The Lewis County Conservation District was honored recently during the Annual Convention of the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts in Louisville.
The District was presented the Outstanding Conservation District of the Year for 2023 by State Forester Director Brandon Howard with the Kentucky Division of Forestry.
Howard said the award honors the conservation district that has contributed the most to support conservation management and to encourage forestry management and forest stewardship activities and reflects activities completed during the 2023 calendar year.
“The nominees are judged by the quality of partnership, communication, and cooperation at the local level. They are also evaluated based on how well they build and promote conservation and forest management activities together between KACD, KDF, and other collaborators such as UK Extension, the Army Corps of Engineers, state parks, and local organizations,” Howard said during the presentation at Louisville’s Crowne Plaza.
Howard outlined some of the Lewis County Conservation District’s activities and accomplishments that helped it win the award:
• During the calendar year, five forest stewardship plans and one forest management plan were written and these plans covered a total of 1,214 acres of forestland.
• There were also 18 stewardship plan referrals.
• 15 properties also completed timber stand improvement totaling
186 acres.
• 26 acres underwent wildlife habitat improvement.
• 50 recreation acres were improved.
• One Conservation Reserve Program case completed in
partnership with NRCS
• Promotion of forestry on social media, the radio, newspapers,
and in county schools.
• The conservation district also promoted forestry through
organizations such as the Lewis County Ag Council and the
Lewis County Cattleman’s Association.
• The conservation district offered a conservation writing contest
to Lewis County students in grades 6-12 and offered the Jim
Claypool art contest to students in grades 1-5.
• Schools were also provided with conservation education packets
that included pamphlets on forestry, wildfire, soils, and
waterways.
“The Lewis County Conservation District did an excellent job of promoting forestry activities and enhancing conservation efforts and it is my pleasure to present them with the 2023 KACD Outstanding Conservation District of Year Award,” Howard said.
“Congratulations! We appreciate all your hard work to protect Kentucky’s natural resources,” he said as he presented the award to Judge Executive George Sparks, who accepted it on behalf of the district.
“It is a great honor and a testament to the hard work of the Lewis County Conservation District,” Sparks said.
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