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Commission OKs nominal lease for conservation district to use former NDSU test plots
Summary
Walsh County commissioners voted to rent roughly two acres formerly used by NDSU to the Walsh County 3 Rivers Soil Conservation District for a nominal fee so the district can establish experimental pollinator/grassland plots.
Walsh County commissioners voted to lease a small parcel formerly used by North Dakota State University test plots to the Walsh County 3 Rivers Soil Conservation District for a nominal annual fee to allow the district to establish experimental pollinator and grassland trials.
The conservation district representative said NDSU was moving its test plots and the district asked to use roughly “2 point something” acres to trial mixes intended to benefit pollinators and test alternative grassland management. The district described the work as an experimental demonstration to understand how different plants and management practices affect insects, soil health and grazing outcomes.
Commissioners discussed the site’s visibility from Highway 17 and the county extension office, and several raised concerns about how the site would look to people entering town. Joel, the conservation district representative, said the intention was not to create an unsightly weed patch and that noxious weeds would be managed; he also said portions could be managed as a demonstration “showpiece” next to the road while other portions could be used for research and grazing trials.
After discussion about term length, commissioners approved a motion to rent the ground to the conservation district at $1 per year on a multi-year contract so the district has time to establish plantings. The roll call recorded unanimous approval by the commissioners present.
The lease gives the conservation district access for experimental plantings and potential small-scale grazing, and commissioners said they expect the district to coordinate weed control and to maintain the portion facing the highway as a presentable demonstration area.
The county did not disclose the precise acreage in the meeting; the conservation district’s representative described it as “2 point something” acres. The lease terms approved in the meeting specify the nominal rent and multi-year term; further administrative details (exact start date, maintenance responsibilities beyond general weed control) were not specified on the record and will be finalized by county staff and the district.
