Prairie du Chien District Conservationist Karyl Fritsche is being recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Services in Wisconsin, highlighting her completion of a fellowship through the Embassy Science Fellows Program in Lithuania.
The Embassy Science Fellows Program places USDA technical experts at American embassies abroad to provide expertise, advice and assistance with issues ranging from the environment, science, technology and health, according to a March 28 NRCS news release.
“Sustainable agricultural practices have moved to the forefront of modern food production," Wisconsin NRCS Southwest Area Officer Joe Schmetz said in the release. "NRCS is a leader in promoting and innovating these practices at a national level, and now with Karyl’s enthusiasm and leadership, she has taken that message halfway around the world to Lithuania."
Assigned to the Baltic Environmental Forum, Fritsche's duties included presenting to Lithuanian government officials and private institutions on topics that include the tools, practices and policies of soil health improvement, the release reported.
Her time in Lithuanian also included working to help submit a project grant application to the U.S. Embassy to fund a large soil health event, drafting a report comparing the Lithuanian Strategic Plan and ecoschemes with current U.S. policy, participating in the Good Farmer Championship Field Tour and presenting on her experience and role as a conservation expert in Wisconsin, the release said.
“I found the fellowship to be highly rewarding as it allowed me to step away from my daily programmatic tasks and reconnect with the science of conservation,” Fritsche said in the release.
She also had the chance to perform additional field work, consult on soil health and manage grazing practices with local farmers, according to the release. In addition, she made several presentations to the Lithuania Ministry of Agriculture on the initiatives in place to help mitigate the effects of climate change and how NRCS promotes sustainable agriculture through technical assistance and voluntary conservation programs.
In all, 18 U.S. Government science agencies take part in the Embassy Science Fellow Program, contributing almost 550 participants in the program since its inception. Over the last two decades, NRCS has sponsored more than 28 Fellows to work in areas of strategic importance to the agency, the release said.
"As an agency, NRCS is supportive of the efforts to educate a global community and I appreciate Karyl’s efforts to continue to spread the message of soil health," Schmetz added, according to the release.
