HOW DO

CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

OPERATE?

Montana’s conservation districts are political subdivisions of state government, created by the legislature in 1939. A non-paid elected and appointed board of supervisors governs the activities of a conservation district. The 58 conservation districts in Montana are part of national network of over 3,000 conservation districts similarly organized in all 50 states.

Because of their unique characteristics and proven track record, Conservation Districts have been entrusted by the state with mandated activities such as implementation of the 310 Law, water reservations, stream access portage routes, county planning board participation, and local Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) consultation. Also, Conservation Districts serve as the local point of contact for numerous federal programs. This is all in addition to the long-standing Conservation District roles such as educating landowners about sound conservation practices, tree planting and putting on outdoor classroom educational activities for school children. Please see the “What Do Conservation Districts Do” link for more details on these responsibilities.

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