Hill County Conservation

Conservation District History:

Conservation Districts grew from public concern for the condition of our natural Resources in the early 1930’s.  In 1935 the U.S. Congress declared soil and water conservation to be national policy.  At the State Level, the Montana Conservation District Law (Section 76-15-101 et seq., of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) was enacted in 1939 to allow land users to form Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  Today, Montana’s 58 Conservation Districts provide local citizens with an opportunity to shape resource planning in their areas.  The first Hill County Conservation District Board Meeting was held on June 27, 1946.

Each District is governed by a Board of Supervisors.  Five are elected in the general public election, and two Urban Supervisors are appointed by Incorporated Municipalities within the District.  Hill County contains two Incorporated Municipalities, Havre and Hingham.  In addition to the appointed and elected Supervisors serving the District, the CD may appoint an unlimited number of local individuals to serve as Associate Supervisors.

Activities undertaken by the Conservation District are driven by the natural resource concerns and needs of the residents of Hill County.  Monthly Board Meetings are open to the general public and are generally held on the 3^rd Wednesday of each month unless noted otherwise in a publication of general distribution.

Services and Products Offered:

Hill County Ownership Map Sales

Tree Order Processing through the Montana State Seedling Nursery and Lincoln Oakes Nursery

Rental Equipment for use in Hill and adjacent Counties

Administration of the Natural Streambed Preservation Act (310 Program) for streams of concern in Hill County

Annual Educational Programs, Contests and Events 

Grant Writing and Administration for Natural Resource Concerns in Hill County

Bear Paw Nature Trail located in Beaver Creek Park

Recognition of a “Hill County Cooperator of the Year” at the Annual Legislative Dinner

Quarterly Newsletters covering District Events and news from the world of natural resources and production agriculture

Awards:

-1968, Goodyear, Soil Conservation Award

-1969, Goodyear, Soil Conservation Award

-1989, Goodyear, NACD Grand Award

-2005, Montana Association of Conservation District’s 1^st Place Newsletter Award

-2005, Montana Association of Conservation District’s President’s Award

-2007, Montana Association of Conservation District’s Grand Award

-2010, Montana Association of Conservation District’s 1st Place Newsletter Award

-2011, Montana Association of Conservation District’s President’s Award, Jennifer Kenck, HCCD Administrator

Jennifer Kenck