Bookcliff, Mount Sopris and South Side Conservation Districts
Your local conservation districts are here to assist you. We have had to cancel or postpone many programs over the summer. We are still available for the Garfield County Noxious Weed Cost Share Program, Irrigation Cost Share, and technical assistance. Please contact our district office with your resource questions, concerns, and ideas at 970-404-3439.
Your
local Bookcliff, Mount Sopris and South Side Conservation districts are three of
76 districts across Colorado. All districts work with local landowners to
conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources.
Conservation districts grew out of the ecological disaster of the Dust Bowl
from the 1930’s. When dust from the west darkened the sky in Washington DC, the
US Congress passed legislation declaring soil and water conservation a national
policy and priority. President Roosevelt in 1937 encouraged state governors to
allow local landowners to form soil conservation district through state
legislation.
The goals of
conservation districts include farm and ranch conservation practices to
minimize water use, improve yield and conserve soil. Districts work with
developers and homeowners to manage the land in an environmentally sensitive
manner. Through community outreach and local schools, the value of natural
resources and conservation is promoted. The district offers opportunities to
plant trees and other land cover to prevent erosion, clean the air, and to
provide cover for wildlife and beautify neighborhoods. Protection and
conservation of ground and surface water resources is also a priority.
All board members of a
Conservation District are elected officials who are landowners within that
district. The board meets once per month to discuss goals and priorities for
the district. The programs and projects that are implemented in the district
are based on requests or suggestions from local landowners. The district works
closely with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and follows NRCS’s best
practices. Other valued partners include the CSU Extension and local government
and county agencies, including the Garfield County Board of County Commissioners.
What is a Conservation District?