A Clay County conservationist has been recognized for his efforts at water conservation both locally and at the regional level.

The 2012 Water Conservationist Award was presented to Tom Meek of Clay Center  by the Kansas Wildlife Federation, who announced 13 winners of the 2012 Conservation Achievement Program Awards at a reception and banquet in Emporia on Feb. 23.

Tom is the district manager for the Clay County Conservation District in Clay Center. He administers the conservation district’s water resources and nonpoint source cost share programs. Tom assists the Clay County Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) staff with federal conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Improvement Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

Tom actively participates in Milford and Smoky Hill Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) groups. He has administered $83,000 in cost share funds approved in Clay County for projects in Milford WRAPS targeted areas. Tom assisted with development of the district’s 5-year plan which includes new initiatives that will focus on water quality through nutrient management and flood mitigation.

Tom was instrumental in starting the Clay County Water Festival in 2004, with a grant from the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education. The first water festival was a community-wide event associated with the Piotique Fall Festival in Clay Center. Water festivals since then have been for all Clay County fourth-graders. He has continued the annual Sixth Grade Environmental Education Day.

The Kansas Wildlife Federation has relied on Tom to provide presentations on water quality with the district’s stream trailer at the outdoor adventure camp for 10-12 year-old students at Camp Washunga. He gives other educational presentations on request throughout Clay County. Tom coordinates the conservation district’s poster contest for elementary students. This year’s theme is “Where Does Your Water Shed?”.

This year Tom serves as vice-chair of the Kansas Envirothon Committee. He attended the Canon National Envirothon with the Kansas team in 2012. Tom has served as a facilitator and/or presenter at many regional environthons. He has helped with fund-raising for numerous local envirothon teams and has served as a judge for the scavenger hunt for the Milford Eco-meet many times.

Tom serves on the Kansas Crossroads Resource Conservation and Development Council and has helped that group coordinate water quality events for agriculture producers.

As a farm operator, Tom has implemented many water quality improvement practices including no-till crop production, filter strips and conservation buffers, and riparian forest improvement. He is conducting an on-farm research project on the use of cover crops for soil and water quality improvement in cooperation with the Kansas State University Extension and NRCS.

The Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society sponsored the Water Conservationist of the Year award.

For all he does for water conservation, Tom Meek is the Kansas Wildlife Federation Water Conservationist of the Year for 2012.

For 49 years, the Kansas Wildlife Federation has recognized Kansans who have devoted exceptional efforts for wildlife conservation in the state. Kansans, who wished to recognize the awardees for their contributions, supplied the nominations.

The awards are given in several categories including youth, land, water, wildlife, forest, education, farming and ranching. For 2012, 12 awards were given, along with the president’s special award for meritorious service to the federation.

These are the most prestigious conservation-related awards given in Kansas and are patterned after similar awards in most other states through respective state affiliates of the National Wildlife Federation. Long-time professor of biology at Kansas State University, Robert Robel of Manhattan won the overall award, Conservationist of the Year. Dr. Robel passed away last month so his wife, Anise, accepted the award in his place.  

Award sponsors for these awards included Westar, Inc., Kansas State Chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Kansas Chapter of the Wildlife Society, Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Geary County Fish and Game Association, the Watershed Institute, the Jim Ruder family of WaKeeney, Kansas Farmers Union and the Emporia Area Chapter of the Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation.