OACD
Oregon Association of Conservation Districts
650 Hawthorne Avenue SE, Suite 130
Salem, Oregon 97301

Partners and Districts are encouraged to include a link to this site: http://www.oacd.org
Questions and comments can be e-mailed to the OACD office in Salem, OR: oacd@oacd.org

Last Updated: 5/9/08

What's New at OACD

Here's a short list of new activities and resources for the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts:

• An updated version of the OACD Personnel Management Handbook is now available electronically.
  • Download the Personnel Handbook in Microsoft Word format
• Notes from the Roundtable discussions at the OACD conference are now available. Click the links below for details.
  • Notes from the Director's Discussion
  • Notes from the Manager's Discussion
  • Notes from the Administrator's Discussion
  • Notes from the Technical Staff's Discussion
• The directory of Conservation Districts developed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture is available for download. Click here to download the list!
• Click here for information on how to get your Oregon Salmon License Plate in support of the Oregon Plan for Salmon & Watersheds!
  

About OACD

The Oregon Association of Conservation Districts is a statewide membership organization serving Oregon's Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Water Control Districts. OACD was created December 29, 1948 at a meeting in the City of Arlington. It was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation under Oregon law on January 29, 1976. OACD is governed by a board of directors which includes association officers and chairs of the 8 basins in the state of Oregon.

OACD's purposes are:

• To promote the conservation and wise use of the natural resources of the state of Oregon by serving as the state association of member soil and water conservation districts and water control districts.
• To serve as spokesman for those who are committed to the belief that Oregon's soil, water, air and renewable resources must be used in accordance with the needs of the people of the state while maintaining a quality environment and a productive economy.
• To cooperate with public and private organizations with similar purposes towards the adoption of statewide policies and programs which will effectively contribute to a quality environment and a productive economy.
• To inform the public of the value of soil and water conservation, flood prevention, proper land use planning, orderly economic development, recreation development, fish and wildlife enhancement and other benefits.

OACD Policies

Each member organization maintains a policy book which includes by-laws and statements of where the association stands on various natural resource issues. Policies are established by resolutions voted on by the membership at the annual meeting.

• POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS OR ACTIVITIES: This association expressly rejects any and all partisan political affiliation and it will engage in no partisan political activities. It will not participate nor intervene in any political campaign nor intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for elective public office, national, state, or local.
• THE VOTING MEMBERS: Each voting district is entitled to one vote by an elected or officially appointed director at any legally called meeting of the association. A member district is a soil and water conservation district or a water control district which has paid in full the regularly assessed dues of the association for the current calendar year. Each voting member is entitled to vote in person at any legally called meeting of the association.

Members / Membership

Members of the Oregon Association of Conservation Districts include Oregon's 45 Soil and Water Conservation Districts, 3 Water Control Districts, and several corporate and individual members. Membership contributions are tax deductible. Basic Memberships are $25 per year; Contributing Member $40; Farm $100; Commercial Member $200; Corporate Member $1,000.

To become a member, request a membership application from:

Oregon's Natural Resources

The majestic snowcapped peaks of the Cascade Mountains represent the crown jewels of the State of Oregon. The Cascades, transecting the state from north to south at elevations in excess of 11,000 feet above sea level, results in areas with strikingly different climates. West of the Cascades, a mild, moist marine climate prevails, while east of the Cascades, Oregon’s high desert country alternates between scorching hot in the summer to bitterly cold in the winter. Between the Cascades and the coast, the Coast Range defines the fertile farmland of the Willamette Valley from the marine coastal area. Annual precipitation ranges from in excess of 100 inches in the north coast region, to less than 12 inches in the eastern two-thirds of the state. The majority of precipitation occurs during the winter months. Even in the wetter areas of the state, summers are usually dry.

Oregon has a total land area of 61.4 million acres, of which 53 percent is owned and managed by the federal government, mainly under the control of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Another 3 percent is owned by state and local governments.

Nearly half of Oregon is forested, of which about 40 percent is privately owned. Although the majority of private forest is comprised of large industrial holdings, non-industrial forest landowners are providing an increasing percentage of the state’s timber production.

Agriculture is a leading Oregon industry, with 1995-96 farm and ranch sales of $3.4 billion. Oregon leads the nation in the production of Christmas trees, grass seed, hazelnuts, peppermint, and a variety of caneberry crops. Other crops, such as hops, strawberries, prunes, plums, onions, cauliflower, pears and nursery stock, play an important role in Oregon’s economy.

Oregon has several distinct agricultural regions:

• The Willamette Valley is the most diversified, with over 200 specialty crops.
• Tree fruits, potatoes and livestock dominate Southern Oregon’s agricultural industry west of the Cascades.
• Commercial fishing and dairy farms are abundant on the Oregon Coast.
• Malheur County, adjacent to Idaho, produces seed crops, onions, potatoes, sugar beets, and other specialty crops.
• Livestock and hay production are the dominant agricultural enterprises in Harney and Lake Counties in Southeastern Oregon.
• Jefferson County and other Central Oregon areas grow a wide range of crops, including vegetable seeds, peppermint, and small grains in addition to pasture and hay production.
• North Central Oregon east of the Cascades along the Columbia River Gorge predominantly produces small grains.
• Crops in Klamath County include small grains, sugar beets, potatoes, pasture and hay.
• Livestock grazing is a dominant land use throughout Oregon.

Oregon’s water resources are fundamental to all of the state’s ecosystems and industries. Water is at the center of much of the scenic and recreational values that attract both visitors and residents alike. Oregon has 112,000 miles of rivers and streams and over 6,000 lakes and reservoirs. The state’s largest river, the Willamette River, has more runoff per square mile than any other major river in the United States.

The OACD Foundation

The OACD Foundation, established in 1987, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt, non-profit corporation in Oregon. Its purpose is to establish, promote, maintain and conduct informational, educational, and research purposes within the State of Oregon, and receive and provide grants for special projects relating to soil and water conservation.

The OACD Foundation is governed by a board of trustees. Duly elected members of the OACD board of directors serve as trustees. Each board member of every member district is a voting member of the foundation.

Tax deductible contributions to the OACD Foundation may be made via mail to:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410, or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.