Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) are “special districts” of the State, set up under California law to be locally governed agencies with their own locally appointed or elected independent board of directors.

California RCDs implement projects on public and private land and educate landowners and the public about resource conservation.  RCDs, authorized under Division 9 of the Public Resources Code, work to conduct:

• Agricultural land conservation
• Conservation education
• Forest stewardship
• Irrigation management
• Recreational land restoration
• Soil and water management on non-agricultural land
• Urban resource conservation
• Water conservation
• Water quality protection and enhancement
• Watershed planning and management
• Wetland conservation
• Wildlife habitat enhancement

The History of RCDs