Local conservationists honored
Staff writer
Art and Harriet Suderman of Hillsboro and Duane and Linda Kaiser of Durham were among recipients of the 2003 Conservation Awards recently at the fifth annual Marion County Conservation District.
The Sudermans received the continuation award for their conservation efforts in the use of terraces.
Since beginning farming in 1965, they have built up old terraces and created new ones in their on-going work at soil conservation.
"It's no fun farming terraces," said Art Suderman, "but they're necessary."
The Sudermans plan to continue their conservation efforts.
"I'm going to put in more terraces," said Art.
The couple has been honored before. In 1974 they received the bankers award for soil conservation.
The banker award winners for 2003 included Duane and Linda Kaiser. They received the award for building 4.1 acres of waterways, 7,945 feet of terraces, 1,712 feet of diversion terraces, three acres of pasture planting, 104.7 acres of 703 acres of CRP, and 21.1 acres of range seeding.
Other winners of the 2003 banker award were Richard Stika (owner) of Lakewood, Colo., and Randy Svitak (operator) of Plisen.
The grass buffer award was given to William and Alice Johnson and the wildlife habitat award to Marlin Buchholz of Marion. Kelly Novak of Tampa received the grassland award. Ginger Becker, fourth grade teacher at Marion Elementary School, was named the teacher of the year.
The winners of the Goessel Elementary School conservation poster contest were announced and presented with awards.
Second and third grades — Jacob Daily, first; Johanna Hoffman, second; Jessica Harvey, third.
Fourth, fifth, sixth grade — Michelle Unruh, first; Kendra Flaming, second; Shanna Klassen, third; Carlye Simons, honorable mention.
One hundred and two posters were entered and the top posters from each age group will be entered in the state poster contest.
Gary Schuler, district conservationist, gave a conservation progress report. He said there would be another general CRP sign-up this year and reminded attendees that the deadline for applications for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) is March 12.
Schuler also asked for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors interested in learning principles of range land ecology, such as plant physiology and identification, range sites, conditions and trends, to contact the conservation district offices about the range youth camp summer program at Rock Springs.
The evening culminated with an inspiring slide show of Kansas images presented by the guest speaker, Milferd Penner of Inman. Penner and his wife, V. Lee, started the Kansas Sampler Festival and are still involved in the annual celebration and sharing of all that is Kansas. He is the author of the recently published "Section 2, A Century on a Family Farm," and also co-authored "Journeys" and "Prairie: The Land and It's People," with Carol Schmidt.
