Local conservation district names outstanding steward

Cathy Black, center, is presented with the Conservationist of the Year award by district representatives Arthur Rider, left, and P.A. Rheney. The Brier Creek Soil and Water Conservation District has named Cathy Black as their 2007 Conservationist of the Year.

The board selects an outstanding steward each year from its district, which includes Burke, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins and Richmond counties. Burke County is represented on the board by Henry Wayne Syms and Charles E. McGregor III.

Black works for the Georgia Forestry Commission and devotes much of her time to the enhancement of the Spirit Creek Education Forest located in Richmond County.

Black, with support from the Georgia Forestry Commission, has used grant funding to build board walks, outdoor classrooms and walking trails at the education forest that help students learn more about their outdoor environment.

The 570-acre site opened in 1991 and has since offered nearly 2,000 classes to more than 15,000 students and 5,000 adults.

Black helped establish many of the lessons taught in the forest's wetlands, pine stands, hardwoods and agricultural crop land, such as tree identification, insect studies, animal footprint identification and water quality analysis.