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The 2006 Annual State Meeting of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) held its 68th Annual State Meeting at the Biltmore Hotel in Oklahoma City Feb. 26-28. OACD is an independent organization that promotes natural resource conservation through various activities and functions. The meeting was cosponsored by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission.
Harold Mullins, a Noble County farmer, opened the meeting with a description of how local people formed the Red Rock Creek Conservancy District in 1960 to work on the flood control project. “After a flood in 1957, a survey completed by 126 landowners in the watershed reported over one million dollars in damages in the watershed,” said Mullins. “This motivated those living in the watershed to contribute money and their energy in developing the flood control project.”

Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary and Commissioner of Agriculture, welcomed the attendees on behalf of Gov. Brad Henry and commended the assembled conservationists for the value of their commitment to the state’s natural resources.
Bill Wilson of Kinta, Oklahoma, president of the National Association of Conservation Districts and Haskell County Conservation District director, and Congressman Frank Lucas also spoke during the opening session in the morning of Feb. 27.

At the Monday luncheon, state Sec. of Environment Miles Tolbert commented on new initiatives at both state and national levels to encourage and support conservation, including President George Bush’s proposals to encourage farming of crops like switchgrass for use as alternative and renewable fuel sources.

Conservation Awards

Awards for outstanding contributions to conservation of Oklahoma’s natural resources were presented to individuals and organizations during the OACD State Meeting.

OACD Conservation Hall of Fame

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission established the Oklahoma Conservation Hall of Fame in 1985. Each year, one or more friends of conservation and/or conservation district directors are inducted in recognition of a positive influence on Oklahoma’s conservation programs. These year OACD inducted two friends of conservation into the Hall of Fame.

OACD President Dan Lowrance named State Senator Johnnie Crutchfield and Area V Conservation Commissioner Virginia Kidd to the Oklahoma Conservation Hall of Fame during the organization’s banquet on Feb. 27 during its state convention.

Sen. Crutchfield, named to the Hall of Fame as a “Friend of Conservation,” is a Carter County native, having grown up on a ranch in the western part of the county. He has had a career in both ranching and teaching, having been a classroom teacher in Ardmore Public Schools for 28 years. He has extensive experience in local government, serving on the Ardmore City Council and then as Mayor. His other local government experience included 13 years as a member of the board of directors for the Arbuckle Conservation District. He also served a term on the executive board of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts.

In 1998 Crutchfield left his position on the conservation district to run for the state Senate. He won the election in Senate District 14 that includes Carter, Love, Murray and Garvin Counties.

“As a Senator he has championed conservation and conservation districts,” OACD President Dan Lowrance cited at the presentation ceremony. “Having a senator who has been a conservation district director and a state association board member is a great benefit to the conservation cause in Oklahoma,” Lowrance said.

At the OACD Area II Meeting in November 2005, Sen. Crutchfield had challenged conservation district directors to consider running for the state Senate or House of Representatives.

“We are honored that one of our own has demonstrated great leadership in the Oklahoma Senate by serving this session as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” Lowrance said.

OACD President Lowrance also named Oklahoma Conservation Commissioner for Area V and LeFlore County Conservation District Director to the Hall of Fame.

Lowrance cited Kidd as a leader in Oklahoma’s conservation movement for the past 20 years. First elected to the LeFlore County Conservation District board in 1986, she built a reputation of action, always willing to fight the odds for a worthy conservation cause, Lowrance said

Kidd was recognized for her leadership in the upstream flood control program of the state and the LeFlore County Conservation District. The conservation district is responsible for operating five upstream flood control dams in the Caston Mountain Creek watershed. Most recently she championed the cause of the citizens of the town of McCurtain, leading the charge to devote funds to reclaim a large and hazardous abandoned mine land site just west of the town. That reclamation is work is currently underway and will be completed in a few months.

Kidd was first appointed to represent southeast Oklahoma on the Conservation Commission in 1996 and reappointed in 2000 by Governor Frank Keating and is now serving a third five year term having been reappointed again this past year by Governor Brad Henry. During the terms of service on the Commission the state conservation cost-share program and rehabilitation of Oklahoma’s flood control structures were initiated.

Kidd has also served her communities in a variety of venues including the Kiamichi Economic Development District of Oklahoma board and as trustee on the Carl Albert State College Foundation. Prior to serving the Conservation Commission, she was appointed by Governor Henry Bellmon to serve as a member of the Department of Human Services Commission. She also served on the board of the Oklahoma Heritage Association.

“Raised on a farm and continuing in the farming and ranching business as an adult, the cause of conservation has no better friend than tonight’s recipient – Virginia Kidd” Lowrance said.

OACD President’s Award

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts has presented its “President’s Award” since 1983 to one or more individuals or an organization that has shown outstanding support of conservation efforts in Oklahoma or the nation.
OACD President Dan Lowrance presented the President’s Award for 2006 to Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary and Commissioner of Agriculture, during the organization’s banquet on Feb. 27 during its state convention. This is the first time OACD has presented the President’s Award to a state Secretary of Agriculture.

The Secretary of Agriculture represents the Oklahoma Conservation Commission and 88 local conservation districts on the Governor’s Cabinet, as well as other agencies.

“Since Terry became our cabinet secretary over three years ago he has provided outstanding leadership for Oklahoma agriculture and he understands the importance of conservation to this state,” Lowrance said. “He meets regularly with OACD’s leadership and carries our conservation priorities to the governor. He has been an advocate for our cost-share program and the watershed rehabilitation program,” Lowrance added.

Peach is a third generation farmer from Mooreland in Woodward County. The family farming and ranching operation includes several thousand acres of wheat and grassland.

“Terry understands the U.S. Department of Agriculture and conservation programs, having served seven years as the state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Oklahoma,” Lowrance said.

OACD Conservation Awards

The OACD Conservation Awards for Outstanding Conservation District, District Director and District Cooperator were announced at OACD Awards Banquet on Feb. 27. The awards will be presented in a ceremony in the Governor’s Blue Room during Conservation Day at the Capitol on March 13.

Garfield County Conservation District will receive the Outstanding Conservation District award, cosponsored by Chesapeake Energy. The district was cited for an active program of public information and conservation education, and active conservation programs including participation in the Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

Joy Elledge from south of Nowata will receive the Outstanding District Director award cosponsored by the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation. Elledge serves on the board of directors of Nowata County Conservation District.
Holton Payne of Rabbit Creek Ranch near Newkirk was announced as Outstanding Cooperator/Landowner. Payne is a cooperator with the Kay County Conservation District. The award is cosponsored by the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma.

100% Attendance by Board

Harper County Conservation District was honored for continuing a record of 100 percent attendance of district directors at board meetings.

Excellence in Communication

Mark Thomas, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Press Association (OPA), joined OACD President Dan Lowrance to present the Excellence in Communications Awards, cosponsored by OACD and OPA. The award for Outstanding Press Coverage by an OPA Member Newspaper Employee went to Tippi Rasp, a reporter with the Enid News and Eagle. The feature was entered for in the contest by the Garfield County Conservation District. Outstanding Press Coverage by an OPA Member Newspaper Publisher went to Wayne White of the Newkirk Herald Journal.
The Excellence in Communication by a conservation district went to Kay County Conservation District for a yearlong campaign devoted to public awareness. The Excellence in Innovative Communication went to Cimarron County Conservation District for developing a bottled drinking water product that is labeled with a conservation message.

Employee Recognition

Tricia Soderstrom, secretary for the Lincoln County Conservation District, received the Adeline Laird Award. The award was established in memory of Adeline Laird, finance officer at the Oklahoma Conservation Commission from October 1974 until her death in 1984. The award is presented to recognize district secretaries or programs coordinators who typify Laird’s hard work, dedication, enthusiasm and caring attitude.

Iris Imler, programs coordinator, for the Cimarron County Conservation District, received the Outstanding Conservation District Employee Award from the Oklahoma Association of Conservation District Employees.

NRCS Earth Team Awards

Phoukham Vongkhamdy and Kirk Schreiner of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service presented NRCS Earth Team awards for volunteer service. The following Earth Team Volunteer Awards were presented:

Volunteer: Debbie Eagle, for significant contributions to the conservation effort and successful mission of NRCS and its conservation partners through dedicated service as an Earth Team Volunteer in 2005.

Volunteer Program: High Plains RC&D, for recognition of the diverse efforts working with the Earth Team Volunteer Program in 2005.

Field Office: Wilburton Field Office and Talihina and Latimer County Conservation Districts, for exemplary efforts in recruiting and utilizing Earth Team Volunteers in 2005.

Volunteer Workgroups: Ouachita Mountains RC&D, for exceptional efforts in utilizing Earth Team Volunteer Workgraoups in 2005.

NRCS also presented the following Partnership Awards:

Conservationist of the Year: Johnny Corgill, Antlers
Conservation Educator: Susan Henning, Newkirk
District Directors or Agency Official of the Year: Wayne Sexton, McAlester
Standing in the GAP: Lynda Rushing, El Reno
RC&D Council Member: Trapper Heglin, Member, High Plains RC&D, Buffalo
RC&D Council: Cherokee Hills RC&D Council, Tahlequah