LAND CONSERVATION SERVICES
The Land Resources Division administers a variety of land and water conservation programs, both agricultural and urban related, which are described throughout this web page. Through these programs, county staff provide technical, financial, regulatory and educational services to local farmers, landowners and units of government. (The division works in cooperation with the USDA -Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), which is located in the same office.) A common theme behind most of these services is the control of soil erosion and water pollution from runoff.
Some examples of technical services include:
Natural resource problem assessment
Site planning and development review
Soil interpretations and hydrologic studies
Surveying, design and installation of soil and water conservation practices
GIS mapping (computer)
Stormwater/watershed protection planning
Wildlife damage and abatement
Farmland preservation planning
Some examples of educational activities include:
Conservation planning with landowners and managers
Distribution of educational materials
Tours of local conservation projects
Newsletters, public speaking and other media work
Environmental contests, outdoor classrooms, scholarships and other activities with local schools
Environmental awards for local land stewards and other environmental leaders
The Division also administers county regulations relating to:
Construction site erosion control
Urban stormwater management
Manure storage facility construction
Nonmetallic mine reclamation
Financial services that are provided include:
Distributing cost-sharing grants and incentive payments to landowners that install conservation practices.
Offering watershed/stormwater planning grants to units of government.
Purchasing land or conservation easements for stream corridor buffers or recreational trails.
Note: The Land Resources Division also administers solid waste and recycling programs. The organizational chart for the division shows the staff assigned to both the land and water conservation programs and the solid waste and recycling programs.