attain fire engines and fire tenders (vehicles that bring water, foam, or dry chemicals to fire trucks in the field) suitable for low-cost conversion to wildland use. Fire districts receive the title to the property. Districts may have to pay the expense of transporting the vehicle from an out-of-state location. (About two-thirds of the vehicles located through this program come from other states.)

Interested districts can find detailed assistance program information on DNR’s website.

DNR weekend reading: Lots and lots of sediment yet to flow down Elwha River, and other articles

Eocene continental sedimentary deposit of the Chuckanut formation in northwest Washington state. The formation’s deposits—fine-to-medium grained sandstones with lesser amounts of interbedded shale, conglomerate, and coal—and the presence of plant fossils indicate that the area was once a low-lying coastal plain with a subtropical climate. Photo: David Jeschke.

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics  published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

University of Washington: Tracking sediments’ fate in largest-ever dam removal
Salmon are beginning to swim up the Elwha River for the first time in more than a century. But University of Washington marine geologists are watching what’s beginning to flow downstream—34 million cubic yards of sediments from the largest dam-removal project ever undertaken.

University of California-Santa Cruz: Bats not bothered by forest fires, study finds
A survey of bat activity in burned and unburned areas after a major wildfire in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains found no evidence of detrimental effects on bats one year after the fire. The findings suggest that bats are resilient to high-severity fire, and some species may even benefit from the effects of fire on the landscape.

Scientific American: Clearing Forests May Transform Local—and Global—Climate
In the last 15 years, 200,000 hectares of the Mau Forest in western Kenya have been converted to agricultural land. Previously called a “water tower” because it supplied water to the Rift Valley and Lake Victoria, the forest region has dried up; in 2009 the rainy season—from August to November—saw no rain, and since then precipitation has been modest.

Virginia Tech: Researchers propose innovative solution to ensure biofuel plants don’t become noxious weeds
Some plants that are ideal for bioenergy production can potentially become invasive weeds that can cause billions of dollars in economic damage. A Virginia Tech researcher proposes changes in the regulatory methodology for evaluating the invasive potential of plants that are under consideration for large-scale cultivation as biofuel feedstock.

Stanford University: Stanford scientists calculate the carbon footprint of grid-scale battery technologies
Solar and wind power pose a challenge for the U.S. electrical grid, which lacks the capacity to store surplus clean electricity and deliver it on demand. Researchers are developing grid-scale storage batteries, but the fossil fuel required to build these technologies could negate some of the environmental benefits of new solar and wind farms, say scientists.

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Notice of Outage

Notice of Outage: Working to get systems back online.

March 9

The Information Technology Division staff will be upgrading some of DNR’s online systems this weekend. Systems may not be available for use between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday.

In the meantime, please stay connected on our “Ear to the Ground” blog and/or other social media tools.

DNR’s social media sites:
• Twitter
• Fire Twitter
• Flickr
• Facebook Fan page
• YouTube

 

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DNR thanks exceptional females this International Women’s Day

In honor of International Women’s Day, DNR would like to share a few blogs that highlight women who have accomplished extraordinary tasks with the agency.

	DNR employee receives Public Service Award from United States Coast Guard Melissa Ferris, DNR manager of the Derelict Vessel Removal Program, was recognized with a Meritorious Public Service Award by the United States Coast Guard today for her outstanding service.
	The little trail that could: Mailbox Peak Trail mentioned by President ObamaMailbox Peak trail on DNR-managed lands was mentioned in the national news when President Obama commented on his appointment for Secretary of Interior, Sally Jewell, a Washington resident.
	Firefighting isn’t just for men anymore Historically, firefighting has been dominated by men in both professional and volunteer firefighting careers. But this just isn’t the case anymore. DNR employee Jennifer Bammert is always smiling, even when fighting wildfires and wants to encourage other women to apply.
	State employees acknowledged for wildfire prevention efforts; 770 illegal burn barrels destroyed Julie Oliver of Ecology and Sandy Williams from DNR received national recognition for creating a successful burn barrel exchange program credited with helping to reduce wildfires in Washington State.
	Volunteer thanks: Women join forces to work on Little Si Trail DNR thanks the 21 women who participated in last year’s Women in the Woods event, sponsored by Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust. The women spent May 14 working on Little Si Trail, just outside of North Bend.
	High school girls’ project helps DNR track dwindling species Here female high school students monitor western purple martins for senior project.

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