The Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District's Colquitt County Supervisor Preston Jimmerson, right, congratulates Mr. and Mrs. Louie Perry III after Perry was named Colquitt County's Conservationist of the Year.

TIFTON, Ga. — Louie Perry III of Pinewood Farms was recognized as Colquitt County’s Conservationist of the Year April 5.

Perry was honored by the Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District at the Conservationist of the Year Banquet, held at Southern Woods Plantation in Sylvester.

Among Perry’s conservation practices that led to his award were prescribed burns and selective thinning of pines, rotational grazing cattle pastures, and planting grasses In waterways along with cover crops In row crop fields, according to a press release from the Soil and Water Conservation District.

The Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District is a local unit of state government dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of the area’s natural resources. Its service area includes Ben Hill, Brooks, Colquitt, Crisp, Irwin, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth counties, and it recognized a Conservationist of the Year from each of those counties April 5. 

The 2020 Conservationist of the Year Banquet was canceled due to COVID-19 therefore, the 2020 recipients were honored at this year’s banquet, the SWCD press release said. 

The Conservation District works with farmers, landowners, and with other units of government to educate and actively promote programs and practices that support the conservation, use and development of soil, water, and related resources.