Dukes Conservation District

A conservation district is a subdivision of state government, established under state law to carry out programs for the conservation and wise management of soil, water and related resources.

There are 14 conservation districts in Massachusetts. Each district is governed by a board of supervisors – locally elected citizens who volunteer their time and leadership to the conservation effort.

 

Our Conservation District supervisors work directly with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service) to deliver technical assistance to the people of Dukes County. The Conservation District is a voice for the community, providing leadership on conservation issues and establishing priorities for conservation activities and programs.  

 

The Dukes Conservation District was established in the 1940’s to provide access to the technical and financial assistance available from NRCS to farmers, aquaculturists and conservation land managers in the seven Towns in the County.  The assistance provided is aimed at producing the highest conservation of resources possible within the appropriate land management program that is owned or under management of District Cooperators.  Over the years through the District, Cooperators have received farm management planning assistance, engineering design of manure storage facilities and erosion control as well as funding assistance to implement best practices such as nutrient management, fencing to allow intensive grazing and wildlife habitat improvement.  Programs that actively support environmentally oriented land and water management include:

 

The primary mission of the Dukes District is to facilitate the work of the NRCS in the County to assure the protection and conservation of critical resources while fostering the productive use of those resources under management by our Cooperators to grow food and protect the natural environment.