Benton Soil & Water Conservation District

What Benton Soil & Water Conservation District does

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District (Benton SWCD) is a government special district established in 1956 under Oregon Revised Statute 568, providing free conservation services to residents of Benton County, Oregon from its Corvallis headquarters. The organization serves three primary constituent groups: farmers and rural landowners seeking soil health and erosion control guidance, urban residents interested in native plants and backyard conservation, and educators and community partners requiring curriculum resources and field programs. Services are delivered through direct technical assistance (site visits, consultations, conservation planning), educational programming (workshops, webinars, the Salmon Watch youth program, the Weed of the Month blog series), community volunteer events (Let's Pull Together invasive removal days), and annual native plant sales.

The district operates without proprietary technology products; its core digital assets are reference-oriented resources including online native and invasive plant databases, a content blog ('The Dirt'), and standard web infrastructure powered by Google Analytics and the Streamline platform for special districts. Communication and meeting tools (Zoom, Oregon Invasive Species Online Hotline) support virtual programming and citizen-science reporting. Programmatic offerings are coordinated through the Benton County Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) and include grant-funded projects such as the OWEB-supported Oak Habitats Engagement Project.

As a public special purpose district, Benton SWCD is funded by a combination of Benton County property tax revenues, state grants (OWEB, Oregon State Weed Board), federal sources (Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery funds), and donations. All services are provided free of charge to the public. The district maintains deep institutional partnerships with Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, OSU Extension, multiple watershed councils, municipal parks departments, and regional nonprofits, with shared staff arrangements embedding it in a broader conservation governance network. Leadership includes an Executive Director, Plant Program Coordinator, Community Engagement Coordinator, Operations Coordinator, and three technical conservationists covering soil, resource, and habitat specialties.

Name

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District

Legal name

Benton Soil And Water Conservation District

Website

https://bentonswcd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District is an Oregon government special district, founded 1956 and based in Corvallis, that delivers free conservation technical assistance, native plant sales, invasive species management, and environmental education programs to Benton County residents, funded by property taxes and state grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Administration of Conservation Programs (924120)

SIC

Forestry (800), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources Administration (Watersheds, Rivers, Groundwater) (BPAIAMAE)

Keywords

• Soil conservation services
• Water resource management
• Invasive species control
• Native plant sales
• Conservation education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Corvallis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding & Grants: As a special district, Benton SWCD receives operational funding through property taxes, state grants (including OWEB Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board grants, Oregon State Weed Board funding), and federal sources. They operate on public funds to provide conservation services to county residents.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District is a government special district that delivers free conservation technical assistance, invasive species identification and management, native plant sales, and environmental education programs to residents of Benton County, Oregon. Services include site visits, soil and water quality consultations, the Benton County Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA), native and invasive plant databases, the Salmon Watch program, and community volunteer events such as Let's Pull Together invasive weed removal days.

Product overview

Benton Soil & Water Conservation District operates as a single unified conservation services organization offering multiple interconnected programs rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include the Benton County Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) for invasive species coordination, the Weed of the Month educational series, Native Plant Sales, and the Salmon Watch education program. These programs are supported by comprehensive online resources including native and invasive plant databases, workshops and webinars, and direct conservation technical assistance services for landowners. The district also conducts oak habitat restoration through grant-funded projects and provides volunteer opportunities through events like the annual Let's Pull Together invasive weed removal events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benton County Cooperative Weed Management Area (CWMA) A cross-jurisdictional invasive species management program coordinated by Benton SWCD that addresses protection of conservation areas, supports native fish and wildlife, and educates the public about invasive species threats.
• Native Plant Sales Annual Fall and Winter sales events offering regionally appropriate native plants for conservation landscaping and restoration projects, targeted at Benton County residents and restoration practitioners.
• Salmon Watch Program Youth and adult education and outreach program focused on salmon conservation and watershed awareness, delivered in partnership with schools and community organizations.
• Let's Pull Together Volunteer Events Annual volunteer invasive weed removal events held across multiple sites in Benton County, partnering with watershed councils, parks departments, and conservation nonprofits for hands-on habitat work.
• Workshops and Webinars Educational events and workshops for farmers, landowners, and community members covering soil health, conservation practices, invasive species management, and related topics.
• Native and Invasive Plant Databases Online plant identification and management databases cataloging native and invasive plant species in Benton County, with search and reference tools for residents and restoration practitioners.
• Conservation Technical Assistance Free technical assistance for Benton County landowners covering soil quality concerns, water quality concerns, conservation planning, and on-site conservation implementation support.

Quantifiable outcome

• $34,130 awarded by OWEB for Oak Habitats Engagement Project to map and assess oak woodland, savanna and prairie habitats
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon State University ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026OSU Extension partners with Benton SWCD to present the Spring Weed Watchers Workshop, providing educational programming and technical resources for invasive species identification.
• Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Collaborative partnership for noxious weed management. ODA and Benton SWCD respond together to invasive species detections, with ODA providing regulatory authority and technical expertise for weed control programs including garlic mustard eradication efforts.
• Oregon Department of Fish and WildlifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025ODFW staff conduct routine monitoring that detected the garlic mustard infestation. Partnership for early detection of invasive species and collaborative response efforts.
• Greenbelt Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Collaborative partner for invasive species management on private and protected lands. Working together on garlic mustard mitigation efforts south of Corvallis near Monroe.
• Oregon Invasive Species CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025State council providing field tours and educational opportunities for invasive species awareness. Benton CWMA participates in OISC events.
• Marys River Watershed CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Local watershed council partner for conservation events including 'Let's Pull Together' invasive removal days. Shared staff arrangement with Luckiamute Watershed Council.
• Corvallis Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Partner for conservation events and invasive species removal at city properties including Witham Hill Natural Area. Collaborative management of poison hemlock and other weeds.
• Albany Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Partner for invasive species removal events at Takena Landing and other city properties. Provides volunteer tools and support for weed management.
• Institute for Applied EcologyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Nonprofit partner for prairie habitat restoration at Old Peak Meadow and Marys Peak Meadow sites during 'Let's Pull Together' events.
• Luckiamute Watershed CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Watershed council partner with shared staffing arrangement. Aubrey Cloud serves as Restoration Project Director for Luckiamute and contracted shared staff between both councils.
• The Confluence CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Collaborative partnership for conservation work. Executive Director Michael Ahr serves as point of contact for this initiative.
• Willamette Mainstem CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Cooperative for river restoration and aquatic invasive species management. Michael Ahr handles Willamette Mainstem Cooperative and aquatic weeds work.
• Western Invasives NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Regional invasive species network. Courtney Gattuso serves as Coordinator for Western Invasives Network since 2022, providing collaborative management opportunities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Benton Soil & Water Conservation District