The Beginning

National Focus on Soil Erosion

• Dust bowl in the West, severe erosion in the S.E.• Hugh Hammond Bennett’s work “Soil Erosion, A National Menace”• $160,000 – first federal appropriation for soil erosion investigations

National Focus – The Early Days

• Demonstration projects • CCC camps primarily on public lands• Led to establishment of Soil Erosion Service

• Public Law 46 • Soil Conservation Service created • National soil conservation policy established• Shift toward private lands

Federal Legislation Supports Soil Conservation

Movement

• President Roosevelt & Standard State District Act • N.C. adopts General Statute 139• Districts bridge gap between federal technicians and local private landowners

Creation of SWCDs

• Feds & districts - relational rather than statutory connection• Board of Supervisors is district• Brown Creek Conservation District – first in nation•

Key Points

• G.S. 139 established the State Committee• Statutory supervision of districts by the State Committee established• State Committee consisted of three members

State Committee

• NCASWCD established • Not statutory, important none the less • Stage set for a state-wide conservation effort between federal, state, and local partners

Districts Organize State-wide

• 32 SWCDs met in Washington, D.C.• 1600 Districts had formed in 48 states• NACD established • Organized to deliver unified message on national policy matters

Districts Organize Nationally

Statutory Connections Grow

• State Committee evolves• Three association members • State Committee increases to six members

• Supported districts without staff for 22 years• 1959 – legislature funds administrative officer • 1961- renamed NC Soil & Water Conservation Committee• 1965 – legislature funds asst. admin. officer • DSWC forerunner providing staff support to the Commission as it is today

Evolution of State Committee Staff

• GS-139 amended – association members to represent state’s three geographic regions• Amendment allowed one at-large member • Commission seats rose to seven, as it is today

State Committee Grows

• Association makes recommendations for commission appointments • Governor formalizes official appointment appoints chair, and appoints the at-large

Finalizing Commission Appointments

• U.S. Clean Water Act addresses non-point pollution• Soil conservation and water quality become more important• Enormous impact on the state conservation agency• Nonpoint Source Pollution section added• State Committee changed to N.C. Soil and Water Conservation Commission

State Government Reorganizes

State addresses Water Quality Concerns

• 1979 – Soil and Water Conservation gained Division Status within state government• 1985 – Commission guidance establishes N.C. Ag Cost Share Program (ACSP)• Division provides program staffing

Evolution of SWCD Technician/Administrative

Staff• SCS/NRCS initial and major support for districts• Today, counties/state provide major staff support• SWCD technical employees exceed federal

• In 1990, District employees unite by establishing District Employees’ Association (DEA)

District Employees Organize

• Mutual, Cooperative, Operational Agreements• More formally connected Feds, Counties, State and SWCDs

Late ‘90s – Formal Agreements Introduced

Expanding influence of SWCD’s

• Response to .0200• Initiation of Community Conservation Program• Pilot counties for animal waste compliance• Holding conservation easements• Voluntary Ag districts• Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Conservation Partnership Expands

• Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation, Inc. established in 1999

Partnership Expansion

• Farm Bureau Federation• N.C. State Grange• Land Trusts• Conservation Trust for North Carolina• Clean Water Management Trust Fund• N.C. Ag. Development & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund• NC Tobacco Trust Fund

Districts FormedReorganized using county boundaries

• First district – Brown Creek SWCD • Early districts-multi-county, organized by watershed boundaries• 1960’s – organized by county boundaries• 96 districts covering 100 counties• Albemarle SWCD – only multi-county district (5 counties)• Governed by 5 member board – three elected, two appointed• Locally responsible for NCACSP, CCAP accountability• Sets local priorities, chairs local work groups

• Technical guide and practice standards • District staff support • Job approval authority for agricultural practices • Technical training, guidance and supervision• Farm Bill cost share funds, i.e. EQIP, WHIP, WRP• Association standing committees• Ag Task Force (ATF)and Technical Review Committee (TRC)• Computer software• Engineering design approval • Formalized partnership agreements

• Serves as staff to Commission• Administers programs and implements Commission policies• Provides area coordinators to serve local Districts• Funds supervisor travel and processes vouchers• Provides staff support to environmental education activities • Facilitates state level contests• Coordinates/staffs District Employees’ Workshop (DEW)• Chairs Ag Task Force (ATF) & Technical Review Committee (TRC)• Provides engineering/soil survey technical services/watershed planning staff assistance

• Policy and rule-making board for state programs• Establishes cost share procedures and allocates funds, considers programmatic changes• Appoints supervisors after local board recommendations• Establishes agricultural rules, certifications, watershed project agreements• Settles ACSP and CCAP contract disputes• Considers SWCD boundary change requests from local districts• Overall supervision of districts• Provides job approval authority for non-agricultural practices

• Represents districts’ interests statewide, emphasizing consistency • Recommends policies for legislation • Works through eight standing committees• Actively supports and seeks funding for districts • Provides representatives to committees/commissions/boards: - Soil and Water Conservation Commission (SWCC) - Technical Review Committee (TRC) - NC Ag Development & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Committee - NC Sediment & Erosion Control Commission - NRCS’ State Conservationist’s Advisory Committee - NC Foundation for Soil & Water Conservation Board of Directors - National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD)

• National voice for conservation• Lobby on Capitol Hill

• 501 C (3) organization • Enlists financial support for Districts to: - Build overall capacity - Provide supervisor leadership development - Accelerate educational outreach opportunities - Improve the natural environment• Independent, self-perpetuating board–association has 3 seats

• Personal/professional development vehicle for district employees• Provides training and development workshops• Works to improve the efficiency of statewide district offices• Supports Association’s annual meeting • Strengthens district programs by sharing information/assistance• DEA Leadership helps SWCDs address challenges/opportunities• Partners with Association on joint projects such as Gator Raffle and training initiatives

Local County Governments

• Financial support provided by Board of County Commissioners • Office space, vehicles, equipment, supplies, etc. • District staff salaries and benefits• Matching funds to qualify for state match• Holds district funds and provides for audit in some counties