If you read in the newspaper about a construction project that's been fined for erosion, or a municipality that wants to apply sludge to farmland, it's likely that Mike Cessna has his hand in the mix. Mike is the Bedford County Conservation District's resource technician. This Rainsburg native graduated from Bedford High School and earned a Forestry degree from Allegany College of Maryland's Cumberland campus. While still in college he worked at the Fulton Soil Conversation Service and used that experience and his degree to qualify for his current position in Bedford.

He says he always wanted to combine a career dealing with the environment with staying close to home. "I spent a lot of my youth in the woods and streams of Bedford County," he says. "Now I'm able to conserve it as much as possible the way I remember it as a kid" Mike says he can't imagine a life working inside all day . "This job allows me to be outside and set my own work plan," he says. "I like the freedom and responsibility" As the district's resource technician Mike oversees major earth moving projects to ensure that they are done according to environmental regulations, oversees biosolids (sludge) land application and runs the state's dirt and gravel roads program in the county.

His focus is to preserve soil and water quality. "Erosion reduces the carrying capacity of streams, you have more flooding, the water temperature goes up and when it's bad enough the fish in a stream will die" He sometimes - although rarely - is involved in a formal enforcement action. Usually he's able to persuade violators to comply with regulations voluntarily. Because of his work Mike's in contact with thousands of county residents every year and he says he appreciates the basic friendliness of the county's people. "As long as you treat people fairly you can almost always talk to people and reason with them," he says. "I try to be reasonable and helpful. You can't go into an enforcement activity with an arrogant attitude and expect to get anywhere. You definitely have to be able to communicate. I've always believed that if you treat people with respect you get it back"

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