JAMESTOWN - The Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District has announced that David Wilson will be retiring as District Field Manager as of Jan. 14.
Wilson is a 30-year veteran of the district, having started there as a CETA worker in his late teens. Blending his love for the land and county with a deep sense of practicality, he played an important role in helping to develop, grow and lead the Conservation District.
During his time as district field manager, Wilson has nurtured and expanded the conservation services in Chautauqua County to help safeguard local soil and water resources for residents and businesses, such as: lending technical support for streambank erosion control, animal waste storage and projects in the Chautauqua Lake Watershed; sponsoring educational programs such as the Envirothon for students; holding erosion and sedimentation control workshops for contractors and municipal workers.
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David Wilson
Under his leadership, in 2012 alone, the District competed for and obtained almost $1 million in state funding awards for water pollution abatement programs, seeding for critical erosion area stabilization and conservation stewardship initiatives. This represents a return to the area of $10 for every dollar invested in the District by Chautau-qua County.
The district's achievements during Wilson's Dis-trict Field Manager tenure have not gone unrecognized among its peers. Twice in the past 20 years, the District has received the highest award given to conservation districts in New York. Then, State Agricul-ture & Markets Commis-sioner Nathan Rudgers personally presented this honor to Wilson at the 1994 and then again at the 2004 Empire Farm days, noting in particular the district's long record of outstanding service to the public.
Wilson has received some of the highest honors in his profession. In 1997, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Conserva-tion District Employees Association.
As Wilson takes his well-deserved retirement from the District Field Manager chair to begin a new chapter in his life, the Board of Directors and staff of the Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District publicly thank him for his devotion to the District's mission and for his example of endless dedication to the conservation of our precious soil and water resources for generations to come.
Wilson is still committed to the Land and the Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District and will return to work in a part-time capacity as a District Field Technician.
