1. Conservation Districts
in New York
Training Module 1
Module starts with CD Background and then moves through 5 sections relating to NYS Conservation Districts.
Purpose of Conservation Districts
Legal Definition of a CD
Key Activities of Districts
Conservation District Directors
Conservation District Staff

2. Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation Districts
The Beginning
1935 FDR establishes Soil Conservation Service (SCS)
Conservation Districts are organized as units of state government to improve land and water resources
Following Black Sunday, April 14, 1935 President FDR signed Public Law 46, creating the first Soil Conservation Act in the history of this or any other nation. This act created the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) – a permanent agency of the Department of Agriculture. Within the SCS, Districts were organized as units of state government, delegating the responsibility of improving land and water resources to agricultural producers.

3. Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation Districts
Conservation District is
A legal entity with many of the same institutional responsibilities and powers of a highly organized and ethical business
It plans and implements conservation practices, seeking voluntary cooperation and input from the public

4. Conservation Districts in NY
Although Districts work along County boundaries, NYS Conservation District Law allows for Districts to cooperate (with board agreement) and work beyond jurisdictional boundaries. This is important when addressing watershed-based issues.

5. Purpose of Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Purpose of Conservation Districts
Section 1
Conservation Districts:
work with landowners, organizations, and government to protect soil, water quality, and other natural resources, maintain resource productivity and protect or improve profitability
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Districts are unique in that they can work on public and private lands.
While Districts are not the only conservation partner in the County, they should strive to be the “go-to” agency. The District should be able to line up the partnerships needed to get a job done.
For example, if an apple farmer has concerns over pesticide runoff, the District can provide technical assistance to remediate this concern. However, the District may also want to make the connection to partners such as Cornell Cooperative Extension who could assist the farm in making choices to reduce the need for pesticides.
Section 5

6. Purpose of Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Purpose of Conservation Districts
Purpose and Responsibilities
New York’s Conservation Districts are the “gateways” to natural resource management in their local communities
Provide link between land owners and a host of conservation service providers

7. Purpose of Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Purpose of Conservation Districts
Purpose and Responsibilities
Educate public on benefits of conservation practices
Encourages stewardship of natural resources
Convince resource users to protect, maintain productivity of the resource
This form of education is considered “technical assistance”. It is important that the District staff have a good understanding of common conservation concerns for the County and also understand the practices to protect resources. If a District staff person is new, or has limited knowledge, it is important that they know where to accurately refer a landowner.

8. Legally Speaking Conservation Districts in NY
Section 1
Legal definition of Conservation Districts
NYS SWCD Law section 3:
“A Soil & Water Conservation District means a county whose board of supervisors has by resolution declared said county to be a soil & water conservation district.”
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
A Soil and Water Conservation District is created by the County Board of Supervisors or County Legislature based on an identified local need. This same governing body must also appoint all District Directors.
Section 5

9. Legally Speaking Conservation Districts in NY Conservation Districts:
ARE political subdivisions of government
CAN ask county governing body to allocate an appropriation in their budget
CAN own property & hold Conservation Easements
CAN accept gifts
CAN raise funds for work performed
CAN sue and be sued
Conservation Districts are political subdivision of government legally independent of county and state.
Although the County is not required under District Law to provide an annual appropriation, most do.
Make sure the participants understand all of the points on the slides. Refer to the Conservation District Law if more information is needed.
*For complete list of Powers of Districts consult Training Module 10 – SWCD Law

10. Legally Speaking Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation Districts are:
NOT a non-profit
NOT authorized to levy taxes
DO NOT have the right to eminent domain
CANNOT mandate conservation practices
Encourage people to ask questions and challenge the definition using their own experiences and understanding.
NYACD is a non-profit organization.
Second bullet: Districts are responsible for collecting sales tax on applicable items such as tree and shrub orders, maps, etc., but are not authorized to levy taxes.
Important: Districts may NOT get involved with marketing of any products except those deemed for conservation purposes.

11. Key Activities of Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Key Activities of Districts
Section 1
Conservation Districts:
Focus attention on local land, water, and related natural resource problems
Develop and implement programs to solve natural resource problems
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Not all Districts perform all the same activities; discuss why there may be differences. (Geography, area resources, etc.)
Natural resource concerns vary depending on the area of the State. Since District priorities and programs are established by the Board of Directors, they often vary from one county to the next.
Section 5

12. Conservation Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation Districts
What Districts do
Coordinate with federal & state agencies
Prepare long-range plan to address conservation needs of the District
Secure necessary funding
Perform needed work
Evaluate success of work performed
Discuss if this is what the participants thought Conservation Districts do?

13. Key Activities of Districts
Conservation Districts in NY
Key Activities of Districts
Conduct Resource Assessments – Assessing the resource needs or issues of the District
Develop long-range and annual plans with the goals & objectives designed to meet prioritized needs
Seek funding to implement programs and activities identified in their annual plans
Assess the progress of the District in meeting the goals of their long-range plan
The annual plan of work is a requirement under the Part C - Performance Measures. An approved annual plan of work is also needed to qualify the District for State Indemnification. Annual work plans should be reviewed throughout the year to determine progress. They should also be evaluated prior to writing the work plan for the following year. Evaluation is a key component to effectively delivering programs and meeting county needs.

14. Conservation District Directors
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Directors
Section 1
Roles of District Directors
Directors are leaders, using their own operation and activities to set a good conservation example to others, and demonstrate conservation benefits
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Many participants will be unfamiliar with the Director’s duties and responsibilities. How important is this job in the District? What could participants do to aid the effectiveness of the Directors?
Conservation District Directors have the opportunity to take an active role as stewards – safeguarding limited natural resources. To effectively nurture conservation in their communities, they should understand their role and responsibilities as a board member. Their success depends on their vision of the conservation district movement, their knowledge of natural resource conservation and the available means to accomplish conservation district objectives.
Section 5

15. Conservation District Directors
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Directors
Director Appointment:
County governing body of a Conservation District appoints directors to delegate the responsibility of developing and prioritizing the District’s policies and programs
Directors are appointed by the county governing body of the District to represent their interests in natural resource conservation

16. Conservation District Directors
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Directors
Director Roles:
Be aware of natural resource needs within the District, and actively seek input for solutions
Be an example of conservation management by practicing applicable conservation methods
Promote the ethic of good resource stewardship among all residents
Be familiar with laws, policies, and program concepts of importance to the District
Show that the job is varied, offering opportunities for meeting people, learning from others, working with the community, and being involved in performing conservation practices. It’s not just attending monthly meetings.
This may be a good time to briefly discuss the current policies your District has on file.
Each District should have a Director attendance policy in place. Directors are also expected to attend local, regional, and Statewide meetings to keep informed and abreast of all current issues affecting the District (also a requirement of Performance Measure 1).

17. Conservation District Directors
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Directors
Director Roles:
Manage staff, finances, and property of the District through District Manager
Regularly attend District meetings and functions
Take an active role in overseeing your employees’ activities
Make the Conservation District business a priority
District Directors are responsible for deciding the policies, priorities and programs their District will implement. While most District Boards delegate the day-to-day operation of the District to the District Manager (Executive Director), it is still the Directors that are ultimately responsible. The District Manager and other staff are employees of the board.

18. Conservation District Staff
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Staff
Section 1
Role of District Staff
Responsible for the day-to-day business of the District
Maintain the District office and programs
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
The Conservation District staff has many important roles to fill and many people to please. This would be a good time to review with the participants the job objectives of each one of your District staff members.
It is also important the District Staff report back to the board on all issues of importance, those that require Board decisions and all financial matters.
Section 5

19. Conservation District Staff
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Staff
Staff Roles:
Assist the Board, land owners & manager, and the general public with information, project assistance, and access to resources
Maintain the District office; maintaining office records, performing conservation project activities
Represent the District and Board to the Community
It would be a good idea to discuss how the District staff tracks their hours and activities. Keeping a good log of records is important for tracking grant hours and performance measure activities.

20. Conservation District Staff
Conservation Districts in NY
Conservation District Staff
Staff Roles:
Implement policies and activities as directed and approved by the Board
Recommend Board action on District business as appropriate, advise the Board on issues, projects, budgets, and any other matters as necessary or requested
Report to the Board, County legislatures, residents, and state agencies on a regular basis about District activities, meetings, and events
Stress that although staff is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the District, this is not an excuse for Directors to not be involved. Work performed by staff should fit into the annual work plan – which are activities approved by the board.

21. Additional Resources Conservation Districts in NY Resource Available
Where to Find It
Soil and Water Conservation District Law
SWCC Website
Laws of NY - SWCD
District Operations Manual
Located on the SWCC SharePoint site.
Resources:
SWCD Law -
NYS Legislature ( –
Laws of NY website -
SharePoint -