Latest News & Updates

This spring, more than 800 third-grade students throughout Rice County had the opportunity to learn about pollinators, native plants, and prairie habitat through the Rice Soil & Water Conservation District’s (SWCD) Pocket of Prairie Program. Now in its fourth year, the program continues to connect students with hands-on conservation education while encouraging families to create small pollinator-friendly spaces at home and at school.

Students from across southeastern Minnesota gathered this spring at the Byron Sportsmen & Conservation Club near Byron, Minnesota to compete in the annual Southeast Minnesota Envirothon.

Before deciding to excavate seasonally flooded areas to create a wetland, consider managing it with native plants to create a biodiverse habitat crucial for migrating species, amphibians, and other local wildlife!

Learn about the differences between southern lakes and northern lakes in Minnesota.

People concerned about water quality and soil health in Rice County should consider filing by June 2, 2026, to run for the position of supervisor of the Rice Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).

Farmers in Rice and Steele counties are finding that using less nitrogen fertilizer may still deliver solid corn yields—while improving profitability and environmental outcomes.