Conservation District Week 2007

Governor Proclaims Conservation District Week March 11-17

Conservation Day at the Capitol on March 19

(Conservation Districts: Please look below the news release for links to a sample fill-in-the-blank news release and printable versons of the Governor's Proclamation.)

Oklahoma City - Governor Brad Henry has issued a proclamation designating March 11-17, 2007, as Conservation District Week in Oklahoma. As Oklahoma celebrates its Statehood Centennial in 2007, the state also celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Conservation District Enabling Act, the law allowing for the formation of local conservation districts. Today Oklahoma has 88 conservation districts to set priorities for local natural resource conservation needs.

"It is my sincere hope that this proclamation will prompt Oklahomans to find out more about their local conservation district office and its services to the community," said Mike Thralls, executive director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. According to Thralls, Conservation District Week is an opportunity to promote yearlong public awareness. Each conservation district office will be distributing information on their services as well as practical tips on the conservation of water and other natural resources. Many conservation district offices will also use the occasion to offer an "open house" to the public, Thralls said.

"Oklahoma's conservation districts played a vital role in transforming the state's land resources from the Dust Bowl to a productive state of diversified agriculture," Thralls said. "And the tremendous response to Oklahoma's state-funded Conservation Cost-Share Program demonstrates how vital district services are today."

Conservation district directors and personnel work closely with schools, agencies and organizations to provide local educational opportunities like outdoor classrooms for youth. They supply timely information and practical advice about natural resource management practices, coordinate cost-share programs designed to prevent soil erosion, play an active role in community affairs and promote conservation at local events.

Conservation District Week is also important to the public because it gives citizens a voice in choosing those who oversee the operations of the conservation district office," Thralls said. Registered voters can make their choice for conservation district director position No. 3 on Tuesday, March 13. Five district directors serve on each conservation district board, three of whom are elected by the public. The other two are nominated by the local board and appointed by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The three elected positions are staggered so one of the three faces election in March of each year.

"We invite all Oklahomans to take the time to visit their local conservation district office this year to get acquainted with the services and information available there," Thralls said.

Conservation Day at the Capitol is set for Monday, March 19, with displays in the fourth floor rotunda. During the daylong activities OACD Conservation Awards will be presented in a ceremony in the Governor's Blue Room beginning at 10:00 a.m. The awards are cosponsored by Chesapeake Energy, the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma.

Sample News Release

Printable full size color jpg version of the Governor's Proclamation

Printable black and white pdf version of the Proclamation to fit letter-size paper