The Montgomery County Soil and Water Conservation District is planning a celebration event to honor its seventy-nine years of working to protect the countys natural resources. The SWCD was formed in Montgomery County in 1941 as a grass roots agency to promote practices that would conserve precious topsoil that was being lost to the dust storms of that era. Employees and district board members worked diligently to educate farmers about tillage practices that would leave topsoil in place and reduce ephemeral, gully and sheet/rill erosion. The Tools of the Trade have changed over the years with the size and type of equipment used and farming practices that are always evolving, but the mission of the SWCD has remained the same: strive to promote practices that conserve soil, improve soil health and clean up our precious water resources.
Future goals of the SWCD include improved soil health through the use of cover crops and minimal tillage methods and improved water quality that meets goals set by the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. Federal and state programs like Conservation Practices Program (CPP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) all provide guidance and cost share to landowners and tenants whose goals are in line with that of the SWCD mission statement. Federal and State dollars will also be available for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).
Please plan to attend the 79th Annual SWCD Celebration on Tuesday, January 14th at 6:00 p.m. It will be held at the U of I Extension office in Hillsboro. A light dinner will be provided with a short program from Ashley Dawson, Farm Bill Biologist with Pheasants Forever. Ashley will discuss the importance of providing wildlife habitat cover and how our programs can be utilized for that purpose. Door prizes will follow the meal. Please make your reservation by calling the office at (217) 532-3361, ext. 3 or by emailing Administrative Coordinator Melissa Cauble at melissa.cauble@il.nacdnet.net by January 10th.
