Zia Support to NRI – USDA NRCS Overcomes 2021 COVID Challenges and Looks Ahead to 2022

Zia recently completed six years of ongoing support for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) conducting annual National Resources Inventories in Colorado and New Mexico. Despite ongoing challenges from COVID 19 in the most recent performance period which finished in September 2021 Zia completed all required activities and data collection and submission deadlines on schedule.

Based on this success, USDA/NRCS New Mexico awarded Zia a new contract in 2019. We will continue supporting the Natural Resources Inventory for New Mexico through 2023 with this year’s performance beginning in the Spring.

The work includes collection of rangeland resources data on hundreds of selected sample sites (points) for the National Resources Inventory (NRI), Rangeland Field Study. The NRI program requires rigorous scientific and sample survey protocols as well as the ability to meet tight deadlines for data submission. The program encompasses a wide variety of Range, Pasture, and Bureau of Land Management inventory sites in the state.

Each inventory site is called a Segment and is about 160 acres in size. Data is collected by data collection teams consisting of two or more members. The data collection is conducted on public & private land requiring close coordination with landowners to meet survey data collection timelines.

Collected data is entered into handheld Computer Assisted Survey Instruments using approved software provided by USDA NRCS. Data is transmitted to the USDA NRCS Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology located in Ames, Iowa.

The work includes collection of rangeland resources data on hundreds of selected sample sites (points) for the National Resources Inventory (NRI), Rangeland Field Study in each state. The NRI program is based upon scientific and rigorous sample survey protocols. Each state in the program has a combination of Range, Pasture and Bureau of Land Management inventory sites in the state. Each inventory site is called a Segment and is about 160 acres in size. Data are to be collected by data collection teams consisting of two or more members. The data collection is conducted on private & public land. Collected data is entered into handheld Computer Assisted Survey Instruments using approved software provided by USDA NRCS. Data is transmitted to the USDA NRCS Iowa State University Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology located in Ames, Iowa.

Headed by Victor Gibbs, RPA, Zia’s success is due to our excellent field teams spread throughout the state many of whom are former NRCS professionals with the qualifications, experience and knowledge of plant and soil attributes in New Mexico to successfully address the NRI needs.

As Zia’s President, Edward Martinez, noted, “The quality of the work completed by our field teams is instrumental in our success in winning the continuation of this work in New Mexico. We appreciate our staff’s efforts and look forward to continuing to serve the USDA NRCS for the coming years.” Zia has successfully worked with the USDA NRCS throughout New Mexico and the Midwest over the years through various USDA NRCS issued contracts for rangeland, wetlands, and natural resources efforts.