Prinsen elected to board of King Conservation District

Max Prinsen of Renton has been elected to a three-year term as a member of the King Conservation District board of supervisors in an election held Tuesday.

Prinsen, who received 1,772 votes, defeated Mara Heiman, of Auburn, who received 1,488 votes.

Supervisors of the district offer farmers and other landowners help in managing their land. The agency was created after the Dust Bowl of the 1930s to help farmers, ranchers and tree growers be stewards of their land in ways that produce dependable crops, retain soil and keep creeks and rivers clean.

In recent years, the conservation district has taken on additional duties, which include working with city dwellers to protect bluffs, and restore salmon habitat.

With 17 employees, the district spends most of its $6.5 million budget on projects such as improving wetlands or planting trees along salmon-bearing streams. It has no regulatory authority, offering help to landowners on a voluntary basis.

The unofficial election results will be certified by the Washington Conservation Commission at its meeting in May and Prinsen will be sworn in at the June 14 Conservation District meeting.

The five-member board includes three elected members and two appointed by the commission.