The Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District’s purpose is to promote natural resources conservation practices over a long-term sustainability initiative promoting Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP’s) and other tools to equip landowners to protect our most vital organic assets—soil and water.

The Soil & Water Conservation District’s scope spans across Madison County. From the Rivers and Springs to the Creeks and Swamps, there is a need to assist landowners in meeting the needs of the environment.

A fundamental role for the Soil & Water Conservation District Board is to bring together, at the local level, all interested and affected parties, along with the support organizations charged with providing technical and administrative assistance, to develop and implement a plan to address resource concerns. Through a locally led consensus process, priorities are determined for conservation programs. The partners then work to implement programs that provide assistance to landowners, agricultural producers, and local residents. Every person in the community has an impact on Soil & Water Conservation. It is important to do your part in helping others as we steward our land together.

The 1930’s Dust Bowl disaster spurred the U.S Congress to declare soil and water conservation a national policy and priority in 1935.  To elicit the active support of landowners on a local level, Soil & Water Conservation Districts serving conservation needs at a county level were created to work in partnership with the Federal Government.  Today, there are nearly 3000 conservation districts nationwide involved in efforts as varied as their conservation needs and the local citizenry that they serve. 

Florida’s 62 Soil & Water Conservation Districts were established in 1937 under Chapter 582 of the Florida Statutes.  The law was based on the Federal model legislation to establish Soil & Water Conservation Districts nationwide.  Soil & Water Conservation Districts were originally organized, for the most part, within county boundaries by landowner’s petition based on a need for Soil & Water conservation and in the interest of public health, safety and welfare.  A Soil & Water Conservation District so organized constitutes a governmental subdivision of the State of Florida.