Uncategorized

November 1, 2023 by Darren Newville

Soil and Water Conservation District, Soils Office, Soil Conservation Service, Soil and Water, what….? What is a Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) other than a mouthful, and why should you care?  I’ve been working for SWCD’s for over 25 years and I believe that 90% of the general public does not know what a SWCD is or what we do. So, what the heck is an SWCD?

September 5, 2023 by Anne Oldakowski

“What is happening to my trees?” is the most common question that I’ve been hearing over the past month. 

August 7, 2023 by Alyson Levig

With roughly 11,842 lakes in the state, it’s no wonder Minnesotans spend a lot of their summer free time out on the water. Because of this, individuals have easily and unknowingly spread aquatic invasive species (AIS) when moving their boats and other water-related equipment around to different waterbodies, leading to eight percent of Minnesota’s water becoming impaired with aquatic invasive species.

November 4, 2021 by Kristi Rorah

Rondi Ulmer, eighth grade science teacher at Prairie Wind Middle School, has been selected for the 2021 Teacher of The Year Award by the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (MASWCD). Each year the MASWCD selects an outstanding teacher who actively engages students in the betterment of natural resources in partnership with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

June 28, 2020 by Darren Newville

I get it, we want our lake homes or cabins larger enough to accommodate all our family and friends. We want to have patios and decks that allow us to enjoy an unobstructed view of the lake. We want perfect, golf course-like, manicured lawns with sandy beaches that allow the kids or grandkids access to the lake for swimming. We want the lake in front of our lots to be weed free so the kids can swim without anything touching their feet or legs. We want a perfectly clear lake free of any aquatic invasive species, and we need to have a garage or shed conveniently placed and large enough to store all the toys we use on the water. We want the lake to be abundant with desirable fish so that we can catch one on almost every cast. We want to live the perfect #LakeLife experience. Sounds great, but is it great for the lake?

May 12, 2020 by SWCD

It's pretty easy to turn on the faucet and not have a second thought about where the water that's gushing out of it comes from. But where does it come from and how do we impact it?

April 6, 2020 by EOT SWCD

Do you live in Central Minnesota? Do you like having access to accurate up-to-date weather? If so, the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) is for you. Yes, we know it says North Dakota, but it serves data for central and northwestern Minnesota. There are 12 stations located throughout the central region including: Becker, Hubbard, Otter Tail, Wadena, Pope, Todd, Morrison, Benton and Sherburne counties. Weather stations in our area include Perham, Parkers Prairie, Ottertail, Wadena, and Staples.

March 16, 2020 by EOT SWCD

What do you do all winter?

Not gonna lie, we get asked that a lot! In the summer, we spend as much time as we possibly can out in the field doing site visits, planting trees or native seed or installing shoreline buffers, and as soon as the ground freezes we all get mopey and stare out the window wishing for a longer fall. But winter isn’t that slow and boring for us at the Soil and Water! Winter gives us a chance to catch up on all the things that fall by the wayside when the weather starts to warm up in the spring!

March 4, 2020 by Darren Newville

Soil and Water Conservation District, Soils Office, Soil Conservation Service, Soil and Water, what….? What is a Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) other than a mouthful, and why should you care?  I’ve been working for SWCD’s for over 25 years and I believe that 90% of the general public does not know what a SWCD is or what we do. So, what the heck is an SWCD?

April 8, 2019 by EOT SWCD

This past Friday, the 3^rd and 4^th grade hallways at Heart of the Lakes Elementary School were abuzz with children laughing and imitating farm animals, with the occasional baa of an actual new lamb coming from one of the classrooms. Over the course of the morning at our Agriculture in the Classroom event, the students rotated through stations learning about the different aspects of farming in Otter Tail County, thanks to the efforts of local producers and natural resources staff who shared what a day of work looks like for them.

March 22, 2019 by EOT SWCD

This past Saturday we were asked to present at the Horticulture Day in Perham put on by the East Otter Tail Master Gardeners.