Featured Employee

Jim Calhoun
Resource Conservationist
Albany, New York

“How do you measure success in life? I don’t know the “real” answer, if there is one, but I know my answer. Many years ago, when getting out of college I decided I wanted to leave the world a little better place as a result of my life’s work. Today, I know I have met that goal through NRCS – more than I ever expected. When I left the Field Office I had served for 26 years, the comments I received with all sincerity forced me to realize that I had impacted the lives of many people for the better. I had met that goal of long ago! How many people never get to know that? I am a very lucky man to realize that in my life time.

If I could live my life over, would I do anything differently? Sure, but not on my choice of a career. Success can be measured in many ways, but the bottom line to me is inner peace, contentment and satisfaction. In those coins of the realm, I am a millionaire.”

That is how Jim Calhoun, NRCS Resource Conservationist in New York summed up his 39 years of experience with the soil conservation Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Jim graduated from the NYS Ranger School in 1964 and the NYS College of Forestry in 1967. Upon graduation he accepted a position as a forester with what was then the NYS Conservation Department. As a result of a cutback in personnel, Jim obtained a Soil Conservationist position with the Soil Conservation Service in Chemung County, New York.

According to Jim “When I began what has turned out to be my life’s work in 1969, most NY field offices consisted of a District Conservationist (called a Work Unit Conservationist) and a Technician. The theory was that the Work Unit Conservationist assisted landowner’s to develop conservation plans and recorded their decisions. The decisions were recorded in sufficient detail so that the plan could be turned over to the Technician who could then survey, design and oversee installation of the practices based on the plan.”

He worked in Chemung County for a year and then as a Soil Conservationist for another year in Otsego County. In 1970, he accepted the position of District Conservationist in Tompkins County. The City of Ithaca is the home of Cornell University and the agricultural land grant college for NYS. At various times, Jim made presentations to Cornell classes and assisted with student projects. He also assisted college personnel with updating and developing conservation plans for all the college agricultural land in Tompkins County. A set of parallel tile outlet terraces, underground drainage and an irrigation pond were constructed.

Jim was one of the pioneers in New York in conducting reviews of drainage and erosion control measures on proposed housing subdivisions, shopping malls and even a community college. Working as a team with the Tompkins County Health Department, Jim with the assistance of other NRCS staff reviewed and erosion control plans for two major shopping malls and Tompkins Cortland Community College. On the college site, placing a series of parking lots on the contour rather than one big lot, a combination sediment control basin and pond and rock waterways were some of the outcomes.

By 1978 he wanted to take the experience he had gained and apply it in another county. So when the opportunity to work in Columbia County adjacent to the Massachusetts border was offered, Jim accepted.

It was to be a 26 year stint. He sums up those years “From 1969 right up to 2003, I was a conservation planner. I enjoyed the daily challenges. Planning involved taking my skill, technical expertise and intelligence and pitting it against – or more often with- nature to come up with a series of alternatives to offer the landowner. The alternatives had to address the resource concerns, be feasible to implement, acceptable to the farmer and consider cost effectiveness, fitting into the farming operation and require minimum maintenance. Planning was the hallmark of my profession.”

In 2003, he competed for the vacant Area Resource Conservationist position in the NRCS Albany Area Office which involved working an area from Albany north to the Canadian border. His new position involved providing quality control and training, as well as assisting field staff as requested.

During the recent NRCS re-organization in NYS, Jim was re-assigned to the state office staff under Paul Webb, State Resource Conservationist. With the re-assignment came a shift in responsibilities. He is now responsible for annual quality assurance checks on NRCS certified planners, technological transfer and training.

Plans for retirement? “Not really. I still enjoy my work very much and will continue to work another couple of years.” Jim and his wife, Beth resides in the Clifton Park area of New York.

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