RC&D Pioneer Honored

(from left) newly elected National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils President Joan Smith Freeman, John Rife, and  Helen Rife (NRCS image -- click to enlarge)

John Rife of Sebeka, Minnesota, was honored recently at the National Association of RC&D’s Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. as a 2007 winner of the National Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Hall of Fame award. John Rife, considered to be the founding father of the RC&D program – not just only in Minnesota, but perhaps the nation, was one of three people in the United States who were selected to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

Mr. Rife is the only surviving member of the original RC&D Committee that was assembled in 1963 in Minnesota to develop what was at that time a new pilot program that would lead to one of the first RC&D Councils – West Central RC&D (which later would become WesMin RC&D & Prairie Country RC&D). This first federally authorized RC&D was born on February 4, 1964. John also worked to complete the first RC&D project in the nation – the “Crow Wing River Canoe Trail.” In an effort to recognize successes, this project was dedicated by the Governor as the first completed RC&D project in the nation at a ceremony on June 17, 1964 -- planned by John and the Council.
Your contact is NRCS public affairs specialist Julie MacSwain at 614-255-2471.