ANNUAL MEETING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!

Have you heard the buzz? NACD wants you to join us at the 2025 Annual Meeting! Hosted in partnership with the Utah Association of Conservation Districts, this year's meeting will take place in Salt Lake City, UT, from February 8-12, 2025. Join us in the Beehive State to explore the theme "Bee the Change: Reaching New Summits in Conservation!"

Register online before Friday, January 17, to secure your spot!

NACD is excited for a revamped schedule of events for the meeting. Past meeting attendees have said they especially enjoyed networking, so this meeting will have even more opportunities for you to connect with peers, including more breakout sessions, exciting tours and events, and additional hours at the Conservation Showcase.

Interested in becoming a sponsor or exhibitor?

Our meeting prospectus has everything a potential partner needs to know about a variety of ways to engage with conservation districts at the Annual Meeting.

NACD offers a variety of sponsorship opportunities and a full range of targeted levels of support. If your business, agency, or organization is looking to introduce your programs, products, or services to leaders in the conservation community, the Conservation Showcase is the place to do it!  These options mean you can voice your commitment to locally led conservation with a level of engagement that offers the greatest benefit to your organization.

Ready to book?

All the details on registration and exclusive hotel and travel discounts, including special discounted airfare with Delta Airlines, can be found on NACD's Annual Meeting webpage. If you have any questions or want to be a sponsor for the event, contact events@nacdnet.org. We can't wait to bee in SLC with you!

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON?

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

Yesterday, Congress certified the results of the 2024 election. Earlier this month, Mike Johnson (R-LA) was re-elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, and John Thune (R-SD) was elected to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. GT Thompson (R-PA) will remain the Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, while Angie Craig (D-MN) will serve as the new Ranking Rember. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) will Chair the Senate Agriculture Committee, while Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) will serve as the Ranking Member. Both the House and Senate agriculture committees are welcoming new members.

Stephen Vaden was selected to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in the new administration. Vaden previously served as General Counsel for USDA. The Senate Agriculture Committee is planning to hold a confirmation hearing for President-elect Trump’s nominee for Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins on January 15.

GROWING FORESTS, BUILDING FUTURES IN MINNESOTA

The Hubbard Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in Minnesota has advanced local conservation through innovative forestry and environmental programs. A key effort, supported by a 2023 NACD Urban and Community Conservation (UAC) Grant, has helped establish scalable forest gardens, enhancing food security, wildlife habitat, and the urban forest canopy. The work also included installing five food forest demonstration sites in Akeley, Nevis, Park Rapids, and Pine Point, complete with educational signs and scannable codes for more information. They also distributed garden kits featuring native plants and seeds with planting guides, boosting community engagement through tree sales and outreach events.

In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Forestry Division, local schools and civic groups, and other partners, the Hubbard SWCD Seed and Cone Collection Program enlists students and community members to gather seeds and cones to supply to the Minnesota State Forest Nursery. Participants learn about tree identification, sustainable harvesting methods, and proper seed storage techniques. The program’s hands-on approach deepens community understanding of forestry while building a local seed bank to support long-term forest regeneration. Volunteers are provided with seed collection kits equipped with the necessary tools, such as seed bags, pruners, and storage containers. These educational workshops and community collection events encourage people of all ages to engage in conservation activities.

Hubbard SWCD is advancing conservation in the Upper Mississippi River Basin through its Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) grant-funded project, “Protecting Priority Lakes in the Upper Mississippi Basin: Managing Forests for Water Quality Protection.” This initiative focuses on partnering with forest landowners near priority lakes to maintain and enhance water quality through sustainable forest management. Forests play a crucial role in preserving the Upper Mississippi River Basin by absorbing rainfall, reducing runoff, and improving water infiltration, helping to safeguard the basin’s freshwater resources.

Through collaboration with lake associations, conservation groups, and local government partners, Hubbard SWCD will foster long-term environmental stewardship. Detailed lake management plans will be developed, outlining conservation priorities and actionable goals tailored to each lake’s watershed. 

Hubbard SWCD’s forestry initiatives demonstrate a strong commitment to conservation, environmental education, and community engagement across a spectrum of community-focused programs and forest landowner engagement.

Read this full story on NACD's blog.