ESSM News October 2012

Dr. Baltensperger

Filling priority positions for the future of ESSM is the driver of our planning process.  With several positions recently turning over we have an opportunity to redefine our future with the colleagues we hire.  Thanks for all of the support in the planning process. We need to bring our discussions across the finish line on potential positions and start the hiring process.

We wish Robert Washington-Allen the very best as he plans to initiate his transition to the University of Tennessee in January.  His efforts to make this a smooth transition with grants, students and colleagues is greatly appreciated.

Society of American Foresters met last week in Washington.  Thanks to all of those that represented us at the meetings, and a special thanks to Jianbang Gan for representing me there as it was in direct conflict with my duties as Program Chair for CSSA.  ESSM students in attendance included Dan Gaskins and Oakland Hoffman. Also noteworthy, Dr. Gan met with Joann Meyer Cox, a former forestry student, President-elect, of SAF.

There have been many activities since our last newsletter, including discussions on a potential Interdisciplinary degree in Evolutionary Biology, development of stronger international collaborations in Brazil and Africa and working to smoothly transition our collaborative efforts with Ukilima. 

Welcome aboard to our new student workers for Extension Ashwin Vinod, Information Technology Cody Mays, and Shannon Blankenship with Dr. Srinivasan. 

Social events are a big part of camaraderie with our colleagues, staff and students. After being cancelled due to the weather, the rescheduled fall picnic at Hensel Park for students, faculty, and staff was a huge success. Additionally, my wife and I plan to host an open house on December 7 for the department.  More details to come but plan to be there Friday evening with your families.

A big thanks to all of those that have pitched in to make the department go.  We have had some great debates, hard work to make things happen, and a bright future.  A faculty meeting will be scheduled before Thanksgiving, so please plan to participate as we finalize our discussions on the new hires.

-- Dr. David Baltensperger

ESSM Events

AgriLife Events

Announcements

IT HOW-TOs: requesting new websites and network help for visiting scientists

How to request new websites for ESSM faculty, staff, and student clubs/organizations

New web sites needed by TAMU ESSM faculty, staff, and student clubs/organizations will be hosted by AgriLife Communications going forward. To request a new site, complete a work request form. Please include in the decription whether you the URL to be of the form http://agrilife.org/sitename orhttp://sitename.tamu.edu.

Once your website is set up, contact Judith Turlington to add a link to your new site on the ESSM website, under your faculty page or other location as deemed appropriate.

How do I get a visiting scientist on the TAMU wireless Network?

For guests with a duration of less than 2 weeks, the sponsoring faculty or staff just needs to go to guest.tamu.edu, log in with your Net-ID, and follow the instructions. The folks at identity management will then provide the account information you need.

For guests with a visit duration of longer than 2 weeks, it is suggest that a Net-ID be obtained. To obtain a Net-ID, the sponsoring staff/faculty will need to send an email to identity@tamu.edu containing the request for a Net-Id and the form Visiting Scholar 5VS and the UIN for the visitor. The 5VS is on file with the department HR manager, currently Cheryl Yeager.

From the business office: application requirements for temporary wage positions and a termination checklist

Application Requirement for Temporary Wage Positions (does not apply to student workers)

An application is now required to be submitted to payroll with other new employee paperwork for wage (temporary) positions.  The best practice for recruiting and selection of wage or temporary positions is noted in the Recruiting and Selection Guide for Hiring Managers and Supervisors  and includes posting an NOV and accepting applications in Greatjobs.  You may have the applicant complete and print an application from Greatjobs or complete a new form, AG-402, Application for Wage/Temporary Position.   The application will be submitted to payroll along with the other new employee paperwork.

Employee Termination Checklist

It’s important to notify the ESSM Business Office when an employee is leaving employment in order for our office to complete the proper documents in a timely manner.  The agency has procedures that an AG-442, Employee Out-Processing Checklist must be submitted to payroll within 30 days of the employee’s last day on the payroll.  The checklist is to assist units in timely removal of electronic access and return of property.  Our office will be asking Managers for assistance in helping us complete the checklist for outgoing employees. 

Seminar - State of the Arctic: Perspectives from 4 Corners of the North

Jeff Welker
Fulbright Distinguished US Arctic Chair-Norway & Professor
University of Alaska Anchorage
TAMU graduate 1985, PhD, Rangeland Ecology and Management

Date: Friday, November 16th 
Time: 3:00-4:00 PM
Location: ANIN 317

Contact Dr. Jason West for more information.

Undergraduate

TAMU Plant Identification Team wins awards at the Texas Section Society for Range Management Annual Meeting in Fredericksburg on October 11, 2012

The Texas Section Society for Range Management Annual Meeting was held in Fredericksburg on October 11, 2012. The TAMU Plant Identification Team took the First Place Team Award and had the top five individual placings.

Please join me in recognizing the achievements these outstanding students.

It's still green! The Forest Trees of North America class examines effects of the Bastrop fires

Dr. Carol Loopstra and the Forest Trees of North America class visited the Boy Scout’s Griffth League Ranch this month to examine the effects of the Bastrop fires that decimated The Lost Pines in September 2011. In unburned areas, we found many species of trees and shrubs we had studied in class as well as a fox sleeping in an oak tree! We set up plots in a burned area and found quite a few species coming back including post oak, blackjack oak, prairie sumac, American beautyberry, yaupon, black willow, eastern cottonwood, black hickory and farkleberry. Best of all, we found quite a few pine seedlings starting to repopulate the landscape.  The field trips, as well as iPads used to gather data and take photographs, were funded by the Tier One Program (TOP): Integration of Multidisciplinary Research and Creative Activities into the Learning Experience.

Cody and Sarah with seedling
See more photos on Flickr

Graduate

Upcoming fellowship opportunities

Acceptance of two new journal articles led by former graduate students

Blake Alldredge and Georgianne Moore (In Press). Assessment of Riparian Vegetation Sensitivity to River Hydrology Downstream of a Major Texas Dam River. In Research and Applications.               

Rebecca Elkington, Karin Rebel, Georgianne Moore, Jim Heilman (In Press). Species-specific differences in spring plant water use of invasive brush on the Edwards Plateau, Texas. In Ecohydrology.

Research

Texas A&M forest expert: Forest fertilization can increase production, decrease carbon emissions

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Jason Vogel, 979-845-5580, Jason_vogel@tamu.edu

Fertilizing one’s lawn is considered a necessary practice, as is with most agricultural crops. But how many people know about fertilizing a commercial forest, and how that might affect the environment and their investment?

Dr. Jason Vogel, assistant professor of forest ecosystem science within the Texas A&M University department of ecosystem science and management, is studying just how much difference fertilization can make to the productivity of the forest and carbon sequestration.

Read the full story on AgriLife Today.

Vogel-Jokela-200805

Pushing the reset button on Texas Rangelands

Recovering from drought requires patience, knowledge

Story by Kathy Wythe

Driving on Interstate-10 through West Texas past Sonora and on to Fort Stockton, travelers see patches of normally evergreen junipers turned brown and brittle from the unforgiving drought of 2011.

Dr. Charles “Butch” Taylor, superintendent of the Texas AgriLife Research Center in Sonora, said he has only seen juniper die two times in his 41 years at the center. “In 2000 and this past drought,” he said. “I have never seen as much juniper brown out like I have seen this year.”

Recovering this drought-damaged rangeland in West Texas and other parts of Texas will take patience and knowledge, according to experts.

Read the full story in Texas Water Resources Institute's txH2O.

Extension

Dr. Megan Clayton: 2012 Outstanding Young Range Professional

Dr. Megan Clayton was recognized as the 2012 Outstanding Young Range Professional by the Texas Section - Society for Range Management at their annual meeting October 10-12 in Fredericksburg. 


Dr. Clayton joined the ESSM Extension Program Unit as Assistant Professor and Extension Range Specialist in September, 2010. She holds a B.S. in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University in 2003, a M.S. in Range & Wildlife Management from Texas A&M - Kingsville in 2006, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Science from Texas A&M University - Kingsville in 2009.

ESSM Club News

Forestry Club sends two members to the SAF National Convention in Spokane, Washington

This past week the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters was proud to send two of our members to the SAF National Convention in Spokane, Washington. At the convention, Oakland Hoffman and Dan Gaskins participated in a number of technical presentations as well as getting an in-depth look at the national picture of our timber resources and industry that a classroom simply cannot provide. Through their involvement with the club, the Texas A&M SAF was happy to be able to allow these two students to participate in an experience that will no doubt allow them to further their knowledge of our forest resources and provide them with a competitive edge in the job market. This opportunity would not have been possible without the generosity and assistance of those who support the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters and share our common passion for our forests and timber resources. To all of those who have helped us through donations and participation on the Footprints 5K race this past spring, thank you for your support and generosity. On behalf of the Texas A&M SAF, I want to thank you all and ask for your continued support in the future endeavors of the club.

Thanks and Gig ‘Em!
Greg Nagel ‘13
President Texas A&M student Chapter of the Society of American Forester

Texas A&M Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters