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There are 3000 conservation districts, nearly one in every county in the US, find them and use them for gaining knowledge on natural resource issues!
Ok, thanks dude. This is an advice forum, so I'll share what is out there.
Readers' Digest version: During the Dust Bowl of the thirties, conservation measures were needed to keep our soil from blowing away. In front of the Legislature, Hugh Hammond Bennet threw back the curtains to reveal the thick dusty air outside.
From there Legislature mandated the formation of local (county) government Soil Conservation Districts to provide best management practices (BMP's) relating to natural resources. That includes but not limited to: irrigation by drip, ditch, or center pivot, septic systems, streambank stabilization projects, feedlot management, water wells, fertilizer applications especially for home owners who way over fertilize, living snow fence and windbreak development, soil testing for viability of septic systems in towns and out of town and for soundness for foundations of structures(depth of footing,etc), storm drain stenciling for "No oil to be dumped-drains to river" type stuff, household paint and chemical collection day, and basically being recognized as a grass roots initiative and not federally mandated.
There is a National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), and Wyoming has been at the forefront of exposing some of the federal mandates erroneously being forced down our throats. An example is the Clean Water Action Plan(CWAP): a two page paper sent out by Al Gore that turned into a half inch thick book with 111 federal key action items that would have tried to close down railroads, logging, and the like. No kidding, it was going to make US life miserable.
Wyoming exposed that by accident when our executive director and some others were snowed in and had nothing to do but peruse the CWAP!
There had not been a proper procedural following of NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act.
Our state president of WACD (Wyo Association of Conservation Districts) was at the helm of the NACD for a brief period when he had a tragic accident on the family ranch and was killed. Very bright young man who was a natural born leader. Very shocking about his death.
But, Wyoming has brought a new level of unity to the association and has contributed to steepening of the learning curve to what a conservation district is.
Our county was one of the first districts in Wyoming.
Google "National Association of Conservation Districts" and see "Tribute to a Cowboy"
Thank you, Dan
I've been working with a soil conservation district out west for 6 years, and warmheart's inconsistent thinking is typical of the leaders of these local governments. Districts are supposed to be protecting our natural resources in parternship with the USDA, but are actually protecting the anti-environmental, self-interested attitudes of old white men in the west.
The mission of some of our districts is to protect natural resources and maintain productive agricultural lands. I have said recently that one of these days they are going to have to pick one because these goals are becoming more divergent all of the time, with our large scale chemical-based agriculture and farmers who will tear up more grassland to plant high-water use corn when the price goes up and seem to be planning to keep the irrigation pumps running until the aquifer is dry.
It is not a good ol boys group in Wyoming as I hear they can be elsewhere. Everyone is an environmentalist to some degree or another, just not extreme right or left.
We all want to see our range improved. Our place has been operating on the same range for over 60 years. If we were to "rape the land" as some people call ranchers, we'd have been out of business a long time ago!
The districts have best management practices (BMP's) for local land users to apply to their lands under the auspices of the USDA (US Dept of Agriculture) with the technological services of the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service).
Have a project? Go to the conservation district and they set you up with the technicians and possible cost share funding from NRCS and USDA.
Districts always strive for a no-net-loss in ag land when development arises.
Ah, ok, I still didn't get what you were asking or trying to say with your question.
Now I think I get it :) It was a suggestion to learn more about the natural resources in your US community...?
Ok. 90% of the site is from the US, 10% isn't...just fyi. And, I'm the only American of the three founders...and I didn't have a clue what you were trying to say.
Could you be clear (eg, if you think people might not get it add lots of detail) next time, and then you might get more replies and more people will understand what you're saying.
Thanks :)
...find them & use them for gaining knowledge?
OK. However, this reads like you copied out of your test for home work. Is it?
I was a supervisor on our board for 15 years. In the statement, a clarification is needed...find YOURS and use them...
Reread the paragraph: From there, Legislature...
"You've got me babe"
