Resource conservation and development : partnerships serving America's communities

6 Pages·2000·1.5 MB·English

by  United States. Natural Resources Conservation Service

Historic, Archive Document
Do assume
not content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
1

TJie United States Department of USDA Partners
Agriculture's Resource Conservation and Natural Resources Conservation Service,
—
Development (RC&D) program helps in cooperation with
people in rural areas plan and carry out Agricultural Research Service
activities that increase conservation of
Cooperative State Research, Education,
natural resources, support economic
and Extension Service
development, and enhance the
Economic Research Service
environment and standard ofliving
in local communities. Farm Service Agency
RC&D Food and Nutrition Service
Because areas are locally
organized, sponsored, and led, the Forest Service
programprovides an ideal wayfor
Rural Development
residents tojoin together to decide what is
USDA Office of Community Development
bestfor their community. provides
technical andfinancial assistance and Rural Utilities Service
sponsors obtain additionalfunding and
servicesfrom a variety ofother sources.
RC&D
is successful because itprovides
Downtown Revitalization
people with the means to solve natural
Project—In this rural
resource problems andpromote community, "Main Street"
gets an economic
sustainable use ofnatural resources development boostthrough
newjobs, job training, and
at the local level.
skills development, as well
as a renovated community
RC&D
Thepremise ofthe program is center and a toy shop that
uses hardwood trees
that localpeople know what is bestfor indigenous to the area.
their communities. A project of: Headwaters
RC&D, Du Bois,
Pennsylvania
Because ofthis, localpeople create and
RC&D
organize their own areas, define
their own goals, and work with a broad
range ofpublic andprivate entities to School Lunch Program-
Partnerships between local
achieve their objectives. producers and schools in
the community provide fresh
People in the community make the choices vegetables so that local
school children have
for their community—whether they work nutritionally balanced meals.
A project of: West Florida
on land conservation, water management, RC&D, Marianna, Florida
environmental enhancement, community
development, or something unique to their
particular area. In every case, localpeople
are the decisionmakers.
—
Benefits For More Information
RC&D makes communities better places to live in. Additional information on RC&D, including
—
RC&D projects provide practical solutions for a national map, directory of RC&D contacts,
RC&D
success stories, and hnks to area websites,
Community Development
is available on the web at
Across the country, councils help create jobs and www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/RCCD/homepag3.htm.
sponsor job training and skills development
programs. Councils also work to improve or
acquire needed community facilities, such as
Wheelchair-Accessible
recreation structures, sewage treatment plants,
Lake—"Friend's Landing" is
solid waste disposal systems, water systems, and a wheelchair-accessible lake
roads. with fishing docks that is
used for recreation,
conservation education, and
Land Conservation tours. A project of:
By encouraging land conservation, RC&D councils Columbia-Pacific RC&D.
Aberdeen, Washington
improve soil quality, reduce soil erosion, and help
keep sediment out of water suppKes.
Environmental Enhancement
Environmental projects improve natural resources
for agricultural and other uses, such as tourism,
fish and wildlife habitat, and environmental
education. Projects also may promote and Wetland/Pond Filtration
Project—Water
preserve historical and scenic sites.
management projects, such
as a canal diversion or a
Water Management series of wetlands and
RC&D councils work to protect water resources by ponds, are vital forfiltering
contaminants before they
encouraging wise water use, controlhng flooding, enter local streams. A
and improving the quality of local water supplies. project of: Wood River
RC&D, Gooding. Idaho
Wheels to Work—Interest- Conservation on Wheels
free loans to purchase A bus was converted into a
vehicles are offered to mobile conservation
qualified participants on education classroom and is
public assistance whose used forteacher
barrier to getting a job is demonstrations and youth
transportation. "Wheels to education. A project of:
Work" is an opportunity for South Coast RC&D,
clients who want to become Riverside. California
gainfully employed. A
project of: Golden Triangle
RC&D, Blakeley, Georgia
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