An introduction to Montana Conservation Districts

Hello. My name is Steve Merritt, and I'm the outreach coordinator for the Montana Association of Conservation Districts (CDs).

I'm writing today to let you know a little about our organization and the conservation districts we represent.

First of all, a little about who CDs are…

Montana's 58 conservation districts are political subdivisions of the state, and are governed by a board of elected supervisors.

For 60-plus years, CDs have utilized voluntary, incentive-based approaches and stressed cooperative partnerships to help conserve soil, water and other renewable natural resources.

CD partners are numerous and varied, and include landowners, agricultural producers, natural resource managers like the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA-Farm Service Agency and state Department of Natural Resource and Conservation, and other interested stakeholders.

CDs have numerous responsibilities, many of which are mandated by law. Some of these responsibilities include administration of the state's 310 permits; working with the NRCS and FSA to implement Farm Bill programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and other important conservation programs; promoting rural development via Resource Conservation & Development districts; serving as the local contact for Non-Point Source Pollution; providing land owners with tools such as planters, weed sprayers and range equipment; and helping lead public conservation education efforts.

In short, CDs do a lot of important work. In fact, CDs are so busy, they don't often take time to tell people about the work they're doing for the community and the state. We'd like to change that. These folks are, after all, members of your community.

You see them at the grocery store and coffee shop, you watch their kids grow up and play basketball and go off to college, but you still may not know about the work they do and the contributions they make to the local community and the future well-being of Montana.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about conservation districts or issues involving CDs, don't hesitate to contact your local CD office, local CD supervisors or the MACD office in Helena. We'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Steve Merritt

Outreach Coordinator/LEP

Contract Manager

Montana Association of

Conservation Districts