Conservationist of the year named

St. Joseph County Conservation District announced its “Conservationist of the Year” during its annual meeting last week.

Agency director Carolyn Grace said Don Preston was the recipient of the conservation district’s highest honor.

Preston, who works for the St. Joseph County Road Commission, learned to identify the various invasive species of plants invading the road commission’s right of way.

Preston’s knowledge of invasive species allowed the road commission to eradicate the non-indigenous plants. Preston also trains road commission mower operators how to identify and report invasives.

The road commission for the past five years has helped the conservation district by spraying in areas around brush, guardrails and signs to kill invasive species.