|
| |
       
SWCD means Soil and Water
Conservation District
In the 1930’s, the United States was in the middle of two great crises, the
Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Throughout this national disaster, Hugh
Hammond Bennett, a soil scientist, was one of the leaders who brought attention
to what was happening to the American land. He realized we needed something to
help Americans preserve and protect this valuable resource, our soil. His idea –
conservation districts all across the United States.
In 1937, Minnesota’s legislature passed the law allowing SWCDs and their state
agency now named the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) to be established
in the state, and in 1938, Minnesota’s first SWCD was organized. By 1973,
Minnesota had 91 soil and water conservation districts that spread across our
state. Including Chisago County which was established in 1950.
The cornerstone of each SWCD is locally led conservation. Because the landscape
of every SWCD is different and unique, taking care of the soil and water
resources is best done by people who live and work in that district.
SWCDs are local units of government that manage and direct conservation
programs. The SWCD function is to assist land occupiers in both rural and urban
settings to protect soil, water, and related resources. Minnesota currently has
91 SWCDs, each of which is governed by a Board of five Supervisors. SWCDs
receive their authority from Chapter 103C of Minnesota Statutes.
In addition to their individual resources, SWCD’s use the expertise of other
state and federal organizations, including the Board of Water and Soil Resources
(BWSR) and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). BWSR is
the state administrative agency for the SWCD’s and channels funds to the SWCD
for many conservation programs.
Because Minnesota has a wide variety of conservation needs, each SWCD operates
from its own comprehensive and annual work plans. These work plans allow each
SWCD to specifically serve the resource needs of landowners in their County.
The SWCD conducts surveys and demonstration projects as well as implementing
erosion control practices to protect water quality. The SWCD also provides
educational programs and materials on conservation and soil stewardship.
|
