SWCD Staff

Please contact us to find out how we can help you put conservation on your land!

We are located on the frontage road of Highway 28 east, right next to Subway, in Morris.

Matt Solemsaas, District Administrator

Matt has been the District Administrator since December 2005. He is responsible for overseeing daily district activities, supervising and directing district personnel, and working with the Board of Supervisors. Matt administers the native grass program including sales, planting, planning, and implementation. He also administers state programs such as RIM, co-administers the MN Wetland Conservation Act, and assists with planning and implementing the Local Water Management Plan. Matt graduated from North Dakota State University with a degree in Fisheries & Wildlife Zoology. Prior to working at the district, Matt worked at the U of M WCROC as an assistant scientist in the soils dept, as a Habitat Biologist for California Waterfowl Association in Sacramento, and as a Private Lands Biologist for Ducks Unlimited in North Dakota.

Andy Rice, District Technician

Andy is our District Technician. He has been at the Stevens SWCD since October of 2006. Andy was born and raised in Slayton and graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University with a degree in Environmental Science. Before his employment at Stevens SWCD, he spent some time out in Rapid City, SD helping geologists construct geologic maps of the Black Hills. Andy’s position is funded by a Farm Bill Assistance Grant, which is administered through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR). His primary duties are to assist landowners in conservation programs that include CCRP, CRP, CREP, and WRP-RIM.

Judy Johnston, Education & Promotion Coordinator

Judy has been with the district since 1994. She works closely with the education program and promoting the District through conservation activities. The major education programs she works with on an annual basis are the Pope & Stevens Water Fest, Pope & Stevens Conservation Day at SWELL, Sr. Envirothon, Jr. Envirothon. She also organizes presentations in the classrooms, distributes educational materials during Soil & Water Stewardship Week, puts together an informational booth for the county fair, organizes conservation tours, and cooperates with the local high school on various Service Learning projects. Judy is a graduate of Penn State University with a major in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology.

Chris Staebler, Office Manager

Chris has been our Office Manager since the fall of 2005. Her main role is to provide support to the SWCD board and staff, as well as to the Pomme de Terre Joint Powers Board. She oversees the financial recordkeeping and daily operations, administers the state cost share program, manages the web site, and coordinates a county-wide volunteer precipitation monitoring network. Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota Morris with a degree in English. She has worked in Morris since then and lives with her husband and two sons just outside of town.

Brett Arne, Watershed Coordinator

Brett was hired as the Watershed Project Coordinator for the Pomme de Terre River Association in October, 2010. Brett is housed out of the Stevens SWCD, but completes work related to water quality efforts throughout the Pomme de Terre River watershed. This involves portions of Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Swift and Otter Tail counties. Prior to working for the watershed, Brett had done some lake and wildlife survey work. He is an avid birder and enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities.

Stevens SWCD partners with numerous agencies and groups to bring conservation to Stevens County. Our partners include, but are not limited to: