COORDINATING GROUSE PRODUCTION WITH PRIVATE LAND MANAGEMENT 687 



serves special attention. Fortunately, it has received a lot of thought in the past decade. 

 In 1937 a number of states passed laws enabling the establishment of a new political subdivi- 

 sion called ihe Soil Conservation District. Now all 48 slates have such a law. They vary 

 somewhat in their specific provisions but all have the same objective — to permit landowners 

 to obtain help on conservation problems in an efficient, democratic way. New York's law 

 was passed in 1940. 



The philosophy of the soil conservation district is to apply grass-roots democracy to con- 

 servation work. In the beginning, the stimulus for the creation of a conservation district 

 in any area comes from the people. Through petition, or by personal appearances before 

 the county board of supervisors, they make known their desires. After adequate considera- 

 tion by public hearings, the county supervisors decide by vote whether the county shall be- 

 come a soil conservation district. (In many states, a favorable referendum by ballot by the 

 landowners is required). 



During the period when interest in such a conservation district is developing, the Exten- 

 sion Service of the State College of Agriculture takes the leadership in a program of infor- 

 mation and education. Later, after the district is created, this educational program is con- 

 tinued to encourage landowner* to seek aid in conservation work. The directors of the district 

 are appointed from among progressive, local farmers. They begin the work of the newly- 

 formed district by developing a ])rogram setting forth the conditions that make conservation 

 work urgent and the objectives of the district. Then a work plan is prepared to set forth 

 the methods by which the district will operate, including the types of help that will be pro- 

 vided by the different cooperating agencies. Experts from these agencies are ordinarily called 

 in for advice in preparing these documents. When the organization is thus completed, the 

 men, materials and equipment facilities are ready for business. Landowners may apply to the 

 Directors for on-the-farm assistance in the planning and establishment of a complete conser- 

 vation plan. 



It makes little difference what conservation problems an individual land owner has; they all 

 fit into a sound plan for soil conservation. Thus, grouse management practices go hand in 

 hand with the control of gully erosion, contour strip-cropping, and field drainage. The owner 

 applies for aid to tlie directors of the soil conservation district in which he lives. The facili- 

 ties of the district, made available through its cooperating local, state and federal agencies, are 

 applied to his farm on a voluntary basis. A conservation survey provides the needed physical 

 inventory. Based on this survey, and on the economic needs of the farm business, a com- 

 plete farm conservation plan is developed by a planning technician. This service is gener- 

 ally made available to the district by the U. S. Soil Conservation Service which is especially 

 set up to carry out this function. Special services to implement the woodland and wildlife 

 phases of the conservation plan may be rendered by technicians from the forestry and game 

 divisions of the State Conservation Department. Thus, the available conservation services are 

 funneled to the landowner through the facilitating soil conservation district. 



Forest Districts 



A recent development that should become of great importance in grouse management in 

 New York was the enactment in 194G of the Forest Practice Standards Act. Its purpose is to 

 provide a voluntary, cooperative program whereby over-cutting of woodlands may be avoided, 

 forest product industries stabilized, and sound forestry encouraged. It provides for the es- 

 tablishment of forest districts, district forest practice boards to determine standards needed 



