What are Soil & Water Conservation Districts?
Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) are political subdivisions of the State established under Minnesota Statute 103C. Each SWCD is governed by a board of five elected supervisors. State funding appropriations for SWCDs and their programs are administered through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). The first SWCD in Minnesota was created in 1938 (the Clay SWCD originated in 1945) to encourage landowners to conserve soil and water resources. Statewide, 75% of Minnesota lands are in private ownership. In agricultural regions, the number is quite often 95%. SWCDs fill the crucial niche of providing land and water conservation services to owners of private lands. Managing private lands in a way that promotes a sound economy and sustains and enhances natural resources is key to Minnesotas environmental health. Private landowners trust SWCDs to provide needed technology, funding and educational services because they are established in each community, governed by
