Barnes County Soil Conservation District

09/05/2026

🌳🐿️ Our little Nature Explorers were busy in the trees! 🐿️🌳

We had an absolute BLAST at the library exploring our “Who Lives in a Tree?” theme! 💚

We started with The Busy Tree by Jennifer Ward, then headed outside to explore trees and discover who might call them home. 🌳🔎

After our tree adventure, our little explorers got creative and made their very own animal masks! 🦉🐿️🦊 We practiced using scissors for the first time! ✂️ They did a great job cutting!

And of course, we couldn't end our adventure without a snack! 🍇🥨 The kids made their own edible trees using pretzel rods, pretzels, and green grapes. 🌳💚

A huge thank you to the Valley City Barnes County Public Library and Sara Nordland for collaborating with us and giving our Nature Explorers such a wonderful place to learn, create, and explore!

We love watching these little explorers learn through play, get curious about the natural world, and have FUN along the way. 💚🌿

Keep exploring, little Nature Explorers! 🌱🔎🐾

08/31/2026

Join us at the Valley City Barnes County Public Library tomorrow for Nature Explorers Club at 10:00am!

Nature Explorers Club is back Tuesday, Sept. 1st from 10:00 am - 11:00 am. See you there. .
, , Barnes County Soil Conservation District

08/30/2026

08/29/2026

https://www.ndsu.edu/ndfs/treesbowl

Stay stunned for award photos!

North Dakota Forest Service Home Programs and Services Programs and Services Menu Towner State Nursery Community Forestry Fire Management Forest Stewardship State Forests Forest Health Outreach & Education Back to level 1 About North Dakota Forestry Contact Us Job Opportunities Trees Bowl & Trees Aw...

08/26/2026

We have some more butterfly release videos that came in today!

08/26/2026

🎣🐟 Nature Explorers Club: Fishing Fun! 🐟🎣
We had so much fun wrapping up our summer Nature Explorers Club at the park with a morning all about fish, fishing, and life in the water! 🌿💦

A huge thank you to Ellen Fehr from Prairie Waters Education & Research Center at VCSU for providing an amazing hands-on experience for our explorers! Ellen taught us about different fish species and brought preserved fish for the kids to see and touch. Did you know there are 103 species of fish in ND?! They got to explore real fish up close and discover their fins, eyes, mouths, and gills! 🐟🔍

Then it was time to become anglers! 🎣 The kids learned how to cast a fishing line, decorated their own fish kites, and had a blast catching colorful magnetic fish in our fishing game.

And of course, we couldn't finish a fishing adventure without a fishy snack! 😂🥨 The kids made edible fishing rods with pretzels, used peanut butter as their bait, and then had to “catch” their goldfish crackers!
Before heading home, each explorer received their own pop-can fishing rig to build and explore with their families at home. 🎣🏡

What a fun way to finish our summer of exploring! From ants and worms to bears, butterflies, and now fish, these kids have spent the summer discovering, creating, asking questions, and exploring the world around them. 💚

Thank you to every family who joined us this summer! We have loved exploring with you! 🌿🐜🪱🐻🦋🐟

Keep exploring, Nature Explorers! 💚

08/24/2026

🌳🐿️ Nature Explorers Club is BACK at the library! 🐿️🌳

Join us at the VCBC Public Library on Tuesday, September 1st at 10:00 AM for our next Nature Explorers adventure!

🌲 Our theme: Who Lives in a Tree? 🌲
We’ll listen to a nature-themed story, make a fun animal craft, explore outside, and enjoy a special tree-themed snack! 🔎🦉🍎
Nature Explorers Club will meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM at the Valley City Barnes County Public Library.

📚 Please note: Due to schedule conflicts, we will have one meeting in September. We’ll be back to our regular schedule in October!
We can’t wait to see all of our little Nature Explorers! 💚🌿

Presented by Barnes County Soil Conservation District in collaboration with Valley City Barnes County Public Library.

08/19/2026

Hot of the presses, Governor Armstrong declared a drought emergency today August 18th 2026 and opened up funding of up to $10,000 to assist producers with water supply issues. Go to swc.nd.gov or call Sam at 701-301-0108 for assistance in applying.

08/19/2026

🐻🌲 NATURE EXPLORERS CLUB: LUNCH FOR A BEAR! 🌲🐻

Our Nature Explorers had a ROAR-some time at City Park two weeks ago learning all about black bears and what they need to survive!

The kids became junior bear explorers and followed bear tracks and clues through the park, searching for the foods a hungry bear might find. Along the way, we learned that black bears are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants AND animals—and that they spend the fall eating lots of food to build up energy and fat before winter.

🍓 Berries
🌰 Nuts & acorns
🐜 Insects & grubs
🐟 Fish
🌿 Plants and other foods they find in their habitat

We even discovered that bears will tear apart old logs looking for tasty insects! 🐻

The adventure ended at our bear den, where we talked about hibernation and why having plenty of food is so important before winter.

And, of course, no Nature Explorers adventure is complete without a snack! The kids made their own Bear Snack Mix, with each ingredient representing something a bear might eat. 🥨🐟🍓🌰

I love watching these little explorers ask questions, get curious, and connect what they learn to the world around them. 💚🌎
Nature is our classroom—and there is always another adventure waiting! 🐾

08/19/2026

Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Project Assistance Program
NDAC, Section 89-11 provides the Department of Water Resources the ability to provide cost-share assistance to livestock producers with water supply shortages caused by drought.

The following North Dakota counties are eligible: Adams, Barnes, Benson, Billings, Bottineau, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, Kidder, LaMoure, McHenry, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pierce, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill, Walsh, Ward, Wells, Williams.

Livestock producers in all affected North Dakota counties may qualify for up to $10,000 in cost-share assistance, for up to three projects, on the following items:

New water wells;
New rural water system connections;
New pipeline extensions, pasture taps, and associated works; and
Contract labor, materials, and equipment rentals for work completed by the producer to develop new water supply projects.
Cost-share payments made through this program can be considered taxable income. Successful applicants will need to submit IRS Form W-9 upon completion of their projects before program reimbursement can be made.

To Apply
Online Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Assistance Program Application (SFN 17810)