Area conservation students, leaders meet with Senator O'Mara in Albany

Albany, N.Y., March 13—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C-Big Flats) recently met with a conservation contingent from the Greater Southern Tier BOCES (GST BOCES), and local soil and water conservation leaders who were in Albany to promote their priority issues for 2015.

GST BOCES was represented by Don Mac Naughton, a Conservation instructor in the Career and Technical Education Department, and students Derrick Griffith and Zack Parker, who area also members of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Steuben County Legislator Dan Farrand, who’s also currently serving as President of the New York Association of Conservation Districts, and Steuben County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Jeffrey Parker were also part of the group.

“I appreciated this group taking the time to come to Albany to help all of us better understand the many critical issues facing soil and water conservation across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and statewide,” said O’Mara, the new chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.  “I think it’s especially encouraging to have students like Derrick and Zack looking to carry on and lead this important and valuable work for the next generation.”

In the photo above, from left to right, are: Don Mac Naughton, Derrick Griffith, Senator O’Mara, Zack Parker, Jeffrey Parker and Dan Farrand.

[see an additional photo]