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Soil & Water Conservation District reports 21 conservation projects in 2024 and seeks continued watershed funding
Summary
Pine County Soil & Water Conservation District reported implementing 21 conservation projects in 2024, with about $172,102 in local cost-share; the district outlined outreach, watershed partnerships, planned 2025 projects and a possible staff expansion to handle growing implementation workloads tied to watershed-based funding.
Paul Swanston, district manager for the Pine County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), updated the board on 2024 accomplishments and work planned for 2025. Swanston said the district implemented 21 conservation projects in 2024 — including eight shoreline projects, a stream-bank stabilization, wetland restorations, forestry projects, cover-crop and structural practices — and reported approximately $172,102 in cost-share payments administered by the district.
Swanston said those district funds came from state cost-share, local district funds and watershed-based implementation money tied to the county’s watershed planning. He described outreach and education efforts (school lessons, farm cookout events, migratory bird day) and enumerated watershed partnership activity across the county: work in the Kettle/Upper St. Croix, Snake, and Nemadji watersheds and planning work for Pine and Big Pine Lake lake-assessment and alum feasibility studies.
Looking ahead, Swanston said seven projects were already contracted for 2025, including forestry work, shoreline restoration and pollinator plantings, and that the district hopes to add two staff positions over the next two to five years — an education/outreach position and a lead technician/project coordinator — if funding continues. Swanston said the watershed-based funding model is driving much of the new workload and that staffing and administrative support will be needed to deliver projects effectively.
Commissioners asked about the economic return on conservation investment and about aligning watershed boundaries and district responsibilities. Swanston said a study shows an estimated economic multiplier of $1.81 for every $1 invested in conservation (he offered to provide the citation), and he said the district and state partners are discussing capacity and organizational structures to make watershed-based implementation feasible.
