Get Up, Get Out and Go!: NC State Research Tackles Childhood Obesity

Posted on March 10, 2010 by kmfaber2

NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Barnhill | NC State University News Services | 919.515.6251

Local middle students students participate in an activity with a ranger in Cuyahoga Valley National Park Getting children involved in finding ways to become more physically active can not only make them more aware of local recreational opportunities, but can even help increase their own physical activity. That’s the result of a study examining the role of seven national parks in contributing to the health of today’s youth. The study was conducted by researchers from a variety of disciplines at North Carolina State University and other U.S. universities and funded by the National Park Service.

The researchers developed pilot programs aimed at increasing the awareness of health benefits from participating in recreational activities at national parks and increasing physical activity by park visitors.

Dr. Myron Floyd, professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC State, specifically examined the use of Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio by studying area middle-school students.

“We decided early on that engaging the community in activities the park had to offer would be crucial in developing this pilot program,” Floyd said. “We had local 6th and 7th graders actually create the tagline to promote the program: Get Up, Get Out and Go!. The students also helped us determine what types of activities would get them interested enough to head out to the park.”

Local middle students students participated in an activity with a ranger in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The program comprised a series of events at Cuyahoga Valley National Park that began with a kickoff event, featured weekly activities such as scavenger hunts and fishing lessons, and concluded with a festival. Advertisements of the program and its events – designed by the students themselves – were placed in local papers, on bus boards and at health fairs.

Floyd’s team compared awareness levels before and after the program and found out that the Get Up, Get Out and Go! worked. The study showed a significant increase in the level of awareness of Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its different offerings – 31 percent before the program was implemented versus 65 percent after the program – among the targeted youth population, with a reported increase in the percentage of participants who intended to visit a national park in the future – 18 percent before the program versus 51 percent after the program. Researchers also reported evidence of an increase in physical activity that was associated with the program’s activities.

“This study was important because it showed that engaging kids early on in the program planning process was important. A lot of the ideas we had for park activities, we quickly found out were not of interest to the children,” Floyd said. “It is imperative that we engage children in finding solutions that get them to be more physically active – whatever environment that may be in.”

The research was published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is part of the university’s College of Natural Resources.
Learn more about PRTM research in the areas of livable communities and healthy living, human dimensions of built and natural environments, and sustainable tourism and economic development.

East Coast Agritourism Webinar Series Available From NC State University

Posted on March 3, 2010 by kmfaber2

NC Tourism Extension logo NEWS RELEASE

Changes in the economy combined with fluctuations in agricultural income and the desire to preserve land and resources has placed increased pressure on farmers across the nation to examine alternative economic opportunities. Many farmers are turning to agritourism as an entrepreneurial response to increase on-farm sales of their value-added products and services and generate revenues directly associated with recreational and tourism activities.

To assist agricultural enterprises and communities expand into agritourism, NC State University Tourism Extension, in partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and NC Cooperative Extension Service, is offering a 5-part East Coast Agritourism Webinar Series. "Introduction to Agritourism," the first webinar in the series was offered March 2, 2910. Approximately 70 farmers, extension agents, and tourism researchers and practitioners from across the Eastern United States logged on to participate in this exciting, interactive webinar.

"Introduction to Agritourism" included a presentation and discussion of agritourism including defining agritourism, examples of agritourism, impacts of agritourism in the U.S., helpful agritourism resources and more. The presenter was Dr. Samantha Rozier Rich, an Assistant Professor and Tourism Extension Specialist at North Carolina State University.

Four more webinars on additional agritourism-related topics will be offered throughout March and April 2010.
For more information and to register for the East Coast Agritourism Webinar series visit http://www.ncsu.edu/tourismextension/Webinar Series.html.

Researchers Receive Top Honors for Risk Analysis Paper

Posted on February 23, 2010 by kmfaber2

USDA Forest Service News Release – February 16, 2010
Contact: Perdita Spriggs, pspriggs@fs.fed.us or 828-259-0542

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – A collaborative effort among USDA Forest Service, North Carolina State University, and Canadian Forest Service scientists recently received top honors from the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA). Researchers co-authored a paper titled, Evaluating Critical Uncertainty Thresholds in a Spatial Model of Forest Pest Invasion Risk. The paper explores the role of increased uncertainties in pest risk mapping and was among five papers selected in the 2009 Best Paper Awards category. The award was presented at the SRA’s December annual meeting in Baltimore, MD.

Co-authors Frank H. Koch (North Carolina State University), Denys Yemshanov (Canadian Forest Service), Daniel W. McKenney (Canadian Forest Service), and William D. Smith (Forest Service, Eastern Forest Environmental Threat Assessment Center) published the paper in the SRA journal Risk Analysis (September 2009). Using Sirex noctilio, a nonnative woodwasp recently detected in the United States and Canada, the researchers analyzed how uncertainty in risk models could change a risk map’s outcome and, consequently, its reliability as a decision support tool. Risk maps are used by forest land managers, decision makers, and regulators to address quarantining, monitoring, and controlling invasive species.

Bill Smith notes, “The most important aspect of this research is to facilitate the Agency’s compliance with the Data Quality Act that ensures the quality of statistical information disseminated by USDA agencies.” The authors believe their analysis of the uncertainties associated with an invasion model’s underlying assumptions, especially given the spatial context, is unique and innovative. The research also encourages additional investigation regarding severe uncertainties, including the role humans play in facilitating non-native forest pest spread.

“This is an outstanding honor,” says Danny C. Lee, Eastern Threat Center Director. “Risk mapping is an important decision-making tool that enables land managers to anticipate potential forest threats and respond accordingly. Advanced research to refine these tools encourages long-term forest sustainability.”

For additional information about risk mapping, or to download the paper, please visit http://www.forestthreats.org.

For More Information: Contact Frank Koch at (919) 549-4006, email fkoch@fs.fed.us or Bill Smith at (919) 549-4067, email bdsmith@fs.fed.us.

###

About EFETAC
Established in 2005, EFETAC is actively developing new technology and tools to anticipate and respond to emerging forest threats. Headquartered with the Southern Research Station in Asheville, the Center also has offices in Raleigh and Research Triangle Park, NC. Visit http://www.forestthreats.org for additional information.

About SRA
The Society for Risk Analysis is a multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, scholarly, international society that provides an open forum for all those who are interested in risk analysis. Please visit http://www.sra.org for more information.

Harold C. Blanchard Named 2009 Distinguished Alumnus by NC State University College of Natural Resources

Posted on February 12, 2010 by kmfaber2

NEWS RELEASE – February 9, 2009
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Tilla Fearn 919.513.4644 or tilla_fearn@ncsu.edu

Butch Blanchard accepts award from natural resources dean Robert Brown The College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University is pleased to announce the selection of our 2009 Distinguished Alumnus. Harold C. “Butch” Blanchard ’63 of Whiteville, N.C. was selected in recognition of his distinguished career as a forest manager and his many contributions to his profession, his community and the college. Blanchard accepted the honor January 29, 2010 at the NC State University Alumni Association’s “Evening of Stars” Gala in Raleigh.

Blanchard attended what was then the NC State School of Forestry on a four-year scholarship from the Continental Can Company. Later, he was awarded the George K. Slocum Scholarship. Blanchard earned five varsity letters in three track-and-field sports at NC State and was recognized as an ACC Outstanding Scholar-Athlete in 1963. Several years after graduating, Blanchard and his father, a practicing forester, began a forestry consulting business. Operating today as H.C. Blanchard and Associates, the company has provided land and timber sales, appraisals and forest management services for landowners with 275,000 wooded acres.

Harold C. "Butch" Blanchard One of Blanchard’s many contributions to the college was serving as president of the North Carolina Forestry Foundation Board of Directors. During his term, Blanchard led a reorganization and consolidation of funds that pushed foundation assets over $1 million, helped retire the mortgage debt on the Hofmann Forest and later was instrumental in establishing active management of the forest to fund numerous undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

According to Blanchard, he “was proudest at a scholarship dinner when (he) counted 26 undergraduate and graduate scholarships funded from Hofmann Forest receipts.” Blanchard left the board of directors in 1985 to assume the responsibility of Hofmann Forest manager, a position he held for 23 years. Under his management the forest returned more than $13 million to the college in needed support; support which played an incalculable role in the college’s growth into the national leader in natural resource education, research and service it is today. In addition to his support of the college over the years through his professional responsibilities – in 1998 Blanchard and his wife, Peggy, established the Harold E. and Gerda C. Blanchard Endowed Scholarship for young men and women who begin their studies at Southeastern Community College and continue their studies in natural resources at NC State University.

Blanchard is a member of the Society of American Foresters, the North Carolina Foresters Association, the North Carolina Society of Consulting Foresters, the National Woodlands Association and the Forest Farmers Association.

Active in his home community, Blanchard is a charter stockholder of Topsail National Bank and served on the board of Columbus National Bank where he assisted in its successful merger with successor Triangle Bank. When not working Blanchard acts in local theater productions and had a role in "Bastard Out of Carolina" directed by Angelica Houston; is a 12 time national sailing champion of Tanzer 16 sailboats; is a deacon, elder and sunday school teacher at Whiteville First Presbyterian Church; and played a major role in the founding of the North Carolina Museum of Forestry in Whiteville, North Carolina.

Neal Lewis Named 2009 Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management Outstanding Alumnus at NC State University

Posted on February 11, 2010 by kmfaber2

NEWS RELEASE – February 1, 2010
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tilla Fearn 919.513.4644 or tilla_fearn@ncsu.edu

The NC State University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) is honored and proud to present its Outstanding Alumnus Award for 2009 to Neal Lewis of Wilmington, N.C. Director of the New Hanover County Parks Department, Lewis was selected for his personal accomplishments and his contributions to his professional and his community. Lewis accepted his award at the NC Recreation and Park Association Conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Lewis’s successes of particular note include a notable career as a park and recreation professional, stewardship of the environment, active contributions to his community, and mentoring of young professionals. He is a respected colleague and ambassador both for the profession and for NC State University’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

Lewis graduated from NC State in 1973 and began his career as Director of Carteret County Parks and Recreation Department. He then served as the Executive Director of Carteret County Chamber of Commerce until 1991. In 1993, Lewis assumed his current position with the New Hanover County Parks Department where he has provided exemplary service to the county and its citizens. For decades, Lewis has been a leader in his profession; earning the respect of professionals across the state and serving as a valuable resource with the Legislative Study Committee on Water Access, NC Waterfront Access and Marine Fund Advisory Committee, Rachel Carson NC Estuarine Reserve Advisory Committee, Fort Fisher State Park Advisory Board, Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame, Travel Council of North Carolina, and Wilmington South Rotary Club.

In addition to his leadership in his community, Lewis has served as President of the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association and has received that organization’s highest awards. While serving as the Executive Director of the Carteret County Chamber of Commerce, Lewis received the 1990 NC Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award.

About the Award
The PRTM Outstanding Alumnus Award has been awarded annually since 1994 and recognizes a practicing professional who holds a degree from the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management at NC State University. The recipient must have made recognized contributions to the advancement of the parks, recreation, tourism, sport or golf profession on a local, state or national level and who has demonstrated notable service to his or her community.

About PRTM
NC State’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) specializes in preparing the next generation of planning and management professionals for the fields of parks, recreation, tourism, golf and recreational sports. We teach skills that are applicable across a wide range of environments. PRTM is a national leader in research and extension activities – dedicated to finding real solutions for real problems and transferring that knowledge to help communities and people thrive.