About the St. Johns Soil & Water Conservation District

The St. Johns SWCD was created in September of 1955 under the authority created by the Soil Conservation Act, passed by Florida Legislature in 1937. The SJSWCD was organized by the concerned citizens of St. Johns County to help landowners and users to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources.

Mission

To deliver natural resources conservation technology and education to local landowners and users and to promote the wise use of land and best management practices that will conserve, improve and sustain the natural resources of St. Johns County.

About Us

The St. Johns SWCD District Board consists of 5 Supervisors who are non-partisan, elected locally and serve under the provisions of Chapter 582 of the Florida Statutes.

The SJSWCD Board meets on the fourth Tuesday, bimonthly at 7:00 p.m. at the St. Johns County Agricultural Building located at 3125 Agricultural Center Drive, Saint Augustine, Florida 32092-0572. The Board approves applications for technical assistance, prioritizes workload, approves conservation plans and discusses local resource problems related to soil and water conservation within St, Johns County.

Message from the Chair:

The St. Johns County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Board of Supervisors is a group of elected officials dedicated to the conservation of the natural resources in St. Johns County. The District Board is committed to addressing the issues that challenge the integrity of our soil and water resources. Each Board member brings a unique vision and expertise in support of the mission to conserve, improve and sustain the soil and water resources within the County.

Florida’s 62 soil and water conservation districts were established in 1937 under Chapter 582 Florida Statutes. The St. Johns SWCD was created in September of 1955. Unlike today, the impacts on the local natural resources 51 years ago went appreciably unnoticed. Today it is difficult to travel anywhere within St. Johns County and not notice the pressures of technological advancements and growth impacting our natural resources. The SWCD’s goal is to promote the wise use of our land and water resources and deliver natural resources conservation technology and education to local landowners and users including farmers and ranchers, homeowners, federal agencies, local governments, educators, civic organizations, youth groups, and ultimately every soil and water consumer in the county.

In 2009 the District assisted numerous landowners throughout the County and administered contacts covering hundreds of acres. These contractual plans prescribe the implementation of various conservation practices including water control structures and water table management, and irrigation land leveling. These practices are an important part of the District’s efforts to conserve water resources. As a partner in the LawnSmart Program with the Floridan Resource Conservation and Development Council and JEA, the SWCD assisted homeowners in reducing home irrigation water use in the County. In the past SWCD working with the Florida Department of Transportation and local county volunteers, the SWCD coordinated a dune restoration project located from Old A1A South along A1A to the Flagler County line. A mixture of 8,000 plants including Spartina bakeri (Sand Cordgrass), Spartina patens (Beach Cordgrass) and Uniola paniculata (Sea Oats) was planted by volunteers to stabilize the soil, sand and the beach dunes and protect them from wind and water erosion.

Conservation education programs are also an important part of the SWCD efforts to publicize the importance of conserving countywide resources. The SWCD is involved in various conservation programs including an annual speech contest, designed to develop leadership qualities through public speaking activities. Soil Stewardship Week is also celebrated each year to emphasize the importance of good stewardship of our basic soil and water resources. The SWCD distributes conservation materials each year to the public to promote conservation awareness.

The SWCD is devoted to the conservation of St. Johns County’s soil and water resources and its Board Members are interested in hearing your comments and ideas. Please feel free to contact us or drop by our office. Help us to continue to conserve St. Johns County’s soil and water resources.

Craig Hartwig    -   Chair - SJSWCD

News

Minutes of our last Meeting
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NACD National News