South County Tourism Leader Honored for Sensible Tourism Development

Myrna George, President & CEO of South County Tourism Council, was honored on November 14, 2015 by the Rhode Island Conservation & Development Area Council (RI RC& D Council) at their Annual Awards Dinner held at the West Valley Inn in West Warwick.

George received the President’s Award for her service as Treasurer of the RI RC&D Council for over a decade. Ensuring not only that in hard times, the Council stayed financially sound, George also advocated for updating the “Soil and Erosion” handbook that hadn’t been updated in 25 years.

“Myrna is a tireless advocate for tourism in South County and plays a vital role in attracting visitors to the state,” said RI RC&D Council President, Harriet Powell. “She coordinates state, local, federal government and regional organizations to enhance economic and community growth through tourism development.”

The purpose of the RI RC&D council is to fully utilize the human and natural resources of Rhode Island in order to enhance the economic, social, and environmental conditions of the people of this state by encouraging and improving the capability of volunteers, locally elected, and civic leaders in designated RC&D areas to plan and carry out projects for resource conservation and community development.

The RI RC&D Council’s projects relate to the following four areas:

1. Land Conservation

2. Community Development

3. Land Management

4. Water Management

Also honored were the Methodist Community Gardens, for Conservation Farm of the Year; Wild Harmony Farm (Ben Coerper and Rachael Slattery), for Agricultural Land Conservationist of the Year; Ron & Mary Fasano for Forest Conservationists of the Year; Eric Zabel, teacher & mentor of Narragansett High School Envirothon for Excellence in Conservation Education; Baffoni Farm in Johnston for Farm of the Year; Richard & Deborah Went of Foster received the Chairman’s Award for their efforts to maximize habitats on their lands; Ken Mitchell for Conservator of the Year; Jim Thompson, Jr. and the J. Thompson Native Lumber Company of Hopkinton, for Friend of the Forest Award and, Richard St. Aubin, Tiverton tree farmer for Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.