Greg Obert from Fort Branch was selected as the Gibson County Conservation Farmer of the Year for 2014. Joe Kissel from Princeton was awarded the 2014 River Friendly Farmer award. Gibson County’s Friend of Conservation award was presented to John Parke Excavating, Oakland City.
Ann Ice provided student education to the schools and libraries on natural resources and agriculture, including a Birds of Prey program featuring several live birds.
The Annual Poster Contest was held for all fifth grade students. The theme for the 2014 contest was "Dig Deeper into the Mysteries of the Soil.” First place was Mavren Heavrin, second place was Anthony Siekman, and third place was Trinity Taylor.
Gibson SWCD partnered with Posey County to hold a Boy Scout Merit Badge workshop.
Gibson County partnered with other SWCDs to hold the Southwest Regional Envirothon. The Gibson County Home School team won the Indiana State Envirothon Contest with support from the Gibson County SWCD. Another successful Fourth Grade Farm Fair was held with over 400 attending the annual event. The Tri-County Soils Judging Contest was coordinated and held in Gibson County for 2014 with Gibson Southern FFA being the highest scoring team. The contest rotates annually between Gibson, Vanderburgh and Posey SWCDs. Ann Ice, Education Coordinator awarded plaques to 4-H members placing first in their Soil and Water Conservation division at the 4-H fair. She also assisted at the Pathway to Water Quality at the Indiana State Fair and held free Hoosier Riverwatch trainings for the public.
In 2014, Gibson SWCD hired Julie Loehr as Coordinator for the the Lower Patoka Watershed using 319 grant funds. She coordinated and held: two stream clean-up days, a septic system workshop with help from Gibson County Health Department, and a free Hoosier Riverwatch training.
In August, five SWCD’s (Gibson, Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick) held a Soil Expo.
The Gibson County SWCD provides information to the public in their Conservation Gram newsletter, Earth Matters Newsletter, on their webpage (www.gibsonswcd.org). and on their facebook page.