Ray Ledgerwood Awarded NACD’s Rich Duesterhaus Lifetime Achievement Award

What an incredible and well-deserved honor for Washington State’s own Ray Ledgerwood!

At last week’s National Association of Conservation Districts Annual Meeting, Ray was presented with the Rich Duesterhaus Lifetime Achievement Award — a fitting tribute to a lifetime devoted to strengthening conservation districts and the people who lead them. I cannot think of anyone more deserving.

I still remember being a 25-year-old conservationist, hanging on every word as Ray artfully facilitated strategic planning sessions for conservation districts across Washington State.

He has a way of bringing clarity to complexity, of helping us see not just where we are — but where we can go.

Ray, thank you for being such a steady force for good and positive change in our world. Thank you for challenging us to think bigger, lead better, and believe in possibilities we could only begin to imagine. You have shaped leaders, strengthened districts, and made a difference that will ripple forward for generations.