A Legacy of Cooperation

Originally established by Congress in 1935 as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), NRCS has expanded to become a conservation leader for all natural resources, ensuring private lands are conserved, restored, and more resilient to environmental challenges.

Seventy percent of the land in the United States is privately owned, making stewardship by private landowners absolutely critical to the health of our Nation’s environment.

NRCS works with landowners through conservation planning and assistance designed to benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.

About North Dakota NRCS

North Dakota Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) takes pride in the delivery of conservation assistance to thousands of private landowners, offering financial and technical assistance on a competitive basis to eligible producers through many programs and special initiatives. Assistance provided through these programs and initiatives is intended to ensure that private lands are conserved, restored, and made more resilient to environmental challenges.

With field offices located in most North Dakota counties, NRCS tailors its programs to meet the specific needs of any private landowner in the state. This legacy of local conservation planning has helped NRCS establish itself as a leader in natural resource conservation. Working cooperatively with its clients throughout the state, NRCS programs and services benefit the soil, water, air, plants, and animals, resulting in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.

In addition to its financial assistance programs, NRCS has a strong technical knowledge capacity including Soils, Engineering, and Conservation Planning.  NRCS hosts the Soil Survey Program, the PLANTS database, 27 Plant Materials Centers (PMC), including one in Bismarck, ND. The Soil Survey produces information beneficial to producers wanting to acquire skills necessary to understand, manage, conserve, and sustain their soil resources. The PMC offers technical assistance for native landscaping, windbreaks, improving land productivity, and enhancing wildlife habitat and wetlands.