MEDIA ADVISORY

TO:                      News Directors, Science and Education Reporters

FROM:                 University Relations

SUBJECT:            CES Highlights Partnerships for USDA

LOCATION:         UAF Fairbanks Campus

DATE & TIME:     Aug.7 - 9, 2001

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the School of Agriculture and Land Resources Management and Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station are sponsoring a colloquium, "Strengthening Partnerships to Serve our Stakeholders" Aug. 7 - 9, 2001.

Colien Hefferan, an administrator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CREES) will present the keynote address. It will take place at the International Arctic Research Center Conference Room 401, Thursday, Aug. 9 at 8: 30 a.m. Hefferan is in Alaska participating in the "CREES and Partners Alaska Tour," which begins Aug. 7.

The first two days of the meeting will feature a series of tours and presentations highlighting CES partnerships and collaborations with multiple states and the public. UAF extension and research faculty will provide an overview of forestry resources, presentations on climate change and its impacts on forest management, value-added potentials and related forest management issues.

On Tuesday, Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. there will be a tour of the CES "Smart Kitchen," currently in the final stages of construction. Also included will be tours of the Georgeson Botanical Gardens, and Delta Junction farms and other UAF extension and agriculture research facilities.

Special guests include: W. Wayne Maloney, Communications Director for U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, Michael Tate, Washington State University; Scott Reed, Oregon State University and Wayne Mishijima, University of Hawaii. Bob Franklin, president of the Alaska Farm Bureau, will host the event.

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Note to Editors: A reception hosted by thee Alaska Farm Beureau welcoming Colien Hefferan will take place, Tuesday, Aug. 7 at the UA Museum at 7 p.m. Tour itinerary is available upon request.

CONTACT: Tony Nakazawa, Director Cooperative Extension Service, at (907) 474-7246 or e-mail fyace@uaf.edu.

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