Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals

Monthly Digest 

October 2024

In this edition

• President's Corner
• 2025 ANREP election results
• New online feature for ANREP members
• ACE Level Up Conference
• Idea Exchange: Eco-anxiety on your mind?
• Resource Exchange: Happy fish, steady streambanks, and thirsty livestock
• Reducing Barriers to Living Shorelines in Florida Through Professional Training
• ANREP Jobs Board listings

President's Corner...

Erika Lyon

ANREP President 2024

Greetings Everyone!
 
As we enter autumn, our region faces diverse challenges. Here in southeastern Ohio, we're emerging from a severe drought, while our southeastern counterparts grapple with an active hurricane season. For those affected by droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and other recent natural disasters, please know you are in our thoughts.
 
I'd like to highlight a couple of excellent Extension disaster information resources offering great information for hurricane recovery efforts:

1. NC State Extension's Disaster Information Center 
2. IFAS Disaster Information 

As we support our communities, remember what you do is so important in not only getting reliable information to those who need it but also being that trusted someone who is there to listen.
 
I encourage you to explore the USDA Climate Hub websites if you have not done so already. The Midwest Climate Hub recently released agricultural vulnerability assessments for states in the region. These assessments cover historical climate change, future projections, and potential impacts on agriculture and forestry. Similar resources for various regions and industries can be found here. 

In ANREP news, our elections have concluded. Thank you to all nominees for their willingness to serve. Election results are detailed further in this newsletter. I urge you to consider taking on a leadership role in our organization - it's an excellent way to develop skills and connect with colleagues.
 
As we approach the holiday season, take time to reach out to peers across state lines. Building these connections strengthens our professional community.
 
To be prepared for Halloween this year, I asked AI for some spooky-themed jokes to share about natural resources. Here is what it gave me:

• What do you call a haunted forest? A spook-tacular natural resource!
• What’s a sea monster’s favorite snack? Fish and ships
• Why don’t zombie ants ever stay in one place? Because they are always looking for their next “grave adventure”

Honestly…not too bad.
 
Wishing you all a happy Halloween!
 
Erika Lyon
2024 ANREP President

News and announcements

Election results: Your 2025 ANREP Board of Directors

This year's voting is now complete. 113 members cast their ballots. Here is your new 2025 ANREP Board of Directors:

President: Kevin Zobrist, Washington State University

President-elect: Leslie Boby, Southern Regional Extension Forestry (newly elected)

Past President: Erika Lyon, Ohio State University

Secretary: Andrea Lazzari, University of Florida

Treasurer: Renee Strnad, North Carolina State University (newly elected)

Northeast regional representative: Katie Brooks, Penn State University (newly elected)

Northcentral regional representative: Anna Stockstad, University of Minnesota (newly elected)

Southern regional representative: Carrie Stevenson, University of Florida

Western regional representative: Dan Stark, Oregon State University

Congratulations to our new ANREP leadership! Thanks to all of the members who ran for office!

New service for ANREP members!

ANREP members are occasionally asked to review tenure/promotion packets from members at other universities. ANREP now offers members a service to connect members seeking packet reviews to members who are qualified and willing to help. Members can opt in and opt out at any time.

It's easy to use. Click here to learn how.

Thanks to South Region representative Carrie Stevenson and members of the Florida Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals for proposing this idea!

Upcoming professional development opportunities

The Association of Communications Excellence  (ACE) in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences. We are a non-profit professional development organization that provides professional development in agricultural communications, marketing, and media relations

ACE will be hosting its 3rd Annual Level-Up virtual conference on the afternoon of Nov. 6 and 7.  Please share this exciting opportunity with members of the Association of Natural Resources Extension Professionals. There is something for everyone!
 
During the Level-Up: Sparking Innovation conference we will explore:

• Innovative Ideas
• Unique Collaborations
• Positive Impacts across our organizations

For more information and the complete line-up of speakers, visit https://www.aceweb.org/Virtual-Conference.

Features

Idea Exchange: Eco-anxiety on your mind? 

By Angela Gupta

University of Minnesota

Do you or your audience experience eco-anxiety, extreme worry about current or future environmental harm caused by humans? Are you thinking about eco-anxiety in your program messaging or explicitly programming around this issue?

I first ran into clear issues of eco-anxiety within my Extension participatory science volunteers in 2020 working on invasive jumping worms. Working with Master Naturalist volunteers we explored the peer reviewed literature and improved program framing to limit eco-anxiety and offer hope and agency. Recently I've also been doing some specific programming around eco-anxiety and wonder if anyone else is working on this within natural resources Extension. Please email me at agupta@umn.edu if you're interested in or doing this type of work.

Resource Exchange: Happy fish, steady streambanks, and thirsty livestock

By Carol Baldwin

Kansas State University

Water quality can be improved by selecting livestock watering options that are adapted to a ag producers unique situation. Waterers and Watering Systems: A Handbook for Livestock Producers and Landowners provides overviews of water sources, pumps, pipelines, and storage, livestock waterers, grazing implications, maintenance information, and reference materials. Producers can directly compare options with charts for each section of the handbook. The handbook is free to download from the Kansas State University website. Instructional videos to accompany the handbook will be available by the end of 2024.

Reducing Barriers to Living Shorelines in Florida Through Professional Training

By Vincent Encomio

University of Florida

Living shorelines training is educating professionals to create a more sustainable and resilient future for Florida's coastlines.

New postings on the ANREP jobs board

UCCE Area Director - Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz Counties, University of California click here for more info...

Assistant Professor in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources - Utah State University click here for more info...

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