LandCAN Toolbox

USDA PLANTS Database
The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. It includes names, plant symbols, checklists, distributional data, species abstracts, characteristics, images, crop information, automated tools, onward Web links, and references. This information primarily promotes land conservation in the United States and its territories, but academic, educational, and general use is encouraged. PLANTS reduces government spending by minimizing duplication and making information exchange possible across agencies and disciplines.

PLANTS is a collaborative effort of the USDA NRCS National Plant Data Team (NPDT), the USDA NRCS Information Technology Center (ITC), The USDA National Information Technology Center (NITC), and many other partners. Much of the PLANTS data and design is developed at NPDT, and the Web application is programmed at ITC and NITC and served through the USDA Web Farm. Here’s more information about who does what on the PLANTS Team, our Partners, and our Data Contributors.

USDA Service Centers - Local Service Centers Directory

USDA Service Centers are designed to be a single location where customers can access the services provided by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Rural Development agencies.
This Service Center Locator Web site will provide the address of a USDA Service Center and other Agency offices serving your area along with information on how to contact them.

USDA-APHIS’ Identification Technology Program (ITP)

ID Tools online database system to identify pests, including insects, diseases, harmful weeds. Includes more than 30 websites covering a vast array of pests and pests associated with specific commodities.

USDA-NRCS Water Quality Index for Runoff from Agricultural Fields (WQI)
USDA-NRCS Water Quality Index for Runoff from Agricultural Fields (WQI) is currently being developed by the USDA/NRCS-WNTSC National Water Quality/Quantity Team in Portland, Oregon.

A Water Quality Index (WQI) is driven by a need to evaluate existing conservation practices.
Purpose / Benefits include:
Comparative Assessment over time & space
No Substitute for Monitoring/Measurement
Evaluating Effect of Conservation Practices
Cost Effective and Easy to use
Flexible/site-specific adjustments possible

USGS Current Water Data for Arkansas

Real-time information on stream flow in Arkansas. Current data typically are recorded at 15- to 60-minute intervals, stored onsite, and then transmitted to USGS offices every 1 to 4 hours, depending on the data relay technique used. Recording and transmission times may be more frequent during critical events. Data from current sites are relayed to USGS offices via satellite, telephone, and/or radio telemetry and are available for viewing within minutes of arrival.

USGS Current Water Data for Louisiana

Daily Streamflow Conditions and Statewide Streamflow Table. Current data typically are recorded at 15- to 60-minute intervals, stored onsite, and then transmitted to USGS offices every 1 to 4 hours, depending on the data relay technique used. Recording and transmission times may be more frequent during critical events. Data from current sites are relayed to USGS offices via satellite, telephone, and/or radio telemetry and are available for viewing within minutes of arrival.

Utah Conservation Data Center
An integral part of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Conservation Data Center (UCDC) is the central repository for Utah biodiversity information. Although the UCDC focuses primarily on Utah's rare native species and other high-interest species (game animals and raptors, for example), information on all Utah vertebrate wildlife species, many invertebrate species, and numerous plant species is available.

Utah Conservation Data Center information is a collection of data from many sources. Major data contributors include the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, the United States National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Bureau of Land Management, Utah State University, the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, the network of state/province Natural Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centers, The Nature Conservancy, NatureServe, various museums, and numerous individuals.

Vermont Natural Resources Atlas
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources (VANR) created the Natural Resources Atlas to provide geographic information about environmental features and sites that VANR manages, monitors, permits, or regulates.

In addition to standard map navigation tools, this site allows you to link from sites to documents where available, generate reports, export search results, import data, search, measure, mark-up, query map features, and print PDF maps.

While it is described as a natural resources and environmental tool, this is a great tool for farmers to use to map soils as well as other features of use to farmers such as property boundaries, acreage and flooding hazards and much more!

It can look a little overwhelming at first, so here is "A Farmer's Guide to the Vermont Natural Resources Atlas - A Resource for Farm Mapping," (pdf 883 KB). This guide is courtesy of Mike Ghia (mike@landforgood.org), Vermont Field Agent for Land for Good.

Video Series Teaches West Texas Landowners Prescribed Fire Use and Safety
The Living with Texas Fire videos showcase aspects of prescribed burning and wildfire mitigation targeted toward empowering and encouraging Texas landowners to become fire-ready. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service developed educational materials that empower landowners with safe prescribed burn practices. The materials also help to strengthen the Prescribed Burn Associations and Burn Schools knowledge-base of prescribed burning in Texas.

There are 20 videos in the Living with Texas Fire series. You can view this Playlist on Youtube.

Virginia Conservation Lands Database
Anyone can access all mapped Virginia Conservation Lands and associated information with the Virginia Conservation Lands Database by using the interactive map viewer or by using the Virginia Natural Heritage Data Explorer. These tools also allow users to query the Conservation Lands Database and make maps with this and many other reference layers (boundaries, aerial photography, streams, etc.).

Virginia Farm Link
Virginia Farm Link, a program of the Office of Farmland Preservation, is a program designed to help two important segments of the commonwealth's farm community:

Farmers and landowners who are facing retirement and want to see their businesses continue and their land stay in production; and

Beginning and expanding farmers who are in search of business arrangements through which they can acquire land, equipment, experience and access to the knowledge of seasoned producers

As established in §3.2-202 of the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Farm Link program shall provide, but not be limited to the following:

assistance in the preparation of business plans for the transition of business interests;

assistance in the facilitation of transfers of existing properties and agricultural operations to interested buyers;

information on innovative farming methods and techniques; and

research assistance on agricultural, financial, marketing, and other matters.

Contact Information
Virginia Farm Link Program
102 Governor Street Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: 804-786-1906
E-Mail: farmlinkadmin@vdacs.virginia.gov

Virginia Native Plant Finder

The native plants list identifies native plant species currently recommended by the Virginia Native Plant Society, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and other project cooperators for use in horticulture, land management, conservation, and restoration projects in Virginia. The list provides a selection of plant choices adapted to growing conditions in Virginia, focusing on those native species currently or potentially available in the nursery trade. For the most part, relatively common species have been included on the list, although a few less common species were also included due to their establishment in the trade and the general stability of their habitat in Virginia. Rare species were left off the list in order to protect the genetic integrity of naturally occurring populations of rare species and avoid the collection of rare plants.

Virtual Field Guide - Idaho Weed Awareness Campaign
This Virtual Field Guide will let you explore Idaho's noxious weeds in two ways. You can either explore the Interactive Map of Idaho or simply visit the Noxious Weed List.

The "Interactive Map of Idaho" displays the 4 Idaho Weed regions; Northern Idaho, Treasure Valley, Magic Valley and Eastern Idaho. You can roll over and highlight each of these regions. Click on one and a new page will come up with another more detailed map showing just that region with all of the counties identified. A list of County Weed Superintendents is available.

The most interesting part of the maps identify specific locations where you can find 360 degree panorama views of a specific noxious weed. These panoramas are very high resolution and are interactive. In other words, you can move around in a circle and up and down and zoom in and out to examine details in the picture. All of the panoramas contain video sequences that further describe variables associated with the weed and the location. Photo galleries are also available on each panorama page.

The "Noxious Weed List" contains even more specific information about each of Idaho's noxious weeds. One major feature is a multimedia photo gallery that displays a variety of high resolution images that dissolve to new views of various stages of growth and other identifying features of the weed. The page for each weed also contains a link to the associated panoramas you can also find on the region maps. In addition, links to external web sites are identified and an additional link to a specific location in the Network Center Reference Library where even more information and links about each weed will accumulate over time.

WAFWA's Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT)
The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool (CHAT) was developed to bring greater certainty and predictability to planning efforts by establishing a common starting point for discussing the intersection of development and wildlife. The tool is managed by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). CHAT is designed to reduce conflicts and surprises while ensuring wildlife values are better incorporated into land use planning, particularly for large-scale linear projects. It is a non-regulatory tool and not intended for project-level approval.

Arizona, California, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming have already developed state-specific information on priority species and habitat. In addition, the Southern Great Plains CHAT provides information specific to the lesser-prairie chicken, a species with habitat ranging across five states. Other states are continuing to develop individual systems to provide additional state-specific information.

The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies

The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) represents 23 states and Canadian provinces, spanning from Alaska to Texas and Saskatchewan to Hawaii - an area covering nearly 3.7 million square miles of some of North America's most wild and scenic country, inhabited by over 1500 premier wildlife species.

WAFWA is a strong advocate of the rights of states and provinces to manage fish and wildlife within their borders. The Association has been a key organization in promoting the principles of sound resource management and the building of partnerships at the regional, national and international levels in order to enhance wildlife conservation efforts and the protection of associated habitats in the public interest.

Watch the 2010 Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival
SUNUP visits the Woodward, Oklahoma for the 2010 Lesser Prairie Chicken Festival to see the amazing display put on by the rare but popular birds. We also learn what types of environments are best to invite the prairie chickens to nest in.

Wellowner.org
A modern water well is an expertly engineered and constructed method of delivering groundwater for drinking, irrigation, and other purposes. And Wellowner.org is your one-stop resource for information relating to private water well systems and groundwater. Learn how to protect this precious resource and safeguard your family’s health through properly constructed and maintained water well systems. This website provides information on Well Water Basics, Maintenance, Water Quality, Ground Water and lists Contractors in your area! Click here for more.

Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper
This project is part of a collaborative effort to map and better understand monarch butterflies and their host plants across the Western U.S. Data compiled through this project will improve our understanding of the distribution and phenology of monarchs and milkweeds, identify important breeding areas, and help us better understand monarch conservation needs. Some of the key research questions that these data will help us answer include:

Where are different milkweed species growing in the West?

Where are monarchs occurring in the West?

Where are monarchs breeding in the West?

When is milkweed emerging and senescing (dying back) in the West?

How does milkweed phenology (life cycle) differ by species?

When is monarch breeding occurring in specific areas/regions of the West?

What types of habitats are different milkweed species associated with?

Your help is critical to the success of this project! Because monarchs and their host plants are found all across the western U.S., the best way to document them is to engage a multitude of volunteers and their cameras. You can participate in this effort by using this website to:

Upload your photos of monarchs and milkweeds;

Identify milkweeds using our milkweed key, which profiles over 40 milkweed species found in the west;

Submit data which will help researchers determine the distribution, phenology, and conservation needs of monarchs and milkweeds in the west; and

Learn about monarchs, their host plants, and ongoing conservation efforts for these species.

WGA Toolkit for Invasive Grass Management in the West
The Western Governors’ Association (WGA) has released a new toolkit for land managers working to combat the spread of invasive annual grasses in the West.

The spread of invasive annual grasses – such as cheatgrass, medusahead and ventenata – is causing major damage to western working lands. To date, many control efforts have been reactive, focusing on highly infested areas where control is more expensive and has a lower likelihood of success.

The toolkit is comprised of three elements:

A roadmap for invasive grass management in the West, with new best management practices for the identification, protection, and expansion of “core” areas – regions with relatively low, or no, annual grass invasion;

Case studies highlighting the application of these practices in Idaho and Wyoming; and

A new geospatial data layer that uses analytical tools to compile existing federal data to help state and local managers assess invasive annual grasses within their jurisdictions, while also offering opportunities to identify new cross-boundary collaborative projects.

Read, download the toolkit »

What is green building?
By U.S. Green Building Council
How do buildings work with our natural surroundings to create a more sustainable place to live? Learn how LEED can help make our world greener for all.

What is White Nose Syndrome in Bats and Why Does it Matter?
“White-nose Syndrome (WNS) is a devastating disease of hibernating bats that has caused the most precipitous decline of North American wildlife in recorded history. Since it was first discovered in 2006, WNS has infected six species of insect-eating bats in the northeastern and southern U.S., causing declines approaching 100% in some populations; estimated losses have exceeded 5.5 million bats from 2006 to 2012.

The implications for US agriculture and silviculture are potentially severe.