Denise Barth, principal at Catawba Trail Elementary School in Richland County School District Two, has been named Richland County’s 2013 Conservation Principal of the Year by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (RSWCD). The award, presented annually, recognizes administrators who exhibit an outstanding commitment to conservation education. Thanks to Mrs. Barth’s leadership and support, the Catawba Trail campus hosts a nature trail, wildlife garden, re-use and recycle programs, composters, and a staffed science lab where students raise chicks, ducks, earthworms, and even trout. Mrs. Barth provides motivation, encouragement, and funding for conservation education initiatives and trouble-shoots obstacles in order to allow teachers to develop engaging learning opportunities for students. She also believes strongly in providing outdoor experiences for students through field trips to natural areas. “Mrs. Barth is truly a principal who embraces conservation,” says Vikki Pasco, a teacher at Catawba Trail Elementary whose students are currently digging a pit to create a small pond in the school’s wildlife garden. Mrs. Barth will be recognized at the RSWCD’s Conservation Banquet in May.

Conservation districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners. The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use and care of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County.

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