Urban Conservation

The Crawford County Conservation District partners with the Sebastian County Conservation District to provide urban conservation assistance in Crawford County.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service is a principal partner in this initiative. Conservation Cooperative Agreements have been providing the funds for Conservation Technical assistance for the urban technician position. Starting in Sebastian County and now are also able to be utilized in Crawford County.  Financial grants are requested to secure our shared Urban Program Manager Jeremy Prater.  Grants are also obtained to provide various urban conservation projects within the counties.

The Urban Agriculture Conservation Initiative Grant

This grant establishes the technical assistance and education programs to demonstrate and develop the potential of urban agriculture and conservation to address food insecurity, healthy nutrition and pollinator and wildlife habitats.  This grant promotes sustainability and environmental quality.

Rain Garden

A rain garden (or a storm water garden) is a sustainable drainage solution that is created by a shallow depression with deep rooted, flood tolerant plants. It allows rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas, like roofs, driveways, walkways, parking lots and compacted lawn areas the opportunity to be absorbed. Storm water runoff is directed to the rain garden. Rain nourishes the garden while the roots of the garden plants clean the storm water, which slowly filters into the water table below. The purpose of a rain garden is to improve water quality in nearby bodies of water and to ensure that rainwater becomes available for plants as groundwater rather than being sent through storm water drains.

Will Baggett (Urban Technical Assistant) preparing the soil for our Rain Garden.
Jeremy Prater (Urban Program Manager) selects the proper plants/flowers for our Rain Garden.
Rain Garden collecting water from the parking lot like it’s supposed to.
Flowers grow without much care in our Rain Garden!
Rain Garden flowers grow back annually.
Flowers in our Rain Garden!

School Gardens

These raised beds were installed at the Cedarville School gardens.
Cedarville Elementary School Pirate Patch

Community Gardens

This Community Service Garden is located on the corner of 3rd and Washington Streets in Historic Downtown Van Buren.

Urban Garden Workshop

Our Garden Workshop originally scheduled for April 29th will be rescheduled to a later date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With this workshop, we plan to share…

  1. How to build an Urban Grow Tower
  2. How to build a Rain Barrel
  3. Best Native Plants for landscaping
  4. Health and Safety Tips in the Garden