Dean Edson and Jim Eschliman: Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts Turn 50
Platte Republican diversion pasture west of Smithfield, Nebraska.
N
ebraska’s natural resources districts, which handle a wide range of soil and water conservation and management issues in service areas mapped onto watershed boundaries, are about to turn 50 years old. They are observing that anniversary with a wide range of events throughout 2022. To get a sense of what the NRDs have accomplished and how they have changed over the last 50 years and to take a look forward at their next 50 years, we speak with Dean Edson, the executive director of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD), and Jim Eschliman, the president of the NARD’s board of directors.
Jim Eschliman: Around 15–16 years ago, I was elected to the Lower Loup NRD board, and a few years ago, I was elected to the NARD board. Right away, it needed somebody to fill in an officer position, and I forgot to step back instead of stepping forward. I ended up moving up the ladder, and for the last 2 years, I’ve been the president of the association. I
8 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022
Dean Edson: My background with natural resources goes back a long way. I was a partner with my dad in our family farming operation in Gothenburg from the 1970s until the mid-1980s. We were involved when the NRDs were first created. I was in contact with the manager at the time, Ron Bishop, and started thinking about things related to water and soil conservation we could do on the farm. I left the farm in 1984 during the ag crisis, went to college, and ended up working as the director of state governmental relations for the Nebraska Farm Bureau. I also started working on water and natural resources issues with the Farm Bureau, which got me back in touch with the NRDs again. In 1997, I accepted the position of NARD executive director, and I’ve been involved with a passion of mine, preserving natural resources in Nebraska, ever since. Irrigation Leader: What was the need or issue that inspired the creation of the NRDs? irrigationleadermagazine.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF PAT NOTT, TRI-BASIN NRD.
Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your backgrounds and how you came to be in your current positions.
sold my dairy cows in 2018, so besides my board service, I consider myself retired.
