CARSON CITY - Joe Locurto has joined the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as program coordinator of the State Conservation Districts Program.
As coordinator, he will manage Nevada's 28 Conservation Districts, working for the conservation and proper development of the state's soil, water and related natural resources by coordinating available technical, financial and educational resources to meet the needs of landowners and land users.
The coordinator position works with public agencies and private partners to identify additional funding for district projects, schedules State Conservation Commission meetings, oversees the Grants-to-Districts program, works with individual districts by providing information and assistance, helps heighten awareness of district activities and supervises three conservation district program specialists located in rural Nevada.
"This is an important position," says Leo Drozdoff, director of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. "The ability to coordinate the work of local groups on behalf of natural resources and ecosystem health and conservation is invaluable."
Locurto brings an extensive background in community, business and workforce development to the program with prior state experience as Director of Rural Economic Development for the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, where he provided technical, educational and financial resources for 15 rural counties in the state.
Most recently he served as business developer for JOIN, Inc., a nonprofit workforce training and development organization in Carson City. Locurto holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wyoming, the state where he worked in rural development prior to his relocation to Nevada a decade ago.
Established in 1957, the Department includes seven divisions (Environmental Protection, Forestry, State Parks, State Lands, Water Resources, Conservation Districts and the Natural Heritage Program) and 11 boards and commissions.[[In-content Ad]]
