COLUMBUS VOLUNTEER RECEIVES STATE AWARD

May 2, 2008

For More Information:
Robert Moler, 406-587-6842

Bozeman -- During National Volunteer Week 2008, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recognized Ortwin "Orty" Bourquin for his outstanding service as an Earth Team volunteer.

Orty received the Montana Earth Team Award in a ceremony at the USDA field office in Columbus, Montana. He was recognized for his initiative and hard work in developing a field herbarium. He has collected, mounted, labeled, and stored 938 specimens. Each specimen has been grouped by family, filed by genus, and labeled accordingly. Orty also prepared a digital photo record (1,452 photos), with labels and descriptive narratives, of plant life in Stillwater County.

Orty volunteered hundreds of hours toward the field herbarium. When asked why he was so interested in plants, Orty replied robustly, "to learn!" Orty's herbarium at the Columbus field office will enable many others to learn.

The Earth Team Volunteer Program is part of the NRCS, the federal government's lead agency for conserving natural resources on private lands. Everyone who serves on the Earth Team plays an important role in keeping NRCS's long-standing commitment to working with people to protect and conserve natural resources.

To learn more about the Earth Team program in Montana, please visit the NRCS Earth Team Volunteers Web page.

--end--

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer."