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This year, the Rice Soil & Water Conservation District has two Supervisor positions up for election. SWCD candidates appear on the ballot for the general election, which will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

While public lands provide important opportunities for hunting and recreation, programs are also available to help private landowners permanently protect their land, create wildlife habitat, and improve local water quality. The Reinvest in Minnesota program, known commonly as RIM, has been around since 1991 and has been used by private landowners to restore and protect conservation lands across the state.

Rice County Beacon is an online mapping and information tool from Rice County that is free to the public. It is known for viewing tax and parcel ownership information, but also provides information that can be used for conservation planning.

More than 40 local lawmakers, county staff, and conservation professionals from six counties and Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) toured conservation projects in the Cannon River Watershed this August, getting a firsthand look at efforts to reduce flooding, protect water quality, and improve natural resources.

The Rice Soil & Water Conservation District has selected Wild Ones Southeast Minnesota Prairie Partners as the recipient of the 2026 Outstanding Conservationist Award. The award recognizes the chapter’s efforts to promote native plants, support pollinator habitat, and provide conservation education throughout Rice County.

A three-day trip to Illinois gave southeast Minnesota farmers an opportunity to learn, network, and bring home new ideas about soil health, strip-till, and innovative farming practices.

A new pocket of prairie habitat is taking root at Jefferson Elementary School in Faribault, creating a space where students, pollinators, and the community can grow together.

The transition from conventional tillage to strip till or no till can resemble the seven stages of grief as farmers work through the emotional and management changes that come with reducing tillage.

Soil health practices are increasing in Rice County, including the planting of cover crops on about 10,000 acres and no-till/strip-till on about 8000 acres.

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.

Planting a diverse mix of trees to replace those lost by emerald ash borer is key to protect our woodlands and forests.

The Rice Soil and Water Conservation District has selected Alan and Andrew Meyer as the 2025 Outstanding Conservationists for Rice County.

If you are looking for more ways to help wildlife that may be passing through your yard this winter, look no further! Here are some methods that you can use to contribute to a healthy wildlife population in your local community.

When projects are being completed by the Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) or the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), there is a process to deciding on the type of structure that should be designed for a site.

Local organizations partner with farmers in the Rice Creek Watershed to study how cover crops affect nitrogen management and water quality.