Monday, December 27, 2010

Ambrosia trifida feeds many birds in September and October and a few persistent ground-scratchers all winter

Please click on individual images to ENLARGE view of immature and adult male cardinals feeding on Ambrosia trifida in September 2010.
September and October are feasting months for locally fledged birds as well as the hoards of migrating birds that find Ambrosia trifida a special native treat in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The importance of allowing native plants to go to seed and remain standing as "feeders with legs" cannot be overemphasized.




Saturday, December 18, 2010

Jim Bemis speaks at Telecom Board meeting on December 16, 2010



GOVERNMENT CHANNEL SCHEDULE published Friday, December 17, 2010, the day following Telecom Board meeting, does not include Telecom Board meeting video to be run during week of 12/17/2010 through 12/12/2010. Bemis' comments, therefore, will not be shown on Cox Cable or AT&T U-verse until long after the Fayetteville City Council meeting at which the CAT contract will be voted on Tuesday, December 21, 2010.
Please click on individual pages to ENLARGE for easy reading.







Wednesday, November 10, 2010

aubunique: Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Charleston, South Caro...

aubunique: Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Charleston, South Caro...: "The Home Depot Foundation Tackles Cities’ Sustainability Challenges with Innovative Program Two Cities Selected for $1 Million Invest..."

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

aubunique: Please fill out online survey of opinion of perfor...

aubunique: Please fill out online survey of opinion of perfor...: "Greetings Everyone! CAT Performance Survey 2010 As we reach the end of 2010, Community Access Television (CAT) requests the favor of yo..."

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Highway Commission vote could end mowing and dredging practices that cause erosion, loss of wildlife habitat and decrease beauty of roadsides in Arkansas

Please click on image to ENLARGE. Two hours after this photo was made on October 12, 2010, this area had been brushogged into oblivion. Sure, the swamp milkweed will sprout from its roots next summer. But these plants not only held pods offering hundreds of milkweed seeds but also were feeding milkweed caterpillars that could have made chrysalises and become final 2010 generation monarchs traveling to Mexico and with a chance to return in spring and find fresh milkweed on which a new generation of monarchs could have been raised to keep the cycle of life intact for this seriously threatened species of migrating butterfly. If you want to talk to your Northwest Arkansas representative on the Highway Commission, he is Dick Trammel.



Monarch caterpillars were still eating the foliage of these swamp milkweeds and the seed pods were almost mature when the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department Mowers came down the road and crushed and cut them off near the ground. Amazing hypocrisy for a state agency that touts its wildflower program. And possibly worse hypocrisy is touting its stormwater-protection work and then mowing and dredging ditches repeatedly every year.

Please click on individual images to ENLARGE view.





To learn more about the Arkansas Highway Commission,  please see AHC  link.

























Wednesday, October 6, 2010

aubunique: Insect Festival coming up

aubunique: Insect Festival coming up: "Please use live links on site to navigate and read more detail. Bumpers College Home Entomology Home O..."

aubunique: Tree and Landscape Committee sets annual city tree...

aubunique: Tree and Landscape Committee sets annual city tree...: "12th Annual Celebration of TreesSaturday October 9, 2010 7:00 am Town Center entrance on the Fayetteville SquareEvery year the Tree and Lan..."

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Volunteers to be honored at 5:30 p.m. Thursday on south side Fayetteville square


Fayetteville to Celebrate Community Volunteers September 2
The City of Fayetteville will be celebrating and thanking community volunteers this coming Thursday, September 2, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on the south side of the Old Post Office on the Downtown Fayetteville Square.  
Everyone is invited to take part in the festivities.  It doesn't matter if you wor with volunteers, volunteer yourself, live in Fayetteville or not. Everyone is invited and encouraged to come on out and celebrate the volunteer spirit in Fayetteville. 
This event is part of the growing volunteer program at the City and being held to recognize the community’s tremendous volunteer spirit.  Fayetteville was recognized as a Volunteer Community of the Year in 2009, and the City of Fayetteville wishes to publically thank and celebrate the volunteers and their important contributions to community.
 Mayor Lioneld Jordan will be kicking off the celebration by proclaiming September 2010 “Volunteer Month” in Fayetteville.  Local organizations will be providing refreshments and other tokens of their appreciation to all our community volunteers. There will also be an area for sidewalk chalk art for the kids! Free parking is available in the Town Center Parking Garage in addition to the downtown area single meters, which are free after 5 p.m.  If there is bad weather, the festivities will be held at the Town Center - Dogwood room.
 The City of Fayetteville relies a great deal on volunteers for many of our programs. Beyond that, volunteers throughout the community impact all of our lives in some way - either through direct service or indirect service.  Volunteers clean our community, better our environment, plant gardens, take care of our pets, educate and care for our children, and they help the sick, elderly, and all those in need. Volunteers raise awareness, raise spirits, and raise funds for disabilities, illness and numerous community needs.
For more information contact Julie McQuade, Community Outreach Coordinator, atjmcquade@ci.fayetteville.ar.us or (479) 575-8302.

City of Fayetteville
113 West Mountain, Suite 320
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 575-8302
TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) 479-521-1316
 
Twitter           Facebook 
 
Get involved today - Volunteer!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Request for proposals to manage Fayetteville public-access station for the coming 5 years issued for second time by Fayetteville city purchasing agent

Here is the new RFP with a deadline of 2 p.m. local time. The previous RFP brought in only one proposal and it was turned in one minute after the deadline. The purchasing office uses an "atomic-clock setting," which is about 7 minutes earlier than time one sees on CNN or Weather Channel or on your alarm clock or wrist watch. My computer provides "atomic-clock" time, which is supposedly more accurate for a given point on earth.
Ask Art Hobson to explain the process of determining atomic time. Only a physics professor is likely to explain it easily. And Art is a physicist who has been explaining his science to undergraduates for decades.

Aug9 aubrey.asf

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Please attend tonight's meeting of the Council of Neighborhoods: Agenda below

Please double-click on the image to ENLARGE and widen view of swallowtail on World Peace Wetland Prairie in the Town Branch neighborhood on August 25, 2010, or scroll down to read about Fayetteville's Council of Neighborhoods and Thursday night's meeting of that group in city hall. Please see agenda for the meeting at the bottom of the post.
Please check the agenda and notice that there are two significant presentations slated for Council of Neighborhoods for August 26, 2010. In addition, all people who attend may report on anything of interest to them or others in their neighborhood or on any matter of importance to residents of the city. Many important issues have first surfaced when one person showed up and shared at Council of Neighborhoods. Chances are good that you may get to meet the people who are running for half the positions on the the City Council. And other candidates for public office also may be there. People who attend are not required to speak but have the opportunity to speak on Government Channel or simply meet representatives of other neighborhoods before and after the meeting and suggest subjects for future agendas. If you have never been contacted by anyone from your neighborhood association or don't believe there is an organization in your neighborhood, you can give your address to Julie McQuade, whose contact information is at the bottom of the agenda below, and she can tell you whether one exists and who to contact or how to form one if none exists. Everyone is always welcome at Council of Neighborhoods and often multiple city employees are on hand to answer questions and offer advice on problems people may mention during the meeting. I hope to be early and help create a "quorum." If you have never attended, please give it a try. If you can't attend, watch for the broadcast on Government Channel starting Friday, Saturday or Sunday or one day next week. The Government Channel schedule for the coming week usually is online on Friday afternoon. Of course, if we don't show up, there may not be a quorum and the meeting won't be recorded and shown on City 16.
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE
FAYETTEVILLE COUNCIL OF NEIGHBORHOODS
Thursday, August 26, 2010, 6:00 p.m.
Room 326, City Hall
Call to Order
1.         Introduction of neighborhood representatives
2.         No minutes from July meeting to approve.
3.         Eco-Logical Communities - Michele Halsell
4.         Certified Community Habitat
5.         Chairman’s report
6.         Treasurer’s report
7.         Neighborhood Updates & Announcements
8.         September 30, 2010 Meeting - Candidate Forum
Adjourn
Julie McQuadeCommunity Outreach Coordinator
City of Fayetteville
113 West Mountain, Suite 320
Fayetteville, AR 72701
(479) 575-8302
TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) 479-521-1316


Sunday, August 15, 2010

Two such wetland plants growing together are a strong indicator of wetland

Please click on image to ENLARGE and widen view of Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed) and Verbena hastata (swamp vervain) growing together on south Fayetteville wetland.


Saturday, July 24, 2010

Land-use and green-infrastructure committee of Fayetteville forward to meet at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, 2010, in Room 11 of city hall to discuss stormwater managment and erosion-control ordinance being considered by City Council on August 3, 2010

To the Fayetteville Forward Land Use Planning and Green Infrastructure Committee-------
Email from committee chairman, Fran Alexander:

Not much has been happening this summer with our committee, but that doesn't mean green infrastructure matters aren't moving right along.  One in particular will be on it's third and final reading at the next City Council meeting on August 3, 6pm,  City Hall.
This is what is being considered for the council's vote:

  1. Amend Chapters 169: Physical Alteration of Land and Chapter 170: Stormwater Management, Drainage and Erosion Control:  An ordinance amending Chapter 169: Physical Alteration of Land and Chapter 170: Stormwater Management, Drainage and Erosion Control of Title XV of the Code of Fayetteville (Unified Development Code), to clarify stabilization requirements, require phased construction for sites larger than 20 acres, clarify re-vegetation requirements, clarify requirements for cut and fill slopes and retaining walls, define maintenance responsibility for stormwater management systems, restrict location of dirt and topsoil storage and define stabilization practices for dirt and topsoil storage, define a qualified inspector for erosion and sediment control best management practices, and require site plans for one and two family residences to contain a plan for erosion and sediment control and final on-site drainage.  This ordinance was left on the First Reading at the July 6, 2010 City Council meeting and on its second reading, July 20. 
  1. Amend Chapter 177: Landscape Regulations:  An ordinance amending Title XV: Unified Development Code of the City of Fayetteville, to amend Chapter 177: Landscape Regulations in order to modify existing requirements and regulations that address perimeter landscaping for development. This ordinance was left on the First Reading at the July 6, 2010 City Council meeting. 


THE COMPLETE TEXT CAN BE ACCESSED FROM THE FRONT PAGE OF THE CITY'S WEBSITE  www.accessfayetteville.org  OR DIRECTLY AT:



The yellow highlighting on the document is where changes have been made, and  which are being voted on .  Members of this committee with interest in land use should pay special attention to  this amendment so please look over it .  Sarah Wrede, from the city's engineering department and who handles matters involving storm water, will be available to explain the amendment and to answer questions.  We will be meeting with her next week  so please come if you can.  
Thanks,  Fran

Wednesday, July 28, 3:30 pm in Rm 111, City Hall





Also don't forget the conference next week June 29-30 that I sent notice out about last month.


 
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
THE IRWP INVITES YOU TO JOIN US FOR THIS IMPORTANT WORKSHOP ON GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ILLINOIS RIVER WATERSHED TMDL.   EARLY REGISTRATION BY JUNE 30, $35.  
SPONSORED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, IRWP, AND BEAVER WATER DISTRICT. 
 
Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure
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Green Infrastructure applications

Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure Workshop

Agenda   |   Registration   |   Location and Parking   |   Contact 

Workshop Information
  • Date: July 29 and 30
  • Location: Fayetteville Town Center, Fayetteville, AR
  • Cost: $35.00 until July 1, and $50.00 after July 1
  • Agenda
  • Contact Us
EPA Region 6, the Northwest Arkansas Stormwater Education Group, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension, the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, and the Beaver Water District are proud to announce the "Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure" Workshop to be held July 29th & 30th at the Fayetteville Town Center in beautiful downtown Fayetteville, AR.

What is Green Infrastructure?

Green infrastructure is an approach to wet weather management that is cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Green Infrastructure management approaches and technologies infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrology. Additional information on EPA's green infrastructure program is available at www.epa.gov/greeninfrastructure.

Why attend?

Participants will leave the conference with knowledge of tools and practices needed to effectively implement GI and different approaches to linking GI to prevent/mitigate water quality impacts. This meeting will be highly informative and will benefit all participants. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) may be available.

Suggested Attendees


Anyone interested in improving their quality of life is welcome! Employees, managers and supervisors of organizations interested in learning about new opportunities and initiatives to "green" their communities. This includes, but is not limited to, those who work in:

  • City, County and Regional Governments including:
    • Environmental or Sustainability Departments
    • Energy offices
    • Departments of Public Works, Solid Waste, Parks and Recreation
    • Water Departments
  • Mayor’s Offices and Planning Departments
  • Tribal Governments
  • DOD Base Planning and Military Installation Administrators
  • School Districts
  • College and Universities
  • Places of Worship
  • Engineering and Architectural Firms
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Landscape Design
  • Real Estate Development
  • Construction
  • Vehicle Fleet Maintenance and Operations
  • Energy Service Companies
  • Renewable Energy Technology
  • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) working with local cities
  • Homeowners’ Associations

Agenda

Day 1
7:45 - 8:30Registration
8:30 - 8:45     Welcome, Introductions, Purpose
8:45 - 9:15     Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure
     Overview of stormwater dynamics and defining the concepts of Green Infrastructure/LID
     Nelly Smith, EPA Region 6
9:15 - 10:00     Benefits of Green Infrastructure and Retrofit Opportunities
     Dan Christian, Tetra Tech
10:00 - 10:15     Break
10:15 - 11:00     Prevention, Listing, and De-listing of 303(d) Impaired Waterways
     Jim Wise, ADEQ
11:00 - 12:00     TMDLs - What does it mean for the Illinois River Watershed?
     Phillip Massierer, FTN Associates
     Claudia Hosch, Associate Director, Water Quality Division, EPA Region 6
12:00 - 1:00     Catered Lunch
1:00 - 1:45     Local Codes and Ordinances
     Dan Christian, Tetra Tech
1:45 - 2:30     Construction Site BMPs, Inspections, and Effluent Limitation Guidelines
     Jamal Solaimanian, ADEQ
2:30 - 2:45     Break
2:45 - 3:15     MS4 Reporting and Program Audits
     Nick Willis, ADEQ
3:15 - 3:45     Managing Nutrient Runoff through Arkansas' Nutrient Regulations
     Patrick Fisk, AR Natural Resources Commission
3:45 - 4:30     Fayetteville's 5-Year Nutrient Management Plan
     Bob Morgan, Beaver Water District
     Sarah, Wrede, City of Fayetteville
4:30 - 6:00     Green Infrastructure Reception - sponsored by the Illinois River Watershed Partnership
Day 2
8:00 - 8:15Welcome
8:15 - 9:30     Panel Discussion: Building a Case for Green Infrastructure - Clear Creek Stormwater Management and Flooding
     Mayor Lioneld Jordan, City of Fayetteville (moderator)
     Mayor Doug Sprouse, City of Springdale
     Jerry Davison, Clear Creek property owner
     Charles Rhodes, Clear Creek property owner
     Beth Breed, FTN Associates, Ltd.
9:30 - 9:45     Break
9:45 - 12:00     Incorporating Green Infrastructure in Northwest Arkansas:
     
  • Bioretention (bioswales, rain gardens and green roofs)
     
    Kyle Engler, Sam's Club
     
    Brandon Nikolish, Wal-Mart
     
  • Eco-Vista Landfill
     
    Kirby Thompson, Waste Management
     
  • Green Infrastructure Planning Project
     
    Bob Caulk, Fayetteville Natural Heritage Commission
     
    Bob Morgan, Beaver Water District
     
    Patti Erwin, AR Forestry Commission
     
  • Sager Creek Project
     
    David Cameron, City of Siloam Springs

Registration

To register for the workshop, please download the registration form here (PDF) (1 pp, 92K).

Location and Parking

For more information and directions to the Fayetteville Town Center, visit http://www.twncenter.com Exit EPA Disclaimer. A parking deck is available below the building.
There are many hotels in area but the closest hotel (a one block walk) is
    The Cosmopolitan Hotel 70 Northeast Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 442-5555

Contact Us

If you have questions about the workshop or would like more information, please contact:
    Nelly Smith Environmental Engineer Permits & Technical Assistance Section (6WQ-PP) NPDES Permits & TMDLs Branch Water Quality Protection Division US EPA Region 6 1445 Ross Ave. Dallas TX 75202 Phone: (214) 665-7109 Fax: (214) 665-2191
This workshop is offered to all persons regardless of race, sex, marital status, age, or any other legally protected status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (large print, audiotapes, etc.) should notify the Washington County Cooperative Extension Service office as soon as possible prior to the program at (479) 444-1755.
 



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Last updated on June 14, 2010 1:29 PM
URL:http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/giconference.cfm