History of Conservation Activities in Kansas

1800-Kansas is a sea of native and prairie grasses Settlers start moving into Kansas and the Great Plains and begin plowing the land Congress authorizes soil survey program to map tobacco lands and establishes National Cooperative Soil Survey Farmers continue to farm the land without regard to soil conservation. Productive top soil is being lost First soil survey completed in Allen County.

1920’s-Soil erosion increases. Some farsighted farmers in eastern Kansas build terraces in an attempt to check erosion. Hugh Hammond Bennett, later named father of the soil conservation movement, is lecturing on the dangers of soil erosion.

1930-A severe and sustained drought period starts followed by huge dust storms and the depression. 1933, April 5-Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) established. September 19-The Soil Erosion Service begins operation in the U.S. Department of Interior with Hugh Hammond Bennett as director and first employee.

1935, March 25-Limestone Creek erosion-control project is established at Mankato. April 1-Federal government establishes 10 erosion research stations to study the erosion problem. Hays is one location selected. April 14-Black Sunday--the worst storm of the Dust Bowl days. 1934, May 11-First major dust storm originates in the Great Plains followed by several massive storms.

1935, April 27-Congress establishes the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) as an agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with Hugh Hammond Bennett, regarded as the “father of soil conservation,” as its first chief. December 2-Central Great Plains Region office established with headquarters tentatively designated as Wichita (later made permanent in Salina) Prairie States Forestry Projects (shelterbelt and shrub plantings) underway.

1936-Nursery is established at Manhattan, Kansas, now known as the Plant Materials Center (PMC was established as of July 1, 1953). June 22-Flood Control Act is enacted to develop measures to retard water flow and prevent soil erosion in selected watersheds Ira K. Landon, State Coordinator, 1937-June February-President Franklin Roosevelt sends letter to all state governors urging each state to set up soil conservation districts. March 25-Governor Huxman signs into law a bill creating conservation districts. April 10-State Soil Conservation Commission (in 1972 renamed State Conservation Commission) established to protect and enhance Kansas’ natural resources.

1938, June 22-State of Kansas approves Labette County as first conservation district in Kansas. June 29-First Kansas CCC camp opens at Parsons--33 CCC camps were established in Kansas. November 16-First SCS employee arrives in Labette County to assist farmers. December 29-Pete Benson signs up as the first cooperating farmer in Labette County Conservation District and in the state. 1939, February 28-Salina Regional Office closed. June 20-Northern Great Plains Region established in Lincoln, Nebraska, which covers Kansas.

1942-SCS state offices established in each state. Salina chosen as location for the Kansas State Office. Fred J. Sykes becomes first Kansas SCS State Conservationist, Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) forms to help advance the soil and water conservation cause Kansas Land Improvement Contractors Association (KLICA) organizes Sixteen conservation districts organized.

1952, November 15-Soil survey activities became responsibility of SCS. 1953, July 28-Pilot Watershed Program is initiated (five projects authorized in Kansas) The State Association of Kansas Watersheds comprised of organized watershed districts organizes-- is the only association of its kind in United States. Construction begins in three pilot watersheds--Aiken Creek, Snipe Creek, and Switzler Creek. August 4-Congress passes the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. March 22-Shawnee County is last Kansas conservation district organized.

1956, April 17-Secretary of Agriculture establishes National Inventory of Soil and Water Conservation Needs--inventory for each county completed in August 7-Great Plains Conservation Program is authorized involving the western 62 counties in Kansas. 1957, December 31-First Great Plains contract is signed in Finney County Morrie A. Bolline, State Conservationist, , June-Construction completed for first Kansas Public Law (P.L.) watershed— Cimarron—in Gray County.

1962, September 27-The Food and Agricultural Act of 1962 authorizes the Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Program. 1965, July 22-Water Resources Planning Act provides for river basin studies. 1963, July 16-Construction starts for first P.L. 566 watershed project, Walnut Creek Watershed, Brown County Governor signs first strip mining reclamation law for Kansas. September-Kansas’ first RC&D project, Sunflower, authorized in south- central Kansas.

1970, June-A soil survey is published for Shawnee County, one of the first counties to have soils mapped Lee T. Morgan, State Conservationist, , August 30-National Resources Inventory established Robert K. Griffin, State Conservationist,

1979-John W. Tippie, State Conservationist, Soil classification system is developed and adopted. 1985, December 23-Food Security Act establishes Conservation Reserve Program containing the highly erodible land, sodbuster, and swampbuster provisions James N. Habiger, State Conservationist, Congress passes Farmland Protection Policy Act.

1990, April 12-Harney silt loam is adopted as the Kansas State Soil. Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) is established as part of the Food Security Act. 1994, October 20- SCS’s name is changed to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). First Emergency WRP project approved in Kansas starts Farm Bill (Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996) establishes new programs--the Farmland Protection Program (FPP), the Environ- mental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)--and extends the Conservation Reserve Program and WRP Tomas M. Dominguez, State Conservationist,

1999-Soil survey celebrates 100 years. March 29-Kansas Governor declares April 25-May 2, 1999, Soil Survey Centennial Week.

2000-The Soil and Water Conservation Assistance Program is authorized under the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of , October 1-NRCS returns to familiar raindrop and contour as official symbol. 2001, July-First grant period under the Kansas Buffer Partnership Program allows 25 Kansas counties to hire 25 buffer coordinators to work with landowners to establish conservation buffer practices for erosion control, water quality benefits, and wildlife habitat.

2002, April 21-Harold L. Klaege, State Conservationist, , May 13-The 2002 Farm Bill (the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002) which governs Federal farm programs for the next 6 years is signed into law. This land- mark legislation will help farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners to continue to be primary stewards of our Nation’s natural resources. 2002, October 1-Funding increase for the Kansas Buffer Partnership Program during the second grant period which allows 39 Kansas counties to participate in the program.

2004, January 4-First WRP easement under the 2002 Farm Bill recorded on 38 acres in Cherokee County. 2008, June 8-Eric B. Banks becomes current State Conservationist. 2008, May 22-Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) becomes law. Federal farm programs are created, expanded, extended, and/or re-authorized until This law changed the name of the Conservation Security Program (CSP) to Conservation Stewardship Program (CStP) and established the program from , September 25-First Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) recorded on 205 acres in Riley County.

2008, October 1-Moving into the future to provide leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, improve, and sustain our natural resources and environment. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Author: Deanne Lull, Office Assistant, Public Affairs Staff Designer: Stephanie McDowell, Earth Team Volunteer October 2001 Updated October 2008