Kansas Forest Service district forester receives Conservation Achievement Program award
Thad Rhodes named the Forest Conservationist of the Year by Kansas Wildlife Federation
Released: Mar. 9, 2016
MANHATTAN, Kan. – For 14 years, Thad Rhodes has been assisting the people of Kansas with the management and care of their forests, woodlands, and shelterbelts. In recognition of his efforts, Rhodes was selected to receive the 2015 Forest Conservationist of the Year award. He received the award at the Kansas Wildlife Federation’s 65th annual meeting in Wichita, Kansas, held on Feb. 27.
The purpose of the Kansas Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Program awards is to recognize those with outstanding long-time commitment to natural resources in Kansas with a significant effort during the past year. Awards are presented in 13 categories to capture the wide range of efforts that benefit wildlife and the cause of conservation. Some of the categories include wildlife conservationist, water conservationist, land and soil conservation, conservation education, forest conservation, conservation communicator, and youth conservationist, among others.
Rhodes was awarded the forest conservationist of the year for outstanding achievement in forest and woodlands management, including reforestation, preservation of wilderness areas, and wildlife habitat development. He is the district five rural forester with the Kansas Forest Service, responsible for 14 north-central Kansas counties.
“Thad Rhodes is devoted to conserving the natural resources of Kansas,” said Bob Atchison, rural forestry program manager with the Kansas Forest Service. “His expertise, conservation work ethic, and quality of service to the people of Kansas is deserving of this award.”
"It's a great honor to be recognized by the Kansas Wildlife Federation,” Rhodes said. “I'm happy to continue working with the people of Kansas, to achieve their forestry goals. My favorite part of the job is working with people, and I'm lucky to get to do that every day."
About the Kansas Forest Service
The Kansas Forest Service is the nation’s fifth oldest state forestry agency. The agency serves rural landowners, communities, rural fire districts, forest and arboriculture industries, and citizens of the state through its Conservation Tree and Shrub Planting, Fire Management, Community Forestry, Rural Forestry, Marketing and Utilization, and Forest Health programs. The Kansas Forest Service state office is located in Manhattan, Kansas, just off the campus of Kansas State University. The agency is administratively attached to the Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources, College of Agriculture, Kansas State University. The agency receives its direction from a mission statement that reads: “Care of Natural Resources and Service to People through Forestry.”
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K‑State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well‑being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K‑State campus in Manhattan.
K-State Research and Extension
http://www.ksre.k-state.edu
Story by Jennifer Williams
Kansas Forest Service
785-532-3308 or jgwilliams@ksu.edu
