The Pope Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), in partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), is celebrating Stewardship Week from April 30 – May 7, 2023, focusing on the theme “One Water.” 

Pope SWCD is a member of NACD, which oversees the annual Stewardship Week program, now in its 68th year. Stewardship Week is one of the largest national annual programs to promote conservation.

The Pope SWCD was formed to assist people in Pope County with technical assistance towards conservation of land and water resources, through project implementation. During Stewardship Week, Pope SWCD will provide stewardship week materials to local churches and present this year’s poster contest theme “One Water” to fourth, fifth and sixth graders to three schools in the area.

“No matter where you live, clean water is a critical resource,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur.  “This year’s Stewardship Week recognizes the importance of effective conservation practices to maintain healthy watersheds and emphasizes the interconnectedness of waterways across the country.”

 Fresh water shortages continue to grow. It is crucial that we practice good water conservation. Water is an essential resource for everything from human health (drinking, cleaning, recreation) to agriculture/food production. People, animals and plants all need healthy watersheds to survive.

 Pope SWCD can assist in learning more about water health in your area and provide information on watershed conservation practices.

 The Pope SWCD office encourages the public to participate in conservation activities through the entire year. For more information about Stewardship Week and conservation, contact Pope SWCD at 320-634-5327 or www.popeswcd.org .

 The National Association of Conservation Districts is the nonprofit organization that represents the nation’s 3,000 conservation districts, their state and territory associations and the 17,000 men and women who serve on their governing boards. For more than 70 years, local conservation districts have worked with cooperating landowners and managers of private working lands to help them plan and apply effective conservation practices. For more information about NACD, visit: www.nacdnet.org