ABOUT US
We all remember the photos from the Dust Bowl Era of the 1930s. The iconic shots of massive black clouds looming over communities, farm houses, and ranches are unforgettable. Intensive farming practices starting during World War I, without erosion reducing techniques, combined with a sustained period of drought created one of the worst natural disasters in our nation’s history. In response to this disaster, the federal government created the Soil Conservation Service as part of the US Department of Agriculture in 1935. The feds pushed for states to enact laws and create local conservation districts to manage and improve conservation efforts at the local level.
Idaho saw its first soil conservation district law passed on March 1, 1939, and the first conservation districts were formed in 1940. These were Latah, Bear Lake, Portneuf, Squaw Creek, and Mayfield (later Elmore). Today, Idaho has 50 conservation districts and they are the primary entities to provide assistance to private landowners and land users in the conservation, sustainment, improvement, and enhancement of Idaho’s natural resources.
IASCD was organized on March 25, 1944 after supervisors found the job of planning, scheduling and organizing conservation work a large one. Supervisors also found that soil and water problems extended beyond the boundaries of their district, and they needed an organization that could speak on their behalf at the state and national levels.
Idaho saw its first soil conservation district law passed on March 1, 1939, and the first conservation districts were formed in 1940. These were Latah, Bear Lake, Portneuf, Squaw Creek, and Mayfield (later Elmore). Today, Idaho has 50 conservation districts and they are the primary entities to provide assistance to private landowners and land users in the conservation, sustainment, improvement, and enhancement of Idaho’s natural resources.
IASCD was organized on March 25, 1944 after supervisors found the job of planning, scheduling and organizing conservation work a large one. Supervisors also found that soil and water problems extended beyond the boundaries of their district, and they needed an organization that could speak on their behalf at the state and national levels.
Mission & Vision
IASCD's mission is to represent Idaho’s conservation districts as the primary entities to coordinate voluntary, locally led efforts to sustain and enhance Idaho’s natural resources, and strengthen Idaho’s conservation districts and thereby the non-regulatory approach to conservation.
We believe in strong, independently lead conservation districts fully exercising their role to lead non-regulatory conservation efforts throughout the State of Idaho.
We believe in strong, independently lead conservation districts fully exercising their role to lead non-regulatory conservation efforts throughout the State of Idaho.