2007 Texas SAF Annual Meeting:
PreConference Training Opportunities

Please scroll down the page to view each of the three opportunties

GeoSpatial Tool Kit Amy E. Hays Geospatial Extension Specialist Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources 512-475-6410 ahays@tamu.edu

There is no question that technology has significantly changed the world over the last 20 years.  The only real question remains is how has it changed YOUR world and the way that natural resource professionals do business.  No technology can replace the trusty field book, but some technologies can help improve on age old methods.  Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technologies have made their ways into almost every market.  Natural resources is no exception.  The power of GPS when coupled with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can add to the power of field data collection.  The key factor I adoption has been the cost and ease of use of GPS/GIS solutions.

The Geospatial Toolkit is a GPS/GIS/PDA combination that allows for a low cost, high technology solution for natural resource data capture and ecosystem monitoring.  Texas has adopted this solution after successful implementation in Utah and Arizona over the pat 5 years.  The Geospatial Toolkit provides key powerful GIS tools, portability, and affordability so that you can maximize you time in the field and expand the depth of information you collect.  The development goal of the Geospatial Toolkit is to serve natural resource, agriculture, forestry, and other Earth related sciences in finding a stable, portable, and accessible tool for better field data collection.  The development of the Toolkit is done through Geospatial Extension Specialists through the Cooperative Extension Service, a public outreach. 

This half day course is designed to introduce you to the Geospatial Toolkit, but more importantly too give you some hands on time with the unit, as well as information about why and how these units were chosen (in general, information about what to look for in GPS/PDA/GIS solutions).  You will get a chance to collect and design simple data sets and to see other “gadgets” that are also part of the choices for natural resource data collection.  The goal of the course is to give you information on a low cost solution, and on how to choose a tool that right for you.

Click here for the toolkit documents....

---

The 4 hour training will cover conducting wildfire risk assessments, at both the community and individual homeowner level. Participants will have the opportunity to learn what factors are considered when conducting a risk assessment, and how that information can be conveyed in a way that offers solutions to those at risk. Following the class room session participants will have the opportunity to assess an individual property and a community first hand utilizing the latest risk assessment methodologies.

---

TDA Pesticide Applicator Training and Exam Mary L. Ketchersid, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist - Pesticide Safety Education Texas Cooperative Extension 979-845-6531 m-ketchersid@tamu.edu

This training will be conducted in two parts.

Part 1 - Material Review

On Tuesday, April 24, 2007 from 12:00 - 6:00, Mary Ketchersid (Texas Cooperative Extension) will review the material for each of the three exams required to obtain TDA Pesticide License. They include (1) General, (2) Laws and Regs, and (3) Forestry. Please Note you MUST have the manuals and have studied prior to the training. The review will not help you pass the Exam if you have not studied prior to the review.

Use this form to order the manuals NOW. You will need the following manuals:

1. Commercial / Noncommercial applicator - General (B-5060)
2. Laws and regulations (B-5056)
3. Forest pest control (B-5065)

Part 2 - Exam

TDA will conduct the test on Thursday, April 26, 2007 from 8:00 am - 12:00 noon. If you cannot make this date then you may schedule a different testing time with your nearest TDA office. The General and Laws & Regs Exams or free to any one who needs them but there is a charge of $24 to take a category Exam (forestry) unless the person works for a governmental entity or a university or similar organization. Also the test fee is charged EACH time a Category Exam is taken.

The $24 category exam fee is NOT covered by the Texas SAF meeting registration and must be paid directly to TDA. Checks ONLY - TDA CANNOT TAKE CASH!!!

Participants should bring a calculator for working problems on the Exams

TDA officials will need to see a valid picture ID prior to testing and a Driver's License number for forms. There is no charge for the General and Laws & Regs Exams. BOTH General and Laws and Regs must be passed before the Category Exam can be taken. TDA prefers that each participant start with the General, then Laws & Regs (not all Inspectors do this but some do). Once both of these are completed the participants can take the category exam. After the exams are all finished, TDA will give each participant a license request form and explain what needs to be done.

A person can start the next Exam as soon as he has finished one Exam and it has been graded (grading just takes a couple of minutes). The TDA inspectors allow participants to take as many exams as time will allow. If they are slow they will need to go to a TDA office to finish. Click here to find a TDA testing location near you. To test at a TDA office you must have an appointment. NO drop ins.

To Summarize

• Registrants must purchase and review manuals prior to the training event.
• Participants must pass ALL THREE exams before they can get a license.
• Participants must send in a license request and license fee to TDA prior to receiving their license. They will not receive their license at this meeting just proof of testing. This proof of testing comes from TDA.
• Exam results are good for 12 months - if someone has only taken 2 Exams the third must be completed before a year has passed or he will have to start over.
• Participants must bring a CHECK to pay the category testing fee (if a commercial applicator).
• The category exams cost $24.00 each time they are taken. TDA can NOT accept cash or credit cards for category test fees.
• Visit the TDA Pesticide Applicator website to find out more.