Who We Are
Because we live in a nation where farmland is owned by individual people rather than the government, a system was devised to cooperate with these landowners to help conserve land, water, forest, wildlife, and related resources for the benefit of all. In nearly 3,000 communities across the nation, this task is given to conservation districts. Whitley County Conservation District is one of 121 such districts in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
In the spring of 1945, a group of dedicated men got together to form the Whitley County Soil and Water Conservation District. Voters of Whitley County elected the first members of the Board of Supervisors, which comprised of R.V.Bruce of Williamsburg, T.L. Rickett of Wofford, R.G. Morgan of Bark Camp, B.H. Meadors of Ayers, and J.A. Leger of Rockholds. Later, H.B. Davis and George T. Ingram were appointed to the Board by the State Commissioner of Conservation.
One of the first items of business for this new Conservation District was to prepare a plan of work for 1946. Soil erosion was the top priority. Ninety-seven Whitley County farmers joined the fight, applying conservation practices to over 6,450 acres of land.
That work still continues to this day. Conservation practices have changed and improved with better science and engineering. Today, the Conservation District acts as a gateway for farmers to improve farm management while incorporating soil, water, and related natural resource conservation practices. Other landowners, who may not call themselves farmers, are also participating in conservation practices in their backyards. It all matters!
Mission Statement
The mission of the Whitley County Conservation District is to eliminate and/or control soil erosion and water pollution. We endeavor to maintain and/or improve the quality of our environment by planning and wise use of sound conservation practices. We encourage all land users to become cooperators and to develop water quality plans for their land.
Board of Supervisors
Lee Edd Sears - Chairman
Charles Ohler - Vice-Chairman
Harold Prewitt - Secretary/Treasurer
Anne Evans Bays - Member
Joann Siler - Member
Jackie R. Smith - Member
Jim D. Jones - Member
District Employee
Katrenia Caddell - Outreach and Programs Coordinator
Tammy Brown - Administrative Manager
Meeting Time and Place
Board meetings are held the third Thursday of each month, with the exception of November and December, at 9:00am at our office.
Meetings are open to the public.
Non-Discrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)