NACD Southwest Region Newsletter

March 21, 2024

Welcome to the NACD Southwest Region newsletter, delivering announcements and news to NACD Board Members, conservation districts, state associations, and agency leaders across the Southwest. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who might be interested - they can subscribe to the mailing list on the Southwest Region Webpage.

Tina Thompson, Southwest Region Chair, AZ

Josh Smith, Executive Board Member of the of the Southwest Region, NM

Rachel Theler, Southwest Region Representative, CO

Please reach out to Rachel with questions and newsletter content ideas.

Check out NACD's Southwest Region Webpage for continuing updates.

Region Rep Update

Spring is such a shy animal up here in the mountains. One day, you’re reminded of what it feels like to feel the sun on your face and hear the birds in the trees, and the next minute, you're in a blizzard that brings over two feet of snow and leaves you wondering if you’ll ever be able to take the plow off the side-by-side. Wherever you are, I hope you can find the humor in this mercurial month that we call March.

Many exciting things are going on for our region this spring! First off, we have another SW District Sharing Session this coming Tuesday, May 26! Zach Byram of the Clear Creek Conservation District out of Buffalo, WY, will be sharing about his district’s Russian Olive removal program and the comprehensive watershed model under development. More information, as well as the Zoom link, can be found below. I hope you can join us, but the session will be recorded and posted on the SW region website if you can't make it live. As a reminder, if you have a district project, challenge, or success you’d like to share, please let me know.

Next up, we have our first of five SW District outreach training series on May 7. Thanks to your great feedback over the past year, it became apparent that there is a big need for outreach and marketing training specific to conservation districts. The Southwest Region has partnered with KR Creative Strategies to bring the SW region a series of five outreach and marketing training sessions. This first focuses on turning technical assistance and best management practices into meaningful stories. Other sessions will cover topics such as communication conservation districts’ unique value, effective communication with decision-makers and policy-makers, capturing video on your phone and interview do’s and don’ts, and capitalizing on social media. I hope you can join us live as there’ll be a chance to ask questions at the end, but if not, these sessions will also be recorded and posted on the SW Region website. Register via this link.

The PAC/SW Region Meeting is slated for September 11-13 in Anchorage, Alaska. Registration is currently live and breakout session proposals are being accepted! You can learn more here. Hopefully, you can make the trek up to the great north country, where the salmon run will still be going, and the animals will be starting their eating frenzy for the long, dark winter.

Finally, the Urban and Community Agriculture grant deadline is fast approaching! The deadline for this program is April 1. I want to remind everyone that even though the word “urban” is in the title, this program is open to any conservation district regardless of population. Both planning and implementation grants are available. More information about that program can be found here, and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I’m here to help, reach out to me anytime. -Rachel

Announcements & Updates

District Sharing Session Next Tuesday!

Please join us for the next Southwest Region District Sharing session! If your district or state association has something they would like to share in a future session, please contact Rachel Theler.

Zach Byram of the Clear Creek Conservation District in Buffalo, Wyoming, will be presenting on the district's Russian Olive removal cost-share program as well as the comprehensive watershed model that is under development.

These sharing sessions are free and open to everyone! Please use this Zoom link and join us on Tuesday, March 26th, at 8:00 a.m. MT!

The sessions will be recorded and posted on NACD's Southwest Region Website for those who can't make it live.

UAC Grant Deadline

Time is running out to apply for this round of Urban and Community Conservation (UAC) Grants!

We are again accepting applications for up to $60,000 to support projects that promote the delivery of conservation technical assistance in urban and community-oriented settings, including projects that serve rural populations. See the full RFP online, with applications due April 1, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. PT.

With over 100 example projects already completed or active in 35 states (see NACD’s UAC Story Map), conservation districts have provided technical assistance to urban and smallholder farmers on soil health, pollinators, biodiversity conservation, native plants, irrigation and water management, and a variety of other technical topics.

While not a required aspect of the grants, many conservation districts have used their UAC grants to further develop their own programming related to underrepresented clients. Many grantees have addressed food security and sovereignty within their local communities, as well as supported minority farmers, migrant communities, and others who may not have traditionally accessed conservation district programming. Potential UAC applicants are encouraged to read NACD’s Board Statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity to understand our commitment to equitable programming.

Any questions related to the UAC grant may be directed to Rachel Theler at rachel-theler@nacdnet.org.

Apply Here

Southwest Region Outreach Training Series

Please tune in for the first of five of the Southwest Region Conservation District Outreach Training Series!

The first session, which will occur on May 7th at 10 AM MT, will cover turning technical assistance and best management practices into meaningful stories. This session will be recorded and posted to the SW Region website for those who can't make it live.

We have partnered with KR Creative Strategies to bring this training to the region. They have designed a 5-part outreach series, all geared toward delivering the unique conservation district message. Each one-hour training will provide actionable tips specifically designed CD audience, keeping in mind various priorities and board/staff capacities across districts.

NCPP Survey

The National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) started the journey of developing a strategic plan in July of 2022 culminating in a signing ceremony February of 2023. A link to the final plan on the NCPP website is as follows: NCPP Strategic Plan_FINAL.pdf | Powered by Box.

Throughout the implementation phase of the strategic plan, NCPP leadership has identified priority tactics that align with one another. As a result, NCPP invites all employees to participate in a nationwide a survey that touches on the following topics: conservation planning process, certification, advancement, access, and barriers.

We would greatly appreciate your feedback survey in order to gather sufficient data to advance each partner’s mission. The results of the survey will be aggregated, and responses are confidential. A report of the findings along with recommendations will be developed and displayed on the NCPP’s website within 60 days of the survey’s closing.

The survey can be found here.

Take the Survey

Forestry Survey

Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experience on some forestry-related issues! Completing this voluntary survey is essential for us to better understand conservation district and district partner involvement in reforestation, specifically in seedling production and nursery capacity. The data will be shared through NACD communication channels as well as with key partners like the Forest Service, NRCS, and state forestry agencies.

If you have questions, please contact Annica McGuirk, NACD's Forestry Program Manager, annica-mcguirk@nacdnet.org. Thank you for your valuable contributions!

Take the Survey

SW/PAC Region Meeting

Mark your calendars for this year's SW/PAC Region Meeting! This year it's the Pacific's turn to host. The meeting will be September 11-13 in Anchorage, AK. Registration, breakout session proposals, and other information can be found here.