COLLEGE STATION – Dr. Barron Rector has received the 2010 Extension Specialist Superior Service Award from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service.
Rector, an AgriLife Extension rangeland specialist, was honored for his contributions and service through many of the agency’s programs, particularly the Master Naturalist Program, which has grown to more than 2,700 members and 41 local chapters since its inception in 1998.
Program data indicates it has produced more than 1,477,266 hours of public education and service valued at $4.9 million.
Since 1982, Rector has been the superintendent for state range and pasture grass identification and range evaluation contests. He has provided contributions to county ecology/range education day camps for youth across Texas, administering plant identification contests as well as developing many educational publications, according to the award nomination.
“Dr. Rector is an individual who not only doesn’t mind going the extra mile to get something done, but sees clearly the inherent value that is present in going that extra mile,” according to one nominee letter.
Rector, a native of San Angelo, has been with AgriLife Extension since 1981. He is responsible for many Extension education efforts including range programming in grazing management, watershed management for small acreage landowners, range animal nutrition and plant identification, ecological principles and ecosystems function, range seeding, poisonous plant management, invasive organisms on rangelands and rangeland monitoring, 4-H and youth and urban educational programs in range and natural resources.
The Superior Service awards recognize faculty and staff members who provide outstanding performance in Extension education or to the organization.
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