Durham, N.C. – On Sunday, February 2, 2025, the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District will mark the 60th anniversary of becoming a stand-alone District in 1965. In honor of this event, the Durham Board of County Commissioners issued a proclamation to honor Soil and Water staff during the Monday, January 27, Regular Session meeting. The district will also celebrate with a luncheon in April at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in RTP. This event was originally scheduled for Wednesday, January 22, but was postponed due to the winter weather in the Triangle.
The mission of the Durham District is “to conserve, enhance and promote the natural resources of Durham County by providing technical assistance, environmental education information and economic incentives to County citizens and by exhibiting a diversified program to meet its changing needs.”
“Over the years the natural resource concerns have changed in Durham County. What was once strictly rural agricultural programs being offered by the Durham District has now expanded to address issues occurring in the urban area as well,” Culberson said. “In recent years the Durham District has added programs such as stream restoration and storm water projects, Ag Economic Development Grant Program, Community Conservation Assistance Program, Green Industry program Impaired Stream Improvement Program, Voluntary Nutrient Reduction Program and more. It is these programs that has set the Durham District apart from the other Districts in the state.”
Information on those projects and initiatives can be found on the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District’s website.
The story of the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District begins when North Carolina resident Dr. Hugh Hammond Bennett, as a result of the economic and agricultural devastation of the dust storms of the 1920s, urged President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Congress to pass legislation in 1937 that led to the development of Soil Conservation and locally led programs. That same year, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Chapter 139 of the North Carolina General Statutes which allowed for Soil and Water Conservation Districts to be formed.
From March 22, 1937, to February 2, 1965, the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District was part of the multi-county Neuse River Soil Conservation District. However, in the 1960s, soil and water districts began to reflect county rather than watershed boundaries, and on February 2, 1965, the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District became an independent district.
Today, the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District is one of 96 conservation districts which cover all of North Carolina. It is led by five elected and appointed North Carolina citizens known as conservation district supervisors who provide leadership for local, voluntary stewardship of natural resources. The Durham District’s mission is to conserve, enhance, and promote the natural resources of Durham County by providing technical assistance, environmental education information, and economic incentives to county residents and by exhibiting a diversified program to meet its changing needs. Durham’s Soil and Water District was named the Conservation Technical District of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Soil and Water Districts in 2024.
“For six decades, the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District has been the steadfast guardian of our region's most fundamental natural resources,” said County Manager Claudia Hager. “They have worked together with farmers, landowners, and our community to protect the foundation of our agricultural heritage and environmental future. Their 60 years of dedicated service represent a commitment to conservation and a legacy of ensuring that the soil that feeds us and the water that sustains us will be preserved for generations to come.”
Interested in learning becoming involved with the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District? The Durham Soil and Water Conservation District Board meets on the first Monday of the month at 8 a.m. at the Durham Farm Bureau Building, 1901 Hillandale Road, Suite 105. The Durham Farmland Protection Advisory Board meets on the third Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. inside the Durham Farm Bureau Building and virtually via Zoom. Information on programs and services offered by the Soil and Water office, as well as additional information on board meetings can be found at www.dconc.gov/swcd or by calling 919-560-0558.
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