Perner honored at state meeting

Ozona—Paul Perner, III of Ozona was recently recognized with a 30-year service recognition award at the 83rd Annual State Meeting of Soil & Water Conservation District Directors. This was held Oct 30-Nov 1 at the Omni in Ft. Worth and was attended by more than 500 members. Paul is the current chairman of the Crockett County Soil & Water Conservation District #235 (SWCD). His commitment to promoting good conservation of our natural resources is easily seen by his length of service.

Paul is a native of Crockett County and has always been tied to the land since he entered this world. He ranches along the Pecos River and takes an active interest in the conservation of our natural resources. 

As many know, the Dust Bowl of the 1930s brought great devastation to our country. It buried crops, blinded animals and suffocated children. From this great tragedy, the necessity of change in farming and ranching techniques was born and preservation of our natural resources came to the forefront. Thus began the formation of conservation districts that were determined to learn from the past. What went wrong? Could it have been prevented? What was learned that could benefit conservation going forward?

It was a time of great change in thinking. This meant learning new methods. The Dust Bowl brought knowledge that how things were done in one part of the country could be devastating in a different part of the country. Climate, rainfall, and terrain all had to be considered. 

The SWCD in Ozona was formed and recognized by the State of Texas in 1950 with the mission to help preserve our precious natural resources and promote good stewardship of the land. The SWCD works in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in developing conservation plans to assist landowners in finding the best management practices to address their resource concerns. Through these efforts, the land can be managed to be the best it can be for our area and climate. The SWCD also works closely with the NRCS and Crockett County to maintain the water retention structures that help manage floodwaters. Paul is steadfast in these goals and has been an asset to the Crockett County SWCD. His willingness to serve on the Board has been both appreciated and valued. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge.

The directors are happy Paul has been recognized for his many years of diligent service and stewardship.