The Orleans County Natural Resource Conservation District (OCNRCD) was established in 1946 as a non-regulatory organization led by local landowners. 

A Brief History of Conservation Districts

Conservation districts were organized and created by federal law in 1937 in response to the  devastating soil erosion  conditions often referred to as the “Dust Bowl.” The Soil Erosion Service  (SES) was created in 1933, was since  called the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) and is now the  Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Its  purpose was to demonstrate the values of soil  and water conservation by placing conservation measures on farms in  cooperation with landowners.  On February 27, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a letter to all state  governors  recommending the enactment of legislation enabling the creation of local soil conservation districts.  

The proposed act suggested that districts be established to direct and manage soil erosion control  programs. These  programs would rely on local citizens volunteering to plan and install conservation  practices. Each district would  determine its own local needs and would have personal contact with  local individual landowners in the community,  providing the local connections and expertise to  inform their partner federal agency.  

The first soil conservation district in the United States was organized on August 4, 1937 in North  Carolina by Hugh  Hammond Bennet, sometimes called the father of the conservation movement. In  1939 Vermont passed the Soil  Conservation Act to enable the creation of conservation districts in  Vermont (see Appendix B for the text of the  statute). The first Conservation District in Vermont was  established in 1940: the Poultney Mettowee Natural  Resources Conservation District. Today, a total  of fourteen Conservation Districts cover Vermont, some with county  boundaries and others with  watershed boundaries (Fig 1).  

Vermont’s Soil Conservation Act also created the State Natural Resources Conservation Council  (NRCC, or  Council) with responsibility for establishing, allocating funds to, and assisting the  districts. Then, as now, Council is  comprised of the Director of UVM Extension; The Secretary of the  Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets; the  Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources; and six  district supervisors from across the state. Through Council,  the governor and the legislature  communicate their priorities to districts, and districts communicate their priorities to  the state.  Another organization, the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts, also advocates on behalf of   districts. It is a nonprofit organization, rather than a committee of state government.