Contact: Celi Haga
651-315-5082
St. Paul, Minn. – For over 70 years, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) have been hard at work for Minnesota’s soil, water, and wildlife. Locally, these districts manage programs that work toward conservation and healthy use and development of our natural resources. The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) honors and celebrates that work as part of Soil and Water Stewardship Week, April 26 – May 3, 2015.
“SWCDs are the boots on the ground in local conservation,” BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke explained. “From their understanding of local resource opportunities and challenges to their partnerships with private landowners and other government agencies, they have an invaluable role in helping our state move towards its natural resource goals.”
In Minnesota, there are 89 soil and water conservation districts working in both urban and rural settings.
"Minnesotans trust their local soil and water conservation districts because they are established members of the community," LeAnn Buck, Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Executive Director, said. "They provide technical assistance, funding and educational services to help private landowners make informed decisions about managing their lands in a way that helps our soil and water resources."
This is the 60th annual Soil and Water Stewardship Week, organized by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD). This year’s theme – Local Heroes – Your Hardworking Pollinators – highlights the many ways bees and other pollinators are an important part of our local and global ecosystems.
For more information about Soil and Water Stewardship Week and how you can get involved in local conservation efforts, please contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District.