Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District Celebrates 70 Years

The Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District was organized in June 1950 as the 82nd SWCD in Ohio. Strong agriculture, combined with a large, urban population, created a need for the Mahoning district to deal with a wide variety of land use situations. 

This month it celebrates its 70th anniversary on June 16.

Soil & Water Conservation Districts Roots

Although soil conservation activity was strong across the United States as early as the 1920s, it wasn’t until the 1930s that soil issues became serious. On May 12, 1934, the worst dust storm in the nation’s history swept eastward from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Ocean. This catastrophic storm and the “dustbowl era” that followed revealed the detrimental effects of soil erosion and served as the catalyst for public outcry and congressional action for soil and water conservation throughout the nation.

On April 27, 1935, Congress passed and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Soil Conservation Act of 1935, Public Law No. 46, which established the Soil Conservation Service within U.S. Department of Agriculture.  

The new soil & water conservation thrust originated with the federal government working directly with landowners, primarily farmers. Farmers previously had little direct contact with USDA, and they were still very skeptical of federal involvement. 

The SCS and USDA recognized the need for building trust and long-term cooperation between the federal government and local landowners. Congress passed a resolution, which the President signed, calling for states to become the conduit for soil and water conservation assistance from USDA to land users through enactment of a law establishing a state soil conservation agency and procedures for organizing local soil and water conservation districts.

By the end of 1937, 22 states had enacted such laws, but Ohio’s attempt to secure enactment in 1939 failed because of the reluctance of agricultural leadership in the state. As the 1940s began, world conflicts were bringing our nation closer to war and intense pressures were developing on farmers to increase food production. 

The 94th General Assembly retained soil conservation on its agenda and, on May 16, 1941, passed the Ohio Soil Conservation District Enabling Act, which was signed by Governor John W. Bricker on June 5, 1941. This Act created the Ohio Soil Conservation Committee as a state agency with offices at Ohio State University. The Act also established procedures to form local soil conservation districts and elect local district boards of supervisors. It also defined the authorities and responsibilities of these local district boards and the conservation committee.

The Formation of Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District

In 1950, Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District was formed under the leadership of board supervisors Francis Less, Lauren Shank, Ed Craig, Dean Beardsley and Robert Dickson.

For the past 70 years, Mahoning Soil & Water Conservation District’s mission has not changed. It has been advancing best management practices for conserving land and water resources by providing education, technical assistance and stewardship.

Today, the District is informally referred to as a “hybrid district,” with its roots in agriculture and its expanded services in urban stormwater management.