Fillmore Soil & Water Conservation District Administrator Donna Rasmusen was recognized with the 2018 Outstanding Soil and Water Conservation District Employee award this past Monday.

Rasmussen has been the administrator for Fillmore SWCD since 2008 and previously served as Fillmore County's first Water Plan Coordinator. She was awarded during a ceremony that took place during the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Districts' annual convention in Minneapolis.

“Local conservation staff go above and beyond every day to preserve and protect our water and soil resources,” Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) Executive Director John Jaschke Jaschke said. “Donna Rasmussen is a top-notch professional and a passionate advocate for conservation not only in Fillmore County, but across the southeast region of Minnesota.”

Rasmussen manages eight staff, including two employees who assists with multips SWCDs in Southeast Minnesota. Funding for a shared Soil Health Technician position was set to expire at the end of the year, but Rasmussen worked hard to secure continued funding through an NRCS Conservation Collaboration Grant.

Rasmussen is also involved in a number of water quality initiatives through the area, and she serves as chair fo the regional Basin Alliance for the Lower Mississippi in Minnesota, which is a group that works with partners to coordinate efforts to protect and improve water quality throughout the basin and many other roles.

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