Chapter 71, Title 5 of the Guam Code Annotated (Guam Public Law 31-125:2), created the Soil and Water Conservation Districts and District Boards.  Specifically, this law established a Northern Soil and Water Conservation District and a Southern Soil and Water Conservation District to work in partnership with the University of Guam, and in cooperation with all government of Guam entities overseeing local and federal programs established to promote the conservation, development and the use of soil and water resources of Guam in order to control and prevent soil erosion and flooding, and to improve agriculture water management.

The jurisdictional area of each district:  The Northern District’s jurisdiction encompasses the entire land area that is situated to the North of Route 4 that extends from Agana Bay Paseo Loop Bridge to Pago Bay Bridge.  The Southern District’s jurisdiction encompasses the entire land area that is situated to the South of Route 4 that extends from Agana Bay Paseo Loop Bridge to Pago Bay Bridge.

Composition of District Boards:  Each district board is made up of five district directors, or five (5) Directors for the Northern District, and five (5) Directors for the Southern District.  The Directors are elected from within and among district members.

District Membership:  The membership of each district is made up of farmers, farmland owners and land occupiers in said district.  Farmer means a resident registered as a farmer by the Department of Agriculture.  Farmland Owner means a person, firm, or corporation who is an owner or operator of land used for the purpose of producing aquaculture products, bushes, crops, fruit or nut-bearing trees, herbs, livestock, ornamentals, timber or vines.  Land Occupier means any person, firm, or corporation who holds title to or, in the case of leased land, the person, firm, or corporation who holds possession of any lands lying within a district.

Registry of Active Members:  Each district board shall: a) invite farmers, farmland owners and land occupiers in their respective district to register as members, and b) to cause each registered member to be listed in an official registry of active members and said registry is to be maintained and updated quarterly, as needed, by each District Board.  Said registry of active members is used by the University to determine eligible voters and district director candidates as well as eligible nominators for director candidates in each district.

With respect to this statute, the University is to work in partnership with the Soil and Water Conservation District Boards to promote and support the conservation of Guam’s soil and water resources.  Below are the more salient activities the University provides to the district boards:

(a) assign to the district boards an advisor from the College of Natural and Applied Sciences;

(b) assist district boards with the coordination of programs, projects and activities, insofar as that may be done by advice and consultation;

(c) assist district boards with the dissemination of information throughout the University and the island, concerning district programs, projects and activities;

(d) assist the district boards with the preparation and implementation of soil and water resource conservation and utilization, to ensure the promotion of the conservation, improvement and protection of Guam’s soil and water resources, in coordination with the pertinent government of Guam entities;

(e) assist the district boards in fulfilling their mandates, to include obtaining the assistance of the federal government and government of Guam agencies in the work of the districts;

(f) provide technical support at the request of a district, as may be approved by the President of the University;

(g) keep a record of all official actions taken with respect to working with, or providing support or assistance to the districts and district boards; and

(h) conduct the election of all district directors, and in conjunction therewith including to promulgate the necessary rules and regulations by which farmers, farm land owners, and land occupiers shall nominate and elect, from among their number, district directors; and for the President of the University of Guam to certify the election results and provide a copy to the Governor of Guam and the Guam Legislature.

*Useful Soil and Water Conservation Districts links:

To view the Soil and Water Conservation Districts and District Boards law in its entirety, visit the Compiler of Law online site, click on Chapter 71 under Division 7 when on this webpage: http://www.guamcourts.org/CompilerofLaws/GCA/title5.html