Shiawassee Conservation District

Hopefully most people are aware of the dangers of pouring oil, pesticides and other products into our storm drains or dumping them into our rivers. Now that leaf raking season is fast approaching, remember storm drains and rivers are no place for leaves either. Some people may think that leaves are from nature, so it can’t hurt the environment if they washed into the storm drain or if they are left along the river banks – right? Wrong. Many leaves will naturally fall into the water, but we should never put the leaves that fall on our lawn in a creek, river or stream. Excessive decaying leaves use up the water’s oxygen, harming the animals that live in the water. Storm drains are designed to take away water runoff. They collect excess water from rain events and move the untreated water into waterways such as the Shiawassee, Maple and Looking Glass Rivers.   When leaves and yard waste collect in the drain system, they block pipes, resulting in the flooding of our roads, waterways...

Conserving water and soil resources helps to protect the land for our use now and for future generations. In fact, landowners often tell us the reason they request a conservation plan is to protect what is special about their land today, so that it will benefit their kids and grandkids once it is passed down . The connection between h umans and the land is a strong one. Like Hugh Hammond Bennet, the Father of Soil Conservation once sai d, “Take care of the land, and the land will take care of you.” The Shiawassee Conservation District offers free and confidential conservation planning assistance. Conservation planning offers many benefits, including learning wh at conservation programs you may be eligible to participate in. One of these programs is the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). CREP is part of USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). It offers enhanced financial incentives to landown ers who agree to establish and maintain eligible conservation practices. This g...