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Join conservation district leaders from across the country traveling to Washington, D.C., this year to participate in NACD’s Spring Fly-In. Build relationships with congressional representatives and their staff, highlight the importance of locally led conservation, and advocate for strong federal conservation policies.
This Spring Fly-In is critical for conservation districts and our country’s conservation delivery system. Your members of Congress need to hear from you directly about the critical impact of conservation districts and the need to pass a Farm Bill. The process of moving this necessary piece of legislation through the chambers of Congress has already begun.
Join us on March 25, beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET in the Hart Senate Office Building with a Breakfast Briefing, followed by individually scheduled meetings with congressional offices. The day will end with a reception at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Schedule meetings with your congressional representatives and their staff and RSVP to let us know you will attend Spring Fly-In. If you need guidance on who to meet with, please reach out to Libby Wawro, NACD Director of Government Affairs.
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To prepare for the Spring Fly-In, the NACD Government Affairs team is holding two virtual advocacy training sessions. During these trainings you'll have time to review NACD's priorities, learn some tips and tricks for meeting with representatives, and ask the Government Affairs team questions. The same information will be presented at both sessions. Register here to join the session on March 19 at 4:00 p.m. ET or watch the recording from yesterday's session here.
Visit the Spring Fly-In page for more information, including the day's agenda and answers to your frequently asked questions.
| EDUCATION KITS AND MATERIALS ARE READY | |
Great news! The supplies for the 2026 District Education Material Kits have arrived, and we have made changes to help streamline order fulfillment to support the growth of the NACD Marketplace. Several kits are now assembled and ready to ship.
You can find the District Education Kits on the NACD Marketplace. Options include a classroom kit for 25 students or a larger kit for up to 100 students. Each kit includes student journals, activity mats, coloring pages, and outreach materials. An optional soil probe is also available for hands-on demonstrations. These materials are designed to help districts easily host classroom visits, field days, or community events centered on this year’s theme, “Soil. Where It All Begins."
Stewardship Week will be celebrated April 26 through May 3, 2026. Please order by April 20 to ensure your kit arrives in time for Stewardship Week activities. These kits make it easy for districts to bring soil conservation education to students and communities across the country. Not looking to have materials printed? Many of our education materials are also available for free digital download.
| THE NATIONAL CONSERVATION FOUNDATION DEVELOPS CONSERVATION LEADERS | |
Did you know that NACD has a sister organization that cultivates, educates, and inspires conservation leaders of all ages? The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) was formed to develop our next generation of conservation leaders. Organized in 1952, the NCF supports the advancement of programs and partnerships to deliver conservation solutions through locally led environmental conservation and focuses on developing the next generation of conservation leaders. The foundation provides funding for public outreach, youth development, and leadership development programs.
Envirothon
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Envirothon’s start can be traced back to 1979, when the Pennsylvania Soil and Water Conservation Districts created an “Environmental Olympics.” Their goal was to cultivate and expand high school students’ interest in natural resource-based careers. The Environmental Olympics quickly gained popularity and grew rapidly to include 40 different teams at the 1987 Pennsylvania games.
The massive success of the Environmental Olympics had gotten the attention of neighboring states. In 1988, teams from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Massachusetts joined together to compete in the first national competition, renaming it to “Envirothon.” With the addition of the first Canadian province of Nova Scotia in 1992, Envirothon became the world’s largest natural resources international competition.
Today, there are 55 programs with over 25,000 high school students from across the United States and its territories, Canada, China, and Singapore competing in local, state, provincial, and national events each year. The first-place team from each state, provincial, and partner-nation Envirothon competition is eligible to attend the NCF-Envirothon annual international competition to compete against the top teams for thousands in scholarships and awards.
While the competition is what brings students together, the real purpose of NCF-Envirothon is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to educate others, inspire action in their local communities, and promote a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.
Next Generation Leadership Institute
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While Envirothon helps our nation’s students develop into the next generation of natural resource leaders and professionals, the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) focuses on conservation district officials already serving their community and provides them with skills to meet the needs of natural resource management, decision-making, and advocacy in our country.
Board members or district officials from any state or U.S. territory are eligible to apply to this yearlong leadership development program. Those who are selected will spend a full calendar year learning and growing with a cohort of dedicated members from across the country.
NGLI participants learn effective communication techniques, build skills in conflict management and delegation, practice advocacy skills, and develop their own unique leadership style. This group of district officials will meet virtually and in person throughout the year, including NACD’s national meetings, and even make a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal agency leadership and lawmakers.
Many graduates of the NGLI program have gone on to serve in leadership roles in state and territory associations and at NACD. Our current President-Elect, Mark Masters, and Second Vice President, Ryan Britt, are graduates of the 2020 NGLI cohort. Three of NACD’s Executive Board members are NGLI Alumni, as well as several NACD Regional Board chairs.
Read more about NCF and these programs on NACD's blog.
| | NACD Seeks Director of Membership | |
NACD seeks a Director of Membership Engagement to lead analysis, planning, and coordination of NACD’s membership engagement and service delivery efforts. The Director works with conservation districts, state associations, and NACD leadership to assess district capacity, identify member needs, and develop services that strengthen member value and organizational resilience. This role provides analysis and recommendations that inform NACD’s membership programs, engagement strategies, and long-term sustainability.
The position can be based in Washington, D.C., or remotely. See the position description here and apply by March 27 to receive priority consideration.
| Join Webinar on Soil: Where it All Begins Education Program | |
Tomorrow, join NACD for the next Urban and Community Conservation Webinar, 'Soil: Where It All Begins,' on March 18, at 4:00 p.m. ET, covering NACD’s Stewardship & Education Programming! Register here.
Hosted in partnership with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, join to hear from Aimee Figgatt, NACD Stewardship and Education Coordinator, about NACD's conservation stewardship and education materials. With Stewardship Week just around the corner, this is your opportunity to prepare by getting familiar with this year's soil health-themed education materials!
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National Cover
Crop Survey
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Farmers across the U.S.—whether they use cover crops, formerly used them, or have never planted covers—are invited to share their insights on cover crops in this year's National Cover Crop Survey, being conducted by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and the American Seed Trade Association.
The survey is open until March 31. Responses are anonymous and should take about 15 minutes to complete. Visit the CTIC website to view reports from past surveys.
| See Urban Wood Utilization Guide | |
The Urban Wood Utilization Guide was released in February 2026 to help cities, nonprofits, and urban forestry professionals turn downed trees and woody debris into a circular community reinvestment.
Produced by Unified Wood Economy and partners and funded by CAL FIRE and the USDA Forest Service, the Guide walks users through pre‑planning, partnerships, implementation, and monitoring. It also highlights economic valuation tools, sustainability criteria, and strategies for integrating wood utilization into broader climate and waste reduction goals.
Access the guide and supporting tools here.
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Thank you to everyone that has already paid membership dues for FY26! We rely heavily on your contributions to support our advocacy, education, and partnership activities.
If you are interested in contributing, we accept payments via check or online by credit card or bank draft. Please reach out to us if you have questions about the best way to pay your dues. In addition to supporting NACD, your dues enable you to access the tools on our Members Only webpage and apply for our Friends of NACD grants!
| Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events! | |
