By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Midland Empire Hotline host Barry Birr has been honored as the 2023 Conservation Communicator of the Year by the Conservation Federation of Missouri.
Former Missouri Conservation Agent Kyle Carroll, a regular on the program, presented the award to Birr during the program Friday morning on KFEQ.
“Twenty, twenty-three Conservation Communicator of the Year presented to Barry Birr, in recognition of dedicated service and significant contribution in the wise use of natural resources by the Conservation Federation of Missouri,” Carroll read off the award presented to Birr.
Carroll actually accepted the award earlier during the Conservation Federation banquet at the Lake of the Ozarks. Birr could not attend due to illness. Carroll, who nominated Birr, returned to present the award in person during his regularly scheduled appearance on the Hotline.
“On behalf of the Conservation Federation and all of us that listen and participate, congratulations,” Carroll said as he presented the award to Birr.
“I’m really touched, Kyle,” Birr said. “It’s just awfully nice.”
The two joked that it was quite appropriate that the award came with a small statue of a mountain lion, because for years on the program the two discussed mountain lion sightings in northwest Missouri long before the Missouri Conservation Department acknowledged their existence in the state.
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