Olin Sims Living Legacy Program
As a living legacy to Olin Sims, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) is encouraging conservation districts, state associations of conservation districts, partners and friends of Olin to plant a tree in his memory.
A Plains Cottonwood tree was planted at the Wyoming State Fair Grounds in Douglas (see top photo at left) as part of the Living Legacy program initiated by NACD. The Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wyoming Conservation District Employees Association, and Wyoming Department of Agriculture planted the tree in honor of 2007 NACD President Olin Sims. Wyoming State Forestry was instrumental in the selection of the tree as well as the planting site. Members of Olin's family were on hand for the planting.
Click here for more information on the Living Legacy Program. Click here for additional pictures of tree plantings held throughout the country.
Gary Beach Memorial Scholarship
The Wyoming Natural Resource Foundation provides a scholarship in honor of the late Gary Beach and his work on behalf of Wyoming's natural resources. Beach worked for the Department of Environmental Quality and as Administrator of the water quality division was instrumental in working with local conservation districts to establish the local watershed planning approach to addressing Wyoming's impaired waterbodies.
University of Wyoming students focusing on natural resource management are encouraged to apply. In order to be eligible for the scholarship, the following criteria must by met: The applicant must have completed at least 59 credit hours (be enrolled at the Junior level or higher) and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. The applicant must be enrolled at UW in one of the following academic majors: environment and natural resources, water resources, rangeland ecology and watershed management or a related field.
Applications are currently being
accepted for the 2012 Scholarship. Applications must be
submitted no later than June 1, 2012.
2012 Application
2012 Criteria
Pathway to Water Quality
The mission of the Pathway to Water Quality is to provide an outdoor classroom to education Wyoming citizens about water quality and their watersheds, and to showcase a variety of innovative and effective conservation approaches and technologies that can be used to protect the quality of Wyoming's waters.
For more information read the project brochure here.
Grassroots Conservation:
Sweetwater County Conservation District- Land and Resource Use Plan and Policy-
The Foundation provided funding for the development of a Land and Resource Use Plan and Policy. The Plan identifies and applies goals, objective, and policies to the state and federal regulatory framework that governs the management of private, state and federal land and the rangeland, soil, water and wildlife resources.
This plan charts the course for local resource management and use for the Sweetwater County Conservation District. For more information visit www.swccd.us.
Grassroots Conservation:
Sheridan County Conservation District-
With the support provided by Sheridan County Conservation District citizens, the Foundation continued support for the conservation programs and projects being carried out through the Sheridan County Conservation District. Priorities of the district include major watershed planning and implementation efforts within the Goose Creek and Tongue River watersheds.
For more information visit www.sccdofwyo.org.
Grassroots Conservation:
Crook County Natural Resource District-
Crook County Natural Resource District- W.C. Kenney Foundation- In 2006, the Crook County NRD and the Wyoming Natural Resource Foundation applied for funding to augment the Belle Fourche River watershed effort led by the District. Thanks to the support of the W. C. Kenney Foundation, the resources necessary to continue and enhance local water quality monitoring efforts were provided.
The monitoring conducted through this project is just one aspect of an overall watershed improvement effort. This project continued to be implemented through the fiscal year with water quality monitoring activities occurring on the Belle Fourche River and Donkey Creek. The monitoring portion of the Belle Fourche watershed project supported with W. C. Kenney Foundation funds was completed in October 2007. For more information visit www.ccnrd.org.
