Planning
Committee
Reports
Extension Programs
Making a World of Difference:
Washington State University Cooperative Extension has approximately 604 university and county supported full and part-time employees in a network of 39 county extension offices, six research/extension centers, three newer WSU campuses, 13 College of Agriculture and Home Economics departments, 10 Washington State University Learning Centers, 5 Partnership for Rural Improvement offices, and also at the the Washington State Energy Program with headquarters in Olympia, Washington.
This large network of Extension faculty, county agents, and other personnel are widely scattered across Washington State, working on a large variety of community development, environmental, and natural resource issues and other projects. In many cases, however, Extension personnel lack an academic home that can help fuel their outreach efforts and bring a stronger sense of community and mission to education and outreach. By linking and including selecting Extension faculty and personnel with the proposed School of NRE, these individuals can have a well-defined academic base and stronger ties throughout the WSU campuses.
In communities across Washington, Extension issue-based programs address emergent societal problems of statewide significance in the following areas:
Sustainable Agriculture & Natural Resources
- Plant and Animal Systems Management
- Management of Natural Resources
- Integrated Pest Management
- Local and Community Food Systems
Food Safety, Quality & Human Nutrition
- Safety and quality of the food supply
- Human nutrition
Environmental Stewardship
- Water Quality Protection
- Stewardship Ethic
Natural Resource Sciences Extension:
The Department of Natural Resource Sciences Extension program will be a core part of the proposed School of NRE by providing a wide variety of educational and demonstration programs in Forestry Extension, Wildlife Extension, and Watershed/Range Extension. These programs provide a variety of assistance to landowners, such as:Forestry management:
- Washington Forest Stewardship Program
- Washington State Forest Practice Laws (DNR)
- WA-DNR Small Forest Landowner Office
- Forest Insects and Disease
- Forest Fire and Fire Protection
- Urban and Community Forestry
Wildlife and habitat management:
As the front door to Washington State University, the integration of Cooperative Extension with the proposed School of NRE is critical to achieving its mission of addressing the long-term conservation of environmental and natural resources and helping to meet future human needs on a sustainable basis.
For more information on the proposed School of NRE, please contact:
Pete Jacoby, Associate Dean, CAHE or
Rod Sayler, Committee Chair