Core Purpose: Fostering healthy soil, water and agricultural practices

Area homesteaders founded the Kenai Soil & Water Conservation District soon after Alaska statehood in 1959. Originally known as the Kenai-Kasilof Soil Conservation District, the District is a locally-controlled, state-authorized entity with responsibilities delegated by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Commissioner under Alaska Statute 41.10. A five-member volunteer Board of Supervisors elected from among the District’s cooperators oversees District staff and establishes goals and projects to meet cooperators’ needs. Sources of funding include private and federal grants, donations, and fees-for-service. The State of Alaska currently provides no annual funding to conservation districts.

In the wake of the 1930’s Dust Bowl disaster, the initial focus of soil and water conservation districts in Alaska and nationwide was to promote environmentally-sound methods of farming to prevent soil erosion. Today, conservation districts in Alaska carry out projects not only to promote sustainable agriculture and conserve farmland, but also to protect wetlands and watersheds, promote forest health, fight the spread of invasive plants, and engage youth in learning about resource conservation.

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