Coarsegold Resource Conservation District

Coarsegold Resource Conservation District

DIRECTORS:

The current directors of the Coarsegold RCD, with brief biographies of each director.

Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) are local units of government organized by local residents under State law. Districts operate on the premise that local people know more about local problems than anyone else.

The Coarsegold Resource Conservation District (CRCD) is considered a legal subdivision of the State of California. Under state law, the CRCD is responsible for soil and water conservation work within its boundaries. The district governing board is appointed by the Madera County Supervisors, and it is their job to plan and carry out long-range programs based on the conservation work needed in their area. At the request of the CRCD board, The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) assigns a district conservationist and a staff to provide technical assistance to the district and its cooperating land users.

Tom Wheeler, President North Fork, CA 93643 (559) 877-2422 e mail - wthomaswheeler@yahoo.com	Mr. Wheeler was appointed to the CRCD board in 1994 and is currently serving as President. He was born in Fresno and attended the local schools in North Fork. He currently is serving as Madera County Supervisor, District #5. He retired as General Manager of the Wyle Ranches and owns a window covering business and toy car business. He is on the board of the Madera County General Plan Update Committee, N.F. Community Development Council, and the Farm Service Committee. Mr. Wheeler is also serving as co-chairman of the N.F. Loggers Jamboree and the N.F. Hazard Reduction Committee. He served on the local school board for 18 years and continues to coach soccer and Little League.
Ralph E. "Ernie" Beck Vice President O'Neals, CA (559) 641-2381 email - ernieb@sti.net	Mr. Beck was appointed to the CRCD board by the Madera County Board of Supervisors, effective November 26, 2002. He has a degree in Business Management from the Upper Iowa University and is currently a Realtor with Ditton Realty in Coarsegold. He has 30 years experience in software development and support. He is married and his hobbies include horses and flying.
Nancy Beavers, Treasurer North Fork, CA 93643 (559) 877-2973 email - beavers@sti.net	Ms. Beavers was appointed to the CRCD board in December, 1997 and is serving as Treasurer. A resident of the district for over 20 years, she is married and has three children. Past activities include ownership of a retail store and trustee of the Chawanakee School District. Presently she has been concentrating on family and community activities.
Neil K. McDougald Friant, CA. 93637 (559) 822-2289 email: mcdougaldranch@netptc.net	Mr. McDougald was appointed to the CRCD board in 1996. He is a partner in the McDougald Ranch and a life-long resident of the area. He is presently employed as a Natural Resources Advisor with the University of California Cooperative Extension. He is past Chairman of the California Association of Resource Conservation District, San Joaquin Region.
Larry Ballew Ahwahnee, CA 93601 (559) 683-8733 email - ballew@sti.net	Mr. Ballew was appointed to the CRCD board in 1995. His family is the fifth generation involved in Madera County ranching and resource management, with strong ancestral ties to local Native American heritage. He is a graduate of Oregon State University in Forestry, with advanced studies in land use planning from the University of California. He had a thirty year career with the U.S. Forest Service, and is currently owner of a forest consulting firm. He serves on local, county, regional, and state boards on resource planning, and is the corporate consultant for DuPont Company and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
Kelley NeVille North Fork, CA 93643 email - nevillek@sce.com	Mr. Neville was appointed to the CRCD board in 1997 after serving the board as Associate Director. He attended Chawanakee Elementary School, Sierra High School, and Fresno City College. Mr. Neville is currently a Hydro Station Operator I with the Big Creek Hydro Electric Project and is the owner of a local pest control firm. He has formerly served as cochairman of the S.C.E. Northern Hydro United Way campaign, past chairman and board member of the Chawanakee School, shop steward for I.B.E.W. Local 47, and currently is a volunteer Redinger Lake boat patrolman for the U.S.F.S.
Allan Rosasco Oakhurst, CA 93644 (559) 683-7005 email - drowsy@sti.net	Mr. Rosasco was appointed to the CRCD board in 1997 and has lived in the area since 1973. He currently operates the family ranch which has been in existence since 1883. He has a degree in Animal Husbandry from Fresno State College and is a director on the board of the Madera County Cattlemen's Association.

NRCS ADVISOR:

Robert Roy
District Conservationist
425 N. Gateway, Suite K

Madera, CA 93637

(559) 674-2108
email - Robert.Roy@ca.usda.gov

Roy was born in Clearwater, Florida and earned a BS degree in agriculture science and an MS degree in plant science from California State University, Fresno. Prior to joining NRCS he worked in private industry as an agronomist and pest control advisor.

Doing conservation work was something he always thought about. “Ever since I was a teenager, when my father and I worked with what was then called the SCS in Florida, I have always been interested in working with natural resources and resource conservation,” Roy says.

He joined the agency in 2002, serving first as a soil conservationist in the Fresno field office and later in the Madera. Among his accomplishments was an NRCS-funded field trial he produced in Fresno County to demonstrate conservation tillage in forage crops. Conservation tillage improves air quality by reducing the number of passes farm implements make across a field and increases the amount of crop residue left on the surface of the soil. Assisting Roy are Jennifer Gabor and Dennis Dudley.

Roy and his wife Christann live in Clovis where they’re raising their two daughters. He replaces Don Nielsen who retired from the agency earlier this month after spending 25 years in the Madera field office.

The NRCS provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. NRCS conservationists bring needed technical and financial tools to plan and fund projects that will protect soil, water, air, plants, and animals on private land.