Keller receives stewardship award

William J. Keller of Okanogan received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Stewardship at the Society for Range Management’s 68th Annual Meeting held in Sacramento, Calif. January 31-February 6, 2015. The Outstanding Achievement Award is presented by the Society for Range Management for outstanding achievement to members and other qualified individuals and groups working with rangelands.

Will Keller has proved his mettle repeatedly over the years. He is a long-time employee of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, stationed in Okanogan, and a long-time member of the Society.

Keller’s rangeland work has resulted in numerous, lasting contributions to Washington and the Pacific Northwest. His career has featured providing technical help to landowners and other agency personnel in vegetation monitoring, vegetation management and erosion control.

Perhaps his most noteworthy achievements are associated with his diligent and successful efforts to establish Coordinated Resources Management in his region. He has a winning way with people, and is well schooled in conflict resolution and getting people to see the other point of view. He has been wildly successful in making thousands of acres of land more productive, better managed and functional in terms of wildlife and watersheds due to this gift.

Keller has been active in the Pacific Northwest Section of the Society for 33 years. He was instrumental in the success of the Society’s 2006 Annual Meeting (Vancouver, BC) and later was Co-Chair of the 2012 annual meeting held in Spokane.

For his dedication to rangeland, it was with great honor that the Society for Range Management presented Will Keller with a 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award for Stewardship.

Keller is a graduate of Odessa High School and a nephew of former editor and publisher of The Odessa Record, Don Walter.