Big Thompson Conservation District Boundaries
The Big Thompson Conservation District (BTCD) is a local organization created by the landowners of the District under state law. BTCD works with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other agencies to encourage and assist landowners in the proper use and protection of our natural resources for future generations.
Mission
Our mission is to maintain and expand economically viable agriculture and forestry operations, while protecting and improving the natural resources of the constituents in our District boundaries.
Purpose
To make available technical, financial, and educational resources, whatever their source, and focus or coordinate them so that they meet the needs of the local land manager with conservation of soil, water and related natural resources. Also to bring together other partnering agencies to address new and ongoing natural resource issues.
Although conservation districts were born as a result of the Dust Bowl and the mandate to serve soil and water conservation needs, our focus has diversified over the years as our constituent’s needs have changed. Our mission and purpose remains the same while our approach to achieving it is ever expanding. In recent years, the Big Thompson and Fort Collins Conservation Districts and other districts along the Colorado Front Range have turned to helping private landowners who live in and near the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) with forest management through the Healthy Forest Initiative.
Districts are responsible, statutorily, for representing their local landowners on natural resource concerns and thus should be checking with landowners at least yearly on priorities for their District. Conservation Districts are a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, and is locally led conservation.
History
The temporary Soil Erosion Service was established as a result of the Dust Bowl. The combination of mechanized farming practice and the loss of fertile topsoil in 1935 led to the flooding of the wheat market. In 1397 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognized The Soil Conservation Service as a permanent agency.
The Standard State Soil Conservation Districts Law was enacted May 6, 1937. The Colorado General Assembly passed the Colorado Soil Conservation Act (HB 258), which provided for the creation of local conservation districts to serve the soil and water conservation needs of the people in December 1937. The Districts are overseen by the Soil Conservation Act, Title 35 Article 70 and certain parts of the Special District Act, Title 32.
The Big Thompson Conservation District was established by a referendum and the certificate of organization was issued by the Colorado Secretary of State on June 7, 1944. Land within any towns and cities on that date were excluded from the District.
The District is located in Larimer and Weld Counties. The original District contained 40,000 acres. Due to 116 additions and transfers involving 459,100 acres, the total acreage in the District today is 499,100 acres.
The District is governed by a Board of Supervisors composed of five landowners. Members of the Board are elected at a public election. Meet our Team
Mission
Our mission is to maintain and expand economically viable agriculture and forestry operations, while protecting and improving the natural resources of the constituents in our District boundaries.
Purpose
To make available technical, financial, and educational resources, whatever their source, and focus or coordinate them so that they meet the needs of the local land manager with conservation of soil, water and related natural resources. Also to bring together other partnering agencies to address new and ongoing natural resource issues.
Although conservation districts were born as a result of the Dust Bowl and the mandate to serve soil and water conservation needs, our focus has diversified over the years as our constituent’s needs have changed. Our mission and purpose remains the same while our approach to achieving it is ever expanding. In recent years, the Big Thompson and Fort Collins Conservation Districts and other districts along the Colorado Front Range have turned to helping private landowners who live in and near the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) with forest management through the Healthy Forest Initiative.
Districts are responsible, statutorily, for representing their local landowners on natural resource concerns and thus should be checking with landowners at least yearly on priorities for their District. Conservation Districts are a political subdivision of the State of Colorado, and is locally led conservation.
History
The temporary Soil Erosion Service was established as a result of the Dust Bowl. The combination of mechanized farming practice and the loss of fertile topsoil in 1935 led to the flooding of the wheat market. In 1397 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recognized The Soil Conservation Service as a permanent agency.
The Standard State Soil Conservation Districts Law was enacted May 6, 1937. The Colorado General Assembly passed the Colorado Soil Conservation Act (HB 258), which provided for the creation of local conservation districts to serve the soil and water conservation needs of the people in December 1937. The Districts are overseen by the Soil Conservation Act, Title 35 Article 70 and certain parts of the Special District Act, Title 32.
The Big Thompson Conservation District was established by a referendum and the certificate of organization was issued by the Colorado Secretary of State on June 7, 1944. Land within any towns and cities on that date were excluded from the District.
The District is located in Larimer and Weld Counties. The original District contained 40,000 acres. Due to 116 additions and transfers involving 459,100 acres, the total acreage in the District today is 499,100 acres.
The District is governed by a Board of Supervisors composed of five landowners. Members of the Board are elected at a public election. Meet our Team