Employee Vignette

 
Employee: Brian Saunders
Location: Sussex,
Virginia Job Title: District Conservationist
Length of Service: 5-1/2 years

Love for the Outdoors Becomes a Vocation

Being able to work outdoors is one of the things that attracted Brian Saunders to a career with NRCS. “When I was growing up, some of the kids were playing video games inside. But I wanted to be outside as much as possible. I became an Eagle Scout, and spent a lot of time camping in the woods and canoeing down the creek behind my house.”

While working at the North Carolina State University Research station, Brian attended an NRCS workshop. He realized that he wanted to pursue a career that would involve doing something in the environmental field. “I wanted to do more with conserving what God gave us here on earth, not necessarily with what man had altered.”

As NRCS district conservationist, Brian works with a diverse clientele on a variety of issues. He says, “field employees are problem solvers. Everyday is different. One day I am figuring out crop rotations, the next day I am doing a wetlands delineation, and the next day I am designing a wildlife food plot. It is rewarding to combine bits of knowledge and experience to come up with the best solution for the client. NRCS offers a way for taxpayers to get their money back, to actually see something tangible from their tax dollars.”

Brian’s love for the woods and nature is evident when he talks about one of his current projects. He is helping landowners bring back the long leaf pine. There are only a handful of these native trees left in Virginia. The red cockaded woodpecker (a threatened and endangered species) uses long leaf pines for their nesting sites. “I have commitments from farmers to plant nearly 350 acres of long leaf pines. My experience growing up and my appreciation for nature is what made me want to help conserve this land for future generations so they can enjoy what I have enjoyed.”

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