Tri-Basin NRD Names Conservation Award Winners

   Tri-Basin Natural Resources District (NRD) held its biennial recognition banquet at the Taste of Texas in Holdrege on Thursday, January 12, 2017. District staff, directors, and guests gathered to recognize recipients of conservation awards.

Russell Edeal of Loomis received Tri-Basin NRD’s Soil and Water Conservation Award. Edeal has worked with the Phelps County NRCS office to convert gravity irrigation to more-efficient center pivot irrigation systems and to adopt no-till farming practices in his operation. Edeal has also been involved in the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network (NAWMN) for nine years, providing information that helps other farmers determine crop water use on their fields. He served on the Tri-Basin NRD board of directors for 34 years, from 1967 to 2001.

   Keith and Sharon Portenier of Farnam received the 2017 Range Management Award, in recognition of their efforts to improve their pasture ground in Gosper County. Since 2010, the Porteniers have worked with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to install solar wells, stock tanks, pipeline, and fence on in their pastures. They also work hard to control volunteer cedar trees in their pastures. They were nominated for the award by the Gosper County NRCS office.

   Marshall Paulsen of Minden, the recipient of the Tree Planter Award, has been planting conservation trees on his property for over 20 years. Paulsen has worked with Tri-Basin NRD to establish three Pheasants Forever corner plantings and two windbreaks. Tree plantings like Paulsen’s help reduce soil erosion and provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for birds and mammals.

   Retiring TBNRD Directors Ray Winz of Holdrege and David Nickel of Kearney were honored for their service to the district. Winz was a director for 24 years and Nickel served on the board for 28 years. Other Tri-Basin NRD staff and directors who received years of service awards were: David Olsen of Minden (25 years); David Raffety of Kearney, John Thorburn of Holdrege, and Tammy Fahrenbruch of Holdrege (20 years); and Todd Garrelts of Holdrege (15 years).

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NEWS RELEASE

January 13, 2017

For Immediate Release

For more information, contact:  Nicole Salisbury, Information Coordinator

                                                   Phone 308-995-6688 or email nsalisbury [at] tribasinnrd.org