Dust Bowl: Worst ecological disaster in U.S. history
Farmers and ranchers across the United States are the original and most dedicated soil and water conservationists starting in the era of the Dust Bowl.
Black Sunday, as April 14, 1935, is more commonly known, marked the culmination of the period known as the Dust Bowl. This was one of our country’s worst ecological disasters in history. It was a defining moment in time when America’s government and its farmers realized that food production and westward settlement could not take place at the expense of our life-giving resourcessoil and water.
The Black Sunday storm left a layer of Panhandle dust across the desk of President Franklin D Roosevelt. The same year, Congress unanimously passed the Soil Conservation Act (Public Law 46) establishing the Soil Conservation Service. The SCS is known today as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Although these were giant leaps in conservation, it quickly became apparent that in order for conservation practices to be effective on the three-fourths of the continental United States that were privately held lands, decisions needed to be made at the local level by concerned citizens.
Most importantly, participation in government sponsored programs by private landowners had to be voluntary, not regulatory in nature. There needed to be a liaison to bridge the gap of mistrust between the farmer and government. Conservation districts were the answer.
Each state was provided model language and encouraged to draft and pass enabling legislation that would establish and provide certain authorities to local units of government known today as Natural Resource Conservation Districts in Arizona.
NRCD law authorizes districts to provide for the restoration and conservation of lands and soil resources of the state, the reservation of water rights and the control and prevention of soil erosion, and thereby to conserve natural resources, conserve wildlife, protect the tax base, protect public lands and protect and restore this state’s rivers and streams and associated riparian habitats, including fish and wildlife resources that are dependent on those habitats, and in such manner to protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of the public (A.R.S. 37-1001.
In the beginning of their history, the main responsibility of Arizona’s NRCDs was to serve as gateways for individuals to receive technical assistance and cost-share programs from the USDA NRCS. Then, as is now, the NRCDs prioritized natural resource concerns for that agency.
In recent years, NRCSs have experienced a shift in the methodology in their roles and accepted more of their responsibilities that are outlined in state and federal legislation. Such responsibilities include exercising their authority to coordinate and cooperate with federal agencies regarding district plans and increasing their communication with cities, towns and other local entities to develop plans that benefit the greater good of their districts.
Public benefits include enhanced natural resources, which help sustain agricultural productivity and environmental quality, thereby supporting continued economic development, recreation and scenic beauty.
Arizona’s NRCD’s are established as quasi-political subdivisions of the state, organized by vote of the landowners within each district and managed by a five-member locally elected and appointed board of supervisors. The district boards have the responsibilities for determining the resource conservation needs of their district, for developing and coordinating long-range plans and programs of natural resource conservation and for implementing them under their district’s annual plans of operations with technical assistance from USDA NRCS, universities, Arizona Game and Fish and similar entities.
Elections for NRCD supervisors will take place in May, and if you are interested in participating in locally lead conservation efforts, contact me at rjsm09@msn.com, and I will pass along the information to the Laguna, Yuma or Wellton-Mohawk NRCDs.
You must live in the NRCD boundaries to be an elected or appointed supervisor. You could also serve as an advisor to any of the NRCDs regardless of where you live.