2023 EPCCD Conservation Educator of the Year

The El Paso County Conservation District enthusiastically offers Parched, a Colorado Public Radio Podcast with Host Michael Elizabeth Sakas and Editor/Producer Rachel Estabrook, for the Conservation Educator of the Year award. Parched is a remarkable and enlightening podcast that dives into critical issues related to conservation, climate change, and water of the Colorado River; a vital lifeline for communities in the southwestern United States and the Mexican border region. Parched stands as an exemplary model of how educational programming can inspire change, foster understanding, and ignite passion for the preservation of our natural resources.

Parched introduces the many vanguard issues of the Colorado River by creative and multi-directional examination, engaging interviews, and profound depth as educational programming that offers complex concepts and serves them as accessible and relatable to a wide and diverse audience.

Within the ten-episode podcast, Parched showers its audience with info about water scarcity, interstate cooperation, environmental conservation, tribal water rights, agricultural water use, climate change impacts, infrastructure upgrades, public awareness and engagement, water pricing and conservation incentives, and innovative water management.

Through its successful approach to education on critical environmental, agriculture, and community challenges, Parched captivates listeners and immerses its audience in the intricacies of water management, inspiring an appreciation for the delicate balance between human needs and environmental preservation.

Parched has made waves and an indelible impact on raising public awareness about the Colorado River crisis and it sparks essential conversations and inspires informed actions among listeners. It serves as a catalyst for community engagement, encouraging individuals to take meaningful steps towards water conservation and stewardship; its empowerment of individuals to be part of the solution is refreshing and commendable. We believe Parched, and the staff that researched, wrote, and produced it, deserve the Conservation Educator of the Year award for the unwavering commitment to education, engagement, and advocacy in the field of conservation.