Did you know that the West Routt County Conservation District was formed almost 80 years ago on December 7, 1942? A few years later the East Routt Soil Conservation District was formed on June 23, 1947. The two districts were merged in 1972 and renamed the Routt County Conservation District (RCCD). The RCCD covers most of Routt County.

The establishment of Conservation Districts was a result of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The widespread use of heavy annual tillage coupled with severe drought left the soil bare and open to erosion. Due to the dramatic nature of the dust storms, Congress authorized the creation of the Soil Conservation Service (now the Natural Resources Conservation Service) in 1935. It soon became apparent that successful conservation required input from local farmers and ranchers. This local input came in the form of Conservation Districts. There are currently more than 3,000 of them nationwide and 76 in Colorado.