San Mateo Resource Conservation District

People who live, work, or play in coastal San Mateo County know this is a special place. We are inspired by the abundance and beauty of its natural and working lands, from the tops of redwood-forested mountains to the majestic coastline and beaches of the Pacific Ocean. We depend on its healthy soils, clean air, water resources, and ecosystems to sustain our health, economy, and way of life. How we steward these resources directly affects biodiversity, public safety, equity and justice, diverse industries, and our personal fulfillment.

The San Mateo Resource Conservation District, or SMRCD, is an important partner in San Mateo County’s stewardship efforts. We are one of nearly 100 conservation districts in California that were developed to support farmers and ranchers with soil and water conservation practices in the aftermath of the 1930’s Dust Bowl. We serve as a local hub for conservation, connecting people with the technical, financial, and educational assistance they need to conserve and manage natural resources.

SMRCD works directly with landowners and other constituents to ensure the resilience and health of water resources, soils, wildlife habitat, and beyond. We coordinate assistance from all available sources — public and private, local, state, and federal — to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resource concerns.

While there have been significant investments to preserve, restore, and care for the lands and waters of coastal San Mateo County, our community, like many others in California, faces grave threats and significant challenges. Not surprisingly, the same forces that threaten plant and animal species also threaten human lives and livelihoods — climate change, species extinction, water pollution, catastrophic wildfire, historic drought, flooding, sea level rise, harsh inequity and injustice.

The San Mateo Resource Conservation District is up to the challenge. Our work takes many forms — from providing technical assistance through the expertise of hydrologists, engineers, biologists, foresters, and soil scientists to coordinating resource management and conservation efforts across jurisdictions and land ownerships. With a deep understanding of the people and the lands of San Mateo County, rooted in more than eighty years of service, we are ambitiously, courageously, and effectively bringing science-based solutions to environmental concerns to ensure a more thriving natural environment for all.

More than 90% of the RCD's funding is from grants. Will you donate today to help ensure clean water, viable farms, thriving wildlife and resilient communities in 2020 and beyond?  Each dollar you donate will be leveraged by an additional $300 dollars to support the long term sustainability of our rich and diverse natural resources. Donating to the RCD is a way of supporting the responsible stewardship of natural systems in your own backyard. Your donations allow us to deepen our offerings to the community and expand critical programs. Please help us reach our donation goal of $100,000 for 2023.

To learn more about the work that the RCD does, our history, and how we operate, visit our website at www.sanmateoRCD.org.