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2025 Wakulla County Soil & Water Conservation District Strategic Plan

Following the Dust Bowl, there was national recognition of a need to declare soil and water conservation a national priority, and SWCD were established nationally in 1935. The power to create SWCD in Florida was established in 1937. Per the Florida Conservation District Handbook: “The powers, duties, and responsibilities of Florida conservation districts include the development and implementation of soil and water conservation practices on private land. These duties are performed in conjunction with federal, state, regional, and local partners through funding and technical assistance. Funding programs include state and federal cost-share for environmental protection practices as well as federal disaster relief and emergency watershed projects.”

2025 Goals and Objectives

  1. Goal: Public education
    1. Objective: The WCSWCD will host a public meeting to share stories and information to interested participants about the unique nature of the karst system in Wakulla County.
    2. Objective: Participate in the state-wide SWCD Poster Contest by engaging local middle school students in poster creation for the contents.
    3. Objective: Support and train one college student to assist in running the district’s social media pages.
    4. Objective: Support interns at the FSU Wakulla Springs Lab in their efforts to educate the public regarding the topography and soil types of Wakulla County.
    5. Objective: Post a map of prominent soil and water features on website.
  2. Compliance with state budget and administration requirements
    1. Objective: Formalize agreement with Wakulla County for District’s allocation.
    2. Objective: Formalize budgeting procedures with the newly elected treasurer.
    3. Objective: Post all meetings and yearly strategic plans on the district website.
    4. Objective: Post previously completed studies and other relevant documents on the district website.
    5. Objective: Complete four-hour mandatory ethics training for supervisors
  3. Record keeping
    1. Objective: Create a new agreement with the IFAS extension office to ensure consistent availability of WCSWCD records.
  4. Create a long-term vision and plan for scientific, education, and conservation projects.
    1. Recreate a local training plan for tree identification for lawn care and clearing businesses, potentially working with IFAS extension office.
    2. Compile a resource of volunteers to act as a resource for identifying tree species to conserve during land clearing.

2025 Performance Measures and Standards

  1. Public Education
    1. Solicit feedback from public event through short interviews with five attendees. Use this to create goals for 2026.
    2. Submit poster winner to state and follow state protocols.
    3. Exit interview with intern.
    4. Feedback discussions with Wakulla Springs Lab.
    5. Check public posting of map.
  2. Compliance with state budgeting and administrative requirements
    1. File formalized agreement with Wakulla County
    2. Record and file budgeting procedures
    3. Check website for functionality and meeting postings
    4. Check posting of dye trace study
    5. File training certificates of Supervisors
  3. Record keeping
    1. File new agreement with IFAS Extension Office
  4. Long-term vision
    1. Review meeting discussion on the topic at end of 2025
    2. Assign Supervisor to maintain volunteer list