BOISE, Idaho, February 17, 2023 - The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Idaho is pleased to announce the winner of the Hugh Hammond Bennett National Planner Award for Conservation Excellence is Pamela Pavek, an NRCS Idaho Resource Conservationist in Moscow, Idaho. 

The Hugh Hammond Bennett Award for Conservation Excellence recognizes individuals at the local, state and national level for extraordinary achievements in and contributions to the soil and water conservation movement in the United States. This annual award was created by the National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) in 2017 to honor the legacy of Hugh Hammond Bennett, the founder of NRCS and the father of soil conservation. The award recognizes producers and conservation planners from within the NCPP partnership who have exemplified outstanding service through development and implementation of sound conservation planning and other conservation techniques.

“Conservation Planning is one of the most important technical assistance products on our NRCS conservation shelf we offer the customer," said Curtis Elke, State Conservationist for NRCS Idaho. "Pamela has demonstrated her expertise in conservation planning and innovative thinking over the years and I am so very proud of her receiving the National Conservation Planning Partnership, Hugh Hammond National Planner Award.” 

Pavek was honored at the National Association of Conservation Districts' Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 15, 2023, where she also presented some of her work to the leaders in conservation from across the United States. 

To read more about Pavek's career and accomplishments, please visit 2022 National HHB Award Winners | National Conservation Planning Partnership.

About the National Conservation Planning Partnership

The partnership was formed in 2015 to emphasize the critical role that conservation planning plays in advancing voluntary conservation efforts on private lands. Since then, NCPP has worked to Reinvigorate Conservation Planning by implementing goals and actions that support proven approaches, offer new tools, and expand training to enhance the ability of our workforce to deliver sound conservation planning assistance. The partnership is working together to provide national conservation leadership and help realize the common vision: A productive nation in harmony with a quality environment.

NCPP is made up of five partner agencies: The National Association of Conservation Districts, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Association of State Conservation Districts, the National Conservation District Employees Association and the National Association of RC&D Councils.

For more information about the NCPP or the Hugh Hammond Bennett National Planner Award for Conservation Excellence, please visit https://www.nationalconservationplanningpartnership.com/

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