LEXINGTON, Va., Dec. 10, 2020—The VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics, host of the annual Environment Virginia Symposium, announced that Darryl Glover has been selected as the 2020 Captain Ron Erchul Environmental Leadership Award winner.     

The award recognizes a Virginian who has made significant individual efforts to improve the environment. Members of Virginia’s environmental community nominate candidates, who are judged on the basis of their vision, expertise, commitment, integrity, communication skills, accomplishments, and diplomacy.  The award is named for the late VMI professor Ronald A. Erchul, Ph.D., founder of the Environment Virginia Symposium.  

Glover is the division director of the soil and water division of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Glover was recognized for his tireless efforts to support Virginia's agriculture community through partnerships with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) providing technical assistance and through incentives from the Virginia Agriculture BMP Cost Share Program (VACS) and the Resource Management Plan (RMP) Program. These programs provide critical support for farmers working to enhance the sustainability of their farm operations and reduce runoff pollution.

Through Glover's leadership, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) undertook a comprehensive effort in 2018 and 2019 to listen, learn, and respond to critiques from across the state on DCR's agriculture incentive programs. Glover engaged experts from 31 local SWCDs, farmers and agriculture representatives, and conservationists in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to explore detailed changes to these programs designed to remove roadblocks to farmer participation, increase flexibility, and enhance innovative approaches to implementation. Glover has pursued funding to significantly increase farm acreage under RMPs.

Glover has also worked at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) directing development of the state water monitoring strategy and annual water quality monitoring plan. In this role, Glover led a staff of more than 15 scientists, program coordinators, engineers, and technicians to ensure implementation of the water quality monitoring and assessment programs.

Glover's dedication to the Commonwealth is also demonstrated through his willingness to continually take on leadership roles that break barriers. Additionally, Glover has traveled to numerous job recruiting events at historically Black colleges and universities and served as a mentor for participants in DCR’s diversity intern program. He serves as an exceptional mentor and model to all students considering the natural resources profession.

Each year, Virginia Military Institute donates $1,500 to a nonprofit environmental organization of the recipient’s choice in their honor. Glover has requested that this donation be made to MANRRS, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences.

Due to the fact that VMI’s Environment Virginia Symposium originally scheduled for March 2020 had to be canceled due to COVID restrictions, Glover received the award virtually during the Chesapeake Bay Stakeholders Advisory Group’s meeting in late October.

- VMI -