RC&D Awards

Left - J R Flores, NRCS State Conservationist; Right- Virgil Wagner, Chairman, Big Springs RC&D Council

The Big Springs Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council , Inc. recently received the Missouri Earth Team Partnership Award for FY 2009 from the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The award was presented at the NRCS Awards Workshop in Cape Girardeau, MO. by JR Flores, NRCS State Conservationist. Virgil Wagner, Chairman of the Big Springs RC&D Council, accepted the award on behalf of the Council.

The Earth Team is the volunteer program of the NRCS. Partnering groups like the RC&D Council help to support and accomplish the mission, vision, and goals of NRCS. The Big Springs RC&D Council was recognized for their outreach support in promoting NRCS programs such as EQIP, WHIP, and CSP and for developing partnerships to promote better forestry, recreational opportunities, and community development.

L to R – Olga Walter, NARCDC; Howard Coffield, NARCDC; John Hoskins, MDC; Joan Smith-Freeman, NARCDC; Jeff Lamb, Big Springs RC&D; Marva Beck, SW States RC&D; Robert Harbison, NARCDC.

MO. Department of Conservation (MDC) was recently recognized by the National Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils (NARCDC) as the ‘Outstanding Supporting Organization for 2008’. The award was presented at the National RC&D Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico recently. John Hoskins, Director of MDC accepted the award on behalf of MDC.

Big Springs Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council nominated MDC for the award last year.

Virgil Wagner accepts award for 'Outstanding Council Member For 2007' from Marva Beck, President of SW States Association of RC&D Councils at SW States RC&D Conference in St. Louis, MO. on March 4, 2008

Pictured left to right – Roger Hansen, NRCS State Conservationist; Virgil Wagner, Chairman, Big Springs RC&D Council; Jeff Lamb, Big Springs RC&D Coordinator.

The Big Springs Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council received an award for ‘Outstanding Council for 2007’ from the Missouri Association of RC&D Councils at its fall meeting in Arrow Rock, Missouri.

The Big Springs RC&D Council was recognized for its efforts to improve forest resources, reducing flooding damages and soil erosion, encouraging more natural resource based tourism, improving recreational resources, improving fire fighting capabilities and making our communities better places to live.

Pictured left to right - Roger Hansen, NRCS State Conservationist and Virgil Wagner, Big Springs RC&D Council Chairman

Virgil Wagner received an award for ‘Outstanding Council Member’ for 2007 from the MO. Association of RC&D Councils. Virgil was recognized for his efforts to promote the mission of the Council which is to provide an avenue for people to work together to develop and carry out an action oriented plan for the social, economic and environmental betterment of the area.

Pictured left to right – Russ Runge, Acting Superintendent, Ozark National Scenic Riverways; Jeff Lamb, Big Springs RC&D Coordinator.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) received an award for ‘Outstanding Supporting Organization for 2007’ from the Missouri Association of RC&D Councils at its fall meeting in Arrow Rock, Missouri.

The ONSR was recognized for its support to the Big Springs and Top of the Ozarks Resource Conservation Development (RC&D) Councils with their project efforts in promoting natural resource based tourism and recreation in the region and improving water quality in the Jacks Fork & Current River watersheds.

City of Piedmont - 2004 Winner of Southwest States Association of RC&D's Outstanding Supporting Organization

Pictured above are (left to right) Virgil Wagner, President of the Missouri Association of RC&D's and Chairman of the Big Springs RC&D Council, Leroy Dangeau, President of the Southwest States Association of RC&D's, Gaylon Watson, Mayor of the City of Piedmont and Jeff Lamb, Big Springs RC&D Coordinator. Award presented at 2005 SW States RC&D Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas

The Big Springs RC&D won the Midwest Regional RC&D Earth Team Award for fiscal year 2001. This award recognizes one RC&D Council in each NRCS region and is presented to the most effective Earth Team that demonstrates shared leadership among RC&D Council Members, NRCS employees and Earth Team Volunteers. Pictured from left to right are Virgil Wagner, Chairman Big Springs RC&D Council, Bonnie Weller, National Volunteer Coordinator with NRCS, and Jeff Lamb, Big Springs RC&D Coordinator, USDA-NRCS.