AUBURN, Calif., April 1, 2019 — USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Robbins as the new district conservationist at the NRCS field office in Auburn, California, which serves all of Placer County.

Robbins has been with the NRCS for 5 years. He started working in Auburn in February. Before that Robbins served as an NRCS soil conservationist in Vacaville.

“I look forward to serving the people of Placer County as the new district conservationist,” said Robbins.  “I take great pride serving American farmers and ranchers and assisting them with finding innovative solutions to natural resource issues.”

A native of Healdsburg, California, Robbins grew up raising hogs and horses and was active in 4-H and the Future farmers of America. He has worked in agriculture and natural resources for over 18 years and has worked with farmers and ranchers on a variety of natural resources related concerns throughout northern and central California.

Robbins has a wide range of experience in both public and private lands management. He graduated in 2001 from California State University, Chico, with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural science with an emphasis in wildland and rangeland management. He started his public service career as a park ranger for the U.S Bureau of Reclamation at New Melones Lake. As a ranger Robbins was responsible for public safety and the protection of public lands with abundant natural and cultural resources.

Robbins also worked for the San Joaquin regional office of River Partners, a non-profit organization dedicated to habitat restoration, implementing riparian habitat restoration projects in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys. Later he worked for the Yolo County Resource Conservation District in Woodland, California, assisting landowners with a variety of conservation and habitat restoration projects on farms and ranches.

NRCS is a federal agency that works in partnership with resource conservation districts. With the mission of “Helping People Help the Land,” NRCS provides products and services that enable people to be good stewards of the nation’s soil, water, and related natural resources on non-federal lands.

Popular conservation practices in Placer County include installation of livestock pipelines and watering facilities, fencing, forest stand improvement, brush management, cover crops and irrigation system improvements.

More information on NRCS’ products and services can be found on the NRCS California web site at www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov.