- Campuses :
- Twin Cities
- Crookston
- Duluth
- Morris
- Rochester
- Other Locations
The Water Resources Center is affiliated with the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and University of Minnesota Extension.
Technical Service Provider Training Initiative
Project Staff
Les Everett and Ann Lewandowski, WRC, University of Minnesota
Funding:
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Project Duration:
January 2007 - June 2009
Goals
The primary goal of the Initiative was to establish a certification-based TSP training system to expand Minnesota’s capacity to meet increasing demands for landowner technical assistance in implementing conservation practices to restore and prevent impaired waters. Another goal was to establish a long-term plan for making training available after June 2009 by working with various state agencies and interests that currently provide and receive conservation training.
Courses Provided
The TSP Training Initiative presented 23 training sessions on 13 different topics, including the following:
- Nutrient Management Planning (NMP, 590)
- Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planning (CNMP)
- RUSLE2 - Introduction
- RUSLE2 - Advanced and MN P Index
- Land Treatment (Field Evaluation for Conservation Practices)
- Pest Management Planning (595)
- Invasive Plants Management
- Rapid Whole Farm Resource Assessment
- Livestock Environmental Quality Assurance
- Prescribed Burn/Wildland Fire Fighting
- Tile Drainage Smoke Demonstration
- Nutrient Management Planner Software
- LiDAR Conservation Applications
Of the 400-plus participants, about 70% were from the private sector.
Web site and Database
The Initiative established a state conservation professional training web site, and created a database of conservation training opportunities from many providers around the state.