Dakota Conservation Network simplifies access to programs

BY ARIANA SCHUMACHER Agweek

MITCHELL, S.D. — Conservation program resources are abundant in South Dakota, and they were spread out among dozens of websites and organizations — until the Dakota Conservation Network was created.

This new website, conservesd.org, brings all the information to one location, in an easy to navigate webpage. This is a project that program coordinator Blaine Brakke has been working on for the past four years.

“When I was getting into this, I didn’t have a whole lot of knowledge, so it was a little bit personal to me because it was hard to find and learn about NRCS programs, Pheasants Forever, Game Fish and Parks, all the different programs,” Brakke said. “I had at one point 80 to 100 different tabs open trying to find these programs and I thought there’s got to be a way to get this stuff in one place.”

The website launched this spring. Right now, the site features different conservation programs from around 30 different organizations.

“Mostly anything to do with a lot of your crop ground and grass and some hay ground on there,” Brakke said.

There is an interactive map that gives visitors a look of all the programs offered in each county.

“If you kind of understand what you are looking for, you go on there and pick your county that you want to look in and find out what programs are available,” Brakke said.

It’s a partner-driven project.

“So, if you are a partner in conservation or if you have a service, say like well drilling or whatever that may be, you can also put your information on there,” Brakke said. “So, we are slowly developing into that hub for conservation.”

This website is a great source as agriculture starts to look to the next generation of producers, Brakke explained.

“Some of the older guys are starting to be on their way out and a lot of the younger folks don’t pick up the phone quite as easily as some of the older guys. It is easier for them to visit a website and scratch around and look and get some ideas maybe before they call,” he said. “I think it provides a way to look up this kind of stuff without having to maybe go into the office or be on the phone for an hour with the office or go into the office.”

And it’s a place for more than just ag producers.

“I think with a lot of services out there that people don’t know about, say if they are just planting a garden, there is so much assistance out there that people don’t have an idea that it is out there,” Brakke said.

They hope to eventually be able to showcase local projects on the website as well.

“I think a lot of people that aren’t producers or that live in the conservation space, don’t know all of the programs and projects that are happening in their area,” Brakke said. “They could be happening right out their backyard and they wouldn’t know. And with this website, we are slowly developing maps to show (the projects).” dakotalegacyinitiative.com) both have websites similar to this.

It's been a slow start, but overall, they have seen a good response to the site.

“We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback and now we are just getting going on trying to get it out to producers and local folks to have them start to use it," he said.

Montana (www.mtanaconservationmenu. org) and North Dakota (https://www.

“All of them are new within the last couple of years,” Brakke said. “So, I think it has been found as a definite need for websites like this and I would expect it to expand.”