NACD is now accepting proposals for breakout sessions for the 76th Annual Meeting to be held in Orlando, Florida, February 12-16, 2022. Applications can be completed online and must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 24, 2021.

Questions can be submitted to info@nacdnet.org.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (DA) recently announced dates for five virtual public meetings throughout August as the agencies prepare to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” (WOTUS). During the meetings, the agencies will provide an overview of the process and attendees will be able to provide feedback. 

Please contact NACD Natural Resource Policy Specialist Mary Scott at mary-scott@nacdnet.org with any questions.

The Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (LPSNRD) based out of Lincoln, Nebraska, first received an NACD Technical Assistance (TA) Grant in 2018 to hire an additional resources technician on staff to help get more conservation on the ground. Since that time, LPSNRD has received three additional TA grants to retain the technician, and the benefits have been outstanding.

LPSNRD is comprised of a six-county area of southeastern Nebraska, including one million acres and over 350,000 residents. The district operates and maintains 190 flood control dams, 13 miles of levees, approximately 12 miles of urban stream channels, 50 miles of trails, nine wildlife management areas and 11 public wetlands, and also monitors ground water quantity and quality.

Each year, LPSNRD provides over $1 million in cost-share assistance to approximately 150 landowners to install best management practices and make improvements to reduce soil erosion. These measures include creating terraces and grassed waterways on their fields, constructing sediment basins, planting cover crops and more. The overall environmental benefit is better quality surface water. To provide these cost-sharing programs, LPSNRD works with several other government agencies, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR). The amount of LPSNRD cost-sharing varies from program to program. Occasionally, the district designates targeted areas where cost-sharing is at a higher rate to encourage best management practices in those areas.

Since receiving the 2018 grant, LPSNRD has seen a boost in conservation technical assistance to producers and has been able to administer its land treatment cost-share program more efficiently in Lancaster and Cass Counties. The additional staff position funded through the grant has helped reduce workloads, maintain quality of work products, and increase access to conservation programs and staff technical assistance.

Read more on NACD's blog.

Worcester County Conservation District (WCCD) is providing forestry and conservation information and assistance to hundreds of people across Massachusetts through a Neighborhood Outreach Project. The online webinars grew as a method of providing education to county landowners at a time when in-person workshops scaled back due to COVID. On average, between 30 and 80 people logged into the workshops, depending on the topic. Afterward, WCCD uploaded the webinars to their YouTube channel, where they have garnered hundreds of views since.

“It’s a great way to do outreach and get more visits for conservation practices,” WCCD Conservation Planner Joel Betts said. “It doesn’t replace the things you learn hands-on – there are things you just have to do in person – but I think that people recognize the value of webinars more than they have before.”

While much of Worcester County is forested, the Massachusetts Forest Action Plan identifies many areas as high risk for development. Invasive species and pest threats, especially if the land is not managed, increase that risk.

The Neighborhood Outreach Project provided WCCD with funding to produce the series of webinars covering lawn alternatives, native plants and birds and soil health, including planting for various types of soils. Funding also allowed for follow-up site visits with landowners seeking additional assistance with forest management.

WCCD also partnered with the NRCS and North County Land Trust (NCLT) for the project.

Though the webinars were geared toward smaller plots, native planting and soil health, they connected Betts with landowners of larger plots who were also seeking information on forest management practices.

Read more on NACD's blog.

In 2020, together with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), NACD awarded funding through the Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant Initiative to the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in Virginia.

The district was, and continues to be, proud to partner with local non-profit Williamsburg Community Growers (WCG) to enhance urban agriculture and conservation education opportunities for students and community members throughout the greater Williamsburg region.

Both organizations share missions to increase conservation education opportunities for the public; demonstrate urban agriculture conservation practices; and increase access to fresh, local produce. Since 2016, WCG has operated a community garden that has seen tremendous growth in membership and a teaching farm that is supported by local students and volunteers.

With funding from the NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation initiative, Colonial SWCD was able to employ a part-time urban agriculture technician to oversee all aspects of production at the WCG teaching farm, including crop planning, planting, harvesting, pest management, irrigation and post-harvest handling.

Recognizing the need for sustainability beyond grant funding, the urban agriculture technician also identified several new revenue streams to continue the position. A pilot community supported agriculture program, a new partnership to sell produce to a local restaurant, and a weekly farm stand selling produce to the public will all generate funds for the district to continue the urban agriculture program.

Other outcomes from this project include almost 4,000 pounds of produce donated from the teaching farm to local food pantries and low-income families; dozens of new volunteers helping in the teaching farm (including students); and the creation of an educational workshop series to introduce community members to gardening and conservation.

The partnerships and connections built throughout this grant project will be integral to the future success of the Colonial SWCD and WCG’s urban agriculture efforts. Because of Colonial SWCD’s success with partnerships, the district’s best piece of advice for any districts who are considering taking on a similar project would be to start building relationships and partnerships with other organizations in the community who may be interested in similar objectives as soon as possible. These partnerships will prove to be invaluable for sustainable success and true community support.

Read more about all grantees through NACD’s Urban Agriculture Conservation Initiative online in our ArcGIS StoryMap Shortlist.

On Tuesday, August 3, NACD Immediate Past President Tim Palmer participated in a panel discussion at the Minnesota Farmfest on agriculture's role in carbon sequestration.

"We can utilize a carbon market as conservationists," said Palmer. "There is a huge need for corporations and the federal government to offset their carbon, so that's a real opportunity for us to get in on a federal and international level."

While carbon credits can be a potential way for producers to double crop their acre, it can also have on-farm benefits like soil health and water retention. The panel agreed that carbon credits are unlikely to reach a price that would completely offset the costs of implementing carbon storage practices on a farm, so the producers have to be willing to invest in soil health too.

Panelists included representatives from the Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture, the Land O' Lakes corporation and local farmers. They emphasized the importance of partnerships between government, corporations and producers in the 'new frontier' of the emerging carbon market.

You can watch the recorded panel here.

On Monday, Aug. 9, NACD's Southeast Region inducted nine new leaders into the Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame during the 2021 Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony.

The Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame recognizes individuals from the nine-state, two-territory region who have had a significant impact or influence on conservation practices and partnerships. Each state and territory may nominate one individual for the award each year.

The 2021 inductees are:

There are only three weeks left to send in your nominations for the 2021 NACD Service Awards. This opportunity offers national recognition to outstanding individuals and organizations for their work and leadership in soil and water conservation.

The Friend of Conservation Award recognizes an individual, business, organization or agency outside the association for outstanding contributions to the conservation of our nation’s natural resources.

The NACD Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual within the association, a conservation district or a state association that has made significant contributions to the conservation and proper management of our nation’s natural resources.

Visit the NACD website to nominate your conservation leaders now through August 31, and to view previous award winners, visit the NACD Awards Archives.

The Soil Health Institute's (SHI) 2021 Annual Meeting begins tomorrow.

Over the course of two engaging days, SHI will bring together the leading voices in soil science and the agriculture industry to share research and insights for advancing the adoption of soil health systems that are foundational for regenerative agriculture.

Registration is free but required to attend. You can learn more and register here.

Join the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. Eastern for a webinar titled, "Landscape Scale Community Forestry: Working across boundaries to advance forest health."

In this webinar, Lance Davisson and Harry Griffith will share the story of how community development leaders in Blaine County, Sun Valley, Ketchum, Hailey and Bellevue, Idaho came together to organize the Wood River Valley Collaborative Forest Enhancement Project. The project addresses forest health issues across land ownerships and creates sustainable solutions to the complex challenges facing the region’s forest resources.

Learn more about the webinar and how to join here.

Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day or more on NACD's Calendar of Events!