1998 Success Stories

Return to 1998 Success Stories Index

Date: Fri Apr 24 11:26:15 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: lenoir
Person Reporting: Mary Smith, 4-H

Through funds provided by Learn and Serve America grant. 4-H trained eight teachers on the Water Sourcebook curriculum for one renewal credit. Teachers were provided with resource kits and books to use in the classrooms with the students. Data gathered to date shows 307 youth, grades third through fifth, have received 1901 hours of instruction from the Water Surcebook curriculum developing awareness, knowledge, and skills for sound water use decisions. As a result of the use of Water Sourcebook in the schools, two other teachers have requested and used the curriculum also.

Date: Fri Apr 24 11:26:36 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: lenoir
Person Reporting: Mary Smith, 4-H

4-H introduced and trained Kinston High School science teacher Dorcas Green on the Storm Drain Stencil project. As a result, fourteen youth stenciled storm drains in the Kinston city area, created a power point presentation, published a paper in the National Science Honor Society Newsletter and had Storm Drain Awareness Day pronounced by the Mayor in the newspaper. One student interviewed Stream Keeper Rick Dove via the internet. Their presentation won second place in the Regional Science Honor Society competition. The students also produced a booklet of their project. Twenty adult hours and forty-one youth hours have been devoted to storm drain awareness activities in Lenoir County this school year by Kinston High school.
Date: Thu May 7 09:59:36 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: granvill
Person Reporting: Tracy Tesdall

Among Granville County youth, there is a high interest in the environment, but few opportunities to increase their appreciation and knowledge. To address this interest, Granville County 4-H offers an Environmental Field Day to every fifth grader in the county. Students learned about everything from the food chain to forestry to pesticide safety to groundwater protection. "It is nice to see something you think is harmful is really helpful," said one youth about honey bees. Nearly 550 youth participated and 100 percent of the teachers asked to be invited back next year. Not only did the youth increase their appreciation of the environment with hands-on activities, they also broadened their horizons of career choices, too.
Date: Thu May 28 17:34:48 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: stokes
Person Reporting: Joanna Radford


The 4-H Agent and the Ag technician have been doing a lot of programs for schools and home school groups on recycling and composting. There has been an increased number of teachers wanting the materials for our presentations. They have noted numerous children becoming more aware of the environomental topics. Around six schools have already begun a vermicompost display for their schools. The children are noted as being more responsible and aware of the enviroment.
Date: Mon Jun 29 16:40:13 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: edgecomb
Person Reporting: James Pearce

An elderly landowner called one day asking if there was any yearly value to his property for anything besides the cropland and the peanut and tobacco quota. When questioned further he said the question was really about the value of the property for those wishing to use it for hunting. A high and low hunting lease rate was given to him based on several factors, especially the location and amount of wooded land. After investigation it was found that the producer renting the land for farming had been subleasing the hunting rights to others for at least five years for five dollars an acre. This represented a loss to him of over $9,100. The landowner began leasing the hunting rights himself at $1,840/year which was enough to pay the taxes on his property. This was significant considering his fixed income.
Date: Mon Jun 29 22:27:40 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: gaston
Person Reporting: Kimberley A. Lough

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency passed new air quality standards for ozone in 1997. Gaston County currently violates these standards and will be classified as a nonattainment area unless serious changes occur. Over 50% of the ozone problem stems from vehicle emissions. Thus, the NC Cooperative Extension Service partnered with Gaston County Quality of Natural Resources Commission and NC Air Awareness program to educate citizens on their role in reducing ozone. Through group and individual education efforts, two public libraries, four hospital sites, one industry, several county administration buildings and two local businesses actively post Ozone Action Day notices on days forecasted as high ozone days. The notices alert citizens of the ozone level for that day and seven personal "action tips" to reduce ozone. Citizens are becoming armed with proactive tools to improve air quality in Gaston County.
Date: Mon Jun 29 10:35:59 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: jackson
Person Reporting: Jeffrey Seiler

Opportunities to learn about natural resources outdoors are limited in the Jackson County. Outdoor education areas would assist students and the general public learn about our natural resources. The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, Jackson County Center, assisted Fariview Elementary School in designing and establishing an outdoor "classroom" called "Wildwatch". A trail was constructed and educational stations were set up. Native trees were identified, a pond was constructed and a stream watch area was built. Wildlife habitat was enhanced and a meadow was established. This outdoor classroom, open to the public, will assist students and adults in learning about our valuable natural resources.
The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service provided technical assistance in setting up this educational program.
Date: Mon Jun 29 10:51:05 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: jackson
Person Reporting: Jeffrey Seiler


A retired school teacher, Mrs. Carolyn Stockton,
came to the Extension office for assistance and advice. She wanted to
establish a tree crop on some idle land she had in the Camp Creek Community.
We visited the site and together decided that a Black walnut plantation would
meet her objectives of establishing a tree crop to provide potential long-term
income for the future. She wanted to start small so we established a
one-quarter acre test plot. The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service planted the
trees, provided weed control and corrective pruning, so that the area could be
used as an educational forestry demonstration. Mrs. Stockton is so pleased
with the success of the plantation, she now wants to expand it to several
acres. She hopes to accomplish this over the next several years with the help of the N.
C. Cooperative Extension Service.
Date: Wed Jul 1 09:27:16 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: randolph
Person Reporting: Lynne Qualls

Randolph County Extension Service has established and conducted an environmental education program for fifth graders since 1986. Seven schools have been chosen for the program;others have requested it. By providing "hands-on" learning experiences, youth have learned new skills, practiced decision-making, and demonstrated cooperative work. For many youth, this 2-day program is their first overnight experience. Feedback from teachers and parents confirm how much youth learn; teachers report improved test scores from having certain subject matter included in the program. Demand from parents & school personnel indicates program success;one school now conducts their own program. In 1998, 307 youth benefited from programs conducted by 53 instructors including university faculty,agency professionals,and private organizations. 84 volunteers supported the program with an average time spent of eight hours each, totally $6,720 dollar value.
Date: Wed Jul 1 13:00:30 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: rowan
Person Reporting: Darrell Blackwelder

The Rowan County Landfill is gradually filling with organic matter. The county commissioners awarded a grant to NCSU Biolgical and Ag Engineering Dept to study municipal composting. As part of the composting project, the horticulture agent agreed to use the municipal compost as a growing medium for nursery stock. Master Gardeners conducted a study beginning in March 98 to determine if various mixtures of municipal Rowan County compost could be substituted in potting mixes as a alternative to landfill waste. Over 150 plants were planted in various mixtures of municipal compost and potting media. There was no difference in the check plants with no municipal compost and plants potted with 75% municipal compost. The results were presented to the county commissioners. As a result of the sucess of the study, the commissioners considering implimentation of a municipal composting operation for the county.
Date: Wed Jul 1 14:55:20 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: surry
Person Reporting: Brenda M. Rose

The Mitchell River Coalition with Brenda Rose as the education chair is leading the education component. A bi-annual newsletter is being published and a landowner packet being developed. Educational workshops are being planned and one has just been completed. A statewide Stream Restoration workshop drew 160 participants to learn stream restoration techniques. To date the coalition has secured approx. 1.5 million dollars to implement programs in Surry County to improve the water quality of the Mitchell River. Extension through specialist in Bio. and Ag. Engineering have secured 319 funding for educational programs and implementation of best management practices along the Mitchell.
Date: Wed Jul 22 13:46:13 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: ashe
Person Reporting: Carolyn Goodman

Water quality in Ashe County is a concern of many who live near crops and/or whose water supply is a spring. Twenty volunteers assisted with screening for nitrates and triazinines for 147 private water supplies throughout the county.

A screened sample of water from an apartment building showed a nitrate content that exceeded the maximum allowable limit. The client who brought the sample had 2 young children. She was asked to bring another sample. The nitrate level of the second sample exceeded the first sample. The water supply was found to be in close proximity to the building's septic system. The owner of the building was contacted by an environmental health specialist. The owner took action to provide a safe water supply for the apartment building.
Date: Wed Jul 22 16:40:58 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: jones
Person Reporting: Tammy Howard

Nine adults and 18 youth participated in an overnight Zoo Camp at Riverbanks Zoological Park & Botanical Garden.
Students learned about animal behavior, special adaptations, careers in zoological conservation, and the challenges of caring for animals in captivity that have unique habitat, health and nutrition requirements. The program also included special tours of animal holding areas, the veterinary hospital, and the commissary where animal diets are prepared.

Students also explored current conservation research efforts in the Southeastern US through presentations of scientists from zoos, universities, and wildlife agencies participating in the Conservation Research Consortium.

Organized by 4-H volunteers, the program offered an exciting, behind-the-scenes look at current trends and practices in the field of biological conservation. Many of the 4-H'ers evaluated the program as the most valuable environmental education experience they had ever participated in.
Date: Wed Jul 22 16:41:13 EDT 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: jones
Person Reporting: Tammy Howard


Jones County 4-H and Jones Middle School teachers have begun implementation of a long term water quality education program that involves students in classroom activities, field studies, and lab work to monitor water quality of the Trent River and increase awareness of environmental issues.

Pre-test and post-test evaluations of all eighth grade students revealed a 22 percent overall increase in knowledge of factors and processes affecting water quality. Initially, 69 percent of the students believed hog farming was the sole cause of deteriorating water quality and 44 percent believed individual citizens had no influence on water quality. Student conceptions were effectively challenged, resulting in 86 percent who recognized many causes of water quality
deterioration, and 88 percent realizing the impacts of individual citizens.
Date: Mon Dec 28 15:25:58 EST 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: lincoln
Person Reporting: Matt Taylor

Lincoln County's program efforts in water quality include involvement in an EPA 319 grant project, a middle school Local Environmental Awareness Project (LEAP), and working with a high school in the River Friendly Farmer program.
This comprehensive effort has resulted in over 200 citizens and youth learning about and working to improve the environment. An example of their accomplishments is one of the EPA 319 demonstration sites. An area farmer, who was opposed to fencing cattle out of creeks, has been convinced to exclude his livestock from surface water and to provide alternative water sources. Nearly one mile of stream banks have been protected on this farm alone. This protected stream bank will filter runoff and reduce sediment and nutrient loads entering the stream from this farm.
Date: Tue Dec 29 15:54:58 EST 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: edgecomb
Person Reporting: James R. Pearce

Ninety-five percent of the forests in Edgecombe County are owned by private landowners with little or no knowledge of the correct, most effective way of selling timber. The Edgecombe County Extension Center, working with the Edgecombe County Forestry Club, the NC Forest Service, private consultants and individuals, educated numerous potential timber sellers on how to market their timber. These efforts results in $930,660 in the price received for timber sold here in 1998.
Date: Tue Dec 29 11:26:16 EST 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: madison
Person Reporting: Eve Kindley

Teaching youth appreciation for and conservation of the environment can be challenging especially when it is believed that one person can't make a difference. The CES designed a special 4-H camp to focus on forestry emphasizing ecology, forest products, and silviculture. Pre/post tests were administered to the 75 participating youth. While the pre-test placed only 30 percent of youth scoring 50 percent or better, the post-test placed 82 percent of youth scoring 50percent or better - a 52 percent increase in knowledge gained. Clearly this was a positive learning experience for youth. One participant stated, "Now I understand how foresters help our environment and that I can help too."
Date: Thu Dec 31 14:21:02 EST 1998
SMP #: 15
Local System: iredell
Person Reporting: DON BREEDLOVE

Hazardous trees on Statesville's street right-of-ways are major complaints. These are young(3-5 year old) that obstruct traffic visibility because of low branches. No arborist position has been funded for three years and ground maintenance had little time, desire and skills for corrective pruning. A proposal was submitted and approved to the tree board which would provide training to city employees, master gardeners and citizen volunteers. Two seminars and workshop were held to provide information on watering, fertility and pruning. Two hours of lecture and a two hour on-site demonstration and observation of skills by 26 participants was done at each session. Volunteers time will save the city $5,200. An estimated $18,000 additional savings is possible for the 180 targeted trees if removal and replanting is done. The educational program and coordinated efforts between extension is praised a success by city council.
Date: Mon Jan 4 14:51:47 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: franklin
Person Reporting: William Lord

A six week environmental education program was designed and implemented for the third grade at Youngsville Elementary School in Franklin County. A multidisciplinary team of natural resource professionals led by CES 4-H agent Tammy Elliot made weekly presentations on water quality and environmental address issues to the students. A pre and post program survey was administered to the students to determine their knowledge of their environmental address. The pretest showed 50% of the students knew their environmental address, and 70% were able to identify their address after the 6 week program. Students were taught soil and water conservation, watershed identification, surface and groundwater hydrology, recycling, and watershed protection using interactive teaching models such as groundwater models, the "Neuse mobile" traveling display, and CD-rom watershed programs.
Date: Mon Jan 4 09:53:32 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: henderso
Person Reporting: Joy Staton

Cooperative Extension in Henderson County works with the Henderson County Community Development Council. One of the issues identified to be addressed by the Council was roadside beautification. All seven clubs active in the Council participated in this project. 338 bags of trash, 400 bags of recyclables and 10 truckloads of trash were collected. 81 individuals gave 338 hours to these efforts. As you drive throught participating commmunities, the difference is obvious.
Date: Mon Jan 4 11:17:16 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: lenoir
Person Reporting: Mary Smith, 4-H

33 volunteers spent 291 hours instructing 345 youth in the 4-H Neuse River Project Eco-Camp at the Neuseway Nature Center and other camp sites June 22-30. Workshops focused on the Nuese River and ways youth can be solutions to pollution. All youth located the Neuse River Basin on the Watershed map, identified the three parts of the water cycle, and built terrariums to demonstrate how the water cycle works. Youth learned about the earth's connectedness through an ecology video and demonstrated their knowledge answering questions as they played the Environmental Jeopardy game. High School Science Club and Neuse River Foundation volunteers demonstrated how to test the river for dissolved oxygen, ph, stream flow, salinity and explained how these properties affect the health of the Neuse River. Youth made earth bracelets and identified each color bead which represented sun, air, soil, water, plants, and warm-blooded animals. Youth explained how each part is
Date: Mon Jan 4 17:43:36 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: wayne
Person Reporting: Christine W. Smith

Helping young children develop positive attitudes about healthy food early in life is essential. Parents working outside the home entrust their children with care providers to provide well balanced meals and snacks in their absence. CES trained 102 Foster Grandparents and 14 parents on ways to encourage good nutrition and provide fun learning opportunities for young children. A variety of quick, easy, and healthy snacks were prepared and served. A major portion of the training focused on food safety, helping providers understand the nutritional benefits associated with each snack, and the role it plays in a child's growth and development. 89 percent of participants indicated they learned new food preparation skills and knowledge about feeding healthy snacks to children.
Date: Tue Jan 5 09:35:15 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: mecklenb
Person Reporting: John MacNair

Children are in need of educators who can take complex issues about nature and present them in a simplied, but informative manner. The team of John MacNair, Forestry agent, and Julie Tipton-smalley, Afterschool 4-H agent, co-taught a Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshop to 15 children age 8 to 12. The great thing about the project is that one agent had the technical knowledge and the other knew how to translate that knowledge into fun learning. After two half days of training, the children planted 4 live oaks, 4 'Athena' lace bark elms, and 3 'Natchez' crapemyrtles.
Date: Mon Jan 11 11:28:12 EST 1999
SMP #: 15
Local System: harnett
Person Reporting: Paul McKenzie

Many private forest landowners are concerned about resource conservation and wildlife habitat, but do not have the knowledge to put their desire into an effective management plan. The Forest Stewardship Program provides private landowners with a detailed management plan which addresses these issues, as well as cost-share money for implementing certain practices. In 1998, the Harnett County Stewardship Committee, consisting of representatives from NRCS, USDA, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Forest Service, and NC Cooperative Extension Service, approved 6 new forest stewardship plans. As a result, 543 acres of private land were brought under management according to the conservation principles of the Stewardship Program.
Return to 1998 Success Stories Index