Flashback!
Flashback!Each month, we will be providing Flashbacks of the great work that the Conservation District in Coos County has completed over the years. However for the January Newsletter we wanted to highlight a special event in history!
Soil Conservation in 1937
On February 27, 1937 Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a letter to all state governors urging the passage of state legislation to create a soil conservation district program. The reason for this program was due to the devastating soil erosion conditions from the great Dust Bowl of the 1930’s. Roosevelt’s actions provided land owners with the ability to organize conservation districts as local governmental subdivisions of the state. Forty-five states enacted such laws before the statewide New Hampshire soil conservation district was created in May of 1945. By 1946, and currently each county in NH had its own conservation district.
NH Governor Dale
The picture shown here was taken as Governor Dale signed the bill. Persons in the picture left to right: Alfred L. French, Secretary of NH Farm Bureau Federation; George M. Putnam, President of NH Farm Bureau Federation; Representative Arthur W. McDaniel, Chairman of the legislative soil conservation committee; Governor Charles M. Dale; Representative Roscoe J. Oakes, who introduced the bill in the House; Andrew L. Felker, Commissioner of Agriculture; and Senator Scott Simpson, who sponsored a previous soil conservation bill.
This was a major event in our state’s history! Thank you President Roosevelt for recognizing the need for conservation districts through out the United States!
