Across the United States, nearly 3,000 Soil and Water Conservation Districts-almost one in every county-are helping local people to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and other natural resources. The Cass Soil and Water Conservation District is proud to be part of this locally-led voluntary movement, serving as a resource for private landowners, farmers, businesses, and townships of Cass County since 1963.
Soil and water conservation districts are local units of government established under state law to carry out natural resource management programs at the local level. SWCDs provide voluntary, incentive driven approaches to landowners for better soil and cleaner water in the State of Minnesota. Private landowners with financial and technical assistance from local SWCDs are implementing a wide variety of conservation practices including restoring wetlands, planting shelterbelts and buffers, protecting shorelines, preventing soil erosion, and coordinating aquatic invasive species efforts.
In Cass County, the SWCD is engaged in a number of local conservation initiatives with cost-share opportunities for landowners. Landowners who own forested parcels of 20 acres and larger within a cold-water tullibee lake watershed are eligible for grant funds to complete forest stewardship plans. This includes watersheds for Long, Ten Mile, May, Howard, Girl, Mann, Washburn and Whitefish lakes. Landowners with wild rice habitat on their shorelines may also be eligible for financial support to protect these areas with conservation easements.
Born in the wake of the Dust Bowl, SWCDs have been involved in delivering conservation across America for more than 70 years. Because Minnesota has a wide variety of landscapes and conservation needs, each district operates at the direction of locally elected board supervisors. This local perspective allows SWCDs to specifically manage the resources and serve the needs of the citizens in their district. Cass SWCD is served by five Supervisors including Thomas Kuschel, District One; Kenneth Laporte, District Two; James Ballenthin, Chairman and District Three; Clifton Peterson, District Four; and Jane Ekholm, District Five.
Soil and Water Conservation District staff and supervisors build partnerships with public and private, local, state and federal, and business entities in an effort to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns. The district work with landowners every step of the way from planning to implementation.
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The district's work results in clean water, healthy wildlife habitat and productive soil. To learn more about what Cass Soil and Water Conservation District is doing and how to partner in their efforts, visit its offices on the first floor at the Cass County Courthouse, 303 Minnesota Ave. W, Walker; or call 218-547-7399.
