The Beginning

3. The Beginning

4. 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

5. National Focus – The Early Days • Demonstration projects • CCC camps primarily on public lands • Led to establishment of Soil Erosion Service

6. Federal Legislation Supports Soil Conservation Movement • Public Law 46 • Soil Conservation Service created • National soil conservation policy established • Shift toward private lands

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

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

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

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

16. Districts Organize Nationally • 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

18. Statutory Connections Grow • State Committee evolves • Three association members • State Committee increases to six members

19. New State Committee

20. Evolution of State Committee Staff • 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

22. State Committee Grows • 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

23. Finalizing Commission Appointments • Association makes recommendations • for commission appointments • Governor formalizes official appointment • appoints chair, and appoints the at-large

25. State Government Reorganizes • 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

26. 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

28. 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

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

30. Late ‘90s – Formal Agreements Introduced • Mutual, Cooperative, Operational Agreements • More formally connected Feds, Counties, State and • SWCDs

32. 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

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

35. 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

37. Districts • 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 Districts Formed Reorganized using county boundaries

38. 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

39. 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

40. 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

41. 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)

42. National voice for conservation • Lobby on Capitol Hill

43. 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

44. 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

45. 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