Technical Services
are offered as part of the partnership between the York Soil & Water Conservation District, USDA/NRCS and South Carolina Departmant of Natural Resources.
The NRCS/Conservation District Partnership at Work
NRCS and York Soil & Water Conservation District work together to provide technical assistance to agricultural landowners in York County to help them determine Best Management Practices (BMP's) to address natural resource concerns on their land. BMP's for Pastures and Livestock help to protect soil and water by reducing soil erosion and preventing sedimentation and pollution into nearby waters. BMP's for Forestry and Wildlife address land preservation and the protection of habitat for wildlife.
A total of 2684 acres are enrolled in voluntary Forestry, Wildlife and Pasture conservation practices by private landowners in York County. NRCS provides cost-share funds to help defray part of the cost of installing Best Management Practices based on annual rankings and availability of funds.
In the area of Land Preservation, the District was instrumental in securing a conservation easement on 852 acres of prime farmland.
For assistance in developing a conservation plan for your land or for information about cost share and other Farm Bill programs, please contact the York USDA Service Center, 803-684-3137.
The following BMP's were installed recently by landowners with assistance from NRCS and the York Conservation District:
Forestry and Wildlife BMP's
Heavy use areas such as the one for the livestock watering trough shown below, are improved by using non-woven fabric under four inches of stone.
Pasture & Livestock BMP's
Conservation practices for cattle farms include fencing pastures for rotational grazing, as shown above, and establishing watering troughs fed by wells so that cattle can be fenced out of water bodies, as shown below. These practices reduce erosion on the farm, preserve soil health and improve water quality in farm ponds and streams.
