Soil and water conservation ideals developed over time from experiences of early homesteaders with droughts, insects, and hard times and from later experiences of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. A Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) camp was located on the county’s southern border to assist with unemployment and soil erosion problems that existed in the area. From these early experiences and successes the conservation district movement took hold and developed the conservation ideals we hold today. Planting trees, seeding grasses, building terraces, grassed waterways, dams, ponds, and agricultural waste systems, promoting the use of crop rotations, reduced tillage and no till systems, farming on the contour, pest management and agricultural waste management, planting filter strips and enhancing wetlands all help to protect soil and water quality and addresses other resource concerns.

The Lincoln Conservation District exists to assist land owners and operators protect the urban, suburban, and rural resource base in Lincoln County.

Over the years with the assistance of various federal, state, and local agencies the Lincoln Conservation District has overseen the planting, seeding, construction, and implementation of many conservation practices. Since 1944, approximately 2,600,000 trees have been planted on 3,875 acres. The years between 1948 and 1952 were very successful with almost 100 acres planted each year.

Approximately 575 miles of terraces and 1,500 acres of grassed waterways have been constructed since the district began. Narrow base terracing was an innovation brought to Lincoln County in the late 1970’s. Today, narrow base terraces are the most popular type of terrace among land owners and land operators. With the 1985 Farm Bill sodbuster requirements, highly erodible fields had many terraces constructed on them between the years of 1986 and 1995. Today, with cost share through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP), many terraces continue to be built on environmental sensitive fields within the county. The Conservation Security Program (CSP) within selected watersheds will provide further incentives for land owners and operators to protect their land with terraces and grassed waterways.

With federal and state requirements for livestock producers, agricultural waste
control is a present and future challenge for the producers within Lincoln County. The District, with assistance from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and other federal and state agencies, is committed to helping livestock producers develop agricultural waste control structures and agricultural waste plans for their operating units.

The future presents many challenges and opportunities for natural resource protection. With joint cooperation between the Lincoln Conservation District and its’ federal, state, and local partners, the conservation of Lincoln County’s natural resources can be assured for another 60 years.

This site updated on:
April 9, 2008

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