Gibbons named county, state 'Cooperator of the Year'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Katrina Heikkinen
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Jason Gibbons, base biologist with the 341st Civil Engineer Squadron, was recognized by the Cascade County Conservation District and the state of Montana as the "Cooperator of the Year," by the Montana Association of Conservation Districts.

According to Rudy Verzuh, environmental engineer with the 341st CES, Gibbons is the first biologist Malmstrom has ever hired. Because his job covers a variety of responsibilities, a typical duty day for Gibbons is never quite the same. It can consist of anything from fish management to grounds maintenance to budgeting.

"I'm constantly reviewing, programming and executing at least one contract or budget issue every day, and as the lone staffer under the conservation element, there's a lot of multi-tasking," Gibbons said. "I oversee numerous issues concerning the management of fish and wildlife resources, including bird and wildlife aircraft strike hazards, invasive species, threatened and endangered species, agriculture, recreation, urban forestry, base development, geographic information systems, and landscaping and grounds maintenance."

Gibbons' efforts have not only improved Malmstrom Air Force Base, but have helped establish a positive working relationship with the CCCD.

"The Cascade County Conservation District has had the pleasure of working with Jason Gibbons for the past three years," said Toni Neslen, CCCD administrator. "Jason was nominated by the CCCD because of his commitment to conservation. No matter what the project or program, Jason will see it total completion. He is very reliable and solicitous with his time and knowledge."

Together with the CCCD, Gibbons has made many improvements to Malmstrom.

"With the help of the CCCD, at Powwow Pond we have built two concrete [Americans with Disabilities] -compliant fishing platforms, an information kiosk, two sets of concrete steps connecting the parking lot to the trail around the pond and a floating fishing dock," Gibbons added. "At Powwow and around the base we've planted more than 800 trees and shrubs, surveyed 2,000 acres for noxious weeds, implemented a cost-efficient weed spraying program for the unimproved portions of the base, and developed a conservation education portion to Malmstrom's National Kid's Fishing Day, Arbor Day and National Public Lands Day."

Based on these accomplishments, Gibbons truly embodies the definition of "Cooperator of the Year."

"I feel incredibly honored to be singled out for this recognition and all of us [341st CES] appreciate the positive reflection on the base and our environmental programs," Gibbons added.

Despite the obstacles and challenges he has faced in order to create environmental programs, Gibbons believes the benefits are worth it.

Gibbons' future goals include finding a better way to "stretch the limited conservation budget." This avid fisherman also hopes to improve the infrastructure at Powwow Pond, specifically, access for the disabled.

"Building a conservation program from the ground-up has been the most challenging aspect of the job," he added optimistically. "Opening new doors, fostering new relationships and bringing new ideas and ways of doing business will continue to benefit the base. For example, the improvements we've developed through our collaborative efforts to Powwow Park and the Natural Resource Program, as a whole, will pay dividends to the community for many years to come. Not only do we persevere to be good neighbors and stewards of the land, but we also strive to build and contribute to the community of Great Falls and those communities that support us throughout the deployment area."