A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news
A total of 136 property owners in Carlton County bought kits for planting to provide much needed pollinator habitat. These 136 people are doing voluntary conservation that will help turn the tables on the decline in habitat for bees, birds, butterflies, and even bats.
For many years the Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District has recognized outstanding conservation efforts by county property owners, contractors, developers, conservation groups, legislators, and agency partners.
This year, for the first time since its inception in 1961, the Carlton SWCD will not have a formal program for public recognition. Due to ongoing restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, the board voted recently to suspend its annual recognition event in the fall.
Although we cannot gather for an event, the SWCD board and staff would like to highlight some outstanding work in the county performed by some of the many property owners we serve.
The SWCD took over management of two pieces of tillage equipment in mid-June to provide a low-cost rental option for different tillage methods that improve soil health. In the first month, nine farmers from around the county rented equipment to implement conservation practices on pastures and cropland.
In another new program, the SWCD sold native plant kits to 136 property owners for planting to provide much needed pollinator habitat. These 136 people are doing voluntary conservation that will help turn the tables on the decline in habitat for bees, birds, butterflies, and even bats.
Over the summer, SWCD staff completed a draft of the newest water plan for Carlton County. It was a collaborative project that included more than 27 people who participated in meetings and a tour to provide feedback to our planning team. They displayed a deep respect for the wildlife and natural places unique to the Nemadji River watershed. They gave hours of their time to help develop this first-of-its-kind water plan in the county.
In 2020, the SWCD recognizes smaller but valuable contributions from many residents who together are improving water and soil resources of the county and creating critical habitat for some of our smallest wildlife that is doing the important work of pollinating gardens, fruit trees, and wildflowers.
Thank you to all these vital voluntary conservationists.
Writer Brad Matlack is the manager of the Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District. He invites anyone to get involved in conservation through the SWCD offers. Get started at CarltonSWCD.org.
