NRCS Celebrates Partnership with SDACD on 75th Anniversary

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS), Huron, SD., June 28, 2012 – July 1, 2012, marks the 75th anniversary of the law enacting the creation of South Dakota’s conservation districts. Born of the Dust Bowl era, people came together each with their respective talents to address the horrible erosion problems. Times were very tough but their cooperative spirit helped producers learn farming and ranching conservation techniques for keeping soil in place.

The need for local leadership in natural resources management was one of the most important factors leading to the establishment of conservation districts 75 years ago. Following the creation of the federal Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), conservation districts were created as a local focal point for coordinating and delivering technical assistance and funding to private land managers.

“It’s only fitting that on this anniversary date the NRCS would like to recognize the close working relationship we have with the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts (SDACD) and each individual district across the state ,” said Jeff Zimprich, State Conservationist with NRCS. “Over the past 75 years together the conservation district/NRCS partnership has played a key role in public-private conservation efforts across South Dakota.”

Conservation districts have a unique partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture. NRCS works hand-in-hand with conservation districts who are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs at the local level. The NRCS is the federal agency that provides technical and financial assistance to help people help the land and other natural resources. Over the 75 years, the science and technology of conservation has become more sophisticated as NRCS and partners work with landowners to address the complexities of modern farming and ranching operations.

 In South Dakota, conservation districts are a sub-division of state government. Their purpose is to coordinate assistance from all available resources--public and private, local, state, and federal--in an effort to develop locally-led solutions to natural resource concerns. Conservation districts are known for many services, including water quality and watershed projects, no-till and residue management, as well as, their tree planting efforts.

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