The East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (EMSWCD) is a unit of local government serving Northwest Oregon’s Multnomah County east of the Willamette River. We are led by an elected board of five directors and several associate directors. We work entirely on a voluntary, non-regulatory basis. All our work is geared toward keeping water clean, conserving water and keeping soil healthy.
Our district is a very diverse place. We serve areas from central Portland and Gresham out to the Mt. Hood National Forest, and our work is designed to fit that diversity.
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- A map of the area East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District covers.
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- SWCDs came about during the Dust Bowl, when the federal government realized local conservation districts could better help landowners with their specific challenges. Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.
Our 20-member staff provides a wide variety of programs and services to urban and rural residents and businesses. We also offer several kinds of grants toward conservation projects and education, a Farm Incubator Program to assist new farm businesses, a Land Legacy program to help protect agricultural and natural resource lands, free workshops and events and much more!
Use this website to explore our programs and services, and contact us to find out how we can help you care for land and water.