The Central Texas Soil and Water Conservation District (CTSWCD) is situated in one of the most productive ecoregions of Texas. Houston Black soil is one of the reasons this region is so productive, but with the soil’s blessings also comes its curse. Houston Black soil, though nutrient dense, can also be highly erodible. The CTSWCD works to bring conservation practices to help producers increase soil health, reduce erosion, and achieve their production goals though conservation planning.

The CTSWCD delivers conservation assistance to local producers through a partnership with local USDA: Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) staff, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension service, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to hold an annual local working group meeting for the district’s agriculture producers. This year’s meeting was held in Jarrell, Texas to receive input from producers about their priorities and concerns. Stanley Glaser, Chairman of the CTSWCD said “Requesting input from local producers helps us to better understand the concerns of producers for the following year and provide services producers want.”

As priorities were identified through the local work group, the district moved to address the issues and implemented projects such as Feral Swine Trapping and Eradication. Feral Swine are destructive to native plants and animals and a burden to agriculture production across Texas. This project provides three feral hog traps available to rent to landowners. Data collection is ongoing but has shown a positive impact on reducing the feral swine population within the district. This project was made possible through a partnership between the CTSWCD, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the USDA – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), and the Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association.

Feral swine are not the only priority for producers in the district, they are also at battle with Ashe Juniper. Commonly known as Cedar, these trees have strong taproots and extensive lateral roots in the surface foot of soil. Using mechanical control to remove large Ashe Juniper is a common practice but disturbs the soil. Protecting water quality is important while implementing conservation practices and replanting as soon as possible helps hold the soil on the land. Having available grass seed through the district during the short planting season is crucial for the district’s producers. The district offers many seed mixes from a range of grasses, to cover crops, and even work with their local Master Gardeners to provide special mixtures for pollinators. The district annual seed sale increases the availability of local, native, high quality grass seed whether a producer is converting cropland to rangeland, replanting a native range, or improving soil health.

One of the most visible and important resources the district and its producers provide to urban areas is flood control. CTSWCD, the USDA: NRCS, as well as city and county government all partner to provide the resources needed to maintain flood control structures. These structures were built on private property 40-50 years ago to slow down water during heavy flooding and protect the safety of downstream communities, infrastructure, life, and property. The benefit from the structures not only provides millions of dollars of benefit in urban areas but also provide shelter and habitat for wildlife and migratory animals. CTSWCD employed a Watershed Technician to inspect the safety of flood control structures, assist landowners in the management and maintenance of the structures extending the life of the structures and downstream safety to the local communities.

The Central Texas Soil and Water Conservation District has had many noteworthy producers grow from its boundaries. It was the home Conservation District of the first Chairman of the Texas Soil Conservation Association, soon to become the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, V.C. Marshall. For over 80 years, generations of board members have passed the torch. They have all followed Mr. Marshall’s example by providing conservation assistance and equipment to local farmers and ranchers supporting their locally driven conservation efforts in Central Texas.