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Local conservation leaders advocated for state funding for Soil and Water Conservation Districts at a recent legislative briefing and meetings at the State Capitol March 12-13 in St. Paul.
Mona Henkels, Shelly Lewis, and Craig Christensen from Murray Soil and Water Conservation District joined a group of other officials from the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) who met in St. Paul to gather support for conservation district funding from the state. SWCDs are seeking $16 million per year in local government SWCD Aid through the Department of Revenue starting in 2025. The funding would get SWCDs statewide closer to fulling critical conservation needs and increasing the pace of progress toward clean water and healthy soil goals. Without this adjustment, state aid to SWCDs will drop from the current $15 million per year to $12 million per year in 2025.
“SWCDs are a primary source of conservation information, support, and program management for landowners and other local units of government,” said Lewis, of Slayton. The SWCD Aid proposal being considered by legislators this session is critical to the future of conservation districts in the state, noted Lewis. “We have to work hard to make sure the state’s commitment to sharing in the funding needs of SWCDs doesn’t fall by the way-side. Soil and Water Conservation Districts play an integral role in enhancing Minnesotan’s quality of life through conservation on private lands, which yields environmental, wildlife and aesthetic benefits to the public,” Lewis said.
SWCDs this year are also seeking capital investment funds to repair aging infrastructure on Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Reserve wetland easements and one-time cash funds to perform an assessment of all assets to prioritize repairs. Wetland restorations done on these easements often contain structural assets that store water, treat runoff, prevent erosion and provide many other benefits to water quality and soil health. They also provide valuable habitat for wildlife and some of the most beautiful native landscapes in our state.
During the visit to St. Paul, Mona Henkels, Shelly Lewis, and Craig Christensen met with local legislator Bill Weber.
The event was sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
SWCDs fill the crucial niche of providing land and water conservation services to owners of private lands. For more information on the Murray Soil and Water Conservation District, please call 507-836-6990 ext. 3 or visit www.murrayswcd. org.
