McHenry-Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District

McHenry-Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District Our purpose is to serve McHenry and Lake County, Illinois residents and businesses and assist in conserving and protecting natural resources.

05/14/2026

Another successful day at the Capitol! ๐ŸŒฑ

AISWCD Board President Dale Shumaker joined Rep. Chung in presenting HB 4755 before the House Appropriations โ€“ General Services Committee, legislation requesting $10 million in FY27 operations funding for Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts.

Dale did an outstanding job telling the story of where our districts are today and why investing in local conservation matters. After getting word the night prior that the bill would be heard, he made the 8-hour round trip to Springfield for a 10-minute testimony slot โ€” a true example of dedication to conservation and our districts.

The committee response was encouraging, with strong engagement and support from members. We also had the opportunity to briefly highlight HB 5593, our companion legislation creating a dedicated funding source through an agricultural conservation fee, demonstrating our commitment to finding responsible, long-term funding solutions.

Thank you to everyone continuing to advocate for soil and water conservation across Illinois. The work is being noticed.

Congratulations to Olney on your win and to our Council 16 team, Lane Tech, for taking second place!
05/01/2026

Congratulations to Olney on your win and to our Council 16 team, Lane Tech, for taking second place!

Illinois State Envirothon is underway! Good luck teams!
04/29/2026

Illinois State Envirothon is underway! Good luck teams!

04/24/2026

For the most updated information regarding road closures due to flooding, please use this interactive map: https://mchenrycountygis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=f6d0cfca76ac4132a31368c5fa3b9036&fbclid=IwY2xjawRXS4JleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF3ZUVXUVA0MW9xbW9lWWRlc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqeuEdt-TzxZ-2wlX7zHfN7ysbOc85fWNFhxwoEPux0rLWSDUd0Ae5Km0-tG_aem_ZRexKntUXfJ8XbUZlFnKZQ Please be a good neighbor and respect all barricades and posted closures. Just 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars. Turn around, don't drown!

Fish sale pick up this morning. Three orders already on their way to their forever ponds ๐ŸŸ
04/23/2026

Fish sale pick up this morning. Three orders already on their way to their forever ponds ๐ŸŸ

04/16/2026

๐‰๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ! ๐๐Œ๐ ๐“๐š๐ฅ๐ค & ๐“๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ: ๐“๐ก๐ž ๐…๐จ๐จ๐ ๐’๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฆ ๐–๐ž ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐ญ โ€“ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ž๐ง๐ž ๐–๐ž ๐๐ž๐ž๐

Friday, April 17th from 1-3pm
McHenry-Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District Building
2222 Dean Street, Woodstock

This Talk and Tour will feature Scott Brix, one of the original co-founders of the Food Shed Co-op, who will present โ€œThe Food System We Built โ€“ and the One We Need.โ€ His talk will explore how local food movements and community-owned cooperatives can contribute to creating a more resilient and sustainable food system.

Local farmers, Broadview Farm and Gardens of Marengo and Wanda Farms of Harvard, who sell their produce, meat and eggs to the Food Shed Co-op will be joining us with tables of their wares at the Dean St. talk.

From global supply chains to McHenry County farmland, this talk will explore how the way we grow and distribute food impacts our environment. Scott Brix brings a unique perspective as both a food industry professional and co-founder of the Food Shed Co-op, sharing insights into soil health and sustainabilityโ€”and how local food movements and community-owned co-ops can help move the needle toward a more resilient and sustainable food system.

Scott Brix brings decades of experience in food science, engineering, and biotechnology. His years in the corporate food and agriculture sector left him increasingly disillusioned with an industry that often puts profit ahead of people, the planet, and real food. Determined to create an alternative, he helped launch the Food Shed Co-op - rooted in local, sustainable food systems that strengthen small, non-industrial farmers, local producers, and the community.

After the presentation, a tour of the Food Shed Co-op, at 2390 Lake Shore Drive, will highlight BMPs in action at the facility.

These popular Talk and Tour programs showcase Best Management Practices successfully implemented in McHenry County. The programs are a collaborative effort with the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County and the McHenry County Department of Planning and Development.

Register for event: tinyurl.com/BMPTourSignup

SWCD staff had the pleasure of presenting on soil erosion for Ag Expo this week.
04/10/2026

SWCD staff had the pleasure of presenting on soil erosion for Ag Expo this week.

Congratulations to Gavin Cafferkey, our 2026 Kenneth Fiske Memorial Scholarship winner! Hereโ€™s a little about Gavin:My ...
04/09/2026

Congratulations to Gavin Cafferkey, our 2026 Kenneth Fiske Memorial Scholarship winner! Hereโ€™s a little about Gavin:

My Name is Gavin Cafferkey. I am a person with a strong passion for the outdoors and a deep respect for natural resources. Growing up,l grew a love for fishing and spending time outdoors. These experiences shaped my dedication to conserving our environment and natural resources. These experiences have inspired me to attend UW Stevens Point studying in conservation law enforcement where I can protect waterways and natural habitats for future generations. Receiving this scholarship is going to support my goal of attending UW Stevens Point and allow me to continue to leam and practice the skills needed to protect our natural environment. I am committed to promoting responsible stewardship of the land and water because of my hobbies. I use fishing and hiking as an escape and I want to protect that privilege for generations to come.

Address

1648 S Eastwood Drive
Woodstock, IL
60098

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+18153380444

Website

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