MLRA REGION 10 NEWSLETTER--MARCH 1, 1998 Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College (FDLTCC) and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Center of Excellence Initiative in map compilation for digitizing soil surveys (by Joe McCloskey, Region 10 MLRA Office Leader) In April, NRCS and the FDLTCC will open a Center of Excellence for map compilation. Congratulations to Tom Neuenfeldt, the soil scientist selected to be in charge of the map compilation efforts. The Center of Excellence program supports partnerships and enhanced working relationships between USDA agencies and Tribes. This partnership will result in: - enhanced educational opportunities and employment opportunities for Native American students; - USDA presence on campus and commitment with Tribes; - accomplish dual national priorities of soil survey digitization and expanded Tribal College capacity; - the center can also serve as a facility to enhance the FDLTCC Environmental Studies Institute and provide a location for USDA-NRCS Tribal College Liaison/student interaction; - ensure that Tribal Colleges and Universities are more fully recognized as accredited institutions, thus having access to the opportunities afforded other institutions; - and have Federal resources committed to the Tribal College on a continuing basis. Additional benefits include specific skills that will be achieved by students working on the recompilation of soil surveys, such as: - introduction to a scientific career; - understanding of soil surveys; - aerial photo interpretation; - fundamentals in remote sensing; and - applications of a GIS. Map Compilation Center Initiative Through this initiative students will have the opportunity for a better understanding of soil survey plus have hands on experience in map compilation -- a critical step in the process of digitizing soil surveys. This Center is following the model established in Wisconsin (thanks to Jim Barnes and Ken Lubich for their input and ideas). The FDLTCC Center will be staffed with a NRCS soil scientist and four to six non-soil scientists (students). The recompilation (re-drafting of soil surveys onto digital orthophotography) will be done by non-soil scientists, however the recompilation process (training, guidance, and quality assurance) must be done by a NRCS soil scientist because recompilation is, in effect, creating a new soil survey. A special thanks to: Kevin Daw (AC, Duluth, MN); Bill Hunt (STC, MN); Charles Whitmore (RC, Madison); Carole Jett (Deputy Chief, NHQ); Jim Barnes (SS, Rhinelander, WI); Ken Lubich (SSS, WI); Dave Wise (SC, FDLTCC); Jack Briggs (Pres, FDLTCC); and Joe Hudspith (FDLTCC); John Nicholson (AC, MN) and the many others that have been instrumental in their support in establishing this Center. ######################################################################### Last month, the following x3780 files were sent to offices having SSSD: x3780.402mes on Jan 30 (53 updated OSDs) * x3780.404frig on Feb 6 ( 3 updated OSDs) @ x3780.405frig on Feb 9 ( 6 updated OSDs) @ x3780.406mes on Feb 11 (16 updated OSDs) * x3780.407mes on Feb 12 ( 2 updated OSDs) * x3780.406frig on feb 23 ( 1 updated OSD ) @ x3780.409frig on Feb 26 ( 5 updated OSDs) @ @ Sent to offices using soils in the frigid soil temperature regime. * Sent to offices using soils in the mesic soil temperature regime. # Sent to all offices. ######################################################################### POSSIBLE PEDON-FGI (FOCS GRASS INTERFACE) CONFLICT We experienced a corruption of the PEDON data base last month. One day, when using the PEDON program, the Milaca Project Office could not use their "Edit a Cursor Path" function; I was able to duplicate their problem on the MLRA Region 10 computer and also discovered that the "Chooser" function was inoperative. What happened was that the PEDON data had been converted from an Informix 5 format to an Informix 7 format, so was therefore not able to be used by the PEDON program. What both computer systems had in common was a recent load of the FGI software (Version 3.2.0). We are suspicious that the PEDON data was converted during that load, but are still not 100% certain. I received a script from the hotline to reconvert the PEDON data back to Informix 5--took about ten minutes--and now PEDON works fine. So, if your PEDON data is loaded on a computer that also runs FOCS, please let your system administrator or your FOCS contact person know about this possible confict. I can send you the scripts used for reconversion if your need them. Submitted by: John Handler ######################################################################### NASIS TRAINING RECEIVED The following soil scientists received the NASIS 3.1 introductory training last month: Art Voigtlander Keith Christensen Mark Perry Clint Tuve Mike Rokus Charlie Saari Roger Risley Peter Weikle Please feel free to use the NASIS expertise empowered in these individuals to answer your questions. ######################################################################### ACTIVITY SCHEDULE (through April 15--subject to change) Mar 2-5 NASIS 3.1 Training--3 Field Soil Scientists and State Staff (IA) Handler Mar 3 Soil Survey Work Planning Conference--MI Jahnke Mar 4 Technical Coordinating Meeting--IA McCloskey Hempel Giencke Mar 4-6 NASIS Editing--Menominee County, WI Jahnke DesLauriers Mar 5-6 MLRA 103 Northern Team Meeting Giencke Hempel Mar 16-20 NASIS 3.1 Training--Marquette County MI staff * DesLauriers Mar 23-27 Final Correlation--Washington County NE Hempel Apr 6-9 ArcView Training DesLauriers Osterman Handler Apr 13-17 MLRA 105 Steering Committee Meeting Jahnke Hempel * Tentative ######################################################################### CHANGED ADDRESSES 1. In the MLRA Region 10 Directory (9-97), change Dale Ceolla's internet address on page i to: Dale.Ceolla@ia.nrcs.usda.gov 2. In the MLRA Region 10 Directory (9-97), change Patrick Cowsert's uucp address on page i to: mwnet!terra!onawaS!pcowsert ######################################################################### CONTRIBUTIONS, IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, AND QUESTIONS ARE WELCOME. Please submit your items at least five days before the end of the month for inclusion in that month's newsletter. Otherwise it will appear the following month. Thanks to those individuals who participated this month. This newsletter is intended to be a forum to distribute information of a general nature that will benefit soil scientists in soil survey project offices. It is hoped that it will foster communications and sharing of knowledge among those soil scientists in MLRA Region 10. The format of this newsletter is intentionally simple so that it can be received, printed, and read by the project office having the least sophisticated computer setup. #########################################################################