A34—Lancaster Farming', Saturday, October 9,1982
Assn, honors president, conservationist of year
BY DEBBIE KOONTZ
HARRISBURG - Robert K.
Mowrer of Lancaster County was
named Conservationist of the
Year, Tuesday evening, at the 35th
joint annual conference of the
Pennsylvania Association of
Conservation District Directors,
Inc., and the State Conservation
Commission, here at the Host Inn.
Mowrer was joined in the
spotlight by several other out
standing conservation-related
individuals, including new
president of the Association of
Conservation District Directors
Alex Smith of Greensburg, and
Lancaster County Commissioner
James Huber, named County
Commissioner of the Year.
Though the individuals were
honored at an awards ceremony
Tuesday as part of the three-day
conference, Smith moved into the
presidency earlier offering par
ticipants the opportunity to meet
with him and discuss changes for
the upcoming year. ,
One change the new president, a
native of Centre County, hopes to
make in the new year is “in
stituting more special committees.
I feel a lot of legwork being done by
leaders and directors could be
George Wolff gives a congratulatory and hearty handshake
to Alex Smith for taking over his now past position as
president of the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation
District Directors. Inc. Smith hails from Greensbui Pa.
Mr. and Mrs. William Gregory, right, are awarded the Conservation Farmer of the Year plaque
for the conservation practices they applied on both their Cioverdale Farms and the land they
lease. Presenting the award is Dick Rossman, first vice president.
At 35th conservation district con
done by the members of these
committees. I would also like to
initiate more thorough reporting at
national as well as local meetings.
It does cost a lot to go to these
meetings and I would like
everyone to get as much from
them as they can.” Smith was
referring in part to the national
conference, this year scheduled to
be in Louisiana in February 1983.
In previous years. Smith served
on the public relations committee
for the state association before
moving to the position of secretary
three times and then first vice
president this past year.
Smith’s background includes
farming until 1961, a bachelor’s and
master’s degree in education, and
a teaching job for the past 19 years
in vocational agriculture at the
New Stanton school district.
The new president takes over the
position from George Wolff who
served the 1981-82 term.
At the awards banquet, the
Bradford Conservation District
received a plaque for'first place in
director attendance, boasting an
impressive 94 percent. The Lan
caster District came in second
with a close 91.7 percent. Third
ir plai ig second in ector attendance and second . the Goodyear awards.theLancaster
Conservation District was honored at the awards banquet, Tuesday evening, at the 35th annual
conference of the Pa. Association of Conservation District Directors, Inc. and the State Con
servation Commission. Pictured are members James Huber, county commissioner who also
received the County Commissioner of the Year award; Tim Breneisen; Tom Johnston; Amos
Funk; and Aaron Stauffer. Presenting the award is Paul Schwartz, executive secretary of the
state conservation commission.
place went to the York District at
86.9 percent.
Mowrer, designated the Con
servationist of the Year, has been
activeln 208 water qualify projects
and was instrumental in getting
the Rural Clean Water Project
approved for the Conestoga
Watershed.
In 1968, Mowrer was appointed as
an urban director to the Lancaster
District and is involved in State
Water Plan, Soil Stewardship,
erosion and sedimentation control
and environmental education. Due
primarily to his efforts, a Lan
caster County Youth Conservation
School was organized in 1978 and
has now graduated over 75 people.
The honor of Conservation
Farmer of the Year went to
William Gregory of Carbon
County. His Cloverdale Farms has
been in the family for three
generatioas. The Gregorys have
been leaders in Carbon County in
installing conservation practices
on both their farmland and on land
they lease. Conservation plans
have been developed and im
plemented on 560 acres of far
mland (294 acres cropland) owned
by the Gregorys. This winner
helped organize the Carbon Con
servation District when it was
established in 1947 and was a
\rence
member of the first District board, program which has won various
Ernest C. Aharrah of Clarion awards. He also was instrumental
County received the Conservation in the founding of the Penn Soil
Educator of the Year award. Resource Conservation and
Aharrah has been a director with Development Project, and is a
the Clarion District for 12 years, member of both the Pennsylvania
having served as chairman, vice and American Council for
chairman and secretary. As an Research in Mined-Land
environmental educator at Clairon Reclamation.
State College for the past 26 years. The Conservation Organization
Aharrah has developed an ecology of the Year, the Schuylkill River
nd \tir ti d-stud?
plaqi
Lancaster County for being named Conservationist of the
Year. Mowrer was instrumental in getting a Rural Clean
Water Project approved for the Conestoga Watershed.
jnty . .ryman and
member of the Clearfield District Board, receives the
Watershed Man of the Year award from Dick Rossman, left.