About Us
The Eaton Conservation District is a local unit of State Government established in Eaton County in 1946. The District has a five member board of directors who are elected by local property owners at the District's annual meeting held in January. The Board oversees the development and implementation of soil and water conservation in the county.
The District focuses on natural resource problems and solutions. Our services include protecting groundwater, watershed planning, woodland and wildlife improvements, soils information, stream bank stabilization, conserving and restoring wetlands, providing tree seedlings, conservation books and information workshops. The Conservation District serves as the link between the landowner and local, state and federal governments and conservation organizations. Michigan Conservation Districts are unique local units of government that are the local providers of natural resource management services, utilizing state, federal, and private sector resources to solve today’s conservation challenges.
The District focuses on natural resource problems and solutions. Our services include protecting groundwater, watershed planning, woodland and wildlife improvements, soils information, stream bank stabilization, conserving and restoring wetlands, providing tree seedlings, conservation books and information workshops. The Conservation District serves as the link between the landowner and local, state and federal governments and conservation organizations. Michigan Conservation Districts are unique local units of government that are the local providers of natural resource management services, utilizing state, federal, and private sector resources to solve today’s conservation challenges.
Board of Directors
Board members are elected at the District's Annual Meeting and serve 4 year terms. However, these terms may range from 1 to 3 years. If you would like more information about becoming a board member, please call our office at (517) 543-1512 x5. (Full length) Board Member Position Description Board Member Duties View Board Documents Michigan Association of Conservation DistrictsMichigan’s 75 Conservation Districts (CDs) are your local providers of natural resource management services -- much like your local fire, police, health, and school services. We're also your neighbors, helping fellow Michiganders conserve their lands and waterways so our environment can be a cleaner, healthier, economically stronger place to live, work and grow for our community. Formed in response to the 1930s Dust Bowl, Conservation Districts are local units of government that utilize state, federal, and private sector resources to solve today's conservation challenges. The guiding philosophy of Conservation Districts nationwide is that decisions on conservation issues should be made at the local level, by local people, with technical assistance provided by government-affiliated organizations. To this end, our CDs work hand-in-hand with local, state, and federal organizations to roll out programs that directly assist and impact the environmental quality of local communities and our beautiful peninsulas. Learn more by visiting Michigan Association of Conservation Districts and National Association of Conservation Districts.
Annual ReportsVolunteer OpportunitiesAt ECD, there are a variety of volunteer opportunities available. No matter your interests or abilities − if you care about our soil and water quality, we can use your help!
Volunteering at the Eaton Conservation District is a great way to help your community. We’re always looking for more people! Below is a list of areas in which volunteers could be of assistance. If any of these appeal to you, or if you have another idea of how you can help out, the first step to becoming a volunteer is to contact our office at (517) 543-1512 x5. Opportunities include:
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What ARE Conservation districts?Meet our staffRachel Cuschieri-Murray, Executive Director
Rachel’s roots in conservation began with collecting seeds and foraging with her dad on the Army bases where she grew up. Rachel attended Eastern Michigan University where she obtained degrees in communication. She worked with schools and businesses in the Detroit suburbs and Capital Region to promote conservation efforts. Rachel loves organizing the community around conservation so she was delighted to join the ECD team as Environmental Outreach Coordinator in the spring of 2022. Rachel was promoted to Executive Director in the fall of 2022. Rachel lives in Delta Township with her family, where she eats the dandelions in her lawn and plants as many varieties of native edibles as she can get her hands on.
Contact Rachel: rachel.cuschieri-murray@macd.org Cait Carpenter, MAEAP Technician
Cait grew up on a diversified farm in Webberville, Michigan and earned her Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from the University of Tennessee - Martin after receiving a certificate in livestock management from MSU Institute for Agricultural Technology. Her background is varied, ranging from agriscience education to meat processing, but her specialties are agroforestry and grazing systems. Cait would love to spend time with you to discuss why sheep are the livestock of the future. When she's not busy turning every open space into pastureland, she serves on the Ingham County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, spends lots of time with her Scotch Collies, Ellie and Jack, at home in Leslie, and enjoys a good true crime podcast or hiding in a tree stand with her bow.
Contact Cait: cait.carpenter@macd.org Sue Spagnuolo, Training and Support
Sue was hired as the Executive Director of the Eaton Conservation District in March 2016. She originally joined the District in December 2013 as the part-time bookkeeper. Before joining ECD, Sue retired from farming and was a MAEAP verified Grade A goat dairy and farmstead cheese producer. As the Executive director of ECD, Sue built many partnerships, reached every corner of Eaton County to advance Conservation practices, and educated people of every age to become better stewards. In October 2022, Sue stepped down from her position but continues to provide training and support to the District.
Contact Sue: sue.spagnuolo@macd.org Hillarie Gibbs, Environmental Outreach Coordinator
Hillarie grew up here in Charlotte, living in Eaton county her whole life. She was a member of Millerburg 4-H club in Eaton county where she showed Lambs, Pigs, and Rabbits as well as participated in the county shooting sports. She is an alumnus of the Charlotte FFA. She is a recent graduate Olivet College where she originally starting college in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. She found a love for conservation, changing her path entirely and instead got a degree in Biology and Environmental Science. In her free time she enjoys reading, hiking, true crime podcasts, live music and caring for her plants, her dog, Willa, her cat, Mittens, and her leopard gecko.
Contact Hillarie: hillarie.gibbs@macd.org
Matthew Swain, USDA-NRCS District Conservationist
Matthew grew up on a beef farm in Lapeer County raising Angus, Simmental, and Charolais cattle for show. He was a member of 4-H and also participated in FFA, representing the state of Michigan in the Nursery/Landscape Career Development Event competition at the FFA National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
Matthew earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and Planning from the University of Michigan – Flint and established himself with the Lapeer Conservation District. He moved on to a position assisting NRCS in Area 4 with outreach, technical assistance, and enrolling producers and landowners into Farm Bill Programs within Lapeer, Oakland, Genesee, Ingham, and Livingston counties. Matthew worked for Lapeer and Genesee Conservation Districts and as a soil conservationist at the Mason field office. Inspired by the many amazing people he has met during his career, Matthew's passion for conservation has led him to become the NRCS District Conservationist at the Charlotte Field Office. Contact Matthew: matthew.swain@usda.gov Shawn Kelly, USDA-NRCS Soil Conservationist
Shawn moved to Michigan with his wife Danielle Zoellner in the summer of 2012. He studied Natural Resource Management and Forest Ecology at Clemson University, South Carolina, and proceeded to work with the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station conducting prescribed burns and fire research in the Southern Appalachians.
Passionate about conservation, the move to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in 2014 was a natural fit for Shawn, enabling him to apply his knowledge of natural systems to help private landowners better understand, manage, and conserve their natural resources. Shawn spends his days developing conservation prescriptions for landowners and agricultural producers, and educating the public on the benefits of conservation. In his free time, Shawn enjoys working on his property and farm with his lovely wife and daughter, trail running, and listening to live music. Contact Shawn: shawn.kelly@usda.gov |
Eaton Conservation District
551 Courthouse Drive, Ste. 3 Charlotte, MI 48813 (517) 543-1512 x 5 |
ECD MissionThe mission of the Eaton Conservation District is to promote and encourage cooperation with other individuals, groups, organizations, or agencies in an organized effort to conserve and improve the natural resources in Eaton County.
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