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What
is the Hood River Soil & Water Conservation District?
The Hood River Soil & Water
Conservation District (HRSWCD) is one of 45
conservation districts in Oregon established to promote and enhance our
natural resources. SWCDs were started in the 1930s in response to the
massive soil erosion crisis of the Dust Bowl. Congress realized that
conservation needs varied greatly by region and that local
conservation districts could better help landowners with their specific
challenges.
The HRSWCD was incorporated on Sept. 30, 1953. The boundaries of the SWCD include all of the lands within the legal boundaries of Hood River County. The District initiated the Hood River Watershed Group in December, 1993, and continues to provide sponsorship, staff and fiscal oversight to that watershed council.
What does the HRSCWD do?
The District helps landowners, managers, and residents identify, understand and correct or prevent threats to natural resource. To do so, the District helps landowners employ a wide variety of conservation techniques and management practices designed to protect, conserve and enhance natural resources. We work entirely on a voluntary, non-regulatory basis. The HRSWCD has helped landowners obtain technical and financial assistance to implement many different kinds of projects in our county including fencing livestock, planting native trees along streams, screening and piping irrigation canals, installing efficient irrigation systems, enhancing riparian habitat, improving fish passage and removing invasive weeds. Contact us to find out how we can help you better manage your land for the conservation of natural resources!
How is the SWCD organized?
Conservation districts are defined by the Oregon Revised Statutes as political subdivisions of state government. The SWCD is not a state agency; rather it is classified as a form of local government, which is required to follow many of the same laws that govern state agencies.
The Hood River SWCD is governed by a locally elected, volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors meets monthly on the first Thursday in the meeting room at the OSU Extension building. *Click here for our meeting schedule.* All meetings are open to the public.
The Hood River SWCD receives funds to administer its programs from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and other local and regional partners.
Who can I find at the Hood River SWCD office?
The Hood River SWCD office houses staff for the SWCD, NRCS and the HRWG. Hood River SWCD has three full time staff members, an intern and five active board members. While we are committed to excellent customer service across the board, our roles and responsibilities vary between the entities. They are:
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SWCD – planning, technical assistance and grant-writing to individuals and groups, education and outreach, conservation and project planning, Local Management Agency for state SB1010 program.
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HRWG – monthly educational forums, technical and grant-writing assistance for member projects, education and outreach.
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NRCS – technical assistance, financial assistance to both the SWCD and individual agricultural landowners.
Click here to download a copy of our long-range strategic plan outlining our organizational structure and our five-year plan for addressing some of the priority resource concerns for our area.