Charlie Grubb is a Level 2 Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services (ACES) Enrollee in Nezperce, Idaho.  He started with the ACES Pilot project in July 2006 and is now part of the ACES Program with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). 

Mr. Grubb assists with all phases of Farm Bill projects and conservation planning, including field verification of conservation management practices; contract development; and forestry related Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) contracts. Locally, he serves as the technical and administrative liaison between the NRCS field offices, NRCS State Forester, and the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) Service Foresters.  Additionally, Mr. Grubb coordinates with the District and Soil Conservationist on various projects and works with the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Prior to joining the ACES Program, Mr. Grubb was involved with forestry and fire (wild and prescribed fire) in Idaho and Montana.  He was a Resource Specialists Sr. (Assistant Fire Warden) with the IDL from 1988 to 2006.  He supervised and trained all fire personnel in initial and extended attack and coordinated Rural Fire Department/Cooperator trainings.  Even though he has retired from the IDL, he tries to go on a few assignments every year to keep his qualifications.  He holds an Incident Qualifications Red Card for wild land fire duties.

Mr. Grubb is able to use his experience from the IDL and apply it to his current ACES position, “when I worked with IDL, I was in contact with a lot of the same landowners as I am now; the same principles but now with a different agency. This transition was very smooth with little break in the action.”

Because of his varied background in forestry and farming, Mr. Grubb always jokes, “I jumped over the fence, and now I am outstanding in another field.”  He also states, “being with NRCS, I can still be involved and carry on projects that actually started with my earlier years with IDL, such as planting, thinning, forestry management, and of course water quality.  This is so interesting to me to be involved with the challenges and opportunities associated with forest livestock grazing, forest health, and resource concerns over landowner planning.”

Mr. Grubb attended the University of Idaho and continued his education at North Idaho College on the banks of the Coeur d’Alene Lake where he says it was so beautiful, it “made it hard to concentrate.”  This is where he enrolled in the Forestry Technology program and where he graduated in 1977 with an Associate Science (AAS) Degree in Forestry. “This program was very highly regarded and job placement highly successful,” says Mr. Grubb.

“In working with ACES/NRCS, Department of Environmental Quality, Wildland Fire Assignments, I guess I wear many hats in this wonderful land of plenty.  The opportunities are there and if you can provide your experience and make life easy for others, especially in a work place, go for it,” says Mr. Grubb.