NRD Honors Area Conservationists
Dec. 4, 2007
Area conservationists were honored at the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District’s Annual Banquet on December 2 at the Knights of Columbus hall in David City.
Each year, the NRD gives awards for outstanding efforts in conservation, tree planting, water resources management, education, volunteerism, and partnership efforts. Award winners are chosen by NRD staff and directors.
Orrin Strand of Albion was named Outstanding Conservationist of the Year. In 2005 Orrin finished a 14-year project to switch entirely to no-till on his 800 acres of cropground. He has planted trees each spring since 1989 and is very active in the CRP program, with 19 acres of quail habitat and 179 additional CRP acres. Other conservation practices Orrin has implemented over the years include 14 acres in the Nebraska Buffer Strip program, a sediment basin, six small dams and three diversions.
The 2007 Tree Planter of the Year Award went to Jim McDonald of the Boy Scouts of America. Since 2002 Jim and the Scouts have purchased 900 trees from the NRD for planting at Camp Cedar and Camp Eagle north of Cedar Bluffs. Jim estimates they have doubled or tripled that number during the same time period with purchases from other nurseries. Jim has experimented with many different tree species and methods for getting seeds to germinate, as well as ways to protect the trees from the large deer population at the camps. The camp is also using red cedar logs to build period-era structures such as a mound house and a forge.
L-R: Jim McDonald receives the 2007 Tree Planter of the Year Award from NRD Forestry Manager Bob Heimann.
The 2007 Educator of the Year was Mike Luben of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Mike is the current Conservation Officer for the Butler/Saunders County area and has been with the Commission for 18 years. Mike is primarily tasked with enforcing fish and game laws, but education has become a very important component of that job in recent years. Mike estimates that he participates in up to 75 educational events each year, including Hunter Education programs, K-12 classroom presentations, summer camps, presentations to scouting groups and civic groups, fishing clinics, archery clincs, the NRD's Spring Conservation Sensation, and more.
L-R: Troy Thompson, NRD Information/Education Specialist, presents the 2007 Educator of the Year Award to Game and Parks Conservation Officer Mike Luben.
The 2007 Partner of the Year was Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, with special recognition for DEQ employees Rick Bay, Susan Hoppel and Elbert Traylor. In 2007, Elbert Traylor helped the Lower Platte North NRD secure two EPA grants totaling almost $800,000 for wetland enhancement and land treatment components of the Sand Creek Environmental Restoration Project. At the same time, Rick Bay and Susan Hoppel helped the NRD receive up to $6 million in "gap financing" through the State Revolving Fund for the project. This is the first loan of that type for a non-point source pollution project in Nebraska.
L-R: Rick Bay accepts the 2007 Partner of the Year Award from NRD Assistant Manager Tom Mountford on behalf of DEQ.
The 2007 Volunteer of the Year was Shirley "Cookie" Spangler of Fremont. Since joining the Dodge County NRCS office in 2005, Cookie has provided many volunteer hours on top of her paid time to digitize slides of aerial photos. These aerial photos are a vital tool for the field offices and having them readily available in electronic format is a great help in planning new projects and reviewing old ones. Cookie also helps with file organization, photocopying, and anything else she can assist with in the office.
Dave Bichlmeier of the Colfax County NRCS office was chosen as NRCS Employee of the Year. Dave, a Resource Conservationist, is the only NRCS employee assigned to Colfax County. In addition to directing numerous conservation projects in the area, providing customer service to producers and partners, and helping other NRCS offices when needed, Dave is very knowledgeable in the computer arena and has developed a number of time-saving worksheets and formulas for estimating project costs.
L-R: Dave Bichlmeier receives the NRCS Employee of the Year Award from NRD Assistant Manager Tom Mountford.
NRD staff and directors were also recognized at the banquet. The 2007 Director of the Year was Clint Johannes of Richland. In his 18 years on the board, Clint has been one of the NRD's most active directors, serving as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice Chair and Chair, as well as chair of the Water Committee and the Personnel Subcommittee. He is also active on the state and national level, representing the NRD at at various events for the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts, the National Association of Conservation Districts, and the Ground Water Management District Association. Clint was appointed by then-Governor Johanns to serve on the Water Policy Task Force, which undertook a comprehensive review and retooling of Nebraska water law.
L-R: NRD Director of the Year Clint Johannes receives the Director of the Year award from Manager John Miyoshi.
Tom Mountford, NRD Assistant Manager, was the 2007 Employee of the Year. Tom has been with the district since 1994 and is the driving force behind most of the district's grant writing efforts in addition to many other duties. In nominations for the award, NRD directors and staff spoke highly of Tom's grant writing ability, his fairness in dealing with personnel issues, his listening skills, and the sound advice he provides. "Tom is respected by both directors and staff," said NRD Chair Lumir Jedlicka in presenting the award. "His willingness to go the extra mile and lead by example elevates our entire organization."
L-R: NRD Chair Lumir Jedlicka presents NRD Assistant Manager Tom Mountford with the 2007 Employee of the Year Award.
Other staff awards included:
- Customer Service Award – Chris Poole, GIS Specialist.
- NRCS Field Office Award – Susan Leu, Butler County NRCS Clerk.
- Circle of Excellence Awards – Sam Barlean, Operations & Maintenance/Rural Water Specialist; Jill Breunig, Office Manager; and Joe Sabata, Operations & Maintenance Specialist .
L-R: NRD director Don Kavan presents Susie Leu, Butler County NRD Clerk, with the 2007 Field Office Award.
L-R: NRD director Clint Johannes with Circle of Excellence award winners Sam Barlean, Jill Breunig and Joe Sabata.