Archives West Finding Aid

In response to a preceived threat to the farm and grazing lands of Montana, the 1939 Montana Legislative Assembly created the State Soil Conservation Committee to "conserve soil resources and control and prevent soil erosion." The Committee was composed of seven members, including the director of the state agricultural experiment station, the director of the state extension service, one members of the state grazing commission, one member of the water conservation board, and the commissioner of the state department of agriculture. Two additional members were to be farmers chosed by the governor. The primary duty of the Committee was to supervise and offer assistance to the soil conservation districts established around the state. Soil conservation districts could be established by any ten occupiers of land within a given area where there was a need and interest in soil conservation. Conservation districts were considered a government office and were to study soil erosion, educate the public, and take active measures to correct erosion.

In 1961, the name of the State Soil Conservation Committee and the name of the conservation districts were changed to reflect the addition of water conservation to their duties. In 1971, the name was changed again to the State Conservation Commission. Following the reorganization of state government in 1972, oversight of conservation districts was moved from the Commission to the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The Conservation District Bureau currently oversees conservation districts and operates in the Conservation and Resource Development Division of DNRC.