The Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) hosted a meet-and-greet affair Tuesday.
Many people are unaware of the SWCD, says District Manager Julie Kingsley.
"It's just getting the word out. People - Joe Public - don't know what we do," she said. "We're here to help property owners solve problems - erosion issues, water issues."
Three major watersheds pass through Hubbard County: the Mississippi River, Leech Lake River and Crow Wing River watersheds.
There are 89 minor watersheds in the county.
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The SWCD is charged with protecting the district's soil, water, forests, wildlife and recreational resources through education, technical advice, leadership and financial assistance to landowners and cooperating agencies to pursue sustainable management, wise use and conservation practices.
SWCD is its own legal body, accountable to the public through general elections. It's not an arm of county government - a common misconception, Kingsley said.
"We are actually our own local unit of government. We have elected officials," she explains.
Hubbard County's five SWCD supervisors serve 4-year terms.
Preserving, restoring and protecting the county's wetlands are one of the SWCD's priorities.
Before starting a project that might have an impact on a wetland, landowners must contact the Hubbard County SWCD office to avoid violating the Wetland Conservation Act.
The SWCD also provides free, private well nitrate testing. Results are ready within minutes.
"Anything above 10 milligrams per liter isn't safe to drink," reminds Kingsley.
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The free nitrate clinic is held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. the first Friday of every month at the SWCD office, located at 603 Central Ave. N, Suite 100 in Park Rapids.
The SWCD's cost-share program provides funds for erosion control, sedimentation control or water quality improvements. Through the State Cost-Share Program, landowners can request financial and technical assistance for the implementation of conservation practices.
Among SWCD's numerous programs are wild rice conservation easements, the new Minnesota Buffer Initiative, tree sales, Tullibee Forest Stewardship, Pineland Sands Aquifer Project, wellhead protection, a local water management plan
Hubbard County SWCD also organizes environmental education programs, such as the Envirothon and 6th grade Freshwater Festival.
"We're mainly grant-based" said Kingsley of district's funding sources.
While Hubbard County SWCD has focused mainly on lakes, Kingsley said their efforts are shifting more toward ag and forestry.
More information is available at 732-0121 or www.hubbardswcd.org .
