Steele County Soil Conservation District

09/21/2026

🌱2027 Handplant Tree Orders are OPEN!🌱

It's already time to start thinking about next spring! Check out the attached order form for available species and pricing, and start planning your spring planting now

📆Tentative Pickup Date: Saturday, May 8th 2027
🕖Pickup Time: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

The District places our tree orders this fall for the upcoming spring planting season, so we recommend getting your order in early to help ensure you get the species you are looking for!

🌳Don't see the species you want on the order form?
Reach out to us! We can often source additional species from our suppliers and will be happy to see what we can find.

09/16/2026

Eco-Ed Camp 2026 for this years group of sixth graders is in the books!

The kids were split up on Monday to learn about our Ecosystem rotating between groups including soils, wetlands, water quality, woodlands, and prairie range. They later had a visit from The Bug Mans Daughter and Jim with The Remarkable Reptile!

Tuesday they were split into groups to do a Nature Scavenger Hunt, climb the camps rockwall, shoot archery and complete their own wood burning picture!

As always we would like to thank our teachers, schools, speakers and activity leaders, chaperones, the camp, and everyone who helps in making this camp a fun learning experience for the students every year! You all make the world go round!

Another thank you goes out to our t-shirt sponsors this year: Bank Forward, Bravera, Dakota Heritage Bank, Farmer’s Union Oil Company- Hope, Farmer’s Union Insurance, Finley Farmer’s Grain & Elevator Co, First United Bank, Otter Tail Power Company, and Town and Country-Finley.

09/04/2026

Thanks for spending your morning with me learning about the SCD!

This morning the 8th grade class was out and about! We are studying tree identification and went to Steele County Soil Conservation District Tree Shed to collect leaves from the arboretum and to visit with Isabell Verke, about what she does in her job, and how they plant and fabric trees! Thank you for sharing the morning with us!

09/03/2026

Unfortunately drought conditions continue to worsen ndsu.ag/drought

Your reports are critical to showing local conditions. Please keep submitting reports weekly https://droughtimpacts.unl.edu/Tools/ConditionMonitoringObservations.aspx

Not sure what to report? https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/reporting-drought-impacts-north-dakota-condition-monitoring-observer-reports

08/28/2026

💧 Drought Program Update 💧

The response from North Dakota producers has been strong. Since the Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Project Assistance Program was reactivated, more than $1.5 million has been approved for over 350 livestock water supply projects!

That level of participation demonstrates just how important this program is to producers dealing with the ongoing drought.

Earlier this week, the program was expanded statewide and increased available funding from $2 million to $4 million, helping ensure more North Dakota producers have access to assistance as they work to address livestock water needs and build greater resilience for future droughts.

Learn more about the program and eligibility requirements at dwr.nd.gov.

08/28/2026

Our phone system has switched over earlier than expected. Our old number is no longer in service. If you are looking to get ahold of the office FSA/NRCS or district please call the new number 701-951-0550!

08/25/2026

Apply now for NRCS programs: EQIP, CSP, and ACEP.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP): EQIP provides producers with the technical and financial resources they need to address resources concerns on their land including improved water and air quality, increased soil health, reduced soil erosion, improved natural vitality and more.

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP): CSP helps producers build on existing conservation efforts while strengthening their operation.

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP): The Agricultural Land Easement component of ACEP enables producers to protect their agricultural land from development by enrolling it in a permanent Agricultural Land Easement. The Wetland Reserve Easement component of ACEP helps landowners protect, restore and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses.

NRCS accepts applications throughout the year; however, North Dakota producers should submit theirs by September 18, 2026, to be considered for FY2027 funding

08/20/2026

This week's Drought Monitor includes the addition of D3 along the eastern border and expansion in the west. D1 and D2 areas continue to expand across the state https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/ag-topics/disasters/drought

Please continue to submit local drought impacts weekly. These reports are critical to showing map authors what is happening in your area.

Submit a report https://go.unl.edu/cmor

08/19/2026

08/17/2026

A new threat to North Dakota's conifers has been confirmed this week: pine wilt disease. This discovery will have a great impact on our state's windbreaks and community forest resources, as non-native species of pine (like Scotch pine) are a commonly used tree in these settings.

While investigating mortality in Scotch pine trees, our Forest Health staff tentatively identified pine wilt disease in Ransom County at Sheyenne River State Forest and in Sargent County near Forman, ND. The finding was confirmed on August 11, 2026, by the South Dakota State University plant pathology lab.

To learn more about this disease and how it could affect your trees, visit https://bit.ly/NDPineWilt