2006 News
August 14, 2006
Bucks Commissioners Salute Conservationist
Longtime Bucks County Conservation District Vice-Chairman Receives Pennsylvania District Director Excellence Award
During the July 26 Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts (PACD) Awards Luncheon, Bucks County Conservation District (BCCD) Director Malcolm Crooks received the Ann Rudd Saxman Conservation District Director Excellence Award.
The award recognized the Solebury Twp. resident for “his outstanding efforts to further the activities and accomplishments of conservation districts on a statewide basis” as part of the July 23-27 PACD Meeting at the Penn Stater Conference Center in State College.
“Malcolm has been an invaluable part of Bucks County’s continuing effort to remain at the forefront of conservation planning,” said Bucks County Commissioner and BCCD Commissioner Director Sandra A. Miller.
The 83-year-old Crooks has been a member of the BCCD Board of Directors for the last 14 years, currently serving as vice-chairman. Since he was a student at Newtown’s George School, his life has focused on the conservation of soil and water resources and the sustainability of agriculture and our forests.
“Conservation is a priority to Bucks County citizens, and Mr. Crooks’ well-earned recognition embodies the emphasis we place at the county level,” noted Commissioner James F. Cawley, Esq., chairman, who offers his congratulations to Mr. Crooks on behalf of all Bucks Countians.
Commissioner Charles H. Martin adds, “We are all very proud of Mr. Crooks. This award reflects great credit upon himself, the conservation district, and the County of Bucks.”
“It was an absolute surprise,” Crooks said of the award, for which he was chosen from the commonwealth’s 66 districts. “There are a lot of outstanding directors throughout the commonwealth. The PACD is really providing a lot of leadership, both in the northeast region and across the country. A lot of the programs we initiated are coming to other states.”
The PACD praised Crooks “as a local pioneer in land preservation, who was the first landowner in (Solebury Twp.) to protect his 70-acre farm by deeding it to the Heritage Conservancy in perpetuity.”
Crooks’ commitments to conservation also include a founding role in both the Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center and the Bucks County Audubon Society. He has been a trusted advisor to the Bucks County Commissioners in conjunction with their Open Space Preservation efforts.
During their April 5 “Green” meeting at Doylestown’s Linden Elementary School, the commissioners presented Crooks with the BCCD “Forest Resource Management Award” for his land stewardship of Tuckamony Christmas Tree Farm. The farm, which grows and sells Douglas, Fraser and Canaan firs, among other Christmas tree species, is located at 6320 Upper York Rd. in Solebury Twp.