Welcome to the NACD Southwest Region newsletter, delivering announcements and news to NACD Board Members, conservation districts, state associations and agency leadership 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.
Josh Smith, Vice Chair of the Southwest Region, NM
Jim Berlier, Executive Board Member of the Southwest Region, NM
Please reach out to Rachel with questions and newsletter content ideas.
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It's been great to be back on the road again! Two weeks ago, I visited the folks up in Wyoming, encountering various forms of weather along the way. I was in Utah this week for the Utah Association of Conservation District's annual partner meeting. A big thank you to both Wyoming and Utah for their hospitality. I always look forward to attending meetings in person when I can. |
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Since I came to NACD, my goal has been to make the Southwest Region feel more like a community rather than a collection of states identified on a map. It's the reason I started this newsletter. In my previous job and my time with NACD, I've heard conservation districts say they feel like an island, alone in the sea of conservation, without the collaboration and partnership usually so conducive to conservation work. Here in the Southwest Region, there is so much room for cooperation! We are six states strong, and many of you face the same challenges. Some of you have found a way to overcome those challenges that could be useful to other conservation districts in the region.
I invite you to take the survey linked in the next newsletter segment about introducing a Southwest Region district sharing session. This would be a quarterly(ish) event via zoom, during which one district or state association would share a success or a challenge. Then the group would be able to discuss similar issues going on in their areas. The goal for these sessions would be two-fold. Firstly, it would allow districts from across the region the learn about solutions that may work for them. Secondly, it would open the lines of communication between states and districts, hopefully helping lessen that island feeling. Sometimes it's nice to have a reminder that we're all in this together, even if we're in different states.
As always, I'm here to help! Please don't hesitate to reach out if there's anything I can do for you.
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As I mentioned above, I would like to gauge your interest in a Southwest Region district sharing session. Please take a moment to fill out a short survey here.
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Registration open for Summer 2022 Meeting |
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The meeting will feature a variety of diverse plenary and concurrent breakout sessions. Participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy conservation tours highlighting agriculture, conservation, forestry, and more in Puerto Rico.
Register and reserve a room by Friday, June 24, for the best rates and availability.
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Local Work Groups Resource Guidebook Now Available |
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Launched during last month's National Conservation Planning Partnership Work Conference, a Local Work Groups Resource Guide is now available to conservation districts.
The guide reviews Local Work Group membership and responsibilities, and provides a meeting checklist, and example documents, such as bulletins, agendas, and notes pages.
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Farm Bill Task Force Adopts Principles |
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In a recent meeting, NACD's Farm Bill Task Force adopted Farm Bill Principles that will be used to guide the group’s work moving forward.
As Congress begins the process to develop the 2023 Farm Bill, NACD’s Farm Bill Task Force will continue working to develop priorities and find opportunities to engage with congressional leaders.
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Congratulations to Campbell County CD, Clear Creek CD, and Cody CD, all of Wyoming, for being selected for NACD's Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant! The Southwest Region received a total of $70,000 from the UAC Grant this year. If you missed this year's cycle don't worry! It will come around again next year.
You can learn more about the UAC Grant program here.
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iNaturalist, one of the largest citizen science projects globally, is an online educational social network and community-based platform that allows students to collaborate with each other, educators, and natural resource specialists as they explore nature.
To help advisors and students make the most of the iNaturalist experience and connect it to Envirothon training, a series of Activity Guides (lesson plans) is being developed for the Envirothon focus areas of: Aquatic Ecology, Forestry, Soils/Land Use, and Wildlife.
More information about this project, as well as instructions on how to get started, can be found here.
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Save the Date for the Next PAC/SW Region Meeting in Maui!
*Note the updated date
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More info coming soon! In the meantime, you can learn more about the hotel here. The hotel rate is available from Labor Day and for three days following the conclusion of the meeting.
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Support Friends of NACD, Receive a Free Neck Gaiter |
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This summer, receive a complimentary neck gaiter with the conservation c logo with your donation of $75+ to Friends of NACD!
Show your dedication to conservation and protect your neck this summer by becoming, or renewing your commitment to Friends of NACD today!
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Register for June's Urban and Community Webinar |
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June 16, 2022
4:00 PM - 5:00 p.m. Eastern
Wyoming may not be a state that we think of as “traditionally urban”, but the conservation districts still have many opportunities to work on community-oriented conservation projects.
In Jackson Hole, in particular, the Teton Conservation District (TCD) and their partners have completed several exemplary projects related to stormwater and snowmelt management, wildlife habitat, and fruit gleaning resulting in positive outcomes for both the human and non-human residents of the city.
In this webinar learn from Carlin Girard, TCD Executive Director, about some of TCD’s projects, including the Karns Meadow Stormwater Treatment Wetland, a 40-acre open wetland area located in the town of Jackson. The district manages the wetland in partnership with the city as a means to filter snowmelt and stormwater before it flows into a local creek.
We will also hear from Orion Bellorado, Co-Founder of Farmstead Cider. The cidery started in partnership with TCD as an effort to glean fruit from neighborhood trees within Jackson, to prevent bear invasions in town. Farmstead is now a successful local business, with 5 ciders distributed in 6 states. Join us to hear more from Carlin and Orion about these great community projects in Wyoming!
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America the Beautiful Challenge Request for Proposals |
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The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), through anticipated cooperative agreements from the Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is pleased to announce the launch of the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) 2022 Request for Proposals (RFP). The ATBC vision is to streamline grant funding opportunities for new voluntary conservation and restoration projects around the United States. This Request for Proposals is a first step toward consolidating funding from multiple federal agencies and the private sector to enable applicants to conceive and develop large-scale, locally-led projects that address shared funder priorities spanning public and private lands.
In year one of the ATBC approximately $85 million will be awarded in nationwide funding to advance the America the Beautiful Initiative and its goals to connect and restore the lands, waters, and wildlife upon which we all depend. In the first year, ATBC will seek to fund projects across the following themes:
- Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands, and watersheds
- Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands, and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks
- Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds, and seascapes
- Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought, and other climate-related threats
- Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities
Collectively, these themes allow applicants to develop landscape-level ATBC proposals that address conservation and public access needs that showcase cumulative benefits to fish and wildlife, carbon sequestration and storage benefits, engage with and benefit underserved communities, support community access to nature, and help safeguard ecosystems through conservation, resilience-focused and nature-based solutions.
- Pursue a collaborative and inclusive approach to conservation
- Conserve America’s lands and waters for the benefit of all people
- Support locally led and locally designed conservation efforts
- Honor Tribal sovereignty and support the priorities of Tribal nations
- Pursue conservation and restoration approaches that create jobs and support healthy communities
- Honor private property rights and support the voluntary stewardship efforts of private landowners and fishers
- Use science as a guide
- Build on existing tools and strategies with an emphasis on flexibility and adaptive approaches
The deadline for proposals is July 21st.
The full request for proposals can be found here.
An applicant webinar recording is available here.
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NACD President Crowder Testifies Before House Subcommittee |
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On May 25, NACD President Michael Crowder testified during a hearing the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held on “Supporting Careers in Conservation: Workforce Training, Education, and Job Opportunities.”
In his testimony, President Crowder addressed the challenges currently facing our conservation workforce, highlighted the effects these issues have on conservation delivery and showcased NACD’s efforts to bring more conservation experiences to students of all ages.
“From elementary school to colleges and beyond we need to inspire, educate, and provide more opportunities for the next generation to enter the conservation workforce. NACD is proud to be taking action to achieve this goal,” said President Crowder.
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Sublette County Conservation District is Hiring |
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The Sublette County Conservation District in Pinedale, Wyo is seeking two Range Specialists. View the full announcement here.
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September 7-10, 2022 - PAC/SW Region Meeting | Maui, HI
July 13-18, 2023 - 2023 NACD Summer Conservation Forum and Tour | Bismarck, ND
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