Cooperators with Homer Soil and Water are individuals (or entities) who have signed a cooperator agreement with the District. The simple, 1-page agreement documents that the individual or organization wants to “cooperate” with District efforts by developing and managing their lands in ways that reflect land and water suitabilities, as well as good management practices.
The District assists cooperators to meet their land use goals by providing them with technical guidance related to the land uses in which they're interested. The District also provides cost-share assistance for some land use activities, such as control of invasive weeds and establishment of rain gardens.
In providing cooperators with technical assistance, the District coordinates with its sister agency, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. District staff can help cooperators learn about NRCS programs available to them, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) that provides financial assistance to land managers to help them install conservation practices addressing resource concerns.
CLICK HERE to fill out the form to be a cooperator! You can also download and sign the Cooperator Agreement Form (pdf) and send it to us.
Other benefits of being a District cooperator include:
As a cooperator you will receive a ballot for the annual election of supervisors and are eligible to run for a seat on the 5-member volunteer board that sets the direction of District projects.
To run for a seat, in November you can fill out the nomination form from our website or pick one up in our office at 432 E. Pioneer next door to NRCS.
Since you will need three signatures of support from other cooperators, just ask for a copy of our cooperators list. Now you can track down the folks you know who can help get you nominated.
Next you will need to send the nomination form by email to the Alaska Association of Conservation Districts. The address is on the form.