General Information

The purpose of Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), Inc. is to provide the local leadership and framework required for developing and carrying out a comprehensive plan of action for the conservation and development of the natural and human resources in southwest Iowa. Golden Hills RC&D is a non-profit organization serving counties and Soil & Water Conservation Districts of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie (East & West), and Shelby.

Our Mission

Develop and promote economic, human, and natural resources through cooperative efforts.

What is RC&D?

Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) is a unique program that helps people protect and develop their economic, natural, and social resources in ways that improve their area's economy, environment, and quality of life. Local RC&D Councils provide a way for people to plan and implement projects that will make their communities better places to live.

RC&D is based on the idea that local people know what their communities need and can create solutions that will really work. Groups of local volunteers establish RC&D Councils, which represent sponsoring organizations within a multi-county region. RC&D Council Directors volunteer their time to address important issues in their communities, and to build a better life for themselves and others. The strength of the RC&D Program is in local people working together to solve their own problems. The development of local leadership and community pride is a key part of RC&D projects and successes.

Iowa Resource Conservation Development Areas

Golden Hills RC&D receives staffing and financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which provides the Coordinator to work with the Council. RC&D Coordinators work closely with the Council to identify problems, establish goals and objectives, build strategies, and implement plans. Although Golden Hills receives assistance from NRCS and many other partnering agencies and organizations, priorities and policies are set locally by the Council.

A Short History of Golden Hills RC&D

Planning for the Golden Hills RC&D was started in 1978 at the suggestion of Ernie Aust, Area Conservationist. The Golden Hills RC&D, Inc. opened their office in Oakland, Iowa in August, 1981 with Richard Bolli as Coordinator. Bob Smith of Sidney, Iowa was a member of the organizing committee to help start his RC&D in southwestern Iowa. Bob has continued to be very active and has been Secretary of the Golden Hills Executive Board since 1990.

The Golden Hills RC&D area is comprised of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, East Pottawattamie, West Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties and Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

Coordinators have been: Richard Bolli - August 1981 to October, 1988; Martin Adkins - November, 1988 to September, 1993; Martin Braster - October, 1993 to May, 1997; Shirley Frederiksen started May 12, 1997. Gloria Lyman, Secretary, started February, 1982 to present.

In the 1980's most of the projects related to diversification of crops and development of the successful projects were the Southwest I critical area treatment projects. In 1989, the RC&D Council re-examined its mission, and developed new goals aimed at:

• developing businesses based on the area's natural, cultural and other resources;
• working with local governments on projects to benefit the environment;
• filling gaps in services to people at risk;
• improving water quantity and quality.

This resulted in a growth and diversification of project activity. Projects dealt with a variety of issued, including rural water system development, tourism, small business and local economic development, diversified agriculture, human services referral, and protection of the Loess Hills landscape. These projects also worked to develop local leadership capacity, as hundreds of volunteers provided direction and their own resources to make project concepts become reality.

One example of these efforts in the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. This project was done in cooperation with seven counties in western Iowa. Scenic byway routes have been established with byway signs and a map/guidebook for traveler's use. This guidebook has been printed four times and has become a very useful tool for the scenic byway. With this project new ideas for improving the byway are being developed with additional signage and interpretive panels.

Two awards have been received by Golden Hills RC&D in connection with this project: (1) North Central Association of RC&D's in January, 1993 for Outstanding Measure Award; and (2) National Endowment for the Arts, Presidential Design Award for the Federal Design Achievement Award in 1995.

The Hungry Canyons of western Iowa is another successful project which deals with stream channel erosion control. This project includes 22 counties in the deep loess region of western Iowa. This initiative has united local government and other leaders to cooperatively plan, fund, and implement channel stabilization projects. In 1996 the Hungry Canyons Alliance received a Merit Award from the Soil and Water Conservation Society.