Vogel named new Director of Soil and Water Conservation
RALEIGH -- Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Wayne McDevitt today named David S. Vogel as the new director of the N.C. Division of Soil and Water Conservation.
Vogel, who currently holds a similar position in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, replaces Dewey Botts, who was appointed in December as the department’s assistant secretary for natural resources. Vogel will assume his new responsibilities June 28.
“David’s background and strong support for natural resource protection and conservation makes him extremely well-suited to lead soil and water conservation in our state,” McDevitt said. “He is a welcome addition to the DENR team, and we are fortunate to have someone so highly regarded in his field to serve in this important position.”
Vogel has served as Soil and Water Conservation Administrator in Florida’s Office of Agricultural Water Policy since 1996. He has a master’s degree in entomology from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Pennsylvania State University.
“North Carolina has demonstrated an outstanding commitment — from the Governor and the field staff to the state’s commission, the conservation districts and other partners — to this program,” Vogel said. “I am looking forward to helping farmers and landowners employ the conservation practices needed to preserve the state’s natural resources while supporting a productive and profitable agribusiness in North Carolina.”
The Division of Soil and Water Conservation administers a comprehensive statewide program for conserving the state’s soil and water resources. It serves as staff for the North Carolina Soil and Water Conservation Commission and assists the 96 local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and their state association in providing technical, educational and financial assistance to the agricultural community and the public. The 55-person Division is part of the Conservation Partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Soil and Water’s role has expanded in recent years to include providing technical assistance to farmers who must meet tougher animal waste management regulations. The division also is administering the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, a new $275 million agreement between the state and the federal government to reduce pollution in several major North Carolina waterways. Under the agreement, the USDA and North Carolina offer farmers financial incentives to restore up to 100,000 acres of wetlands and streamside areas and habitats.
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Contact: Don Reuter, 919/715-4112
Date Posted: May 27, 1998
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