About the Soil and Water Conservation District
 

Each county in Indiana has a soil and water conservation district, or SWCD.  SWCD's are subdivisions of state government as provided for by the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act of the Indiana General Assembly.  the Miami County SWCD was established May 7, 1954.

The local SWCD is led by a five member board of supervisors.  Two supervisors are nominated by the local community and appointed by the State Soil Conservation Board.  Three supervisors are elected by land users at the annual meeting of the SWCD.  Each member serves a three year term.  Troy Hattery of rural Peru is the current Board Chairman.

Soil and water conservation districts determine and address natural resource needs in their counties; such as agricultural conservation, urban conservation, forestry, wildlife, water management, and natural resource education.  The function of a district is to take available technical, financial, and educational resources, whatever their source, and focus or coordinate them so that they meet the needs of the local land user for conservation of soil, water and related resources.

The local SWCD is co-located with the USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service at 1626 West Logansport Road, Suite A, Peru.  Together, we provide technical assistance to land users who experience soil erosion problems.  We survey and design for erosion control structures, grass waterways, water and sediment control basins, wetland restorations, and more.  We also provide assistance for forestry, windbreaks, grazing management and other related natural resource concerns.  There is no charge for these services.  Under certain USDA conservation programs, cost share for implementing conservation programs may be available for eligible land users.

The Miami County Soil and Water Conservation District is funded through county and state appropriations, grants, and private donations.  Our annual Spring Tree Sale also helps to fund our projects.