Have you ever wondered how soil conservation started in our area? The Great Depression of the 1930’s was a catastrophic event. Whether you experienced it yourself or heard the stories from relatives, it was an unforgettable time for our country. Soils were extremely dry, farmlands were overworked, there was a lack of trees for protection.

 Soil conservation was not always practiced in our nation like it is today. The significant damage that was done to agricultural productivity in the Midwest in an event known as the Dust Bowl, during which time soil was swept off the fields into dust clouds that destroyed crops and reduced land productivity. Before this act was adopted, farmers had no reason to conserve land, and the economic incentive to produce as much food as possible to sell at market drove the agricultural industry to use all available land for growing, rather than letting fields rest or rotating crops. The farming methods of the time showed little consideration for the quality of the soil, which eventually became thin and nutrient poor.

 The Soil Conservation Act of 1935 was enacted on April 27, 1935, and established the Soil Conservation Service, which sought to “control floods, prevent impairment of reservoirs and maintain the navigability of rivers and harbors, protect public health, public lands and relieve unemployment.” These practices were a fundamental start to conservation efforts after the effects of the 1930’s wreaked havoc on the land and the livelihood of so many in our nation.

Demonstration farms were put into place for farmers and ranchers to see how the conservation practices would work. The Soil Conservation Act became law and was adopted in North Dakota in 1937. North Dakota then was divided into five areas. Ward County was in Area Three. A supervisory board of five members was created to help producers practice these new conservation efforts.

 In 1946 Gooseneck Soil Conservation District, East Ward Soil Conservation District, and Midland Conservation District were all formed. In 1947 Southwest Ward Conservation District was also formed. In the year 1959 the Midland, East Ward, and Southwest Ward SCD were all consolidated into the Ward Soil Conservation District. In 1948 the Oaks Nursery was created, and it was expanded on in 1949. 1951 is a year of significance because the state passed a law to provide teaching of conservation in schools. This is something Ward SCD finds extremely important even now. 1953 opened the door to another nursery, Fort Lincoln Nursery. 1955 expanded avenues to the community, not just producers, by developing land judging and appreciation schools. In 1964 the two separate nurseries were turned into one, known as Lincoln-Oaks Nursery. In 1960 a group formed the Ladies Auxiliary.

Over the years, the Soil Conservation Districts have been able to implement many more conservation effort practices. Ward Soil Conservation District is proud to look back at the history of conservation and see how far the districts and our country have come, how much effort has been put in, and the expansion of knowledge for the producers to continue these conservation practices. We strive to give the same commitment today as we did in the past.