The Monument SWCD was one of the first districts established in Oregon and was officially chartered in 1942. The district then covered northern Grant County, including the Ritter area. Later, other areas of the county petitioned to establish a district that would take in the remainder of the county. The Ritter area was annexed into the new Grant SWCD.

Monument directors voted to match their boundary with that of Monument School District #8. Grant County is one of the few counties in Oregon with two active soil and water conservation districts.

The Monument SWCD is a non-taxing special district under the supervision of the Oregon Department of Agriculture. It is governed by a locally elected board of five directors- one from each of three zones, and two at large positions. Board Directors are responsible for identifying local conservation needs and developing programs to address them; educating and informing landowners and the general public about conservation issues; and overseeing district staff and resources. They must live in the zone they represent and own or actively manage at least 10 acres of property.

Voluntary conservation efforts are the lifeblood of SWCD’s.  It is the foundation from which people with different backgrounds and perspectives on natural resource management willingly come together and find a common ground for the betterment of the land and water.  If SWCD’s are to be involved with regulatory measures in ANY capacity, it threatens to change the way landowners view SWCD’s and their desire to willingly participate in the voluntary conservation projects that are so vital to the sustainability of SWCD’s and the regions they serve. 

Monument SWCD Board meetings are held the first Monday of every month, 5:00 pm at the Monument Senior Center.  All meetings are open to the public.  

​

Meeting minutes and draft agendas are posted at our office for public viewing. If you would like more information about our meetings or minutes, please contact our office.

Board adopted 9/14/2020