The Dallas County Conservation Department (DCCD) applies regional concepts to local projects and programs. DCCD implements a landscape systems approach by understanding and integrating physical and phenomenal relationships of socio-cultural and bio-physical elements.

The idea of watersheds, environmental corridors, and large ecosystems in a region with an agricultural matrix must be considered in environmental planning and design. Regional concepts advance and descend in scale at global, continental, regional, community, and site specific places. Political boundaries are transcended by the large landscape elements. For example, the Raccoon River Watershed includes17 counties and supports the notion that we all live downstream. Water quality and water resources, biodiversity, and environmental conditions and impacts influence all of us in the watershed in social and ecological ways.

Regional programs include the Raccoon River Greenbelt, Raccoon River water quality program, regional park concepts for greenbelts and cultural landscapes, the Central Iowa Greenways Project, Great Plains Regional Environmental Initiative, and the National River Restoration Strategy.