Browsing by Author "Zamora, Diomy"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    2008 Farm Bill Update: Conservation and Energy Programs
    (2009-01) Anderson, Greg; Flynn, Paul; Noty, Lisa; Current, Dean; Hachfeld, Gary; Nichols, Luke; Sackett, Jill; Wilsey, Dave; Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy
    The 2008 Farm Bill contains updated and new conservation programs to protect soil, water, air and wildlife resources while offering economic incentives for landowners and farmers. It also provides for additional energy programs which encourage landowner production and community development of bio-energy feedstocks and bio-industrial systems.
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    Economic and Environmental Costs and Benefits of Living Snow Fences: Safety, Mobility, and Transportation Authority Benefits, Farmer Costs, and Carbon Impacts
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2012-02) Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy; Smith, David; Schroeder, Sierra; Paudel, Dinesh; Knight, Joe; Kilberg, Don; Current, Dean; Gullickson, Dan; Taff, Steve
    Blowing and drifting snow on Minnesota's roadways is a transportation efficiency and safety concern. Establishing standing corn rows and living snow fences improves driver visibility, road surface conditions, and has the potential to lower costs of road maintenance as well as accidents attributed to blowing and drifting snow. It also has the potential to sequester carbon and avoid the carbon emissions of snow removal operations. In recent years the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has paid farmers to leave standing corn rows to protect identified snow problem roadways. They have paid farmers $1.50 per bushel above market price. With increasing demand for corn to fuel the ethanol industry, paying $1.50 per bushel above market price may not be sufficient incentive for leaving standing corn rows. Also, with MnDOT’s memorandum of understanding with USDA to plant living snow fences through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), now is an opportune time to review MnDOT’s annual payment structure to farmers and prepare a new one. This project has: 1) developed a calculator to estimate payments for farmers that includes consideration of safety and snow removal cost savings; 2) estimated potential income from carbon payments; 3) worked closely with MnDOT engineers and plow operators, estimated the safety and snow removal costs and carbon emissions avoided by MnDOT through establishing living snow fences; and 4) evaluated farmers’ willingness to establish living snow fences and identified farmers/landowners’ constraints to adoption. Data is provided to MnDOT to assist staff in its decision making related to their Living Snow Fence Program.
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    Expanding Landowner Adoption of Snow Control Measures Through a Better Understanding of Landowner Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2019-12) Current, Dean; Motschke, Collin; Serra, Airton Jr.; Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy
    Previous research demonstrated the ability of snow fences to significantly lower both public and private costs related to the control of blowing and drifting snow. Follow-up research specifically addressed the knowledge of MnDOT staff and attitudes and practices related to the promotion and implementation of snow control measures. These efforts identified a need for a better understanding of landowners' knowledge, attitudes and practices related to snow control measures to develop more effective outreach and foster the adoption of snow control measures. We identified four regions of the state with highway corridors with snow problems. In each region, we carried out listening sessions with landowners and MnDOT personnel, and based on those sessions while applying the KAP (knowledge, attitudes and practices) methodology, we designed a landowner survey to explore landowner knowledge, attitudes and practices related to snow problems and the willingness of landowners to implement snow fences to address the problems. The survey was carried out once prior to an outreach effort and then again after the outreach effort to measure any changes in landowner knowledge, attitudes and practices resulting from the effort. We found that landowners were generally not aware of MnDOT's program to address snow problems and were able to identify constraints to adoption as well as incentives that might be required to promote adoption. We also identified the most acceptable channels for outreach to landowners as well as ways to better structure the MnDOT program to address constraints identified by landowners and provide the assistance and incentives needed to promote greater adoption.
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    Expanding the Adoption on Private Lands: Blowing-and-Drifting Snow Control Treatments and the Cost Effectiveness of Permanent versus Non-Permanent Treatment Options
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2017-11) Current, Dean; Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy; Eckman, Karlyn; Butler, Megan; Carroll, Kate; Danielson, Michelle; Gullickson, Dan
    Previous research that estimated the costs and benefits of snow-fences for MnDOT in terms of a reduction in the costs of mitigating blowing-and-drifting snow problem areas (MN/RC 2012-03) demonstrated the ability of snow-fences to significantly lower those costs for MnDOT districts. To address lack of adoption, this project designed and tested an outreach program for MnDOT offices in one district and worked with MnDOT to prepare an outreach plan to promote greater adoption and cost savings in the remaining offices in the state. The overall goal is to reduce blowing, and drifting, snow problems and associated costs in the state through an effective outreach program to MnDOT district offices and through them, to landowners. The objectives of the project were to 1) carry out a pre-promotion KAP (knowledge, attitudes, and practices) survey; 2) implement a snow-fence promotion program; 3) carry out a post-promotion KAP study; 4); based on the KAP study, design an outreach plan to promote installation of snow-fences and the associated cost savings and 5) assess the market and non-market value of different permanent and non-permanent snow-fence designs.
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    Making Connections and Producing Results: The Woodland Advisor Program
    (St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota Extension Service, 2009-10) Baughman, Mel; Geissler, John; Gupta, Angela; Miedtke, Julie; Reichenbach, Michael Russ; Sagor, Eli; Wilsey, David; Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy
    The Woodland Advisor Program is an educational program for private forest landowners. In 2003, changes were made to the program allowing landowners to register for any or all of the 10 core classes or electives rather than commit to three or four weekend sessions. Some of the most popular topics include invasive species, property and income taxes, GPS, trail design, tree identification and non-timber forest products. Over 75 local landowner workshops were held through this program in 2008. Program graduates complete 10 core and five elective classes to become Woodland Advisor Volunteers. These volunteers help their neighbors learn about options and opportunities for their forestland. A concept map of the Woodland Advisor Program will be used to show the networks created as a result of this program. The key elements of the program include strategic planning, tactical planning, curriculum development, marketing, budgeting, external relations, class offerings, volunteer management and evaluation. The Woodland Advisor Program is a partnership between University of Minnesota Extension, Minnesota Forestry Association, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Soil and Water Conservation Districts and other local partners.
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    Silvopasture: Establishment and Management Principles for Minnesota
    (2017) Zamora, Diomy; Wyatt, Gary; Buttler, Megan; Ford, Maggie; Magner, Joe; Reichenbach, Mike; Burkett, Eleanor; Current, Dean; Walter, Dusty
    As an agroforestry practice, Silvopasture intentionally integrates livestock, forage production, and trees into an intensively managed system. The forage, trees, and livestock in silvopasture complement one another to increase productivity. The practice of silvopasture provides annual income from livestock (e.g., meat, dairy products) while fostering long-term economic benefits from trees including timber, fence posts, firewood, fruit, and nuts. This guidebook was created to increase awareness of silvopasture in Minnesota.
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    Web-Based Preventative Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Calculator Decision Tool
    (Minnesota Department of Transportation, 2015-05) Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy; Smith, David; Gullickson, Dan; Current, Dean
    Blowing and drifting snow on Minnesota's roadways are transportation efficiency and safety concerns. Establishing standing corn rows, living and structural snow fences or proper grading during road construction improves driver visibility and road surface conditions and has the potential to lower costs of road maintenance as well as crashes attributed to blowing and drifting snow. These snow control solutions can also provide environmental benefits including carbon sequestration and avoidance of carbon emissions of snow removal operations. In recent years, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has paid farmers to establish snow control practices to protect identified snow problem roadways. Using public funds to pay landowners to establish land practices, which benefit the public and reduce MnDOT winter costs, needs to be justified. In 2012, our research team created a Microsoft Excel cost-benefit-payment calculator to estimate payments to farmers that included consideration of safety and snow removal cost savings to the public and the transportation agency. We worked closely with MnDOT engineers and plow operators to estimate the safety and snow removal costs. This project translated the Microsoft Excel tool to a web-based tool that can be used on laptops, smartphones and tablets. Beta testing has been done with transportation officials to improve the web tool. Outreach plans are being conducted to inform transportation agencies of this tool and the cost benefit analysis it offers.
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    Web-Based Preventative Blowing and Drifting Snow Control Decision Tool
    (University of Minnesota Extension, 2015) Wyatt, Gary; Zamora, Diomy; Current, Dean; Smith, D; Gullickson, D; Mathison, A
    Blowing and drifting snow on Minnesota's roadways is a transportation efficiency and safety concern. Establishing standing corn rows, living and structural snow fences or proper grading during road construction improves driver visibility, road surface conditions, and has the potential to lower costs of road maintenance as well as crashes attributed to blowing and drifting snow. These snow control solutions can also provide environmental benefits including carbon sequestration and avoidance of carbon emissions of snow removal operations. In recent years, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has paid farmers to establish snow control practices to protect identified snow problem roadways. Using public funds to pay landowners to establish snow control practices, which benefit the public and reduce MnDOT winter operating costs, needs to be justified. In 2012, our snow fence research team created a Microsoft Excel cost benefit payment calculator to estimate payments for farmers that included consideration of safety and snow removal cost savings to the public and the transportation agency. We worked closely with MnDOT engineers and plow operators to estimate the safety and snow removal costs. Our 2014 project translated the Microsoft Excel tool to a web based tool that can be used on laptops, smart phones and tablets. Beta testing with transportation officials was used to improve the web tool. Outreach programs are being conducted to inform transportation agencies of this tool and the cost benefit analysis it offers. Initial outcomes include transportation authority cost savings and increased public safety. The tool web site: www.snowcontroltools.umn.edu