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The USDA Forest Service recently held a Partnership and Volunteer Appreciation Day event to honor local residents, businesses and other organizations that play important roles in the management of the Conecuh National Forest.

According to Conecuh National Forest District Ranger Anthony J. Edwards, the event was to recognize those who play pivotal roles in assisting the Forest Service with a wide range of duties and tasks.

“We are all standing on the shoulders of giants. If we go back to the 1930s when the Civilian Conservation Corps was here, this lovely forest was not here. It was a barren landscape. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted those trees and built our lovely campground. There have been a lot of rangers, employees and volunteers come through over the years and we are standing on their shoulders. You are the shoulders the next generation will stand upon,” Edwards said.

“We are all doing good work restoring the ecosystem,” he added. “We certainly could not do it without our volunteers just as we would not be here today if not for the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps many years ago. Your expertise, caring, and passion mean so much to us and to the national forest. That’s our heritage and let’s keep working to ensure it is our children’s and future generations’ heritage.”

The event recognized those in three categories: Partners, Volunteers and Campground Hosts. The awards were presented by Derek Colbert, Conecuh National Forest Wildlife Biologist.

Those recognized as Partners included: Chuck Simon of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System; Lawson Amlong, Nick Cochran and Traci Wood of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Zack Alford, Chris Cotton and Keith Stephens of the Alabama Forestry Commission; Whit Carroll of the Alabama Forestry Foundation; Jim Godwin of the Alabama Natural Heritage Program; Patric Newton of the Blue Lake Methodist Camp; Griff Johnson of the Covington County Forestry Planning Committee; Kara Foreman, ForestryWorks; Don Cotton, Kiwanis Club of Andalusia; Chris Mead, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Hunter Harrington, Conecuh National Forest Chapter of Quail Forever; Joel Martin and John Gilbert, Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center; Joel Lett, Jasmine Little, Emma McKee, Alan Patterson, Kaiden Spurlock and Simon Ward, The Longleaf Alliance; Gabriel Turner, The Nature Conservancy; Ginny Newberry, University of South Alabama Center for Archaeological Studies; and Phil Darby, Adam Griffith and Gray Hurst, University of West Florida.

Those recognized as Volunteers included: Mark and Karan Bailey, Alan Cotton, Jimmy and Sierra Stiles, and Joe Jenkins.

Campground Hosts honored were: D Loop, David Matthews and Tina Moore; C Loop, Larry McKenzie and Lois Shultz.