What is a
Soil Conservation District?
Locally Led Conservation of Resources
The SCD is a political subdivision run by a board of supervisors, three of whom are elected to six-year terms in county elections. The other two are appointed for one-year terms. The monthly business meetings are open to the public, and interested residents are welcome to attend. The district helps local landowners and producers accomplish conservation goals and include conservation as a part of their operations. The district also provides education, information, and technical assistance. The SCD cooperates with state and federal agencies, private organizations, individuals, and businesses to accomplish these goals. The district also provides trees and other services to help residents with their conservation efforts.
SCD History
Soil Conservation Districts were established following the Dirty Thirties to provide locally driven and controlled support for conservation efforts by landowners. North Dakota adopted the Soil Conservation Districts Law on March 16, 1937. Foster County Soil Conservation District was chartered by the state of North Dakota on July 13, 1944 (see Chapter 4.1-20 of the North Dakota Century Code). The original Board of Supervisors included J. H. Lyman, Manvil J. Anderson and A. R. Suckut. The District was formed to assist people in Foster County with control and prevention of erosion and conservation of soil and natural resources.
The Function of the Conservation District:
To take available technical, financial, and educational resources, whatever their source, and focus or coordinate them so that they meet the needs of the local land user for conservation of soil, water, and related resources.
-Adapted from Pete Nowak
A soil scientist teaches Boy Scouts about soil profiles, north of Carrington, 1967.
The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself. -- Franklin Delano Roosevelt