In a rare January string of severe weather, a tornado packing winds of up to 100 miles per hour touched down in Union County, causing widespread flooding and leaving a nearly mile-long path of damage through the small town of Ware.
Unfortunately, Southern Illinois is no stranger to extreme weather events like this. And, as the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events has increased in recent years, the conservation efforts of our local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) have become more important now than ever.
SWCDs partner with farmers and landowners, homeowners, developers, and local governments to provide valuable technical assistance on vital natural resource issues. SWCDs are part of a nationwide network of independent, non-tax-levying units of local government, governed in large part by farmers and farm families. The key goal is to protect our greatest assets — our rich, fertile soils and water resources — through strategic conservation efforts.
Read the full story at the Southern Illinoisan HERE.