Southwestern Illinois RC&D, Inc. 

Southwestern Illinois RC&D - Operations

Steve is currently the Coordinator for The Land Conservancy division of the Southwestern Illinois RC&D and has been in that position since October 2002.

Prior to joining the RC&D, he worked for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA for 30 years in various positions in Illinois, Missouri, Virginia, Maryland, and Colorado. He retired in 2001 as State Conservationist for NRCS in Colorado where he was responsible for all the agency programs and activities in that state and a staff of over 300 employees.

He holds a B.S. in Agriculture from the University of Illinois and an M.S. in Public Affairs from Northern Illinois University. Steve also serves as a Director on the Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District Board and he owns and operates a grain farm in Greene County, IL where he was born and raised. Steve is a member of the National Association of Conservation Districts and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.

In 1996 Steve facilitated the development of a strategic plan for federal, state, and local conservation agencies in twelve states in the northeast and provided extensive input in the writing of the final document. While in Illinois in the mid-1980s Steve let the effort by USDA NRCS to implement a concept of watershed planning that met local community natural resource objectives. This effort led to the development of the area and Watershed planning guidance that was subsequently developed by NRCS in Illinois, as well as nationally. Steve also worked with the Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program in several east coast states and in Colorado which included working with local land trusts/conservancies on conservation easements.

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