Honoring conservation.The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and National Association of Counties (NACo) recently recognized six counties for the inaugural County Leadership in Conservation Awards. The winners were highlighted for their leadership, innovation and successful implementation of park and recreation investment by county leaders nationwide. One of the winners, Platte County in Missouri, received the award because of its master park plan process, which involved citizens in deciding on what recreational projects it would pursue, and in developing a plan to preserve hundreds of acres of trail and open space that spans more than 300 miles. Each project is funded through a voter-approved one-half cent sales tax dedicated to parks and recreation. "Counties across America are taking more responsibility for maintaining the character of their communities," said Will Rogers, president of the Trust for Public Land. "Platte County's leadership in reacting thoughtfully to an engaged citizenry represents the best of local leaders facing the challenges of growth, the need for parks and open space, and the opportunity to maintain good quality of life." The other winning counties are: Burlington County, New Jersey Burlington County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county seat is Mount Holly. The county seat had been in Burlington, but as population moved away from the Delaware River a more central location was needed. As of 2000, the population was 423,394. Dakota County, Minnesota Dakota County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population was 355,904. Its county seat is Hastings6. It is part of the Seven County Metro Area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Gallatin County, Montana Gallatin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Montana. It is named for the Gallatin River. As of 2000, the population was 67,831. Its county seat is BozemanGR6. It is named for Albert Gallatin, United States Secretary of the Treasury. Pima County, Arizona Pima County is located in the south central region of the U.S. state of Arizona. The county is named after the Pima American Indian tribe which was indigenous to the area. As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, the population was 946,362. Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida6, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. The county is contained entirely within area code (727), except for sections of Oldsmar, which has area code 813. Each county will receive a travel scholarship to promote countywide land conservation programs as solutions to regional growth issues. |
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