[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 191 (Monday, November 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6622-S6623]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE WYOMING ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

  Mr. BARRASSO. Madam President, I rise today to recognize a 
significant anniversary for the Wyoming Association of Conservation 
Districts. When they meet next week, the association will celebrate 75 
years of service to Wyoming's natural resources. Without question, the 
forests, streams, and soils in the state have seen immense benefit from 
the important work conservation district employees do every day.
  Conservation districts succeed through their work and partnerships 
with diverse stakeholders. Landowners, farmers and ranchers, government 
agencies, counties, towns, and other community organizations contribute 
to the conservation of land and water resources on private and public 
lands in Wyoming. Local conservation district boards perform as a 
liaison between local landowners, resource users, and State and Federal 
governmental agencies. The association helps individuals navigate 
programs and provides exemplary technical assistance to cultivate 
productive lands and healthy ecosystems. Agriculture, industry, cities, 
forests, and wildlife all depend on strong and healthy watersheds.
  Wyoming has 34 conservation districts in our 23 counties. Each 
district is run by staff and a board of five supervisors, who serve 
voluntarily. Conservation districts direct programs protecting local 
renewable natural resources at the local level. Each district

[[Page S6623]]

puts its focus on issues important to resource concerns in the county. 
These range from water quality monitoring and watershed planning to 
seedling tree sales and living snow fence programs, forest planning and 
rangeland management to wildlife habitat improvement and endangered 
species issues.
  I rely heavily on conservation districts for their expertise in 
water, conservation, wildlife, forestry, and general land management. 
As their mission statement says, in part, the Wyoming Association of 
Conservation Districts provides leadership for the conservation of 
Wyoming's soil and water resources and promotes and protects the 
quality of Wyoming's waters through responsible conservation ethic.
  People are the key to conservation district success, from local 
volunteers to dedicated staff and partners who dedicate themselves to 
the cause. The association provides valuable insight and expertise to 
countless projects and issues at the local, State, and national level. 
One of the best examples is in the recently retired, Bobbie Frank.
  Bobbie Frank served as executive director of the Wyoming Association 
of Conservation Districts for the last 29 years. Bobbie's list of 
achievements is long. From being intimately involved in a myriad of 
water quality issues both at the State and national levels to 
developing and implementing programs at the local level. Bobbie has 
received the Wyoming Stock Growers Guardian of the Grassland Award and 
the Kurt Bucholz Conservation Award. She has also been inducted as a 
member of the Wyoming Ag Hall of Fame. I look forward to working with 
the Wyoming Association of Conservation District's new executive 
director, Hunter Petsch, moving forward.
  It is without hesitation that I say Wyoming's forests and plains 
would look much different today if the Wyoming Association of 
Conservation Districts had not unified in 1945. Each municipal water 
manager, rancher, hiker, forester, hunter, and miner owes a debt of 
gratitude for the good work of the Wyoming Association of Conservation 
Districts.
  I would like to recognize several leaders within the Wyoming 
Association of Conservation Districts for their dedicated service to 
the State of Wyoming.

       Board of Directors: Todd Heward, President; Dan Rice, Vice 
     President; Ryan Fieldgrove and Wayne Garman, Area I 
     Directors; Levi Clark and Stan Mitchem, Area II Directors; 
     Keith Grant, Area III Director; Reg Phillips and Shanon Sims, 
     Area IV Directors; and Shaun Sims and Coke Landers, Area V 
     Directors.
       Staff: Hunter Petsch, Executive Director; Kelly Brown, 
     Program Specialist; and Cathy Rosenthal, Watershed 
     Coordinator.
       Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, of each 
     conservation district:
       Campbell County Conservation District: Lindsay Wood, Casey 
     Elkins
       Clear Creek Conservation District: Ryan Fieldgrove, Luke 
     Todd
       Cody Conservation District: Russ Dwyer, Bobbie Holder
       Converse County Conservation District: Stan Mitchem, Shelly 
     Falkenburg
       Crook County Natural Resources District: Wayne Garman, Ted 
     Parsons
       Dubois-Crowheart Conservation District: Reg Phillips, Todd 
     Hirsch
       Hot Springs Conservation District: Jim Andreen, Sonja 
     Becker
       Laramie County Conservation District: Thomas E. Farrell, 
     Kevin Wells
       Laramie Rivers Conservation District: Ruth Shepherd, Bob 
     Shine
       Lincoln Conservation District: Erick Esterholdt, Kenny 
     Petersen
       Lingle-Fort Laramie Conservation District: Don McDowell, 
     Joe Speckner
       Little Snake River Conservation District: Jack Cobb, Meghan 
     Lally
       Lower Wind River Conservation District: Nick Biltoft, 
     Richard Denke
       Medicine Bow Conservation District: Shanon Sims, Ralph 
     Brokaw
       Meeteetse Conservation District: Tim Morrison, Joe Thomas
       Natrona County Conservation District: Andrew Anderson, 
     Dennis Scott
       Niobrara Conservation District: Matt Dockery, Dale Jordan
       North Platte Valley Conservation District: Art Davis, Mike 
     Carney
       Platte County Resource Conservation District: Kerry Powers, 
     Levi Clark
       Popo Agie Conservation District: Tim Wilson, Jeri 
     Trebelecock
       Powder River Conservation District: Bill Jones, George 
     Renkert
       Powell-Clarks Fork Conservation District: Floyd Derry, 
     Regan Smith
       Saratoga-Encampment-Rawlins Conservation District: Arla 
     Strasser, Dan Mika
       Sheridan County Conservation District: Susan Holmes, Edith 
     Heyward
       Shoshone Conservation District: Brad Tippetts, Spencer 
     Ellis
       South Big Horn Conservation District: George Kelso, Walt 
     Hibbert
       South Goshen Conservation District: Dan Jackson, Boyd Yeik
       Star Valley Conservation District: Rollin Gardner, Shane 
     Crook
       Sublette County Conservation District: Coke Landers, 
     Darrell Walker
       Sweetwater County Conservation District: Mary E. Thoman, 
     Tom Burris
       Teton Conservation District: Steve McDonald, Nate Fuller
       Uinta County Conservation District: Kelly Guild, Dennis 
     Cornelison
       Washakie County Conservation District: Dave Slover, Dan 
     Rice
       Weston County Natural Resource District: Alicia Redding, 
     David Tysdal

  I rise today to honor the dedicated professionals who work to keep 
our ecosystems healthy. My wife, Bobbi, joins me in thanking them and 
wishing the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts another 75 
years of success.

                          ____________________