Progress 02/24/17 to 09/30/21
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience for the DSU RREA program is very diverse. Since our agriculture and natural resources extension program works with all community members but spends addition effort to target socially disadvantaged producers / landowners for this project and all of our outreach programs. In the past couple of years we also have been promoting programing to the Delaware veteran community as well as new landowners. Changes/Problems:The large problem during this grant period was the pandemic and with it making all outreach activities a virtual approach only was a considerable issue. Made it a challenge to spend the grant funds as well as make one-on-one land visits. Even though there were many virtual workshops conducted it stopped us from doing the tours and hands-on style trainings where we make the most impact. We are hopeful during 2022 we will be able to move back into that education style and start getting the Delaware landowners making economic advances on their properties. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During this project we offer professional development to all Delaware Extension Staff on some of the working in extension fundamentals. We held virtual workshops cover time management, best ways to present information to your clientele as well as planning programs with impacts in mind through evaluation. We reached at least nine extension staff for each workshop and even though the information needed to be presented on Zoom, we did get some great interaction and discussion during the workshops. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The DSU team made extra efforts to get information to communities of interest through all our social media and standard PSA (Public service announcements) avenues as well as using our email list and partner organizations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During this grant period we were faced with the challenge to complete our projects that are hands-on and in-person style trainings without being able to meet in-person. Even though DSU was able to pivot to virtual learning it led to many challenges for some of the programming we were planning. We were not able to hold our in-person conference and there were challenges spending the funds once we were completely virtual. Up till the end of 2019 we were able to continue with standard workshops including Invasive Pond Workshop- September 26, 2019 (12 Total participants). This workshop was designed to educated pond owners about the potential Invasive species that can cause major disturbance to the areas they inhabit. The participants learned ways to reduce invasive populations of weeds in their ponds and management strategies to have healthy ecosystems thrive in their ponds. As well as the Designer Ditches Workshop- October 22, 2019 (13 Total participants). This workshop educated participants on the types of native plants that can be planted on their ditch banks and waterways to help reduce erosion, prevent invasive species from growing, provide habitat for pollinators and birds, and increase biodiversity. The participants learned there are several variations of plantings from small swales to large tax ditches. Finishing with the Pruning Crape Myrtles -November 29, 2019 (18 Total participants). This workshop provided a lecture and hands-on approach to learning how to prune trees. This workshop was designed around Crape Myrtle pruning but the practices can be used on any woody tree or shrub to provide optimal health for growing trees. Beginning in 2020 and going through 2021 we based all learning through Virtual Workshops starting with Establishing a Backyard Habitat - June 6, 2020 (36 Total 15WM 2BF 19WF). This workshop was held virtually and provided a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a backyard habitat by providing the appropriate necessities for wildlife. The importance of removing noxious weeds, planting natives, reducing pesticide, and stormwater management strategies were also discussed during this hour and a half presentation. There was a workshop coving Invasive Insects on July 15, 2020 (32 Total participants). This workshop was offered virtually and was designed to discuss the invasive and predatory insects in our world. DSU Extension was able to develop some Video Education - DSU videoed two of our presentations to have edited and made available for media outlets to reach more people during this time period of working remotely. ? Building Bat Boxes- Recorded on September 30, 2020 ? How to Correctly Prune Trees- Recorded on September 18, 2020 Virtual education continued in 2021 with workshop including April 9, 2021 - Native Plants Workshop. During this session, the participants leaned how to create a wildlife habitat in their own backyard. The participants learned about a variety of native plant species that will help the wildlife native to our region. 12 Forest Landowners attended this workshop. On April 17, 2021 - Plant a Pot Activity. This Earth Day Event activity was to encourage student to continue planting for pollinator promotion. There were 19 university students in attendance. There was a Plant a Tree Workshop on April 21, 2021, with 34 Delaware landowners in attendance for this virtual workshop. This Zoom workshop gave participants the Why plant a tree, the where should you plant a tree and the how do you plant a tree properly. We would have preferred to have this as a hands-on activity style workshop but under a Covid influenced year the thought was to stay virtual for people's safety. On July 9, 2021 - Reading your Soil Test Results. This session was about identifying the importance of a soil test on your property and how to read the results to get the proper soil amendments for the projects on different landowners' properties. There were 37 Delaware landowners in attendance for this virtual workshop. The education continued with the Watering for Healthy Landscapes workshop in August of 2021 This virtual workshop was designed to give landowners the correct information around water requirements and the best management for watering landscape types. This covered starting new shrubs and trees to maintain them through dry times throughout the season. There were 30 landowners in attendance for this virtual workshop.
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Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20
Outputs
Target Audience:Delaware State University work with all landowners within the state that needs our assistance, but our agriculture and naturalresources extension program works with the socially disadvantaged producers, we also targeted them with this program. We are currently promoting programming to the state's Native American community as well. Changes/Problems:The 2020 pandemic made in hard to complete our objectives and goals. DSU stop all travel and in-person meetings/ visits. This had a negative impact on our ability to visit and decuss the landowners issues. It was difficult to complete some of the workshops, since virtual has limited effect for some of our topics. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Invasive Pond Workshop- September 26th2019 (12 total5WM 7WF) Designer Ditches Workshop- October 22nd2019 (13 Total 5M 8F) Pruning Crape MyrtlesWorkshop - November 29th2019 (18 Total all WF) Establishing a Backyard Habitat- Virtual Workshop June 6th(36 Total 15WM 2BF 19WF) Invasive Insects in your Garden- VirtualWorkshop July 15th(32 Total 25WF 3BF 4WM) How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Hopefully, we will be able to return to face-to-face meetings and training to complete the in-person workshops that give our participants a stronger understanding and skill retention than our current virtual webinars and Zoom meetings.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The beginning of the year started out with workshops and landowner visits as well as many other workshops to complete, but due to the pandemic we were only able to complete three face-to-faceworkshops before switching to virtual workshops over Zoom. We also created videos to cover some of our topics, but they are still waiting to be edited before we can put them on a few internet locations to assist the Delaware landowners as well as others that view them on YouTube. I'll include their link on the next report.
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Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Delaware State University work with all landowners within the state that needs our assistance, but our agriculture and natural resources extension program works with the socially disadvantaged producers, we also targeted them with this program. In the past couple of years we have been promoting programing to the state's veteran community as well. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Delaware State University held multiple training to meet the objective of our RREA project. On October 11, 2018 "Tree Pruning Workshop" taught participants the importance of proper tree pruning techniques. The first half of the class was instructions on how to make a proper cut and the second part was a demonstration outside, taught by a certified arborist. 23 Forest Landowners attended this workshop. Then on October 20, 2018 "Wilderness at Home: How to create the perfect Wildlife Habitat in your own backyard session", where the participants leaned how to create a wildlife habitat in their own backyard. The participants learned about a variety of native plant species that will help the wildlife native to our region. There were 19 participants in attendance. Followed by a May 8-10, 2019 DSU Woodland Classroom Tours provides forest and wetland ecosystem education to elementary school children, kindergarten through 3rd grade. The schoolchildren were divided into small groups of 8-10 children per group, and training guides (volunteers, student workers, and DSU staff) lead the group through the Woodland Trail, the Pond Animals station, and the Herbarium. Each tour takes about 2 hours. Highlights of the program include live turtles (box turtle, spotted turtle), tadpoles, and toads; taxidermy (raccoon, fox, otter, muskrat, beaver, wood duck; and the forest, stream, and wetland habitats and plants of the 1/3-mile-long Woodland Trail. In the Herbarium, the students learn about pressed plants and participate in a botanical stamping activity. There were 330 students involved in this tour. Lastly, we held a "Invasive Pond Plants session" on September 26, 2019 to educate about about identifying invasive pond plants and learning the best methods for management. Invasive species threaten the diversity of other native plant species and also have negative effect on the nation balance of local bodies of water. There were 15 people in attendance. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Our program targets communities of interest across all its programs and the promotional material for the RREA project also was disseminated to these minority and limited resources communities. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Delaware State University will continue to promote educational programing to the landowners across the state and promote economic opportunities and healthier habitat in all program planning.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The program impacted six cliental that started or expanded income generating enterprises on their property. They were guided to capitalize on economic opportunities, which included value-added split wood sales, and hunting leases income from their woodlands. This was in addition to knowledge gained from previous series of "Risk Management" workshops that covered safety, opportunities and marketing for wood enterprises. There were over 50 individuals who gained knowledge on wood enterprises and the safety requirements of each step of that enterprise. The second goal provided general knowledge on woodlands, ecosystem health and tree identification. Twenty-three individuals learned the skill on how to identify tree types, and another 18 learned how to identify invasive species in ponds and surrounding habitats. Delaware State University's team also had 330 youth gain knowledge about woodlands and animals that live there. .
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Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Delaware State University work with all landowners within the state that needs our assistance, but our agriculture and natural resources extension program works with the socially disadvantaged producers, we also target them with this program. In the past couple of years we also have been promoting programing to the state's veteran community as well. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Each of the Delaware State University RREA based workshops were avalible and promoted to agricultural and forrestry professionals but I don't think the current topics covered were advanced enough for those professionals to attend. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We promote this project simular to all of our extension programming, which includes social media, e-mail and hard copy annoucements as well as working with our partners to spead the word. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We will continue to promote and educate programming to increase awareness and opportunities with woodlands in Delaware. We have purchase a trailer to create a mobile training center to make the project more frexible in where it can be presented. This trailer will allow us to carry all the demonstration equipment and supplies to every workshop that it's needed.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Under the first goal to put together outreach and education to enhancing economic benefits for the community we serve across Delaware. October 26th 2017 Harvesting Firewood talk During this workshop participants learned what trees to choose for harvest and which to let grow. They also learned techniques for harvesting and selecting firewood for sale. This class was taught by a Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service Representative at a farm in Western Kent County. 10 forest landowners attended this workshop. November 9th 2017 Tree Pruning and Care Workshop This workshop taught participants the importance of proper tree pruning techniques. The first half of the class was instructions on how to make a proper cut and the second part was be a demonstration outside taught by a certified arborist.Nineteen forest land owners attended this workshop. December 14th 2017 Building Woodduck Boxes Build them and they will come was the concept of this workshop. During this session participants learned the importance of wood ducks and why we should promote the species. A representative from the National Wildlife Federation gave a brief presentation followed by construction of a wood duck box that could be taken home or donated to the federation.Thirty boxes were created by thefifteen forest land owners participants. September 20th 2018 Selecting and Harvesting Firewood/ General Tree Care session During this workshop participants learned what trees to choose for harvest and which to let grow. They also learned techniques for harvesting and selecting firewood for sale. This class was taught by a Delaware Department of Agriculture Forest Service Representative at a farm in Western Kent County and twelve forest landowners attended this workshop. September 25th 2018Tree Identification Walk and talk This session was located on the Delaware State University Tree Campus USA (Arbor Day Foundation designation). The session was led by Dr. Cynthia Hong Wa, DSU Claude E Phillips Herbarium Curator. The patrons visited and discussed some of the trees on campus while learning how to use a field guide to identify trees on their own property.Eight Forest Landowners attended this workshop.
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Progress 02/24/17 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Delaware State University work with all landowners within the state that needs our assistance, butour agriculture and natural resources extension program works with the socially disadvantaged producers, we also target them with this program. In the past couple of years we also have beenpromoting programing to thestate's veteran community as well. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Our workshopon the safety requirements of operating a chainsaw as well as the personal protective equipment needed for this type of enterprise was advertised through the state system to ANRprofessionals. Unfortunately, we had no one show up forthe professional developement opportunity. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?DSU Extension used social media and electronic mailings as well as physical mailings to the landownersthat don't repond well througha computer. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Our plan is to continue with workshops through this fall including; Selecting and Harvesting Firewood, Tree Pruning as well as building wood duck boxes to enhance thewildlife on area woodlands. DSU is also planning additional workshop for2018 continue to support and increase enterprise developement for landowners throughout the state.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Under the first goal to put together outreach and education to enhancing economic benefits for the community we serve across Delaware. As apart of our training series aworkshop was given tocover chainsaw safety andoperations. During this workshop 12 landownersgained knowledge on the safety requirements of operating a chainsaw as well as the personal protective equipment needed for this type of enterprise. A Tree Identification Walk and Talk was provided to 16 Forest Landownerson the Delaware State University Tree Campus USA (Arbor Day Foundation designation). The session was led by Dr. Cynthia Hong Wa, DSU Claude E Phillips Herbarium Curator. The patrons visited and discussed some of the trees on campus while learning how to use a field guide to identify trees on their own property.
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