University of Wyoming Extension News

Category Archives: Natrona

UW Extension hosts management-intensive grazing school near Glenrock

Range specialist Mike Smith, center, and others calculate forage during last year's management-intensive grazing session.

Range specialist Mike Smith, center, and others calculate forage at a session during  last year’s management-intensive grazing program.

A four-day school to coax more out of pastures, extend grazing seasons and reduce or eliminate the need for harvested feed is being sponsored at a Glenrock ranch by the University of Wyoming Extension.

The management-intensive grazing school is May 28-May 31 at the Duncan Ranch. Each day has classroom work in the morning followed by hands-on applications of the concepts on the ranch.

The school will teach participants how to design and implement a management-intensive grazing program focused on profitability and pasture production.

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Weed association convention offers pesticide applicator recertification in Casper

Commercial pesticide applicator recertification, rangeland weed research and structural pest and mosquito control are among topics for weed management professionals at the 2013 Wyoming Recertification Rendezvous and Convention Jan. 15-17 in Casper.

“This recertification session is the primary opportunity available for commercial applicators seeking continuing education credits to retain their pesticide applicator licenses,” said Jeff Edwards, University of Wyoming Extension pesticide coordinator.

Registration deadline is Jan. 10. Registration fees are $85 on or before Jan. 10 and $110 after Jan. 10 or at the door. To register and for program information, go to www.wyweedmgmt.org/.

The conference at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel is in conjunction with the UW Pesticide Applicator Recertification program.

“Protect yourself,” said Sandra Frost, UW Extension educator. “Protect your employees. Protect the earth. These are three good reasons to attend the Wyoming Recertification Rendezvous for commercial pesticide applicators.”

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Natrona County extension horticulturist receives outstanding educator honor

Donna Cuin

Donna Cuin, horticultural program associate in the Natrona County office of the University of Wyoming Extension, received the Outstanding Extension Educator Award from the Wyoming Association of County Agricultural Agents.

The award was presented in November in Laramie at the annual extension trainingconference. Cuin is an active member of the association and was honored for her excellence in extension education, leadership for extension programming, for tackling challenging issues and mentoring new extension employees.

Cuin joined extension in 2002. Her specialties are perennial gardening, xeriscaping and proper tree pruning practices, and she is the Natrona County Master Gardener coordinator and coaches 4-H vegetable judging teams.

UW Extension honors educators, specialist for exemplary performance

Karla Case

A Natrona County University of Wyoming Extension educator has received extension’s most prestigious award, and two others received newer employee and creative excellence honors.

Karla Case, a nutrition and food safety educator, was presented the Jim DeBree Excellence in Cooperative Extension Award in Laramie Wednesday, Nov. 7, during extension’s annual training conference.

The award, honoring the retired extension administrator, is given to those who demonstrate a high level of professional performance and leadership within their program areas and communities.

Nominations noted Case’s ability to work well with others, collaboration in creative efforts and providing innovative and inspiring contributions. Case is also the Cent$ible Nutrition Program coordinator for the county. A registered dietician, Case joined UW Extension in 2006.

Jennifer Jacobsen

Vision, finesse and confidence helped Jennifer Jacobsen receive the organization’s Newer Employee Recognition Award. Jacobsen, a nutrition and food safety educator based in Jackson, serves Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton and Uinta counties.

“She is an example of an outstanding educator and exemplifies enthusiasm, professionalism, creativity and a strong work ethic,” wrote one nominator.

“She continuously looks for new ways to serve and educate in the western area, and provides successful programming in andoutside of Teton County,” said another.

Jacobsen began her position in 2009.

Creating and enhancing client websites and delivering creative and impressive projects has earned website designer and developer Ann Tanaka the Creative Excellence Recognition Award.

Ann Tanaka

Tanaka, in the Office of Communications and Technology in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Laramie, was recognized for her commitment to improving extension’s Web presence.

“In a very short time, Ann has transformed extension’s Web presence from static pages to an interactive experience,” wrote a nominator.

Wrote another, “Ann approaches each project with a curiosity to learn something new, persistence to make the current better and determination to deliver a product that reflects the desires of her clientele. Her ideas and creativity in building and improving websites always exceed my expectations.”

Tanaka joined UW Extension in 2011.

UW’s Operation: Military Kids partners with Military Child Education Coalition

Providing practical strategies and resources for encouraging resilience in children of military parents serving overseas is the intent of a two-day workshop in Casper this September.

Living in the New Normal Institute (LINN): Helping Children Thrive Through Good and Challenging Times training is Wednesday and Thursday, Sept 12-13, at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel at 800 N. Poplar St. Breakfast and lunch are providedboth days.

Out of Wyoming’s 88,000 school-age children, 3,000 or 3.4 percent are children of members of the military, according to Keith Martin, program manager at the non-profit Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC).

“That number more than doubles when you add the children of men and women who served and completedtheir service at some time during the 11 years of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he said. “It becomes even larger when you add military-connected children who are in private schools or who are home-schooled.”

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