ABOUT US

The St. Joseph County Conservation District was established in 1948 to assist farmers with creating soil & water conservation plans. Since then, the Conservation District has grown to include stakeholders across the County and throughout the St. Joseph River Watershed. The focus is still agriculture & working with local farmers, but we also collaborate with partner organizations to ensure the county's largest natural resource, water, is further protected and conserved.

Guided by a volunteer board of five members and a paid staff, the Conservation District works with partners to promote ground and surface water preservation, sustainable agricultural practices, irrigation efficiency, environmental education opportunities, ecological stewardship and other community-focused projects.

The Conservation District is able to provide its services with community support through volunteer help, local financial assistance, and grant-awarded funding. Throughout the year, the Conservation District hosts several fundraising events including the annual tree sale, annual meeting, and a local food dinner.

RECENT event Highlights

Spring Tree Sale 2024

The St. Joseph County Conservation District would like to say thank you to all who came out to our 2024 Spring Tree Sale! Your continued support allows The Conservation District to give back to the community through our events and our work to preserve Michigan's natural resources!

And a special thank you to Chupp's Herbs & Fabrics

located at 27521 Londick Rd, Burr Oak, MI 49030

for generously donating over 200 reusable

tote bags for this year's tree sale orders!

View Tree Sale

2024 Annual Meeting Event

THANK YOU to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting last night! There was a wonderful presentation done on Meadows in the Sky which brought an eye opening perspective on how important flowering trees are to all pollinators.
We would also like to congratulate our awardees…
* Volunteer of the Year: Richard Livermore
* Beginning Farmer of the Year: Ryan Clark
And a special thanks to the One Water drawing contestant, Weston Cupp, for his beautiful artwork that was put on display along with the other three top contestants’ pieces at our meeting!

Volunteer of the Year Award

Congratulations to Richard Livermore for becoming the St. Joseph County Conservation District's Volunteer of the Year recipient! Richard has been actively involved in lake monitoring of the Sturgeon Lake and will be carrying out the testing this summer. He plans on taking one test per week for 16 weeks. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to water and lake monitoring on Sturgeon Lake!

Beginning Farmer of the Year Award

We would also like to congratulate Ryan Clark on being St. Joseph County's Beginning Farmer of the Year!

Ryan has purchased his own farm ground and plans to continue to carryout no-till practices and understands how important cover crops are in yield productions.

We commend him on starting his farming journey!

One Water Art Contest

And a special thanks to the One Water drawing contestant, Weston Cupp, who placed 3rd overall for his beautiful artwork that was put on display along with the other three top contestants’ pieces at our meeting!

River Clean Up

We are looking forward to another great season of

kayaking our way to healthier waterways!

If you'd like to become a river clean up volunteer,

please call the office to be put on our list!

(269) 467-6336 Ext. 5

Parkville Dam Removal Project

Find additional info about the Parkville Dam Removal Project by clicking the 'More' tab at the top of the page and viewing the 'Parkville Dam Removal' icon at the bottom!

Celebrate the St. Joseph River

Over 100 community members came to watch the new PBS documentary on the St. Joseph River at the Covered Bridge Farm Park. Thank you to all who attended and donated!

Surveying the St. Joseph River

The SJCCD team has successfully surveyed the entire length of the St. Joseph River, mapping invasive species distributions, water quality trends, and potential areas of concern along the 206-mile mainstem.

Monthly Board Meeting

Topic: Board Meeting

Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 from 3:00pm-4:30pm

Our Mission

Monthly Board Meeting

The St. Joseph County Conservation District provides education, technical assistance, partnerships and contacts for local resources to help our residents conserve their lands and our shared environment for a cleaner, healthier, economically stronger County.