What is the Carlton County Soil &Water Conservation
District?
The Carlton County Soil
and Water Conservation District ("SWCD") is a subdivision of state
government established by the state under Minnesota Statute Chapter 103C.
The state charged SWCDs to assist land occupiers with implementation of
practices that conserve the soil and water resource of the State. The
first SWCD in Minnesota was formed in 1938. The Carlton SWCD was formed in
1961.
Support and funding for District operations comes from federal, state,
and county government, in a unique partnership that has existed across the
country during the last fifty years. The Carlton County SWCD works to
implement a comprehensive long range plan for natural resource protection in
the county.
The District is governed by a
five member board elected in the November General Election to 4 year terms.
Carlton SWCD Board Members are as follows:
District One: Barb Dahl
SWCD Secretary Committees:
Personnel, Education/Awards Outside Organizations: Big Sandy/Tamarack Watersheds.
Ms. Dahl is Supervisor for the following
Townships: Beseman, Corona, Red Clover, Lakeview, Eagle,
and the West Half of Progress.
District Two:
Larry Sampson
SWCD Chair
Committees:
Finance, Long Range Planning, Forestry
Outside Organizations: SWCD Forestry. Mr. Sampson is the supervisor for the following
townships: East half of Progress, Perch Lake, Sawyer, City of Cloquet,
City of Scanlon and Thompson.
District Three: H. Merrill Loy
SWCD Vice Chair Committees: Personnel, Policy, Legislative, Forestry. Mr. Loy is
Supervisor for the following Townships:
Atkinson, Mahtowa,
Twin Lakes, and Silver Brook
District Four: Kim Samuelson
SWCD Public
Relations Officer Committees: Education/Award. Policy Outside
Organization: RC&D. Ms. Samuelson is Supervisor for the following Townships:
Automba, Kalevala, Skelton, Split Rock, Silver and Moose Lake.
District Five: Mark Thell
SWCD Treasurer Committees: Finance, Legislative, Long Range Planning Outside Organizations: TSA/LSA, EQUIP Local Work Group Mr. Thell is Supervisor for the following
Townships: Blackhoof, Wrenshall, Barnum, Clear Creek and
Holyoke.
All Board meetings are held on
the
SECOND MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH
at 4:00pm in the conference room
at the
Carlton County SWCD office.
115 5th Street South Carlton MN
55718
(unless otherwise indicated)
The SWCD employee two full time staff:
District Manager, Brad Matlack;
Conservation Technician, Kelly Smith
and one part time Administrative Assistant,
Lu Olean.
The SWCD also hire program staff as
needed to fulfill obligations of grants and contracts. Currently the Water
Resource Coordinator position held by
Kirstin Swenson focuses on impaired water resources in the county.
We also have Karola Dalen who is
the NRCS Soil Conservation Technician.
Our Conservation Partners are:
Board of Water and Soil Resources
Natural Resource Conservation Service
MN Association of Conservation Districts
MN
Department of Natural Resources
MN Pollution Control Agency
Our SWCD Programs:
The mission of the Carlton County
Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is to assist land
occupiers in protecting and enhancing the natural resources of Carlton County.
This mission is carried
out through three primary program categories.
1.Conservation Education and Information
2. Technical Assistance
3. Financial Assistance
The SWCD implements programs to assists land occupiers in all land use areas of
the county
including: agricultural, forested, rural residential, and urban. With limited
resources available,
programs must be prioritized.
The SWCD’s Annual Plan provides this prioritization, outlining the primary
objectives the SWCD will
address for 2008 and the staff resources the SWCD will devote to these
objectives. This plan also
incorporates the SWCD’s comprehensive plan, a 5 year long range plan due to be
updated in 2010.
South Terrace Outdoor Learning Center of
Carlton County
The
SWCD offers funding for conservation implementation through several sources:
The AG BMP
Loan Program
Sustainable
Forestry Incentives Act
Minnesota State Cost Share
Federal Conservation
Partner Assistance
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS:
WETLAND CONSERVATION ACT (WCA)
In 1991 the State Legislature passed a law that was aimed at
stopping the loss of wetlands in the state. The law states that no wetland will
be drained or filled unless the activity is exempt or the wetland is replaced by
restoring or creating a wetland of equal public value. Rules for the WCA were
developed by the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). Local government
units-cities, counties, watershed management organizations, soil and water
conservation districts, and townships-implement the act locally. The Minnesota
Board of Water and Soil Resources administers the act statewide, and the
Department of Natural Resources enforces it.
FEDERAL WETLAND REGULATIONS
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also regulates many wetland
alteration activities in Minnesota under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Paul District Regulatory Programs
for more information.
ENGINEERING
Through joint powers agreement with other districts in the area,
the Carlton SWCD can offer project evaluation to county residents. In some cases
the federal agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) may also be
used for this engineering assistance. Conservation engineering staff will look
at the project and develop options for solutions including cost estimates. Types
of projects that this assistance is available for include:
After the project has been evaluated, the Carlton SWCD can often
provide financial assistance to install the required conservation practice. To set up an appointment to have your conservation project
evaluated contact the SWCD office at 218/384-3891.
CONSERVATION PLANNING AND PROJECT
IMPLEMENTATION
Certified Forest Stewardship
Planning
A Certified Forest Stewardship Plan entitles its holder to
enroll in the Sustainable Forestry Incentives Act (SFIA) Program. After meeting
the other program requirements, a landowner is eligible for an annual incentive
payment of between $1.50 and $2.50 per acre. This is an incentive paid by the
State of Minnesota for practicing sound forest management. The Soil and Water
Conservation District ("SWCD") can complete a Forest Stewardship plan for county
residents. The base price for a Certified Forest Stewardship Plan is $210. An
additional fee is $6.50 per acre will be charged for the field work portion of
the plan.
Stewardship Plan Update
Updating your Forest Stewardship Plan is recommended as
priorities change. The SFIA program requires a plan of a maximum of ten (10)
years old to qualify for the program. A Stewardship Plan update would cost the
same base price of $210. The fieldwork charge would be $2.50 per acre.
Conservation Project
Planning
Part of the requirements of the SFIA program is that the
stewardship plan is actively implemented. Projects like wildlife habitat
plantings, tree plantings, windbreaks, soil conserving buffers along streams or
lakes, trail development and management, and even timber thinning and harvesting
can enhance a forest.
The Carlton County SWCD can provide project planning for
implementation of the projects identified in a Stewardship Plan. The project
plan includes specific project recommendations, a materials list, a cost
estimate and possible funding sources. The charge for a project plan is $90.
Conservation Planting
Project Implementation
There are many important components to a successful planting.
Depending on the size and location of the planting the SWCD will do the planting
or contract with local planters to complete the project and work as your project
manager. Either way the project will be completed according to the
specifications in the planting plan.
The costs for these projects vary depending on the project type.
If you would like the Carlton SWCD to provide project planting and
implementation services, please contact us through any of the options listed in
contact information.
Home
