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| U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Department of Administration (DA) Assistant Secretary Gregory Parham present the Abraham Lincoln Honor Award to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employee Richard A. Noble. USDA photo by Bob Nichols. | |
The award was presented to Noble by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on September 13, 2016 during an official ceremony.
Noble, who works for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington State, received the award for dedicated and passionate efforts to conserve Western Washington natural resources resulting in increased and improved habitat for the culturally and economically significant Pacific salmon.
At Western Michigan University, Noble double-majored in Agriculture and Environmental Studies. He began his career with the Soil Conservation Service (now NRCS) as a temporary employee in Kalamazoo. He then worked for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources before joining SCS in Indiana as a Soil Scientist in 1978. During the past 14 years, Noble has served as the NRCS West Area Conservationist in Olympia, WA.
“I spent many years helping my father-in-law on his farm [in Indiana],” said Noble. “I credit the hours spent in the seat of a tractor and combine for my real education about farming.”
Noble has lead an effort in western Washington to address the need to restore and enhance salmon habitat on working farms and forestland throughout the Puget Sound area.
“Rick provided the leadership needed to maintain strong partnerships while working through the politically controversial issues,” said Roylene Rides at the Door, NRCS State Conservationist and Noble’s supervisor. “Because of Rick's vision, NRCS has built a robust salmon restoration program in Western Washington.”
The programs and partnerships championed by Noble has produced concrete results. From 2012 to 2014, NRCS opened 38.3 miles of stream to salmon, planted 67.5 acres of riparian buffers, and improved 28.2 acres of shellfish habitat.
“This award is about going above and beyond in dedication to public service,” said Sherre Copeland, Regional Forester Representative in Washington for the US Forest Service. “After working in a government bureaucracy for over 30 years, it might be easy to forget why you’re there. Rick never does.” Often referring to what he calls his “inner conservationist,” Noble is humble to say that anything he accomplished was a team effort.
“I am so fortunate to have worked with such a dedicated and professional NRCS staff, outstanding conservation partners, and landowners seeking to implement conservation practices on their land," said Noble. “Being a part of the Abraham Lincoln Awards Ceremony was the pinnacle of my career.”
With the mission of “Helping People Help the Land,” the NRCS provides products and services that enables people to be good stewards of the Nation’s soil, water, and related natural resources on non-Federal lands. To learn more about NRCS, visit nrcs.usda.gov.