Leaders in Stewardship

Soil and Water Conservation Districts were created in response to the Dust Bowl and as a source of support and information for farmers. Functioning as a political subdivision of the state at the county level meant that each conservation district could better serve the needs of their respective agricultural landscapes. Formation was voluntary and determined by each county. Five years after the first enrollments of some Ohio counties, Williams County established its own Conservation District on April 12, 1947. It was housed with the USDA office until 2020, which is common for conservation districts. In October 2020 the Williams SWCD moved from Bryan into its present location in Montpelier. The new location can host large meetings and educational programs. The H2Ohio Grant Program started in late 2019 allowing the Williams SWCD to hire its first H2Ohio staff person. The H2Ohio program continues the efforts of helping farmers reduce the amount of phosphate that enters the Maumee Watershed with monetary incentives. The initiatives of the program also help improve efficiency and soil health with practices such as voluntary nutrient plans and overwintering cover. Williams SWCD has also brought in grants addressing water quality and soil erosion issues in the Western Lake Erie Basin Watershed. The grants are allowing landowners to install water retention structures, two-stage ditches, cascading and traditional waterways, wetlands, and more.