Don Sivertson
The Cook County Soil & Water Conservation District has nominated Don Sivertson for the 2009 state’s outstanding SWCD supervisor award.
Sivertson was nominated for the award, according to Cook County Soil & Water, because “during his 13 years as a Soil & Water supervisor and representing water quality issues of the west end of the county, Don brought leadership to Cook County in a decisive, thoughtful manner. His passion for ensuring effective management of our natural resources has helped to preserve the pristine landscapes of Cook County.”
In addition to serving as SWCD board supervisor, Sivertson represented conservation issues through years of serving on many committees including the County Planning Commission, OHV and ATV Committees, and the Poplar River Management Board. In addition he was an early member of the County Water Advisory Committee helping to write the first Local Water Plan.
Sivertson continues to actively participate in the Caribou Lake Association. He has been an officer and participates now as a concerned citizen in the preservation of a vulnerable lake basin.
During Sivertson’s four terms on the board, he held the office of public relations, making annual trips to St. Paul and sharing state and federal conservation news to other board members. He also represented the county at regional meetings of the northeastern Minnesota SWCD Area 3.
In 2004, he was on the planning committee for the state SWCD convention. Sivertson attended numerous meetings in the 2000s as the MN Pollution Control Agency organized Minnesota into the federal Impaired Waters and Total Maximum Daily Load Program. Sivertson brought balance to controversial issues such as ATV regulations.
Cook County SWCD summed up the nomination by saying, “His 13 years translate into hundreds of days of personal time toward addressing conservation issues of the county. Don Sivertson, as an SWCD supervisor, provided a proactive service to his community, elevating the importance of protecting the soils, wetlands, forests and stormwater systems of Cook County. In sharing his breadth of interests and experience Sivertson stepped to the plate year after year and was an outstanding supervisor.”
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