August 24, 2021
Edition Topics
- Message from Interim Director Ed Martin
- Welcome Margine Bawden and Anita Thompson
- Arizona Pecan Growers Association Conference
- Economic Contribution and Impacts of Arizona's State Parks
- Extension Specialist in Soil Health Candidates
- New Extension Publications
- Congratulations Dr. Molly Hunter
- Cooperative Extension Marketing "Office" Hours
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Message from the Interim Director of Extension
Writing from the Director's campus office, I look out, and it is apparent that the students have indeed returned, helping to fulfill one of the UA's core land grant missions of instruction. There is certainly a different vibe out there, and I must admit, it is nice to see everyone. However, we are still dealing with COVID and still following the UA guidelines for face-coverings. At the county offices, I am grateful for our leadership, who are helping to ensure the safety of our employees, clients, and volunteers. I am also grateful for our staff at the state office, who have been scheduling office hours to minimize our presence on campus, as requested, but work to meet our statewide institution's needs. The resilience of Cooperative Extension never ceases to amaze me. Our people, programs, and impacts keep us a relevant and integral part of the University of Arizona land grant mission.
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| Welcome
We would like to welcome two new University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Agents in northern Arizona. Margine Bawden is the new Area FCHS Agent for Apache and Navajo Counties. She began her new responsibilities in early July. She previously worked as the SNAP-Ed Coordinator for Apache and Navajo Counties. Anita Thompson began her Cooperative Extension career as the new Area Range/Animal Science Agent in Apache and Navajo Counties in mid-July. She worked previously for the Forest Service in various districts on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. We are very excited to have two new Area Agents in northeastern Arizona and wish them the best of luck.
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| 26th Arizona Pecan Growers Association Conference
The 26th Arizona Pecan Growers Association Conference will be held on
Thursday, August 26th and Friday, 27th. For full program and list of events visit https://arizonapecan.com/
The 26th kicks off the event with a ‘Welcome Reception’ that evening from 5 to 7 p.m.
The 27th is the full day educational program with registration opening at 7:30 a.m.
Registration for University of Arizona faculty and personnel can be completed here: https://arizonapecan.com/membershippackages/ (‘Non-Grower’ option).
CEU’s sign-up will be available on the 27th. Door prizes will be raffled on August 26th ‘Welcome Reception’ and August 27th lunch.
Come join us for the annual celebration of Arizona’s healthy and nutritious nuts!
Contact: Joshua Sherman, Commercial Horticulture, Associate Area Agent, jdsherman@arizona.edu
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| Economic Contribution and Impacts of Arizona's State Parks
Economic Contribution and Impacts of Arizona's State Parks
Dari Duval, Ashley K. Bickel and George Frisvold
This study presents an analysis of the importance of Arizona State Parks to the state’s economy and to the 13 county economies where state parks are located. The study measures two types of economic effects: county economic impacts and state economic contributions. Both measures are rooted in visitor spending. State parks attract visitors, often from outside the local area, that spend money on such things as lodging, meals, and incidental expenditures. This spending is important to local economies, supporting businesses and jobs, and creating additional rounds of spending in the local economy, known as economic multiplier effects. Spending by non-local visitors, attracted to state parks from outside the local area, represents net new money circulating in the local economy, and therefore is considered as an economic impact. This study presents county-level economic impact estimates for all counties in Arizona with state parks. We also consider all (local and non-local) visitor spending in and around state parks in estimating the economic contribution of state parks to Arizona’s economy. An economic contribution analysis presents a snapshot of existing economic activity surrounding a particular industry or attraction; however, it does not differentiate where spending is coming from. In other words, spending by local residents is simply money being recirculated within the local economy and does not generate net new economic activity within the region’s economy. Finally, we present a brief analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on visits to Arizona State Parks to provide context on the level of visits observed during fiscal year 2020.
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| Extension Specialist in Soil Health Candidates
The following links are for the first two candidate seminars for the Extension Specialist in Soil Health position. The search committee values feedback from diverse individuals, so we would love to hear from you. We also have one additional candidate who will be providing a seminar in Forbes 124 Friday, August 27th at 11:15am. Please plan to attend or zoom in if you are able.
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New Extension Publications
Michael Chamberland
The saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) is an iconic symbol of Arizona and the greater American Southwest. The saguaro flower is Arizona’s State Flower. Silhouettes of saguaro appear on the standard Arizona automobile license plate. Saguaro cacti are the largest cacti in the United States, sometimes exceeding 60 feet in height and standing taller than any other plant in their native habitat. Arizona’s two largest metropolitan areas, Phoenix and Tucson, feature saguaro cacti in urban natural areas and planted landscapes
Saguaro Horticulture: Selecting and Planting Saguaro
Michael Chamberland
Saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea) are easy to cultivate in most of southern Arizona where they are native. They are very well suited for xeriscape plantings in southern Arizona desert regions and are commonly planted in urban landscapes in Phoenix and Tucson. Saguaro can be costly to purchase and install when compared to many landscape plants. It is important to plant saguaro correctly and to provide for proper establishment to support this investment.
4-H Vermicomposting and Earthworms
Thom Plasse, Elizabeth W. Sparks and Fiona Davey
Earthworms are a crucial component of the soil food web—the symbiotic network of organisms responsible for soil health and subsequently the health of plants.7 Integrating vermicomposting (composting using earthworms) into a home garden is one of the easiest ways to harness these natural processes to create nutrient-rich soil, helping you grow a beautiful bounty!
4-H Key Developmental Outcomes
Amy Parrott and Michael Hauser
For more than 100 years, the 4-H Program has played a role in counties across the country. While project areas change from place to place, the architecture of the program remains the same. The goal is to provide educational opportunities for young people so that they can acquire interpersonal and professional skills. Whether you are familiar with the 4-H Essential Elements framework (Gressley et al., 2009), that all 4-H clubs should have Belonging, Mastery, Independence and Belonging framework or the 5 C’s of Positive Youth Development framework (Lerner, 2007) which include Connection, Confidence, Character, Caring, Competence, Contribution the goals are the same.
Igniting the Spark through 4-H Youth Development
Amy Parrott and Michael Hauser
4-H leaders play a critical role in the development of young people. Volunteers who seek opportunities to mentor young people with an identified spark can be their best advocate and biggest cheerleader. Utilizing the 4-H Thrive Model, we discuss the positive trajectory of youth when sparks are ignited.
Empowering Goal Setting: A Basis for Improving Social Well-being in Youth
Josh Farella and Meghan Penrod
Empowered goal setting is the foundation by which 4-H can support youth in defining and achieving a sense of personal purpose. In this article we review some important reasoning behind empowering goal setting and suggest some useful models for framing interactions with 4-H youth.
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| Congratulations Dr. Molly Hunter
Congratulations to Dr. Martha (Molly) Hunter, Professor of Entomology, and Chair of the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Entomology & Insect Science on her election as a Fellow of the Entomological Society of America (ESA).
According to ESA, the purpose of this award is to honor "individuals who have made outstanding contributions to entomology…and whose career accomplishments serve to inspire all entomologists.”
The ESA, founded in 1889, is the world’s largest organization of professional entomologists, with more than 7,000 members. Election as a Fellow is a highly competitive, prestigious honor achieved by at most 10 individuals annually (i.e., less than 0.2% of the members).
The award announcement states Professor Hunter is “internationally known for her study of how bacterial symbionts influence herbivores, parasitoids, and the parasitoid-host interaction.” She will be recognized as a Fellow at the ESA Annual Meeting, October 31-November 3, 2021.
For more information please see:
https://www.entsoc.org/ten-entomologists-honored-2021-fellows-entomological-society-america
Great job Molly!
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| Cooperative Extension Marketing "Office" Hours
Have a question about branding, marketing, social media posting? Stop by Cooperative Extension Marketing “Office” Hours with Marketing Manager, Jess Dorsey. She will hold “Office” Hours weekly Tuesdays from 11am – 12pm.
Join Here: https://arizona.zoom.us/j/81742210161
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