For over sixty years, the Soil and Water Conservation Society has been the leading organization for professionals from every part of the conservation movement. The mission of the society from the very beginning has been to “foster the science and art of natural resource conservation.” The society began as a small group of dedicated conservationists who had served in a challenging period. They had stemmed the tide of the Dust Bowl and made natural resource conservation a concern for everyday people as well as political leaders. They saw that something more was needed to build on the successes of the past and to insure continuation in the future. They saw a need for those involved in scientific research and development of conservation policy to meet regularly with those who were putting conservation on the land. This interchange of ideas was seen as critical for improved efficiency and effectiveness. They formed the Soil and Water Conservation Society in response to this need.

The society has long been in the forefront of the development of conservation practices and policy on working lands. Through conferences, publications, and projects, the society has been an effective advocate of better practices and strategies to protect natural resources. Importantly, the society has been a catalyst for discussions of alternatives that have been instrumental in advancing natural resource conservation. The society has also been a key partner in the education and professional development of those who put conservation on the land. Society programs provide conservation professionals with up-to-date information from the laboratory and field research plots as well as evaluations of the effectiveness of current programs.

The membership of the society represents all phases of the conservation partnership. Members come from a wide variety of academic disciplines and backgrounds. Active participants include researchers, policymakers, conservation practitioners, students, landowners, and concerned citizens from public, private, and not-for-profit institutions. Each of these has an important role to play as we work to make natural resource conservation more successful. The society not only works at international and national levels but also at state and provincial levels through local chapters. This allows members to make relevant programs tailored to a specific area or concern.

As with the founders of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, we find ourselves living in difficult times. Like them, we believe that the care of natural resources is a key part of making our civilization sustainable. They saw that unchecked soil erosion by either wind or water, would destroy the ability to provide food and fiber needed for life. In like manner, we are currently faced with developing conservation methods that allow production of food and renewable products for an increased population without harm to natural resources. It is a daunting challenge, but one the society has been involved with from the beginning.

I hope you will find our Web site informative. If you have an interest in conservation, I hope you will consider becoming a part of the society. Our mission is as vital today, if not more so, as when it was founded.