District Background
Latah SWCD works through voluntary, incentive-based programs to assist private landowners and agricultural operators with the conservation of land, water, plant, and wildlife resources throughout Latah County. Latah County contains approximately 697,000 acres, of which 38% is devoted to agriculture and 61% is range and forest lands. Approximately 77% of the county is in private ownership.
Our Mission
Lead local efforts to promote the stewardship of natural resources through the development of comprehensive plans and implementation of strategies for economic and ecological sustainability, on behalf of our citizens, through the coordination of leadership, information, and funding.
Our History
The Latah Soil and Water Conservation District was created in 1940 as a response to the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. Working closely with the national Soil Conservation Service they focused their initial efforts on preventing and mitigating soil erosion on agricultural lands. Through the years there have been over 75 landowners in Latah county elected to be District supervisors. They have represented Latah county for as little as 1 year and as long as 40 years. Over the years the Latah SWCD has expanded it’s mission to include the conservation of water and other natural resources. Today the Latah SWCD helps landowners in Latah County reduce erosion and improve soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat by securing funding and providing technical assistance.
Our Goals
District Capacity
Develop and maintain the political and organizational capacity to fully exercise District rights and responsibilities.
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Local Governance
Lead and support landowners, agricultural operators, local communities and government agencies to collectively identify natural resource issues of concern, review alternative solutions to address these issues and undertake local efforts to resolve priority issues using voluntary mechanisms.
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Community Outreach
Promote efforts to enhance the local community's understanding of ecological systems, the social systems directly dependent upon these natural systems, and the political and organizational systems developed for the management of natural resources within the District.
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Comprehensive Planning
Promote individual, local, regional, state, tribal, and national planning efforts that recognize, and manage for, the interconnected elements of natural systems and seek sustainable management approaches for the natural resources with the District. Provide for the long-term natural resource conservation objectives of landowners and agricultural operators, strengthening the long-term health of local economies and protecting the long-term public interest of the community, as a whole.
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Coordinated Implementation
Lead the voluntary implementation of conservation efforts that seek to simultaneously protect and enhance the long-term productivity of the District's natural resource base while providing for the long-term natural resource conservation objectives of landowners and agricultural operators and protecting the established rights of individual landowners and operators.
