Resource Conservation District Assistance Program

About RCDs

Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) are "special districts" of the state of California, set up under California law to be locally governed agencies with their own locally appointed or elected, independent boards of directors. There are currently 100 RCDs in California implementing projects on public and private lands and educating landowners and the public about resource conservation.

RCDs, authorized under Division 9 of the Public Resources Code, work together to conduct:

• Watershed planning and management

• Water conservation

• Water quality protection and enhancement

• Agricultural land conservation

• Soil and water management on non-agricultural lands

• Wildlife habitat enhancement

• Wetland conservation

• Recreational land restoration

• Irrigation management

• Conservation education

• Forest stewardship

• Urban resource conservation