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The Swift County SWCD has a variety of services to offer.
Landowners and operators can receive one stop shopping for all their conservation needs from engineering and designing conservation practices to assisting in farm planning and implementing tree and native grass and forb plantings. Engineering staff are available at the area level to survey and design erosion concerns to create conservation plans for waterways, terraces, ag waste management systems, sediment basins, diversions and other practices. Swift SWCD also assists with the installation of tree planting for shelterbelts, riparian buffers, wildlife plantings, direct hardwood seeding, field windbreaks and living snow fences. No till drills are available for rent to be used for native grass plantings. Native seed for conservation plantings can also be purchased through the SWCD. |
Swift SWCD Logo.
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Location
The Swift SWCD is located at the following address: 205 14th Street N. Benson, MN 56215 320-289-6033 Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Open Monday - Friday (closed all federal holidays) |
What is a Conservation District?
Image from the Dust Bowl.
Our District is grateful for the opportunity to work with members of the community to facilitate voluntary initiatives to conserve land, water, forests and wildlife in our area. We are one of 89 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) across the state – and nearly 3,000 across the nation – that provide a neighborly presence to help preserve and protect the natural resources that we all love.
The Swift SWCD was formed in 1950. Recent highlights of our work include work on Drywood Creek in which SWCD staff worked with the Department of Natural Resources and the Board of Water and Soil Resources to remove a dam structure that had failed and restore the stream channel back to its historic state. The district has also worked with the Fairfield Township Board on a streambank stabilization project in which the Pomme de Terre river was threatening to erode a township road. The district has recently been involved in other water quality and erosion control practices as well.
So, what exactly is a Soil and Water Conservation District? A SWCD is a local unit of government that manages and directs natural resource management programs at the local level. SWCDs work in both rural and urban settings, and assist private landowners and other entities of government to carry out various programs related to conservation, land use, and improvement of soil, water and related resources.
Hugh Hammond Bennet was testifying in Washington D.C. on April 2nd, 1935. As he was speaking, he went to the windows just as a giant dust storm approached and blanketed the city in soil. Bennet used this event to demonstrate the need for soil and water conservation, which Congress supported immediately, and the idea of Soil and Water Conservation Districts were born. The first official SWCD in Minnesota was created in 1938 and was called the Burns-Homer-Pleasant District, and later renamed the Winona SWCD.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of the State. Supervisors serve for four-year staggered terms; generally, two or three of an SWCDs five board supervisors are up for election every two years. These positions have been locally elected officials since SWCDs began to be formed in 1938. Dating back to 1971, these office positions have been available on the November ballot as a nonpartisan office. The overall election has always been at-large within the district. In the year 1974 “Supervisor Nomination Districts” were mandated to ensure some measure of geographic distribution of elected supervisors across each SWCD. The theory behind this was to cover more of the county in representation, which in turn allows for better geographic scope of the soil and water issues within the county.
One of the main areas SWCDs address is that of providing soil and water conservation services to owners of private lands. Privately owned land currently makes up about 78% of the land in Minnesota. The process of managing these private lands, whether agriculture, forest, lake, or urban, is key to protecting Minnesota’s quality of life for all residents. SWCDs work with a variety of individuals, from landowners to homeowners, crop consultants to bankers, producers to township officials, and everyone in between. Working with these individuals, the SWCD can address a broad area of resource concerns including: erosion control, flood prevention, wetlands, groundwater management, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, community education, and more.
All across Minnesota, SWCDs are trusted to provide the needed technology, funding opportunities, cost share and educational services because they are well established in each community, governed by local leaders and focused on conservation of local soil and water resources. SWCDs work with a variety of individuals on a variety of projects across diverse landscapes. While initially created to assist with conservation on agricultural lands, SWCDs have expanded their roles to meet the needs of their respective counties. This includes forested land, lakes, and urban areas. This diverse work means that SWCDs are partnering with cities, townships, and watershed districts to put conservation of all shapes and sizes on the landscape.
Cost share funding available through each Soil and Water Conservation District is meant to be used for erosion or sedimentation control or water quality improvement projects/practices that are designed to protect and improve soil and water resources. There and many projects and practices that fall under this requirement. Call our office to find out if your project qualifies, or if there is an alternative funding source.
Soil and Water Conservation District staff and supervisors build partnerships with public and private, local, state and federal entities to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns. We work with landowners every step of the way from planning to implementation.
Some of the programs the Swift SWCD and their partners offer include: Tree Planting, No-Till Drill rental (10’ and 12’ available), Native grass and flower seed mixes, Custom cover crop seed mixes, Walk in Access Program (WIA), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP), Ag Best Management Program Loan Program (AgBMP), Nitrate Testing Clinics, Educational and Outreach Events, and More!
Our work results in cleaner water, healthier wildlife habitat, better soil, and a collaborative relationship with the community. What a great thing to celebrate this Earth Day.
For more information on the Swift SWCD and programs offered, please call 320-289-6033 or swing by our office located at 205 14th Street N., Benson, MN 56215.
The Swift SWCD was formed in 1950. Recent highlights of our work include work on Drywood Creek in which SWCD staff worked with the Department of Natural Resources and the Board of Water and Soil Resources to remove a dam structure that had failed and restore the stream channel back to its historic state. The district has also worked with the Fairfield Township Board on a streambank stabilization project in which the Pomme de Terre river was threatening to erode a township road. The district has recently been involved in other water quality and erosion control practices as well.
So, what exactly is a Soil and Water Conservation District? A SWCD is a local unit of government that manages and directs natural resource management programs at the local level. SWCDs work in both rural and urban settings, and assist private landowners and other entities of government to carry out various programs related to conservation, land use, and improvement of soil, water and related resources.
Hugh Hammond Bennet was testifying in Washington D.C. on April 2nd, 1935. As he was speaking, he went to the windows just as a giant dust storm approached and blanketed the city in soil. Bennet used this event to demonstrate the need for soil and water conservation, which Congress supported immediately, and the idea of Soil and Water Conservation Districts were born. The first official SWCD in Minnesota was created in 1938 and was called the Burns-Homer-Pleasant District, and later renamed the Winona SWCD.
Soil and Water Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of the State. Supervisors serve for four-year staggered terms; generally, two or three of an SWCDs five board supervisors are up for election every two years. These positions have been locally elected officials since SWCDs began to be formed in 1938. Dating back to 1971, these office positions have been available on the November ballot as a nonpartisan office. The overall election has always been at-large within the district. In the year 1974 “Supervisor Nomination Districts” were mandated to ensure some measure of geographic distribution of elected supervisors across each SWCD. The theory behind this was to cover more of the county in representation, which in turn allows for better geographic scope of the soil and water issues within the county.
One of the main areas SWCDs address is that of providing soil and water conservation services to owners of private lands. Privately owned land currently makes up about 78% of the land in Minnesota. The process of managing these private lands, whether agriculture, forest, lake, or urban, is key to protecting Minnesota’s quality of life for all residents. SWCDs work with a variety of individuals, from landowners to homeowners, crop consultants to bankers, producers to township officials, and everyone in between. Working with these individuals, the SWCD can address a broad area of resource concerns including: erosion control, flood prevention, wetlands, groundwater management, water quality and quantity, wildlife habitat, community education, and more.
All across Minnesota, SWCDs are trusted to provide the needed technology, funding opportunities, cost share and educational services because they are well established in each community, governed by local leaders and focused on conservation of local soil and water resources. SWCDs work with a variety of individuals on a variety of projects across diverse landscapes. While initially created to assist with conservation on agricultural lands, SWCDs have expanded their roles to meet the needs of their respective counties. This includes forested land, lakes, and urban areas. This diverse work means that SWCDs are partnering with cities, townships, and watershed districts to put conservation of all shapes and sizes on the landscape.
Cost share funding available through each Soil and Water Conservation District is meant to be used for erosion or sedimentation control or water quality improvement projects/practices that are designed to protect and improve soil and water resources. There and many projects and practices that fall under this requirement. Call our office to find out if your project qualifies, or if there is an alternative funding source.
Soil and Water Conservation District staff and supervisors build partnerships with public and private, local, state and federal entities to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns. We work with landowners every step of the way from planning to implementation.
Some of the programs the Swift SWCD and their partners offer include: Tree Planting, No-Till Drill rental (10’ and 12’ available), Native grass and flower seed mixes, Custom cover crop seed mixes, Walk in Access Program (WIA), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP), Ag Best Management Program Loan Program (AgBMP), Nitrate Testing Clinics, Educational and Outreach Events, and More!
Our work results in cleaner water, healthier wildlife habitat, better soil, and a collaborative relationship with the community. What a great thing to celebrate this Earth Day.
For more information on the Swift SWCD and programs offered, please call 320-289-6033 or swing by our office located at 205 14th Street N., Benson, MN 56215.
Shible Township.
Creating two dikes with overflow structures to allow for water to fill up in the wetland basins. These will hold water during storm events and prevent downstream flooding.