Locally-led Conservation

Conservation districts trace their formation to the 1930's when they were originally designated Soil Conservation Districts because national attention was focused on the soil erosion crisis of the Dust Bowl. From that point, soil conservation districts have evolved into a "unique" unit of local government that utilizes state, federal and private sector resources to solve today's natural resource problems ranging from soil conservation to water quality and conservation, to flood control, to wildlife habitat, to forest management and beyond.
The two Montezuma County Conservation Districts, like the other 74 conservation districts in Colorado, are guided by a governing board of supervisors elected by local land owners. These officials serve four year terms and give of their time and talents voluntarily. These individuals work closely with landowners, government and business leaders, school teachers, students, and others interested in natural resource conservation. We are local organizations through which state and federal agencies provide service to Montezuma County landowners.
We cooperate with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Services Agency, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Forum, the Colorado State Forest Service, the Montezuma County Weed Board, Colorado State University Extension, and other organizations to provide rural landowners with information, technical and engineering support, and access to government cost-share programs that deal with improvement of water distribution, on-farm irrigation systems, noxious weed control, rehabilitation of disturbed areas, and other conservation related activities. We also support a wide variety of educational opportunities, including the Children's Water Festival, Youth Conservation Camp, Teacher Conservation Workshops, and Workshops for Landowners concerning range management, pasture management, irrigation management, soil management, and other important topics.