Locally Led Conservation

Locally Led Conservation is local people, with leadership from conservation districts, who:

• assess natural resource conditions and needs,
• set goals,
• identify programs and other resources needed to achieve these goals,
• develop proposals and recommendations,
• implement solutions,
• and measure their success.

The need for local leadership in natural resources management was one of the most important factors leading to the establishment of conservation districts nearly 60 years ago. Following the creation of the federal Soil Conservation Service, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), conservation districts were created as a local focal point for coordinating and delivering technical assistance and funding to private land managers.

Over the years, federal, state and local governments have channeled assistance through conservation districts to address virtually every aspect of natural resource conservation. Districts have focused on setting priorities and carrying out programs based on local conditions and needs.

However, legislation such as the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills, the 1987 Clean Water Act amendments and the 1990 Coastal Zone Act has significantly changed the way we address conservation and natural resource management needs. These and other programs, driven largely by national priorities, focused federal conservation efforts on a narrow range of natural resource concerns. State and local conservation leaders were often left on their own to balance limited program resources against growing conservation needs.

The enactment of the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 - the 1996 Farm Bill - signaled a shift back to the original district approach of locally led conservation. Elected officials and policy makers have reaffirmed that local leadership and grassroots decision-making are the keys to successfully managing and protecting our natural resources. As a result, conservation districts now have the opportunity to return to their roots and lead their communities in determining local conservation needs and priorities.

In considering the 1996 Farm Bill as part of the locally led conservation process, Congress emphasized the need for a close working relationship among conservation districts, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and other government agencies. To facilitate this, conservation districts are being asked to bring together local stakeholders to provide input to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's local Farm Bill work groups in order to guide program implementation and integrate the Farm Bill with other local initiatives.

As a process, however, locally led conservation goes beyond the Farm Bill or any other individual program. There are a number of program resources available through USDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service and other federal agencies that can be tapped for assistance in carrying out a local conservation program. There are also many resources available through state and local sources. District leadership will be critical in marshaling these resources to increase the visibility and effectiveness of local conservation efforts.

Locally led conservation creates new opportunities, but also poses significant challenges to districts to step in as conservation leaders in their communities. Districts need to take the lead in planning and carrying out all conservation programs at the local level.

Putting locally led conservation to work...

Excerpted from "Locally Led Conservation: An Overview for Conservation Districts" produced by the National Association of Conservation Districts in cooperative with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Association of State Conservation Agencies.