|
lot/Maryland Manual
Louise Lawrence, Executive Secretary
841-5863
Established in 1937, the State Soil Conservation
Committee has organized twenty-four soil conser-
vation districts covering the entire State except
Baltimore City (Chapter 436, Acts of 1937). The
Committee coordinates districtwork to apply scien-
tifically sound and practical conservation measures
("best management practices") to Maryland lands.
The goals are to retard soil erosion and nonpoint
source pollution, conserve soil, and protect water
quality For each district, the Committee appoints
four of the five persons who serve on a board of soil
conservation supervisors.
The State Committee helps districts secure aid
from State and federal agencies for soil and water
conservation, and certain phases of related land use
programs. Areas of concern include nonpoint
source pollution, watershed protection and flood
prevention, siltation of streams and reservoirs,
shore erosion control, and highway erosion control,
They also involve forest and woodland conserva-
tion and development, the protection and propaga-
tion of wildlife, development of public land areas,
and urban sediment and erosion control.
The Committee has eleven members. Six serve
ex officio. Five are soil conservation district super-
visors appointed to four-year terms by the Secretary
of Agriculture from recommendations made by the
districts represented (Code Agriculture Article,
sees. 8-101 through 8-501).
PROGRAM PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
Louise Lawrence, Supervisor
841-5863
The Program Planning and Development Sec-
tion supports the work of the State Soil Conserva-
tion Committee and the Office of Resource
Conservation by planning, developing and coor-
dinating policy, programs, and public information.
The soil and water conservation work of the Office
is coordinated with soil conservation districts, and
agencies and organizations with related programs.
Under the Agricultural Water Management Pro-
gram, the Section helps public drainage associations
|
maintain agricultural drainage projects. Interagen-
cy reviews of public drainage association plans for
construction, reconstruction, operation and main-
tenance are conducted. Financial aid is made avail-
able to these associations through drainage
maintenance cost-share agreements. The Section
also coordinates and evaluates the Nutrient
Management Program, which helps individual
farmers plan nutrient management.
RESOURCE CONSERVATION OPERATIONS
Eugene Thompson, Chief
841-5896
The Resource Conservation Operations Section
administers State resources that support soil and
water conservation programs on agricultural land
and provides guidance and assistance to twenty-
four soil conservation districts. The Section gives
financial support to soil conservation districts for
conservation programs. The Section also provides
technical assistance to farmers and landowners on
best management practices to control nutrient soil
erosion and agricultural nonpoint source pollution.
CONSERVATION GRANTS
F. Gould Charshee, Supervisor
841-5864
The Conservation Grants Section conducts the
Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share
Program (MACS) and the State Conservation
Reserve Program (CRP).
Established in 1983, the Maryland Agricultural
Witer Quality Cost-Share Program provides cost-
share grants to individuals installing best manage-
ment practices on agricultural land to reduce water
pollution caused by nutrient and sediment erosion,
animal wastes, or agricultural chemicals.
The State Conservation Reserve Program
provides annual payments to landowners or
operators for certain acreage taken out of agricul-
tural production and planted in vegetative cover for
a ten-year period. The Program began in 1988 as
an incentive for enrolling in a similar federal pro-
gram administered by the U.S. Agricultural
Stabilization and Conservation Service.
|
