Contact: Celi Haga, 651-315-5082 (c)
St. Paul, Minn. – As 2014 comes to a close, the Minnesota Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) took time to recognize outstanding work done at the local level to advance Minnesota conservation.
John Jaschke, BWSR’s Executive Director, explains, “Our local government partners are leading the charge to protect and restore our state’s natural resources. The great work done by Bruce and Pam is to be commended, and illustrative of the energy and dedication of Minnesota’s local conservation staff. We applaud Otter Tail County for their leadership and commitment to conservation.”
2014 Outstanding Watershed Employee of the Year
Bruce Albright, District Administrator for the Buffalo-Red River Watershed District, was honored at the Minnesota Association of Watershed Districts annual meeting on December 5, 2014. Albright has served for more than thirty years as the district’s administrator. In 2014, he managed the successful completion of the Manston Slough project, a 1,500-plus acres wetland restoration.
2014 Outstanding District Employee of the Year
Pam Tomevi, District Administrator for the Koochiching Soil and Water Conservation District, was honored at the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts annual meeting on December 8, 2014. In addition to her duties in Koochiching, Pam stepped in this year to provide interim administrative services to the North St. Louis SWCD.
2014 County Conservation Award
Otter Tail County was honored at the 2014 Association of Minnesota Counties annual meeting on December 8, 2014, for its buffer initiative. Demonstrating a commitment to soil and water health, the Otter Tail County Buffer Initiative will install 50-foot vegetated buffers on 100% of the agricultural land adjacent to the county’s lakes, rivers, streams and ditches. The effort will benefit 1,049 lakes and 1,174 miles of waterways by helping keep soil on the land and runoff out of the water.
More information about the BWSR’s local government partners and the local conservation delivery system can be found at BWSR’s website: www.bwsr.state.mn.us. Full profiles of the award winners are available on the BWSR homepage. Pictures of the award winners are available by request.