Master Conservationist

 The Master Conservationist Award is the highest recognition presented to private landowners by a local Soil and  Water Conservation District for individual land stewarship efforts.  Less than two percent of private landowners or  farmers are recognized as Master Conservationists.  To qualify for this award, the landowner must have completed  over ninety percent of their soil and water conservation plan for the land under their control.  In doing so, almost all,  if not all of their land-based natural resources are protected from serious degradation and are managed for  sustainability.  Their conservation practices and management techniques are those to be modeled and are often  emulated by others seeking to achieve similar levels of success. 

 The Master Conservationist Award has been presented by our district since 1982.  Here are a few of the recipients of  this prestigous award.

     Toni & Marshall T Ray                    Joyce McKinney                 Caldwell Willig

               2015                                        2014                                    2013

   Barry & Jennifer Moore                    Edward Bonnie                    Jon Bednarski **

            2012                                           2011                                    2010

           Woodland Farm                      Bob & Elizabeth Martin                 Paul Wassing

                2009                                          2008                                       2007

            Richard Smith                               Wes Husband                         Nana Lampton

               2006                                              2005                                     2004

        Bill & Mike Snyder                    John & Anna Yancey           

                 2003                                     2002                                         

 2001     William and Edith Camp

 2000     Rowland Miller

 1999     Kevin Jeffries and Mike McCall

 1998     David Gleason and Tim Deibel

 1997     Foster L. Snyder

 1996     Wayne Joplin

 1995     George Blakemore, Jr.

 1994     Daniel Boone Gardiner

 1993     Richard Rahm

 1992     Steve Greenwell and Dick Greenwell

 1991     Frances M. Bowling

 1990     J. A. Paradis

 1989     Norman Dick and Kevin Dick

 1988     Richard Deibel, Tommy Deibel, David Deibel and Ray Deibel

 1987     Johnny Warren and Oren Clore

 1986     Jack Ragsdale and Helen Abell

 1985     Bobby Klingenfus, John Broyles and Roy Broyles

 1984     John Caldwell and Sam Finney

 1983     W. A. Ellis and Joe Nay

 1982     James R. Smith and John Brent Smith 

**Jon Bednarski was selected as the 2012 State Conservationist and was Kentucky's inaugural winner of the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award!