New Endowment Honors Forestry Advocate, Bob Slocum

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

The College of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that the Bob Slocum Forestry Communication Scholarship Endowment has been established in honor of the late Bob Slocum.

The Slocum Family with Dean Mary Watzin at Slocum endowment signing ceremony

Slocum Endowment Signing (pictured L to R) Sons- Wes and Matt, Wife- Linda, Dean Mary Watzin, Son- Ryan and brother- David

The late Robert “Bob” W. Slocum

Robert “Bob” W. Slocum Jr. was a great family man, communicator, forestry advocate and alumnus of NC State University. Slocum graduated in 1973 from North Carolina State University with a Forest Management degree. He started his career as a field forester for the state of Virginia and later served as vice president for forestry policy and research of the American Forest Council in Washington, DC.

For 24 years, he served as the Executive Vice President of the North Carolina Forestry Association, where he personally directed the association’s legislative efforts at both the state and federal level.

Slocum served on the board of the NC State Natural Resource Foundation for several years and was an adjunct professor for NC State’s College of Natural Resources.

He enjoyed playing golf and racquetball, hunting and fishing, but more than anything, he enjoyed spending time with his family.

Slocum died in October 2012 and to continue his legacy of communicator, advocate and coach, his family established this scholarship to encourage foresters to practice effective communication for the benefit of sustainable management of forestlands.

The scholarship is funded by contributions made in his honor by family, friends, co-workers, industry leaders and land owners.

Merit-based awards will be made from this endowment to undergraduate students enrolled the College of Natural Resources at NC State. Awards will be for one academic year and may be renewed based on specific criteria being met. The student must be enrolled in the area of forest management/natural resource management and have an interest in promoting sustainable forest management through various, evolving avenues of communications.

Two named to Board of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

Two North Carolina State University faculty members have been named to the Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (BANR), a major program unit of the National Research Council.

Dr. Stephen Kelley, professor and head of the Department of Forest Biomaterials in the College of Natural Resources and Dr. Fred Gould, William Neal Reynolds Professor of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, were named to the board.

The board is responsible for organizing and overseeing studies on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, wildlife and the use of land, water, and other natural resources. The National Research Council is a private, nonprofit institution that provides expert advice.

Known collectively as the National Academies, the National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering and Institute of Medicine provide information designed to address the most pressing challenges facing the nation and world, help shape sound policies, inform public opinion and advance the pursuit of science, engineering and medicine.

Gould and Kelley join the board as Dr. Julia Kornegay, professor of Horticultural Science in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, leaves it.

Dr. Steve Kelley

About Dr. Steve Kelley

Kelley’s research interests include the sustainable production of energy and materials from biomass and the application of novel analytical tools to biomass. He teaches classes in Wood Chemistry, Wood Adhesives and Composites, and Sustainable Building Materials.In addition to his research and teaching, he has helped develop international partnerships for his department.

Prior to joining NCSU, he spent 13 years at the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) working on biomass conversion technologies. At NREL his responsibilities included technical leadership and innovation in the areas of biomass characterization, production of value-added biobased products and thermal conversion processes, and project management.

Prior to joining NREL, Kelley worked in industry (Eastman Chemical Co. and Bend Research Inc.) for seven years developing new cellulose-based materials and membrane processes.

Dr. Fred Gould

About Dr. Fred Gould

Gould, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, studies the ecology and genetics of insect pests to improve food production and human and environmental health. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, among others, for his work.

Gould has been honored with both N.C. State’s Holladay Medal, the highest honor presented for faculty achievement, and the O. Max Gardner Award, the most significant university wide honor given to faculty by the UNC Board of Governors.

Gould has served on National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council committees to study the environmental effects of the commercialization of genetically modified plants and develop recommendations on genetically modified pest-protected crops. He has also served on Environmental Protection Agency panels on genetically modified crops.

More About BANR

A variety of problems and causes drive work on issues in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, wildlife, and the use of land, water, and other natural resources . Often conflicts arise between growing demands for food and resources and the impacts of developing and producing those resources on the natural ecosystem. The need to sustain, restore and improve the productivity of agriculture for the economic well-being of the nation can also generate vital questions.

BANF maintains a critical overview of the several fields under its purview so that it is aware of relevant work relating to public policy formulation, research frontiers, technological developments, human resource needs, economic and social trends. The Board is also responsible for planning new studies, conducting oversight on projects carried out by its subsidiary committees, and making an annual appraisal of emerging issues related to food, fiber, fuel and the natural resource base supporting their production.

“Wild” 4-Hers Compete in 2013 NC WHEP Contest

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

2013 State 4-H WHEP Contest

On Saturday, April 24, forty-four 4-Hers descended upon Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County for the 2013 State WHEP Contest. Nine counties put forth two Senior Division teams and seven Junior Division teams. In addition, 12 individuals and nine Cloverbuds participated in the contest. The contest consisted of wildlife identification and general wildlife knowledge, wildlife foods, aerial photo interpretation, and on-site wildlife habitat recommendations.

Alamance County WHEP Team
Front Row L-R: Nicholas Weidemann (JR Division), Emma Bailey.
Back Row L-R: Zachary Weidemann, Courtney Eckmann, Nathan Troxler.

The top scoring Senior Division team from Alamance County will have the opportunity to represent North Carolina at the National 4-H WHEP Invitational this July in Indianapolis, Indiana. Members of the Alamance County team are Emma Bailey, Courtney Eckmann, Nathan Troxler, and Zachary Weidemann.

Christy Bailey, Kim Eckmann, and Barbara Weidemann are coaches for the team. “We came hoping to win this year and already mapped out a route to the national contest. Of course we are going!” Courtney Eckmann stated. Henderson County placed first in the Junior Division, with Alleghany and Wilson Counties placing second and third. Tatum Epperson, from the Henderson County Junior Team, received the state contest high score. Teams traveled from across the state to participate in the state contest at Howell Woods. The counties represented included Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Catawba, Henderson, Jones, Lee, Wayne and Wilson.

About WHEP
WHEP (Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program) is a 4-H program teaching youth about wildlife and the management of their habitats. WHEP is sponsored nationally by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and International Paper.

Extension Forestry, within NC State University’s College of Natural Resources, supports and promotes the WHEP program in North Carolina.

For Further Information Contact:
Renee Strnad
Extension Forestry
North Carolina State University
919-515-5518 renee_strnad@ncsu.edu

Webinar Series hosted by NC State University to address Climate Change Adaptation

Posted on May 9, 2013 by rwgonzal

Climate Change Adaptation for States, Tribes and Local Governments –

June 3-12, 2013: A dynamic, interactive webinar series hosted by North Carolina State University, in cooperation with EPA’s Office of Strategic Environmental Management

North Carolina State University, in cooperation with EPA’s Office of Strategic Environmental Management, will host a virtual Symposium on climate change adaptation for states, tribes and local governments to be offered in a series of twelve on-line sessions. The series will bring together tribal, state and local stakeholders, EPA representatives, and experts from a variety of sectors to consider the impact of EPA’s new Climate Change Adaptation Plan on implementation of federal environmental programs, and to present case studies, tools and solutions to some of the most pressing climate change adaptation challenges.

Individual webinars are stand-alone educational opportunities for governments, planners and policy makers, and participants can attend one or more webinars as meets their particular needs. Participants will obtain the most current knowledge and information applicable to states, tribes and communities on adaptation practice and implementation to build community resiliency.

The opening webinar will be held from 11:30am-1:00pm EDT on Monday, June 3, 2013, and will introduce the EPA’s new Climate Change Adaptation Plan and what it means for states and tribes in implementing their own plans. Additional webinars will take place later that day as well as June 4, 10, 11 and 12.

Other sessions include Planning for Sea Level Rise; Water, Communities & Planning; Air Quality & Health Impacts of Climate Change; Achieving Resiliency to Drought; Tribal Climate Adaptation; Emergency Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation; Risk Management and Insurance Strategies; Adaptation and Equity for Vulnerable Populations; Decision Support Tools Café; Successful Response to Coastal Adaptation Challenges; and Climate Adaptation: The Way Forward. All webinars will allow for interactive Q&A with the presenters.

Registration for the webinar series is free and access to the sessions will be through the Web or toll-free telephone conference line. For more information on the series or to register for the webinars, please visit the Symposium Webinar Series website at www.climate-adaptation-symposium.org. For questions contact Susan Moore, Extension Associate Professor and
Director of the Forestry & Environmental Outreach Program, North Carolina State University, at 919-515-3184 or susan_moore@ncsu.edu.

New Scholarship Will Honor PSE Alumnus C. Allen Sanders

Posted on May 8, 2013 by

The College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University is honored to announce that C. Allen Sanders has named the NC State Natural Resources Foundation, Inc. in his estate plans. When funded, the C. Allen Sanders Paper Science and Engineering Scholarship Endowment will award merit based scholarships to promising students.

Charles Allen Sanders is a 1985 graduate of NC State’s Paper Science and Engineering program. Allen has been very active in the growth, promotion and success of the paper science industry in the southeast. He started his career with Boise Cascade in DeRidder, LA before moving to Bowater. In 25 years with Bowater, Allen worked in various locations and capacities rising to Vice President – US Operations. He is currently employed with RockTenn, one of North America’s leading producers of corrugated and consumer packaging and recycling solutions.

Merit-based awards will be made from this endowment to an undergraduate student enrolled in paper science and engineering in the College of Natural Resources. Awards will be for one academic year and may be renewed based on specific criteria being met.

About Paper Science and Engineering @ NC State University

Paper Science & Engineering (PSE) is an applied engineering discipline related to chemical and process engineering. Its original purpose was to provide specialized training for chemical-type engineers in the specific science, terminology, technology, and engineering principles related to the production of pulp and paper. The paper industry is one of the largest and most successful chemical process industries in North America. The PSE program in NC State’s College of Natural Resources has an outstanding reputation and graduates from the program enjoy some of the highest salaries and placement rates of all the programs at NC State. The PSE B.S. degree permits students to enter the paper industry and many other related industries.

For over 50 years, graduates from the PSE program have gone on to make significant contributions to the paper industry, other chemical process industries, and many other professional arenas. Alumni include vice-presidents, mill managers, technical managers, research directors, consultants, sales personnel, business owners, professors, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and clergymen.