SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS (SWCDs)
What is a
Conservation districts are local governmental subdivisions established
under state law to carry out a program for the conservation, use and
development of soil, water and related resources. Districts are resource
management agencies, coordinating and implementing resource and
environmental programs at the local level in cooperation with federal
and state agencies.
Conservation districts had their beginning in the 1930s when Congress,
in response to national concern over mounting erosion, floods and
sky-blackening dust storms that swept across the country, enacted the
Soil Conservation Act of 1935. The act stated for the first time a
national policy to provide a permanent program for the control and
prevention of soil erosion, and directed the Secretary of Agriculture to
establish the Soil Conservation Service to implement this policy. The
conservation district concept was developed to enlist the cooperation of
landowners and occupiers in carrying out the programs authorized by the
To encourage local participation in the program, President Roosevelt
sent all state governors A Standard State Soil Conservation Districts
Law, with a recommendation for enactment of legislation along its lines.
On March 3, 1937, Arkansas became the first state to adopt a law modeled
on the Standard Act. On August 4, 1937, the first conservation district,
the Brown Creek District included the birthplace of Dr. Hugh Hammond
Bennett, the first Chief of the Soil Conservation Service - commonly
referred to as the father of soil conservation. By 1938, twenty-seven
states had followed suit, and by the late 1940s, all fifty states had
adopted similar legislation. District’s laws were adopted in the 1960s
by Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and in the 1980s by the District
of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The Erie County
SWCD was formed on January 1, 1943.
What Do Districts Do?
Districts work with landowners, land managers, local government
agencies, and other local interests in addressing a broad spectrum of
resource concerns: erosion control, flood prevention, water conservation
and use, wetlands, ground water, water quality and quantity, nonpoint
source pollution, forestland protection, wildlife, recreation, waste
water management and community development.
How Many Districts are There?
In New York, there are 58 conservation districts, one representing each
county and five districts represent the boroughs of New York City.
Collectively, the 58 districts are represented by the New York
Association of Conservation Districts (NYACD). Nationwide, there are
approximately 3,000 conservation districts, the number varying from time
to time as a result of the combination, division, or the other
restructuring of district boundaries. These districts, identified in
some states as soil conservation districts, conservation districts,
natural resources conservation districts, natural resource districts or
resource conservation districts, cover 98 percent of the privately owned
land in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the
Virgin Islands, the Northern Marian Islands, and Guam.
Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation
Chautauqua County is in the extreme western part of New York. It is
bounded on the north by Lake Erie; on the west by Erie County,
Pennsylvania; on the south Warren County, Pennsylvania; and on the east
by Cattaraugus County, New York. Its northeast corner is bounded by the
Cattaraugus Indian Reservation.
Chautauqua County has a total land area of
680,000 acres, or about 1,062 square miles. Mayville is the county
The New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation manages about 18,000 acres of land used for reforestation
and wildlife areas. Also, Chautauqua County manages about 1,500 acres
as county reforestation areas and parks.
In 1982, about 45 percent of the land area in
the county was used for farms. Of this area, about 45 percent is
cropland, 20 percent is pastureland, and 25 percent is farm woodlots.
Although Chautauqua County has more farms than
any other county in New York, the number of farms in the county has
steadily declined over the years. In 1945, there were 5,778 farms in
the county compared to 1,678 in 2004; however, the average size of the
individual farms increased from 89.4 acres in 1945 to 151 in 2004.
Chautauqua County is in two contrasting
physiographic provinces, the Erie- Ontario Plain province and the
Allegheny Plateau province, and thus it supports two different kinds of
farming enterprises. In the plateau province the principal agricultural
enterprise is dairy farming. Corn and hay are the main crops, but some
small grain is grown. In 2004, about 38,700 acres was used for hay,
22,400 acres for corn, and 3,866 acres for small grain, mainly oats. In
1945, contrast, 22,065 acres was used for small grain, 18,912 acres for
corn and 104,642 acres for hay.
A moderate temperature, a long frost-free
period, and good soils help to make the lake plain province and
outstanding agricultural area. The main agricultural enterprise in this
region is growing grapes; however, substantial areas are used for
vegetables, orchard crops or small fruit. Chautauqua County is the
leading grape-producing county in New York, with 19,166 acres of
In addition to these products, maple syrup is
and important commodity in the survey area. Chautauqua County currently
is rated eighth among the counties of New York in the production of
maple syrup, with an average annual output of about 15,000 gallons.
More than 50 percent of Chautauqua County is
woodland; therefore, commercial timber production is a viable industry.
Most of the natural stands are represented by mixed hardwoods dominated
by sugar maple, red oak, black cherry, white ash, and American beech.
Many wooded areas have been cut over several times for timber production
Debra Kelley -
Secretary/ Assistant Treasurer
The Chautauqua County Soil & Water Conservation District is directed by
a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, amongst themselves, elects
a chair, a vice-chair, and a vice-treasurer. The secretary treasurer to
the board is the Secretary/Assistant. Treasurer. All 5 members of the
board are appointed by the County Legislature. Two members are
representatives from the County Legislature. One representative is from
the Grange, one is from the Farm Bureau, and one At-Large. The Board
directs the activities of the Chautauqua County Soil and Water
Conservation District staff through the Secretary/Assistant Treasurer.
These individuals are then responsible for the implementation of the
district’s program, and are accountable to the board for all actions of
The CCSWCD Board of Directors meets monthly on the fourth Thursday at
TheSecretary/ Assistant Treasurer and the District Staff report to the
Board of Directors. The following is a list of Directors and their
Board of Directors
Robert Anderson –Member - County Legislator
Fred Croscut – Member - County Legislator
Leon Beightol – Treasure -Grange
Robert Thompson –Vice Chairperson - Farm Bureau
David Sturges –Chairperson - At Large
Dave Wilson – District Field Manager & WQCC Contact
Frank Gould III –Technician
David Spann –Technician
Robert Halbohm – NRCS District Conservationist