Tranquillity Resource Conservation District is pleased to welcome Morgan Hicks and Mike Chatelle to our growing Team. Both have been with our federal partner the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) at the Fresno County Office under the guidance of Erwin Duenas, the District Conservationist, and his staff. This included working side-by-side with Erwin’s professional staff and receiving important training on the operations of the NRCS. They are now coming on board with TRCD in the capacity of District Operations and Technical Assistance while being liaisons with the NRCS funded through a Conservation Cooperative Agreement (CCA) between the two agencies managed by Blair Bain out of the Area 3 Office.

In their new capacities with TRCD, they will now begin the planning and implementation of several activities such as the reactivation of the NRCS’s Local Working Group (LWG) Program and extensive outreach efforts to introduce farmers and ranchers to the EQIP – Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Planning, Carbon Farming and other opportunities that are available.

Morgan, whose family has an almond farming operation, is a graduate from CSU Stanislaus majoring in Physical Science concentrating in Earth and Space Science, along with a Minor in Mathematics. She is also a substitute teacher while still pursuing her Master of Science in Geology at CSU Fresno. A couple of interests Morgan has include analyzing white dwarf stars and being an active member of the Geology Club at CSUF. She has been on the Dean’s list for five years, awarded Outstanding Student Achiever in Physical Science, and for five years been a Presidential Scholar Athlete! There is of course much more than this brief list of achievements that has established Morgan as an individual who is very committed to excellence and service to others.

Mike is another individual who excels in excellence and his commitment to service to others. Mike just received his Master’s in Watershed Management from CSU Fresno and holds a B.S. in Environmental/Occupational Health and Safety. He is serving as the Industrial Hygiene Program Manager at the Veterans Hospital in Fresno, while also an Air Force Reservist. Mike also has worked in agriculture for the Wonderful Company in Del Rey. With his Masters in Watershed Management and the training he has received from the NRCS, Mike is prepared to apply his credentials within the important field of natural resources management and many of the emerging practices and innovative ways in which agriculture is moving towards resiliency and sustainability.