Why do you want to hold the office as a supervisor on the Board of the Woodford Conservation District?
Jesse Dahl: I have spent my life working with the land, both as a farmer and through my career managing gardens and natural areas. As a father of five children growing up in Woodford County, protecting our natural resources is also personal to me. I am running for Conservation District Supervisor because I want to give back to our community and help protect our farmland, soils, streams, and forests. I believe that through education, responsible stewardship, and practical conservation efforts, we can make a meaningful difference and preserve the natural resources that make Woodford County special for generations to come.
James Mansfield: Only recently have I seen the Conservation District promote farmland preservation as part of their mission to conserve water and soil. Last year I founded a nonpartisan citizens’ working group that succeeded in getting P & Z and the Fiscal Court to change ordinances to better protect farmland and open space. As a farmer who has preserved our land grant farm with a permanent conservation easement, my intention is to help broaden the Board’s involvement in keeping Woodford County rural. I would join the Board in their important work preserving Woodford County’s precious resources.
Robert Richardson: I have over 47 years of farming experience and three terms as chair of the Farm Service Committee. I have a deep understanding of our local farmland. I am personally and professionally invested in the long-term vitality of Woodford County’s farms. I intend to use my experience to make informed, and practical decisions that support our local producers, protect the soil, and water resources for future generations.
What new program do you believe the WC Conservation District should offer to the community?
Dahl: I believe our conservation district should help establish a Farm Link program for
beginning and retiring farmers. With the average age of American farmers increasing and farmland prices in Woodford County rising, it is becoming increasingly difficult for young and beginning farmers to get started. A Farm Link program could connect retiring landowners with the next generation of farmers seeking opportunities to farm. By partnering with Extension, FSA the conservation district could serve as the backbone of this effort, connecting people with land, knowledge, available grants, funding opportunities, and other resources needed to keep local farmland in production.
Mansfield: I will learn all I can about the current programs, many of which I have used and really appreciate. A new program suggestion is a cost-share to clean up sinkholes on private land which leach into underground streams that empty into our creeks and rivers. I’ve used the Conservation District programs to fence livestock away from streams, put livestock waterers in every field, and to cross-fence large pastures for rotational grazing, which helps with good ground cover, water absorption, and improved forage nutrition. Also, what can we do to help young farmers, smaller farms, and landowners in Woodford County?
Richardson: The new program I think would help the most is to expand water access for livestock, by spring water development and installation of additional water lines. Reliable water access is critical for sustainable grazing management and for long-term productivity of our farms. By investing in these infrastructure improvements, the District can help producers better manage their land and enhance animal welfare.
Do you support the 30,000 Trees Initiative and do you think more can be done to plant trees in the county?
Dahl: Yes, I support the 30,000 Trees Initiative, and I believe we can do even more to
increase tree planting across the county. Trees provide tremendous benefits, including
increased property values, reduced energy use, erosion control, cleaner air, and
important wildlife habitat. With almost 20 years of experience as an arborist, I believe successful tree planting is about more than the number of trees we put in the ground. We need to make sure those trees survive and thrive. Education on proper watering, mulching, pruning, and long-
term maintenance should be a major part of that effort.
Mansfield: Yes! It’s wonderful to have a goal. Are we keeping track of how we are doing with tree survival? Offering workshops on planting and care of new trees would help with success. Topics would be location, soil amendments, pest problems, water needs. Combining the Tree Initiative with the existing programs for stream buffers, pollinator habitats, rain gardens and The Backyard Conservation program would strengthen each element and make a unified program. Woodford County cities and suburbs would become a key part in growing and preserving the greenspace people enjoy.
Richardson: Yes, I support the 30,000 Trees Initiative. I believe that integrating more tree plantings throughout our county’s watershed is a vital step toward improving soil stability, enhancing water quality, and increasing biodiversity. While the current initiative is a great start, I am confident that we can do more by focusing on strategic planting locations, we can maximize the environmental benefits for our community, protect our natural resources, and ensure a greener, more resilient landscape for people to enjoy for years to come.