Stevens SWCD welcomes two new staff members in July 2024

Stevens SWCD is excited to welcome two new staff members to our team.

Austin Norby will serve as our Soil Health Specialist, working with local farmers and landowners to improve soil quality. This involves a variety of things such as planting cover crops, implementing crop rotations, reducing compaction, and improving overall soil health. Austin graduated from NDSU in 2017 with a degree in Agribusiness/Crop and Weed Science. He was previously a seed salesman for Gold Country Seed in the Swift County area, and before that he worked at Hefty Seed Company in Hancock. He was born and raised in Benson where he now lives with his wife Hannah and son Noah. Outside of work, he enjoys being with his family, farming, hunting, and fishing.

Stay tuned for more information about soil health initiatives in Stevens County!

Sophia Maruska has joined the SWCD staff as Pomme de Terre River Watershed Coordinator. Her work encompasses diverse coordination and marketing responsibilities to support the objectives of the Pomme de Terre River Association Joint Powers Board and Technical Advisory Committee. Sophia received both a Bachelor of Science and Masters in Natural Resource Management from North Dakota State University. While completing her Masters, Sophia worked in student services for the School of Natural Resources at NDSU. She is from Northeast Minneapolis and spent the last five years in Fargo before moving to Morris. When not at work, Sophia enjoys cheering on the Minnesota Timberwolves, shooting clay pigeons, traveling, and of course, anything outdoors. She has one son—a fat, grumpy orange cat named Donnigan.

More information about the work of the Pomme de Terre River Association, which involves portions of the counties of Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Stevens and Swift, can be found on their website at www.pdtriver.org.

Please stop in and see Austin, Sophia, and the rest of the staff at Stevens SWCD for help with your conservation projects!