Swain Soil and Water Conservation District

06/16/2026

📣Check out the 2026 NC Envirothon Annual Report!

Both of our staff members help coordinate this annual state-wide event and this year we had two teams from Swain County participate 🐛

06/12/2026

In case you missed it: The USDA Farm Service Agency is strengthening the farm safety net thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act that adds up to 30 million new base acres nationwide.

From now until August 31st, landowners can update and increase base acres in preparation for enrollment. Learn more at the link below!

More info: https://shorturl.at/0YTxP

06/10/2026

🚨District Dirt Alert🚨
Check out what we've been up to this busy season!

06/05/2026

The Swain Soil & Water Conservation District Board is excited to announce Alexa Aldridge as our second 2026 Swain SWCD Student Scholarship winner! 🎉

Alexa is a member of the Swain County High School class of 2026 and will be attending UNC Charlotte, where she plans to study early childhood education with the goal of becoming a teacher. She is a dedicated student and hard worker with strong community involvement and a history of participating in SWCD programs, like our annual bookmark contest and field days.

Rooted in a Swain County farming family, Alexa credits much of her inspiration to her father, Cayle Aldridge, whose life and work exemplified service and stewardship. We look forward to seeing her succeed and we wish her the best of luck as she continues her academic journey. Congratulations, Alexa!

06/05/2026

The Swain Soil & Water Conservation District Board is happy to announce the first of our two 2026 Swain SWCD Student Scholarships winners, Darien Vaughn! 🎉

Darien is a 2024 graduate of Swain County High School and will be entering his third year at SCC studying graphic design. He has goals to one day open his own business. Growing up in a farming family, Darien has a strong understanding of Swain County agriculture and is known for his dedication and work ethic. In addition to his past involvement with Swain County 4‑H and our SWCD education programs, Darien has given back to the community through numerous volunteer efforts.

We are proud to support his academic journey and can’t wait to see where it takes him. Congratulations, Darien!

05/25/2026

05/15/2026

05/12/2026

Check out this fun contest from our friends at 4-H and the Swain County Agricultural Fair!

🎉 Help Us Celebrate America’s birthday with our America 250 Sticker Design Contest! 🇺🇸

In partnership with the Swain County Agricultural Fair, we want to invite youth to participate in creating a fun festive sticker design.

🏆 The winning design will become the official 2026 Swain County Agricultural Fair sticker and will be featured on our website, social media, and promotional materials throughout the coming months.

We can’t wait to see how you bring this year’s theme to life through your artwork! ✨

For all the details, go to: https://www.swainfair.org/america-250-sticker-design-contest-911251.html

04/30/2026

Another year of Conservation Field Days in the books! Today we were at the beautiful Oconaluftee Island Park with fifth graders from Cherokee Central Schools and New Kituwah Academy. Students enjoyed the outdoors while learning about everything from beekeeping and wildlife to forestry and soils from our amazing presenters: Mainspring Conservation Trust, National Park Service, NC Division of Soil & Water Conservation, NC Division of Air Quality, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, EBCI Cooperative Extension Center, Dogwood Farm, and Balsam Mountain Trust Nature Center. A huge thank you to our presenters, volunteers, teachers, and students who help us with this fun event each year. We couldn't do it without you!

04/29/2026

Today we held Swain SWCD's 51st Annual Conservation Field Day and it looked a little different than normal, but it was still as fun as ever! Due to the rain, we met inside at East Elementary School and welcomed 5th graders from East, West, and Mountain Discovery. Students rotated through hands‑on stations and learned all about natural resources thanks to our incredible presenters: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC Division of Soil & Water Conservation, NC Division of Air Quality, Swain County Cooperative Extension, Mainspring Conservation Trust, Dogwood Farm, and Balsam Mountain Trust Nature Center. Thank you to the presenters, volunteers, teachers, and students who made the day great, and shout out to East Elementary for hosting us. We're looking forward to another day of fun and learning in Cherokee tomorrow!