Commission News

Commission News www.mswcc.ms.gov

680 Monroe Street, Suite B, Jackson MS 39202 Tel. 601.354.7645 Fax. 601.354.6628

VOL. 4 NO. 1 & 2 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2020

BY KATHY DOUGAN, MSWCC JACKSON—360 conservationists including farmers, ranchers, cattlemen, conservation dignitaries, leaders and employees registered to attend the MACD 75th Annual Meeting, held at the Hilton-Jackson on Jan. 22-23, 2020, where $23,118 was raised for MACD En-dowment Fund. At the awards banquet on Jan. 23, Herman L. Dun-gan Jr. of Jefferson Davis County was honored with a surprise award for his years of dedication, support and service to conservation. MACD Past President and MSWCC Board Chairman Pete Hunter proudly, and a bit tearfully, presented the Conservation Partnership Award to Dungan, saying, “(Herman is) someone who has given so much to pro-mote conservation in Mississippi; dedicated endless time and money to MACD Scholarship Endowment (Fund); is a mentor for me and always there to offer assistance; and (is) responsible for generating a small

group of conservation leaders to discuss, advise and assist NRCS efforts.” Those in attendance gave Dungan a rousing and prolonged stand-ing ovation. Sessions at the meeting in-cluded: Matthew Lohr, the USDA/NRCS Chief, speaking about programs offered by the NRCS; and Mike McCormick, President of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, talking about the ways the MS Farm Bureau Federation works with agencies in the state. Gary Blair, an NACD Executive Board member, and Richard

Ladner, a Biologist with the National Wild Turkey Federa-tion, spoke about District Partnerships with National Wild Turkey Federation. A panel discussion, Understanding Delta Flooding and Economic Impact, was conducted by Peter Nimrod, Chief Engineer for the Mississippi Levee Board; Kent Parrish of the Army Corp of Engineers; and Clay Adcock, a Sharkey County Landowner.

The Honorable MS Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens conducted the swearing-in ceremony for District Commis-sioners on Thursday, Jan. 23. Keynote speaker at the banquet was The Mayberry Dep-uty/David Browning, who brought fun and liveliness to the auction and keynote address with his impersonations, jokes and anecdotes about Mayberry, which was the theme of this year’s meeting. At the Jan. 22 live auction, several in attendance dressed as characters from the Andy Griffith show and were interspersed throughout the crowd, including Aunt Bea, Thelma Lou, Ernest T. Bass and Big Maude Tyler, to name a few. Gary Blair was dubbed the character Otis by The Mayberry Deputy, and MACD First Vice President Anita Cowan dressed as the Sheriff of Mayberry. Sponsors included: Alcorn State University, BankPlus, First South Farm Credit, MACDA, MCDEA, MS Farm Bureau Federation, MS Land Bank, MSWCC, Roundstone Native Seed LLC and Waggoner Engineering Inc.

Annual meeting raises $23k for endowment

Herman L. Dungan Jr., center, accepts the Mississippi Conservation Partnership Award from MSWCC Chairman and MACD Past President Pete Hunter, at left, and MACD President Jerry Smith. Dungan was honored for his years of dedication and service to conservation in Mississippi. PHOTO BY DEB LOGAN

The Mayberry Deputy/David Brown-ing with MACD President Jerry Smith at the MACD 75th Annual Meeting. Browning “worked” the crowd during the live auction on Jan. 22 and was the keynote speaker at the closing banquet on Jan. 23. PHOTO BY DEB LOGAN

Matthew Lohr, USDA/NRCS Chief, presented a session to attendees at the 2020 Annual Meeting on Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Hilton-Jackson. PHOTO BY KATHY DOUGAN, MSWCC

Commission News 2

Pete Hunter Chairman Clarksdale, MS Herman Dungan, Jr. Vice Chairman Prentiss, MS Buddy Allen Tunica, MS Jerry Smith Philadelphia, MS

Greg Crochet Gulfport, MS Anita Cowan Lamar, MS Paul Myrick Stringer, MS Nick Elmore Lucedale, MS Pat Ragsdale Walnut, MS

Russell Bozeman, Jr. State Forester Jackson, MS Andy Gipson Commissioner of Agriculture Jackson, MS

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dr. Gary Jackson Director, MSU-ES Mississippi State, MS Dr. George Hopper Director, M.A.F.E.S. Mississippi State, MS

Mississippi Soil & Water

Conservation Commission

680 Monroe Street, Suite B

Jackson, MS 39202 Office: 601-354-7645

Fax: 601-354-6628

website: www.mswcc.ms.gov Kathy Dougan, MSWCC

Public Relations Director

kdougan@mswcc.ms.gov www.mswcc.ms.gov

Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission Mark E. Gilbert, CPM, Executive Director

March 19, 2020: Envirothon Area Competitions for North, Central and Delta areas; March 26, 2020, South Envirothon Area Competi-tion. For more information, email Envirothon Coordi-nator Chelsey.Gazaway@ms.nacdnet.net, or call (662)647-8857, ext. 103.

March 25, 2020: 2020 NACD SPRING FLY-IN, Wash-ington, D.C. This annual event promotes the interests of conservation districts on Capitol Hill. April 24, 2020: State Envirothon, FFA Center, Ray-mond, MS June 7-11, 2020: MSWCC Youth Camp, Hinds Com-munity College, Raymond, MS

LAS VEGAS – On Feb. 11,

2020, the National Association of

Conservation Districts (NACD)

recognized winners of its national

service awards at

the organization’s

2020 Annual

Meeting Apprecia-

tion Banquet.

“There are so

many people doing

great work every

day in the name of

conserva-

tion,” NACD Pres-

ident Tim Palmer

said. “It’s an honor

to be able to recog-

nize them for their

dedication.”

The 2019 NACD

President’s Award

was presented to

Jim Harreld of Madison,

MS. Harreld is a lifetime

member of Friends of

NACD and has recently

served as the NACD

Southeast Region

Executive Board

Member.

The National Con-

servation District

Employees Associa-

tion (NCDEA) also

presented annual

awards recognizing

Anita Cowan of

Marshall County

Soil and Water Con-

servation District as

the 2019 Outstand-

ing Conservation District

Official, (not present at

meeting); and Celia Miller

of Madison County Soil

and Water Conservation District as

the 2019 Outstanding Conservation

District Professional.

NACD honors three Mississippians at 2020 meeting

Jim Harreld, at left, accepts the 2019 NACD Presi-dent’s Award from NACD President Tim Palmer. Pho-to courtesy of NACD.

Jeff Parker, NCDEA board member-at-large, presents Celia Miller of Madison County SWCD the NCDEA 2019 Outstanding Conser-vation District Professional Award at the NACD meeting in Las Vegas.

Commission News 3

Left to Right: MACD President Jerry Smith and Jefferson Davis County Commissioner and MACD Endowment Fund Committee Chairman Herman Dungan present Davian D. Powell of Holmes County with a $3,000 Youth Camp Scholarship.

At left: Herman Dungan, Jefferson Davis County Commissioner and MACD Endowment Fund Com-mittee Chairman and MACD President Jerry Smith present Shelby Paige Hall of Lamar County (center) with the $5,000 MACD Endowment Fund M.C. Sparks Jr. Memorial Scholarship.

At left: Herman Dungan, Jefferson Davis County Commissioner and MACD Endowment Fund Com-mittee Chairman , and MACD President Jerry Smith present Katelyn Ashley Tramel of Grenada County (center) the $5,000 MACD Endowment Fund Herman L. Dungan Jr. Scholarship.

At left: Herman Dungan, Jefferson Davis County Commissioner and MACD Endowment Fund Committee Chairman, and MACD President Jerry Smith present Michael Warren-Paul Zarske of Harrison County (center) with the $5,000 MACD Endowment Fund Jack Winstead Scholarship.

Not present at the ceremony was Zachary Brock Kennedy of Monroe County, winner of the $5,000 MACD Endowment Fund Paul R. Myrick Scholarship.

James Burkhalter of Tallahatchie County SWCD, at left, accepts his 40-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith.

Thomas McAlpin of Simpson County SWCD, at left, accepts his 35-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith.

Sarah Rutledge of Lincoln County SWCD, at left, accepts her 25-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith.

25 Years of Service

Service Pin recipients not present:

50-YEAR PINEugene B. Gifford Jr.

PRENTISS CO. SWCD

Ernest Brasher Jr. TALLAHATCHIE CO. SWCD

40-YEAR PINJames W. Nelms CARROLL CO. SWCD

Charles W. Roye PONTOTOC CO. SWCD

Edward R. McKnight WARREN CO. SWCD

35-YEAR PINNeill Nichols

ISSAQUENA CO. SWCD

30-YEAR PINCharles C. Heinsz Jr.

BOLIVAR CO. SWCD

25-YEAR PINAlan Wadsworth

JEFFERSON CO. SWCD

Patsy Barton MONTGOMERY CO. SWCD

Kent Hatten STONE CO. SWCD Gary Blair of Oktibbeha County,

at left, accepts his 25-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith

MACD Endowment Fund Scholarship Winners

Commissioner Service Pins awarded at MACD Annual Meeting 40 Years of Service

John R. Howarth of Bolivar County SWCD, at left, accepts his 40-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith.

Ralph G. “Buddy” Smith of Prentiss Coun-ty SWCD, at left, accepts his 40-year pin from MACD President Jerry Smith.

PHOTOS BY DEB LOGAN

35 Years of Service

At left: Herman Dungan, Jefferson Davis County Commissioner and MACD Endowment Fund Committee Chairman, and MACD Presi-dent Jerry Smith present Coley Randall Tabb of Webster County (center) a $5,000 MACD Endowment Fund Scholarship.

Commission News 4

Envirothon teams prepare for area competitions BY KATHY DOUGAN MSWCC

HERNANDO, MS —The final Envirothon training workshop for the 2020 competition concluded on Wed., Feb. 19, and teams throughout the state are getting ready for area competitions on March 19 in the North, Delta and Central areas, and Feb. 26 in the South area, Envirothon Coordinator Chelsey Gazaway said. The Envirothon has been described as the ultimate envi-ronmental education experience. For several months, teams from Mississippi high schools and FFA groups have worked with their coordinators to get ready for the event, in which students are tested in the areas of: Soils/Land Use, Aquatic Ecology, Wildlife, For-estry, and a Current Issue. This year’s current issue is Water Resource Manage-ment: Local Control and Local Solutions. Designed to foster cooperation and teamwork, five-

member teams are tested not only on their knowledge in the topic areas, but also on their ability to apply that knowledge to solve real-life problems. For more information about the 2020 Enviro-thon Competition, please contact Envirothon Co-ordinator Chelsey Gazaway at (662) 647-8857, ext. 103, or email Chelsey.Gazaway@ms.nacdnet.net.

MSWCC Environmental Administrator and South Area Field Rep Lance Middleton, (in front of clock on post) conducts an Envirothon Training Session on Wed., Jan. 29, 2020, at Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Moss Point, MS. PHOTO BY LAUREN WILSON, MSWCC

MACD First Vice President Anita Cowan, center, is awarded the 2019 Southeastern Conservation Dis-trict Employee Association (SECDEA) District Official award. With Cowan is MCDEA President Meleiah Tyus and MACD President Jerry Smith.

PHOTOS BY DEB LOGAN

Hope Daley, right, MACD Board of Directors’ Secretary/Treasurer and Jefferson Davis County District Clerk, accepts the MACD President’s Award from MACD President Jerry Smith.

Students at the Delta Area Envirothon Training Session on Wed., Feb. 5, 2020, at the NRCS Area office in Greenwood, MS, had the opportunity to study wildlife, soils, aquatic ecol-ogy, forestry and the current issue. PHOTO BY CHELSEY GAZAWAY, MSWCC

Celia Miller, center, of Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District, receives the 2019 Southeastern Conservation District Employee Association (SECDEA) District Professional award by MCDEA President Meleiah Tyus and MACD President Jerry Smith.

Cowan, Miller, Daley honored at 75th Annual Meeting

Commission News 5

Mississippi Soil & Water Conser-

vation Youth Camp gives high school

students and recent graduates the op-

portunity to learn management of

natural resources, where natural re-

source professionals and young adults

come to-

gether to

learn, share

and enjoy

Mississip-

pi’s nature.

Camp participants acquire hands-on

knowledge of Mississippi’s soils,

wildlife, agriculture and forest re-

sources through outdoor settings and

tours.

Campers have the opportunity to

become a conservationist and learn

about the interaction of natural re-

sources with water quality and cli-

mate atmospheric change, and the

effects on wildlife and livestock ecol-

ogy.

All participants in the conservation

youth camp must be going into

grades 10, 11 or 12, or be a 2020

graduate.

Students are

allowed to

attend camp

for a second

time, how-

ever, third-

time return-

ees must

bring an

additional

camper/

friend with them. Students may only

apply for the scholarship one time.

The cost is only $100 per student,

with additional costs defrayed by or-

ganizations, businesses and

donations. DEADLINE for first-time

applicants is April 30, 2020;

deadline for returning appli-

cants is May 7, 2020.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY In addition to a fantastic opportuni-

ty for in-depth study of our natural

resources, one camper, A FIRST-

TIME APPLICANT ONLY, who

demonstrates an outstanding interest

and aptitude for natural resources will

be awarded a scholarship from the

Mississippi Association of Conserva-

tion Districts Endowment

Fund to use to study at a Mis-

sissippi college or university.

For information about how

you can participate, please

contact Youth Camp Coordi-

nator Chesley Gazaway,

(662)647-8857,

Chelsey.Gazaway@ms.nacdnet.net,

or your local Soil & Water Conser-

vation District office .

MS Soil & Water Conservation Youth Camp set for June

2019 YOUTH CAMPERS

JACKSON, Miss. – By a proclamation from Gov. Tate Reeves, Mississippi recog-nized Arbor Day on Friday, February 14. “Nationally, Arbor Day is recognized in April,” said Mississippi Forestry Com-mission (MFC) state forest-er, Russell Bozeman. “However, we celebrate Arbor Day in Mississippi on the second Friday in Febru-ary each year because late winter is the best time to plant new trees. This gives the young trees time to take root before the spring green-up begins.” Mississippi has been cele-

brating Arbor Day since 1926 as a special day to rec-ognize the statewide contri-butions of trees and forests. The benefits of forestry to Mississippi include an ap-proximately $12.8 billion contribution to the state’s economy, more than 70,000 jobs and an average of $10.4 million toward education through Public School Trust (16th Section) Land timber sale revenue. To celebrate Arbor Day, counties are hosting events and giving away or selling trees. For a list of county Arbor Day events, please visit www.mfc.ms.gov.

Arbor Day events underway throughout the state

PHOTO BY KATHY DOUGAN, MSWCC

Sweet Encouragement!

Pike County Soil and Water Conservation District offers stu-dents who enter the annual MACD Poster and Essay Contest a sweet surprise. Pots containing local honey and infor-mation about honey and bees are given to students who enter. The District encourages fifth grade students to enter the Poster event, and eighth graders to enter the Essay con-test. Cash awards are given to First-, Second-, and Third -Place winners. First-Place winners advance to the state con-test; with first-place winners at the state level advancing to the NACD regional competition.

— Nancy Lazenby