Soil and Water Conservation Week
By the Governor of the State of Alabama
A Proclamation
August 28, 2009

WHEREAS, in 1933, the United States Department of the Interior created the Soil Erosion Services as a temporary division to deal with the crisis created by widespread erosion and environmental problems, such as the Dust Bowl; and

WHEREAS, the Soil Erosion Services, through the Civilian Conservation Corps, did the first major conservation work in Alabama, with 13 soil conservation camps in operation in Alabama by 1935, along with three conservation demonstration projects; and

WHEREAS, a new demand for expanded conservation efforts arose, and in 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation creating the Soil Conservation Service, the first soil conservation act in the history of any country; and

WHEREAS, on February 27, 1937, President Roosevelt sent the Standard State Conservation Districts Law to the governor of each state, urging each state to pass enabling legislation that would allow the state to form local conservation districts; and

WHEREAS, on March 18, 1939, Governor Frank Dixon signed the law creating the Alabama State Soil and Water Committee and authorized the formation of local soil and water conservation districts; and

WHEREAS, there are currently more than 15,000 soil and water district supervisors directing the affairs of nearly 3,000 conservation districts across America, with 335 supervisors in the 67 districts of Alabama; and

WHEREAS, the soil and water conservation districts are the only local unit of government charged with the responsibility of conserving Alabamas resources; and

WHEREAS, their mission is to put each acre of land in Alabama to use for which it is best suited, stop any form of soil deterioration, increase soil productivity, protect and conserve our precious water supply, and plan and implement the reforestation and replanting of the acres of countryside:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bob Riley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 14 though September 19, 2009, as

Soil and Water Conservation Week

in the State of Alabama.

Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor at the State Capitol in the City of Montgomery on the 28th day of August 2009.

Governor Bob Riley