Program Impacts
RANGELAND RESOURCES
- Rangeland education program had at least 500 student contacts.
- Continued participation in the following collaborations:
- Jordan Meadows
- the Santa Rosa Range Management program; and
- the North-central Nevada Sage-grouse local work group.
Extension Educator, Brad Schultz’s role is to ensure that participants have the appropriate peer reviewed research available to help inform discussions and decisions.
- Continued the Santa Rosa Mountains “repeat photography study”. Approximately 150 sites, with original photos taken 30 to over 100 years ago had repeat photos taken. Presented results at Nevada Cattlemen’s workshops. Data collected has been incorporated into the US Forest Services NEPA documents for the Santa Rosa Grazing Project. See photos at right.
- Conducted a state-wide forage-loss assessment so that the USDA Farm Services Agency Insurance Program had adequate data to distribute funds for forage losses due to drought.
- Steering committee member and participant in a two-day workshop to explore the development of a land management policy center for arid and semi-arid rangelands at the University of Nevada Reno.
NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE WEEDS
- Noxious and invasive weeds are widespread throughout Nevada and threaten the productivity of cropland, pasture and rangeland. The Humboldt County Extension Educator interacts with the Paradise Valley Weed Control District, the Humboldt Watershed Cooperative Weed Management Area, Nevada Department of Agriculture and the Nevada Conservation Districts, providing research-based information for weed issues they encounter.
- The Humboldt County Commission continued to supplement the Extension budget ($25,000) for weed control and management efforts. These resources helped implement weed control efforts on several thousand acres in the fiscal year 2022.
- Brad Schultz participated in weed management workshops in virtual and live formats. He made educational presentations about the different life-forms of weeds; their different root systems; their annual growth patterns; and how these attributes influence carbohydrate flow at different growth stages. Also discussed were weed seedbanks and the ecological basis for invasive plant management, as a decision-making framework. This information is critical for the successful management of hard to control deep-rooted, complex perennial forbs (i.e., buds on both the roots and root crowns). This education informs students about the importance of properly timing herbicide treatments for each species, and the need for a long-term follow-up control program.
- Published manuscripts for two priority agricultural weeds in Nevada: leafy spurge and Canada thistle, and submitted a paper for review about medusahead.
4-H
- The Humboldt County 4-H Program included active traditional 4-H clubs, 23 volunteer leaders and 247 traditional club members. 4-H youth exhibited 155 projects at the 2022 Tri-County Fair, 4-H Small Animal Show and Tri-County Junior Livestock Show.
- Added McDermitt Combined Elementary school, grades 3rd - 6th to the 4-H rural school program. Delivered the Galactic Quest 4-H STEM Challenge, developed by Clemson University 4-H Youth Development, to school youth at all Humboldt County rural schools.
- Presented carcass data for all Humboldt County 4-H market animals and discussed acceptable and desired carcass characteristics including which carcass attributes receive a premium price, the value of each animal on the market grid, explanations for why each animal received its respective grade, and suggestions about how to improve carcass quality (Fall of 2020).
- Hosted the 2021 Nevada 4-H Expo at the Winnemucca Events Complex, October 1 – 3, 2021.
- Partnered with the Humboldt County Library to hold STEM events, including the Galactic Quest STEM Challenge, for youth ages 5 to 12 for fall of 2021 and spring of 2022.
- Continued collaboration with Nevada Outdoor Schools to hold two outdoor-skills day camps for local youth. (July and August of 2022)
- Expanded the Minding the Mucc teen leadership day camps to include and address youth mental health and anti-bullying topics.
- Held a variety of STEM Day Camps for youth grades 1st – 3rd, 4th – 6th and 7th – 8th. Topics included STEM in Nature, STEM Liquids to Solids, STEM CSI Investigation.
SUPPORT FOR OTHER EXTENSION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
- Participated in Nevada Cattlemen’s Workshops across the state, presenting results of the Repeat Photography study in the Santa Rosa Mountains.
- Addressed various horticultural issues that affect County residents, and disseminates research based materials to help resolve those issues and educate the public.
- The Extension Office hosted the Grow Your Own Program which originates from the Washoe County Extension Office.
- Extension faculty with statewide youth development roles have developed the Just in Time Parenting program which the Humboldt County Extension Office assists in implementing via dissemination of research based publications and materials.
- The Humboldt County Extension Office distributes home radon testing kits and disseminates literature about the dangers of radon gas, a primary cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
- The Extension Educator resided on the Board of the Humboldt Development Authority (Vice-Chair).
- Assisted with health and nutrition programming by providing meeting space for TOPS (Taking Pounds of Sensibly) to hold weight control education meetings.
- Provides weekly input to the U.S. Department of Agriculture | National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress Report.
- Completed remodeling of the 4-H Kitchen.
SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH RELATED TO EXTENSION
PROGRAMMING IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY
- Schultz, B. and Foster. S Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Leafy Spurge. UNCE Special Publication 22-02. 19 p.
- Schultz, B. and Foster S. Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Canada Thistle. UNCE Special Publication 22-12. 18 p.
- Schultz, B. and Foster. S Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Medusahead. UNCE Special Publication. In peer review.
- Schultz, B. 2021. 2021 Forage Loss Assessment for Nevada. Technical Report to the USDA Farm Services Agency. 34 p. Submitted on December 8, 2021.
- Schultz, B. 2021. Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds: Perennial Pepperweed. Progressive Rancher. November-December 2021 issue. Pages 30-33.
- Schultz, B. 2022. Vegetation Change in the Santa Rosa Mountains: A Repeat Photography Study. Progressive Rancher. March. Pages 30-33.
- Schultz, B. 2022. Vegetation Change in the Santa Rosa Mountains: A Repeat Photography Study. 2022 Cattlemen’s Update. January.
- Schultz, B. (interviewee), C. Restaino (interviewer), and others (interviewers). 2021. History of Fire on Nevada Rangelands. Living with Fire Podcast. Downloaded 327 times between July 30, 2021 and December 31, 2021.
- Stephenson, M.B., Perryman, B.L., Boyd, C.S., Schultz, B.W., Svejcar, T., Davies, K. 2022. Strategic Supplementation to Manage Fine Fuels in a Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)−Invaded System. Rangeland Ecology and Management. Available Online April 2022.
Revenue and Expenses for the Fiscal Year 2022
County Funds Summary
Ending Fund Balance (7/1/21) $ 1,119140a
Approved County Budget $ 433,300
Revenue (mil levy) $ 169,047
Expenses $ 323,039
Ending Balance (6/30/22) $ 965,148
Other Funds Expended in County
State $ 143,928
Federal Funds $ 80,833
County $ 49,480
Grant Funds $ 56,797
Gifts $ 92
Other $ 2,853
Total $ 333,983
County Ending Fund Balance
a An additional County contribution includes the in-kind value of approximately $450,000 annually or buildings, facilities, and administrative support. The value shown includes approximately $124,000 from the property tax assessment and the remainder from the Cooperative Extension Ending Fund Balance.
