Rural Conservation
We can help you live better in rural Clackamas County.
When people think of rural areas, they usually think of places out in the country, far away from towns and cities. That’s true, but rural areas can also be where cities and the countryside meet. These places are called the Urban/Rural Interface.
Rural life can be a great experience! You will have lots of chances to do things you cannot usually do in the city. If you want to raise sheep, ride horses, or plant an orchard that your kids or grandkids can enjoy, you can do that in a rural area.
Sometimes, people picture country life as just peaceful farms and pretty views. But there is more to it than that. We want to help you have a good experience living in a rural area.
Our conservation experts can give you advice on managing your property to reach your goals. You can contact the District or check our Frequently Asked Questions to find answers to your questions or concerns.
Rules and Regulations
Land use rules may differ from property within city limits. Do you know how your property is zoned, and what rules you have to follow for that zone? Clackamas County and state agencies use these rules to decide what people can and cannot do with land in rural areas. The following are a few types of rural areas.
Unincorporated communities and rural lands
Unincorporated Communities are small towns or neighborhoods that are outside city areas. These places have small-scale residential development together, with limited business, industry, or public uses. Rural lands are areas outside urban growth boundaries. These areas usually have small farms, woodlands, or large acreage home sites. Most rural areas do not have the services that cities do, like water and sewer systems, or they only have a few services, like garbage collection.
Agricultural Areas
Agriculture areas are lands in the county that can be used for farming. These areas are good for farms because they may have good soil, are suitable for animals to graze, and may have irrigation (ways to bring water to the land), or a water right to irrigate crops. These farm areas usually have large pieces of property, working farms, or land that is close to other farms and could help support farming.
Forest Areas
Forest areas are lands that already have forests or could grow forests in the future. The forest could be for timber production or a natural area. Forest areas also help protect water sources, provide habitat for wildlife and fish, and can be used for fun outdoor activities like hiking. These areas have soil capable of growing trees and are often steep hills. The trees and undergrowth provide, or soil that is good for growing trees. Trees and plants on these lands help keep the soil from washing away.
Forests also help separate neighborhoods with small farms or homes, block strong winds, provide travel corridors for wildlife, and keep certain roads and areas beautiful for everyone.
An acre is a parcel of land containing
43,500
square feet— slightly less than a football field.
Business and Farm Planning
Think it Through
You can decide if you want to use your rural land to make money or just enjoy living in the country.
Business Planning
Having a plan will help you share your ideas with banks, family, business partners, and people in your community. It also helps you think about different ways to run your farm or business and find options that work well together. There are several sources of assistance for building a business plan: One helpful guide for planning your business is “Building a Sustainable Business – A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses.” It was developed by the **Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, and you can read it online or download it free: Download the “Building a Sustainable Business” PDF.
Oregon State University also offers business planning resources here.
Right here in our area, the Clackamas Community College has lots of classes for people who want to learn about farming, business, and how to manage land. The college has a Small Business Development program to help you start and grow your own business. They also offer useful classes like landscaping, horticulture, tree care, and organic farming. To learn more, visit www.clackamas.edu or call 503-594-6000. Even if you don’t want to make money from your land, having a plan can still be helpful!
Homestead or farm planning
Think about how all the parts of your homestead will work together — your animals, crops, pastures, fences, barns, and more. Leave a buffer near a stream when preparing land to grow crops. Consider the shape of your land to help you figure out what to plant. Do you need water nearby and do you have a water right? Also, is your land zoned (allowed) for the goals you have in mind?
One helpful guide for planning is the Tips on Land and Water Management for Small Acreages in Oregon. You can find it online or get a copy from your local Conservation District.
Oregon State University also has a great website for people starting a farm. It has tips on choosing what to grow or raise, farming in a way that is good for the environment, and links to other helpful websites. Check out the OSU Small Farm Program.
Our Conservation Specialists are here to help! They offer free advice and support if you have questions or need help tackling land management issues.
Being a Good Neighbor in Farm Country
Everyone has their reason for living in the country. Some people want peace and quiet with beautiful views. Others want to make money by using their land for farming. Both goals can work well together when neighbors show respect for each other, their land, and the work they do.
Much of rural Clackamas County is made up of small family farms. Some of these farms have been run by the same families for over 150 years! Clackamas County is a leading producer of farm products in Oregon. Farming here brings in about $510 million and creates jobs. Farms also help keep the countryside beautiful and protect homes for wildlife.
Oregon has a “right-to-farm” law that helps protect the investment farmers have made in their operation. This law makes it harder for people or local governments to bring court action or legally declare a normal farm or forest work is a nuisance or trespasses. This helps farmers keep their farms running.
Conservation Tip: Create a strip of plants at least 20 feet wide next to a stream, pond, or ditch along the road. This helps catch runoff (water that flows off the land) and soaks up extra nutrients and chemicals. It also provides habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.
Oregon’s Right-to-Farm Law
Oregon has a law called the “right-to-farm” law. This law helps protect farmers from getting in trouble for normal farm activities. These include noise, smells, smoke, dust, or even the mist from watering crops. It also protects farmers when they properly use pesticides (chemicals to help plants grow) and when they move farm equipment or animals on public roads.
The “right-to-farm” law was updated in 1993 and 1995. You can find it in Oregon law at ORS 30.930.
What to Expect in The Country
Even if you choose not to farm your land, remember you live in a farming area. That means you will sometimes hear noise, see dust, and smell odors from nearby farms. There may be workers, extra traffic, and other things happening too. Farmers do not get to pick their own schedule — they must follow the weather and harvest when crops are ready.
For example, farmers must plant when the soil is just right. They add nutrients or sprays when the plants need them, and and harvest crops when the plants or animals are ready, and the market wants them.
If your neighbor raises animals like horses, cows, or goats, you might notice smells, noises, insects, and sometimes even an escaped animal. This might be annoying for a few days each year, but many people think it is worth it to live near open space and enjoy the beautiful views all year long.
It is important for neighbors to be patient and willing to compromise with each other to enjoy a rural lifestyle. If you decide you do not like living near farms, you may want to choose a more urban setting for settling down.
If you need help solving a problem with a neighbor, call Clackamas County Resolution Services at 503-655-8850.
You are a caretaker of your land and nature
When you live on a piece of land, it is your job to take care of it and use its natural resources wisely. This means thinking about how to keep the land healthy, not just for yourself, but for the people who will live there in the future. You are the land’s caretaker, or steward. It’s up to you to help protect the soil, water, air, and animals that live on your land — or even pass through it.
Make Your Land Healthier
Taking good care of your land helps the environment, saves you money, and makes your community a better place. It can even make your property worth more money. You are a good caretaker (steward) when you leave your land healthier and better than when you first moved there.
Conservation Tips to Improve Your Land
Control Pests
First try to control pests in ways that are safest for the soil and water. If you need to use chemicals like pesticides or weed killers, always follow the label and choose the ones that are safest for the environment.
Help stop mosquitoes and other harmful insects or diseases by getting rid of standing water and controlling invasive weeds. You can also use an integrated Pest Management plan. This helps reduce the chemicals you need to control invasive weeds and harmful insects.
Plant Buffers and Native Plants
Create a buffer strip of plants at least 20 feet wide along streams, ponds, or ditches. This helps filter out pollution, soak up extra nutrients and chemicals, and create better habitats for wildlife. To bring more wildlife to your land, focus on planting native trees, bushes, and other plants that naturally grow in your area. These plants provide food and shelter for native wildlife.
Keep Water Clean
Keep the water that leaves your land as clean as the water that comes in. Keep contaminants such as fertilizers, chemicals, animal waste, and dirt out of streams. Protect your drinking water, too. Store things like pesticides, fertilizer, fuel, and paint away from your well. If these chemicals spill near your well, they can reach water for you and your neighbor.
Use Less Water
Only use as much water as you need. Do not overwater your plants. Use conservation practices to save water and protect your well.
Drip irrigation (a system that drips water directly onto the plant’s roots) saves water by giving plants just the right amount they need. It is also better to water when it is cooler so there is less evaporation. Try watering early in the morning, in the evening, or at night.
Grow Plants That Fit Your Land
Choose plants and crops that grow well in your climate, soil, and site. Before you plant, test your soil to see what nutrients may be needed. Also, check to see how much water your crops will need.
Think about the shape of your land, slopes, and small climate changes (microclimates) to decide if parts of your land are better for animals, crops, or trees.
Healthy Pasture Means Healthy Animals
Keep your pastures and animals healthy by dividing your land into smaller grazing areas with movable fencing. Move your animals from one area to another so they do not eat the grass shorter than three inches. This is called rotational grazing.
This type of grazing helps your grass grow better, controls weeds, and keeps your land from getting muddy. It also helps keep your animals healthy. Make sure you only have as many animals as your land can support.
Keep Animals Out of Streams
Put up fences to keep animals and manure out of the water and protect the buffer plants along a stream. Clean water from another source is better and healthier for animals than the dirty, muddy water they make when they walk in the stream.
Use Manure to Feed Your Soil
You can turn animal manure into a natural fertilizer. In winter, store manure in a dry place with a cover so it can be spread on your fields during the growing season. Nutrients in the manure improve the soil and fertilize your crops or pasture grasses.
Protect Your Land from Fire
Make sure your land is defensible from fire. Be careful when burning. Remember — smoke and hot embers from fire can travel to other places. If a fire starts on your land and spreads, you may be responsible for any damage it causes. Learn about creating defensible space from the Oregon State Fire Marshal website.
Did you know?
Agricultural Water Quality Rules
The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) makes plans and enforces rules to stop water pollution from agricultural activities. ODA also works with farmers and ranchers to make sure they follow water quality standards and do their part to reduce pollution in rivers and streams. These pollution limits, called Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), are set by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)to keep water clean and safe.
Find out more from the Oregon Department of Agriculture website
The Oregon Forest Practices Act (FPA)
The Oregon Forest Practices Act (FPA) is a set of rules for all commercial forest activities such as planting, managing, and harvesting trees on private forest lands in Oregon. These rules do not apply to forests owned by the federal government. The Board of Forestry helps decide what should be in the rules. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) makes sure people follow the rules. ODF also works with landowners and workers to help them understand and follow the FPA rules.
Farm and Forestland Tax Deferrals
Farm and forestland deferrals let landowners delay paying part of their property taxes if they meet certain conditions, like property size and land use. In 1961, Oregon passed special laws to help farmers and forest owners. The state knew that farming and forestry were important to Oregon’s way of life and economy. That is why Oregon created special programs that lower property taxes for landowners who agree to use their land mostly for farming or growing and harvesting trees.
If you want to apply for one of these programs, you need to contact the Clackamas County Assessor’s Office to see if your land qualifies. https://www.clackamas.us/at/farm or 503-655-8671
Do you know if your land has a tax deferral? This is something a conservation planner will want to know. Contact the County Assessor’s office to find out.
Why do we care?
There are rules for land management and land use that you must follow if your property has a tax deferral. So, when the District helps you with a problem on your land, we want to make sure we do not recommend any practice that goes against the rules you need to follow to keep your tax deferral.
The Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District does not manage the tax deferral program and we do not fine or turn people into the authorities.
Equipment Rental Program
The Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District offers an Equipment Rental Program that helps people rent farm equipment. This program was created to give farmers access to conservation-focused equipment that can be hard to find, not offered by other rental places, or too expensive to buy if they are only used once or twice a year.
Rural Conservation Resources
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Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat.
—Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Clackamas Soil and Water Conservation District
