Mission Statement
“Dedicated to the encouragement and instruction of the wise stewardship of the soils and waters of Berks County so that present and future generations may have healthy land on which to live and work and clean water for drinking and recreation.”
Vision Statement
“To become a leading professional conservation organization that provides high-quality programs and services to our present and future residents in our rapidly changing Berks County natural resources conservation environment.”
Pennsylvania Constitution
-Section 27, Article 1-
“The people have the right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”
History
The Conservation District was formed at the request of a group of conservation-minded farmers on August 13, 1946. Clarence Althouse, Curtis R. Bashore, Clarence S. Dietrich, John Grubb and James E. Lesher served as the first Board of Directors. Over seventy years later, the Board now consists of six members and one County Commissioner. Each potential Board Director is suggested by one of our 13 Nominating Organizations and then appointed by the County Commissioner to serve four-year terms. The County Commissioners Director serves a one-year term and is appointed by the fellow commissioners. In addition to the Primary Directors, Associate Directors assist in the decision making process and also serve on various District Committees. The Board Chairman appoints the Associate Directors annually. District Directors and Associate Directors serve the Board as volunteers and as a community service to the County of Berks. The Board meets regularly at 1:00 PM on the last Wednesday of the month in the Conference Room of the Berks County Agricultural Center.
