Tech Talk: Waste Facility Closure

Craig Peterson, NRCS AE, and Patrick Schultz, TTCP Training Engineer, will provide a general discussion of topics related to the Waste Facility Closure practice. Mainly based on project experiences, different “real world” scenarios will be discussed related to the planning, design, and construction oversight of waste facility closures.

Reviewing the 2020 Farm Economics to Make 2021 Decisions on the Farm

This session will review the farm economics for Minnesota farms in 2020 including COVID impacts and opportunities. Additionally, we will review financial data from Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farms and compare it with noncertified farms. Finally, we will share a sneak-peak at 2021 as you work with farmers about various program decisions and potential technologies to consider when working with farmers.

Your Insect Allies: Meet the Beneficial Insects that Control Crop Pests and Promote Soil Health

Join Karin Jokela, Pollinator Conservation Specialist with the Xerces Society, to get to know some of the most common beneficial insects above and below ground. We will cover habitat planning to promote natural enemies and beneficial soil invertebrates, basic identification and ecology, as well as simple monitoring techniques to help farmers, land managers, and gardeners assess existing populations.

Wetland Restoration

This training will enable field staff involved in project applications, the design, or the construction of wetland restorations to have a solid understanding of the science and methods used. Types of implementation will include mostly basic components such as scrapes, ditch plugs, and small embankments. NRCS and SWCD staff that follow up this training with experience on actual projects should be able to pursue Job Approval Authority for the phase(s) they work on.

Forestry Equipment

Duane Fogard, American Bird Conservancy Forester,  from the  Duluth Field Office,  will lead us in a review of commonly used forest equipment that we may encounter in the state.  This training is for anyone who is working in a region of the state who has significant areas of land dedicated to forests to consider attending, especially if you are newer to forestry or would like to “brush up” on terminology or identification of commonly used equipment, availability,  suitability, and limitations based on site characteristics.