The MASWCD Outstanding Conservationist Award is to recognize individuals, conservation organizations, and others for outstanding accomplishments with implementing conservation practices and improving Minnesota’s natural resources. Itasca Soil and Water this year nominated Neil Gardner. 

Neil resides on Beatrice Lake in Itasca County and has been monitoring the water quality by taking secchi transparency readings for 28 seasons as well as taking samples for Phosphorus and Chlorophyll-a on 13 of those years to establish a good baseline of data and determine why Beatrice lake’s clarity is decreasing. Neil is a volunteer coordinator for 6 other lakes in the townships of French and Bearville to collect data each season, and has received funding from the two townships for water sampling.