Mission: The mission of the Custer County Conservation District is to promote conservation of soil, water, and natural resources for residents and visitors now and in the future.
Department Function: The function of the Conservation District is to take available technical, financial, and educational resources, whatever their source, and focus or coordinate them so they meet the needs of the local land users.
Members:
Chairman: Dave Thom
Vice-Chairman: Paul Nettinga
Treasurer: Oonagh Wood
Supervisor: Tamarah Carter
Supervisor: Greg Neugebauer
Advisors: Stephenie Rittberger, Gladwin Paulsen, and Stuart Adrian
District Manager: Mike Baldwin
NRCS District Conservationist: vacant
Important Information & Upcoming Events:
New video highlights Custer County Conservation District’s Forest Thinning Program for Improved Forest Resiliency:
Scholarship available to high school seniors in Custer County:
- We are excited to offer a $1,000 scholarship to two qualified applicants in 2024. To qualify, students must be high school seniors who reside in Custer County. Application and additional requirements are available here.
2024 Speech contest:
- All South Dakota high school students are welcome to compete in the Resource Conservation Speech Contest. The 2024 theme is “Working Grassland, Why Should We Care?”. Scholarships totaling $2,500 will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Participants should contact our office by February so that we can schedule a local contest. Entry form and additional information is available here.
Thinning grants:
- Cost-share funding is available for private landowners interested in non-commercial forest thinning and fuels treatment on their property. Application is available here. Contact the office for additional information.
Newsletters:
Trees for sale:
- Custer Conservation District does not operate a tree program. However, we encourage you to contact either the Pennington County Conservation District (605-342-0301 Ext. 3) or Fall River Conservation District (605-745-5716 Ext. 121) for information about their tree sales.
Soil Health and Sustainability Landowner Meeting, June 16:
The Custer Conservation District is teaming up with the Pennington Conservation District and NRCS to host a soil health workshop on June 16 in Rapid City. See informational flyer here. RSVP to Mike @ 673-5680 if you plan on attending.
Recent pine defoliation near Pringle:
- An outbreak of pine loopers was documented east of Pringle last summer. The larvae (caterpillars) defoliated ponderosa pines near Beaver Creek Rd and surrounding area. For information on the pine looper, read Dr. John Ball’s article in a recent ‘Tree Pest Alert‘ newsletter (click link, see page 2).
Calendar of events:
- South Dakota Family Forests Association:
- Future and past workshop information available here
- Past Workshops available online:
- Recording of Pine Wilt Disease workshop (from April 13, 2022)
- Recording of Pine Engraver Beetle workshop (from Feb. 16, 2022)
2023 Arbor Day contests:
- The annual Arbor Day writing and poster contests will be open again next spring.
- Creative writing contest: open to all South Dakota 5th & 6th graders. Cash awards to top three contestants in the state. Entries are limited to 250 words or less. The central theme is “Why we celebrate Arbor Day in South Dakota, and why it is important to plant and care for trees across the state.”
- Poster contest: open to all South Dakota 5th graders. Each school can only submit one poster. The top 12 posters from across the state will be featured in the annual South Dakota Arbor Day Poster Contest Calendar. Cash prizes to top three posters in the state. This year’s theme is “Trees are Terrific…and Forests are too!”.
- Submission deadline for both contests is March 24. More information about these contests and additional rules are available here or by contacting the Conservation District office.
Contact Information:
25363 US Hwy 385
Custer, SD 57730
(605) 673-5680
Email: [email protected]
Helpful Links
SD Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) * SD Farm Service Agency (FSA) * SD Game, Fish and Parks * Black Hills National Forest * Buffalo Gap National Grassland * Wind Cave National Park * Jewel Cave National Monument * Fall River Conservation District * Pennington Conservation District * SD Association of Conservation Districts (SDACD) * National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) * SD Grassland Coalition * SD Soil Health Coalition * SD Agricultural Land Trust * SD Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources * SD Department of Transportation * SDSU Plant Science Department * SDSU Extension Service * SD Wildland Fire
