WACD elects new leadership
The Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) held its 79th Annual Convention in Jackson Nov. 20-22.
After six years at the helm, President Todd Heward of Shirley Basin announced he would be passing the torch to a new leader.
Heward guided the organization through a leadership transition following the departure of longtime Executive Director Bobbie Frank and virtual annual meetings due to COVID-19 related restrictions. During his tenure, the organization saw marked growth and success.
Heward’s steady leadership and commitment to WACD’s mission of conserving natural resources for the future left a lasting legacy within the organization.
Fieldgrove elected president
During the business meeting, voting delegates unanimously elected Ryan Fieldgrove of Buffalo to his first two-year term as president.
Fieldgrove has served on the Clear Creek Conservation District Board of Supervisors since 2010 and as their chairman since 2017. Fieldgrove has also served on the WACD Board of Directors since 2018 and most recently served as the vice president.
In addition to serving as a conservation district leader, Fieldgrove manages the Fieldgrove Ranch, a purebred Red Angus operation which also runs a small herd of meat goats for weed control.
Under his leadership, Fieldgrove Ranch received the 2011 Leopold Conservation Award in recognition of its conservation practices.
A further testament to Fieldgrove’s dedication to conservation, he serves on the Northeast Sage Grouse Working Group and has implemented many practices on his own ranch to enhance habitat for Greater sage grouse.
For 25 years, Fieldgrove has served the agricultural community through his career in banking. He is currently the chief credit officer and agricultural trust specialist for the First Northern Bank of Wyoming.
According to Fieldgrove, “My role continues to be the same as the former leadership who developed the structure of the association with the main goal of conserving and implementing beneficial practices providing value for both private and public interests. We work for all of our constituents but specifically serve the 34 conservation districts across the state. These districts utilize locally-led decision-making to best implement their unique conservation resource issues in their part of our state.”
“Our board will work to make sure they have the financial and technical support needed to continue their quest to be both proactive and rehabilitative with their conservation work, whether it’s a well-designed Annual Plan of Work or one of mother nature’s wild card events,” he continued.
Landers selected as vice president
To fill the role of vice president, the voting delegate selected Coke Landers of Pinedale.
Landers has served on the WACD Board of Directors since 2013, previously served on the Medicine Bow Conservation District Board from 2007-09 and is now on the Sublette County Conservation District Board of Supervisors.
Landers is the fifth generation to grow up on his family’s ranch in Laramie County. He attended the University of Wyoming and graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management.
In 2003, he married his wife Molly and they now have three daughters.
Landers is currently managing Murdock Cattle Company, which runs cow/calf pairs and yearlings on the historic Green River Drift.
Landers also serves as president of the Upper Green River Cattle Association.
In his spare time, he can be found chasing his daughters around to many of their athletic events if he is not in meetings or on the ranch.
WACD Executive Director Holly Kennedy looks forward to working with Fieldgrove and Landers to usher in the next era of Wyoming’s conservation legacy by continuing the organization’s mission to conserve natural resources.
WACD is a nonprofit organization representing Wyoming’s 34 conservation districts and their 170 elected board members. For more information, visit conservewy.com.
