Dedication to natural resource management and forestry recognized
November 30, 2018 - Jim Reitz and the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas were awarded the 2018 Kansas Agroforestry Award for his service to natural resource management in Kansas.
Jim Reitz has dedicated more than 40 years of service to natural resource management, pioneering new techniques in riparian buffer management and championing forestland health for water quality and quantity. His dedication and the commitment of the Kickapoo Tribe to protecting the environment and natural resources were recognized at the 74th Annual Convention of the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts with the 2018 Kansas Agroforestry Award.
Reitz formerly served as the Environmental Specialist with the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas and continues to serve in a new initiative, the Water Quality Advocate Network, focused on reducing the sedimentation of federal reservoirs in Kansas.
“Jim is especially deserving of the Kansas Agroforestry Award because of the agroforestry practices he’s established that are thriving and producing positive results, his attitude and work ethic which helped him produce those results, and the positive contributions to Kansas natural resources throughout his career,” said Andy Klein, Water Quality Forester with the Kansas Forest Service. He nominated Reitz for the award.
The award recognizes individual private landowners and families that have done an exceptional job of managing and implementing agroforestry practices on their property. Agroforestry is the integration of trees and shrubs into farming and ranching operations to maximize productivity and conservation benefits.
Reitz was responsible for property management to promote the safety, health, and welfare of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas and improving the quality of life on the Kickapoo Nation by safeguarding the environment and natural resources. The land has significant cultural, health, economic, and recreational importance to the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas.
“Jim’s natural resource career and use of agroforestry practices has been and will continue to be a great benefit to the Kansas landscape and the people inhabiting it,” Klein said.