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Colonial Soil & Water Conservation District updates James City County on projects, funding and homeowner programs
Summary
The district told the Board of Supervisors it assisted farmers and homeowners with conservation projects, sponsored student Envirothon teams and seeks continued local support to match state and federal funding.
Bob Hahn, a director for the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District, told the James City County Board of Supervisors in March 2025 that the district has increased work in both agricultural and urban conservation and seeks continued county support.
The update matters because the district’s work reduces soil erosion and nutrient runoff into local waterways — actions county staff and residents say protect the James River and downstream Chesapeake Bay. Hahn said the district’s mix of technical assistance and cost-share funding complements county programs and helps homeowners, HOAs, schools and farms install practices that reduce stormwater pollution.
Hahn told the board the Colonial district covers James City County, three other counties and the City of Williamsburg, serves roughly 75,000 residents across 825 square miles and receives most annual funding through the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. He said James City County has about 3,150 acres of cropland and that district-funded practices over the past five years emphasized nutrient management and no‑till farming to protect soil and reduce nutrient runoff.
Hahn cited several recent achievements and service metrics: the district helped complete two multi‑year farm erosion projects in 2023; it approved 10 non‑agricultural conservation projects in James City County last year; district programs supported a $9,065 native planting at Brickyard Landing Park (Phase 2); and, he said, Colonial’s Virginia Conservation Assistance Program matched more than 150% of $49,533 spent by homeowners, HOAs and schools over the last five years. Hahn said Colonial facilitated 29 site visits and 13 project approvals in James City County so far this fiscal year, a roughly 30% increase over the prior year.
The presentation also described education and outreach: Colonial sponsored Jamestown High School’s Envirothon team for regional and state competition, and its Turf Love program has produced nutrient management plans for private and county properties. Hahn said three district staff members are state certified in turf and landscape nutrient management, and the district has two staff working on urban conservation programs, with one full‑time outreach specialist.
Hahn asked the board for continued local funding and partnership to strengthen grant applications that require local matching funds and to sustain district services that are no longer fully funded by the state.
Board members thanked Hahn and asked clarifying questions about whether requests for additional funding were county‑specific (Hahn said the request addressed James City County needs) and about the district’s overall budget (Hahn referred budget questions to staff and noted most state funds are committed to specific programs).
