The East Otter Tail Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) was named SWCD of the Year at the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation District’s (MASWCD) annual two-day convention held in Bloomington, Minn., in early December. 

“The purpose of the award is to recognize and inspire leadership within the SWCDs that go above and beyond the base capacity,” Sheila Vanney, assistant director of MASWCD said. “Three critical elements of a successful SWCD conservation delivery are considered for this award, including an engaged board, an effective manager, and a dedicated staff who are knowledgeable about local resources.” 

The impressive list of accomplishments the East Otter Tail SWCD achieved to earn SWCD of the Year included their board of supervisors involvement with key stakeholders, such as county commissioners, as well as local legislators; the staff offering a wide range of conservation expertise in groundwater and forest management, shoreline protection, and soil health; and their district manager, Darren Newville, managing two SWCDs and securing funds for other SWCDs to work on irrigation issues with local producers. 

“We don’t do our work to get awards. We do it because we are passionate about conserving our soil and water resources,” Newville said. “To me, this award is a recognition by our state association that the work we’re doing is being recognized outside our local communities.” 

As the new year is on the horizon, the East Otter Tail SWCD plans to continue being locally proactive in assisting landowners and securing funds for conservation projects to protect resources for future generations. To learn more about the services and technical assistance they provide, call their office at (218) 346-9105, or check out their website: www.eotswcd.org