As you go down your November 3 ballot, you will be asked to vote for people running for a soil and water conservation district board. You may not have any idea who these people are or what a soil and water conservation district does.
Josephine County has two SWCDs, The Illinois Valley Soil and Water Conservation District which encompasses the Illinois River watershed, and the Two Rivers Soil and Water Conservation District covering the Rogue River corridor. Together they cover the entire geographic area of Josephine County. These districts are co-managed by paid staff but each has its own board.
These districts protect our water quality and soil health, manage agricultural drainage and bring the latest in irrigation practices that help farmers reduce operational costs. Projects help control soil erosion, restore wildlife habitats, prevent floods and improve growing conditions for farmers. They also provide resources and educational opportunities for those interested in improving their land and farming techniques.
Candidates for SWCD board positions usually run unopposed. The districts have seven member boards. Five board members run by zone while two are elected at large. They can also have associate directors. On the ballot for the IV SWCD are Rhett Nelsen, Zone 2, Robert Webb, Zone 3, and Robert Allen White, At Large.
On the ballot for the Two Rivers SWCD are William Reid, Zone 1, Christi Reilly, Zone 3. No candidate filed for the At Large term.
Since these positions aren’t usually competitive those running won’t be out campaigning, but those interested in learning who they are and more about SWCDs can go to the website https://ivswcd.specialdistrict.org/ . Candidates are farmers or people with an interest in the watershed.
Another thing Josephine County’s SWCDs do is provide an invaluable site showing the thousands of plants and animals that have been identified within their jurisdiction at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/two-rivers-illinois-valley-swcd-identification-program “The goal of the Two Rivers and Illinois Valley SWCD Identification Program is to provide a community service that will assist in identifying rare and invasive species within the Two Rivers and Illinois Valley SWCD,” according to their website.
