The SCSA view

Excerpt

During this 50th anniversary of the soil conservation movement, we read and hear a great deal about the movement's early leaders, and I often find myself trying to compare those early leaders with the leaders of today.

Professionalism was as obvious then as it is today. When I think of professionals, I am not thinking only of college-trained and educated persons. To me professionals include volunteers, the landowners and farmers who, day in and day out, volunteer their services to the cause of conservation and practice what they preach. They, too, are professionals.

I am, therefore, inspired to ask: Are we truly proud of our profession? Are we continuing to learn in order to improve ourselves as professionals? Are we reading, studying, and attending meetings, not only on our employer's time, but also on our own time, to become better professionals?

Early leaders in the soil conservation movement did not have 50 years of experience like those of us working in the 1980s have. Many of our current conservation programs and practices evolved through …