EcoEKY: Green News from Eastern Kentucky

from the Harlan Daily Enterprise:

Local students honored at soil conservation banquet

By JOEY WILLIAMS
Staff Writer

Published:Wednesday, April 30, 2008 2:05 AM CDT

Students throughout Harlan County were recognized Tuesday by the Harlan County Conservation District for their efforts in an essay and poster contest. Nearly 200 Harlan Countians gathered for the Soil Stewardship and Awards Banquet at the Harlan Baptist Church.

This year’s contest featured 620 participants. In all, 28 winners were honored during the banquet.

David Howard, chairman of the Harlan County Conservation District, said the event is a positive experience for local students.

“This event gives students an opportunity to be recognized for a job well done. That is something that is a great initiative for children because they’re getting credit for working hard and doing an important thing,” said Howard. “This also gives us as board members a great opportunity to show off soil stewardship week. I think this really gives us a great spotlight to showcase what we are all about.”

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The theme of this year’s contest was “Kentucky Wildlife,” an appropriate title considering how much wildlife in southeastern Kentucky has been discussed over the past few years, as well as the arrival of the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid — a bug that surfaced in southeastern Kentucky several years ago and has recently infested over 200 hemlock trees in Camp Blanton alone.

During the banquet, the HCCD provided a $3,000 grant designed to treat the infected trees of Camp Blanton with an insecticide. Howard says the money should go a long way to help combat the threat to hemlock trees.

“This money will be used solely to deal with this growing problem. This is a bug that has caused a lot of problems to a very important tree. Hopefully, this money will go a long way in solving the problems these bugs have caused,” Howard said.

Also presented during the banquet was the J. Clark Metcalfe Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is for $1,000 and is named in the honor of Jerry Metcalfe, who served on the HCDD board of supervisors for many years until his passing in 2002. This year the scholarship was presented to Derek White.

White is a senior at Evarts High School and maintains a 3.975 grade point average. He plans to begin his college studies at Southeast Community College where he will pursue a degree in science and biology.

James Lacy was the guest speaker during the banquet. Lacy, who is the chairman of the stewardship committee and is the executive board member for the Southeast Region of the National Association of Conservation Districts, emphasized the importance of young people.

“The future depends on children getting active. Years from now it’s gonna be the children who are gonna run the conservation district. So getting the youth involved and educated is the key to our future,” said Lacy. “Education is without a doubt what needs to be stressed.”