SWCD awards: Bench Farms named cooperator of the year

The Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District announced its 2023 award winners at the 59th annual meeting in Oregon
The 2023 Cooperator of the Year was awarded to the Bench Family Farms of Jerusalem Township.
For decades, the Bench operation has always been family focused, with the 4th generation now helping out on the farm and at the roadside market on Route 2.
David and Cindy Bench have owned and operated the Bench Farms Greenhouse & Roadside Produce Market for nearly 30 years, offering flowers, vegetables, and herbs for sale each year. Their children grew up learning the business and a love for the land. As a result, they have continued to build the family’s farming legacy by venturing into various branches of agricultural business, including Community Supported Agriculture, organic farming, and bee-keeping.
One son, Arik, and his wife, Beth, have continued the legacy by participating in the H2Ohio phosphorus reduction program.
The 2023 Conservation Reserve Program Award was given to Peter E. Durbin of the Village of Berkey. Durbin enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program through the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service three decades ago and has since created and maintained an oak savanna and wetland on his property that runs adjacent to Ten Mile Creek.
The 2023 Community Partner of the Year Award was given to Cherie Blair, Maumee Area of Concern Coordinator and Grants Manager for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Blair works with government, nonprofits, businesses, and citizens to restore and maintain the health of the Maumee AOC and has been doing so since January 1996.
In 2016, Blair added grant management to her responsibilities. Since then she has written, received, and directly managed approximately $22 million in grants, and assisted community partners with nearly $50 million in projects to acquire, design, and restore natural areas and waterways within the Maumee AOC.
The 2023 Conservation Educator of the Year was awarded to Lianne Genzman, a 5th grade science teacher at Ottawa Hills Elementary School. Apart from inviting Lucas SWCD into her classroom on a regular basis for programming, Genzman and her students are annual participants in the TMACOG Student Watershed Watch (SWW) and Student Watershed Summit.
The 2023 Honorary Community Service Legacy Award was given to Lucas County Commissioner, Tina Skeldon Wozniak.