BATH – Conserving and preserving Steuben County’s environment ranges from work geared toward stabilizing stream banks, watershed health and implementing cover crops to national training and implementing best management practices, according to Steuben County Soil Water and Conservation District (SWCD) District Manager, Jeff Parker. Steuben’s district achieved that and more in 2023 and looks forward to continuing its efforts next year, Parker recently told the county Legislature’s Agriculture, Industry and Planning Committee in his annual report. Parker’s team also is active in shared services with the county Public Works department and municipalities, notably working to restore the rural areas ravaged by Tropical Storm Fred nearly two years ago, on Aug. 18, 2021.
Based on the district’s experience with repairing rural roads, Parker also presented on private drainage to town roads and how to reduce the impact at the Cornell Local Road Highway School.
In 2023, the county’s share of SCSW&CD’s efforts paid for operational expenses and the district streambank and is pegged at $245,676 — less than 20 percent of the district’s annual costs and drew $882,304 from outside local, state and federal resources, Parker reported.
Next year, the county’s share should increase slightly, while drawing an additional $100,000 from other sources, he said.
