The mission of Bennington County Conservation District is to engage Bennington County residents in the conservation and stewardship of natural resources for current and future generations.

Our vision is that the land, waters, and forests of Bennington County will be healthy and resilient through the care and effort of everyone in our community, and that the benefits of conservation will be equitably shared.  

This ideal future includes:

• Healthy soils that act as the living foundation of vibrant habitats and sustainable food production, and as a crucial element in reducing and withstanding the impacts of climate change.  
• Vibrant and resilient working lands, where farmers, ranchers, and foresters use conservation practices that create long-term health for the land and water and help our communities adapt to changes in climate and other conditions.
• Clean and abundant water for drinking, irrigation, and sustenance of the natural environment. 
• Thriving habitats and watersheds that support diverse plants, animals, and other species.
• Collective action by everyone in Bennington County—farmers and ranchers, individuals and households, businesses, institutions, and organizations—to care for and support our land and waters.  

We recognize the urgency of this work in the face of unprecedented threats from climate change, development, and other pressures. With everyone contributing their own strengths and gifts, together we can steward, restore, and enhance this place we call home. 

Conservation districts were first created by local citizens in 1937 to help conserve their water and soil. Now, every state in the nation is served by conservation districts border to border, each an official body created by an act of their state legislature.

Districts now focus on agricultural concerns, water quality, forestry, wildlife, environmental education, or other related issues. All conservation districts still share one important feature, we’re bottom-up, locally-led organizations.

Vermont has fourteen conservation districts, some established according to county boundaries, others according to watershed boundaries. BCCD was established in 1946 to serve all of Bennington County and its four watersheds – the Mettowee, the Batten Kill, the Hoosic, and the Deerfield. For more information on VT’s other conservation districts, refer to the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts site.

These watersheds encompass some of the most culturally, economically, and ecologically significant landscapes in Vermont. The health of the natural world around us and the vitality of our communities are deeply connected to wild and cultivated landscapes. The Bennington County Conservation District protects them by serving those who work them and live in them.