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Oertly working to preserve our land |
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Saturday, 11 October 2008 |
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Photo submitted Johnsonburg native Janet Oertly has found success in conservation.
By Heather Tressler
Record Staff Writer
Janet Oertly has found unlimited success working as a state conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Oertly, the daughter of Leon and the late Marian Oertly of Johnsonburg, is the head of the agency in South Dakota, which is the nation's premier conservation agency that works on private lands.
Recently, Oertly received an Environmental Achievement Award for superior leadership in protecting water quality in South Dakota. Oertly received the award in Huron, S.D., her hometown. In addition to this achievement, Oeratly has won the USDA Honor award for Superior Service in 2000 and 2004.
Oertly protects water resources and other conservation aspects in South Dakota, but also throughout the country.
"(Local) conservation districts are our key partners," Oertly said. "State government is tied into county, and we work with districts to help them reach their goals. We also work with private landowners, especially those in live stock operations to help them capture manure, keep it out of the water, and also to gain the value of nutrients in the manure."
In addition to soil conservation, since South Dakota is exceptionally dry, Oertly stated. She also does plenty of work with cover crops.
Oertly has been working with the State Conservationist for USDA natural resources conservation resources and will reach 30 years of service in January 2009.
Oertly is a 1972 graduate of Johnsonburg Area High School and a 1976 graduate of Thiel College, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Geology. She then attained a Master's Degree in Agronomy in 1978 fro Penn State University.
Oertly pointed to an internship at Thiel College during her undergraduate studies as to how she became so advantageously interested in soils. She then graduated into Agronomy.
"I knew from an early age – as of sixth grade – that I wanted to do something in the sciences and something outdoors," said Oertly. "As I progressed into my time at Thiel – during my junior or senior year – I did an internship in Ridgway with the soil survey crew, my first exposure to the agency, and I decided to go into graduate work dealing with soils instead of geology. I came out of graduate work, applied into Federal system, which back then was known as the Soil Conservation Service."
The one aspect Oertly misses most about Johnsonburg is the fall colors this time of year.
She feels that Johnsonburg did play a role in her becoming successful, especially in the conservation industry.
"I feel that because it was a small community with the focus of community, and the strong knit of community, people tended to watch out for you," Oertly said. "With the JAHS school systems I had excellent teachers especially in Science, Math and English. I think that coming from a smaller school I thought I was better prepared in college than some of the kids I met coming out of the big city schools."
Oertly didn't have to go far from home to be inspired. When asked who her greatest inspiration was, Oertly replied without any hesitation. It was her father. She said that her father was a determined man because he knew that his kids were going to go to college. Oertly says her father continuously pushed her to go to college and get a good education.
"He was a strong support," said Oertly. "He always said that you need to do that (go to college) because education was something that nobody could take away from you. He also had a love of the outdoors which fostered the fact when I went to college, I wanted to do something that dealt with the environment."
Oertly is married to Rock Hughes. She has a daughter named Codi Hughes, who is currently a freshman in college at the South Dakota School of Mines of Technology majoring in chemical engineer with focus on environment. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 20 October 2008 )
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