NACD's Spring 2021 edition of The Resource has arrived! In this latest edition, you'll find updates from NACD on:

To download a copy of this edition, please click on the cover above. Browse past editions of The Resource on NACD's website and please let us know if you have any questions or comments about this edition.

On Monday, June 28, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Randy Moore will serve as the 20th Chief of the USDA’s Forest Service.

“Randy Moore has been a catalyst for change and creativity in carrying out the Forest Service’s mission to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations,” said Secretary Vilsack. Upon his swearing in, Moore will be the first African American to hold the role of Chief of the Forest Service.

Moore has been serving as Regional Forester in the Pacific Southwest Region in California since 2007, where he oversees 18 national forests in the state as well as State and Private Forestry programs in Hawaii and the U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands.

Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., and began his career in conservation in 1978 with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in North Dakota. His Forest Service career began on the Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Colorado and the Comanche and Cimarron National Grasslands in Kansas. He served as Deputy Forest Supervisor on the National Forests of North Carolina and the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri before serving as Forest Supervisor of the Mark Twain National Forest. For five years, he served as the Regional Forester for the Eastern Region in Milwaukee, Wis. Moore also has national-level experience in Washington, D.C., serving as Acting Associate Deputy Chief for the National Forest System and the National Deputy Soils Program Manager.

Current Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen will step down from her role on July 26. Between now and then, Chief Christiansen and Regional Forester Moore will collaborate to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Read more in USDA’s press release here.

The National Association of Conservation Districts' (NACD) 2021 Summer Meeting is rapidly approaching! We hope you will join us July 24-27, 2021 as we return to where our association was founded in Chicago.

The agenda includes a full NACD board meeting, a 75th Anniversary Celebration event, a conservation forum plenary session and a set of walking, conservation-minded tours. This is a national meeting with a regional flair that offers a first-hand look at how conservation is delivered while also providing direct access to our top leaders.

The meeting has a lineup of great speakers, including NRCS Chief Terry Cosby, RFD Radio Network Director Rita Frazer and GROWMARK, Inc. Chairman of the Board and President John Reifsteck.

Be sure to register by this Friday, July 2, 2021, to take advantage of the $275 early bird registration price!

On June 22, 2021, the Forestry RPG co-hosted a webinar series with the National Association of State Foresters (NASF). The series consisted of four 50-minute webinars on various forestry topics.

Session titles were:

For more information on each session and its presenters, visit NACD's website. The recordings for each session are now available on NACD's YouTube channel.

NACD is proud to announce that Dennis Fuchs has been recognized as part of Field to Market’s 2021 Trusted Adviser Spotlight Series.

Through his role with the Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District, Fuchs works to support farmers in central Minnesota as they implement data driven conservation practices and scale sustainable outcomes for agriculture.

Field to Market honored Fuchs on June 23 during its annual Plenary and General Assembly Meeting, recognizing his outstanding leadership in implementing innovative approaches to scale conservation agriculture.

Congratulations to Fuchs for his accomplishments in delivering sustainable outcomes for U.S. agriculture!

NACD's offices will be closed Monday, July 5, in observance of Independence Day on Sunday, July 4. We wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July!

On Monday, June 28, Carly Long joined NACD as the national association’s marketing coordinator.

Long is originally from Roxboro, N.C. and recently graduated from the George Washington (GW) University with a bachelor’s degree in political communications and history. At GW, she worked as the Director of Communications for the Residence Hall Association and as a Campus Communications Assistant. She previously served as the Chair of the Environment Committee for the North Carolina Youth Legislative Assembly. Long has also completed internships with the White House Historical Association in Washington, D.C. and the Walt Disney Company in Orlando, Fla. as part of the Disney College Program. In her free time, she loves exploring museums and watching Disney movies!

Long will be based in the Washington, D.C. office and can be contacted at carly-long@nacdnet.org.

Thank you Joey Breaux for joining Friends of NACD as a Lifetime Member! Breaux is the assistant commissioner for soil and water conservation with Louisiana’s Department of Agriculture & Forestry.

Friends of NACD support the nation’s conservation districts through donations that fund the Friends of NACD District Grants Program. Grants awarded through this program help conservation districts across the country conduct new activities and test novel approaches to their operations. Past grantees have grown their outreach, attracted new volunteers and partners, and enhanced their community visibility through projects supported by Friends of NACD District Grants.

Help NACD raise $20,000 to award eight grants in 2022 by becoming a Friend of NACD today! You will receive a complimentary NACD 75th anniversary cap with your donation of $75 or more.

NACD and the Pollinator Partnership (P2) are soliciting nominees for the 2021 United States Farmer-Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award, which recognizes an individual or family in the farm and ranch community who has contributed significantly to pollinator species protection and conservation.

Learn more about the award and how to submit your nomination here. The deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, July 16, 2021.

Join the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program for a webinar on resilience tools and technology on June 30, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

Participants will learn more about the learning materials and tools available that can help kickstart or advance REPI resilience projects. Whether your partnership is just starting out or looking to grow your scope of work, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge necessary to utilize three innovative resilience tools, including a sneak peek at the new REPI Resilience Interactive Primer.

Join the webinar here.

Learn more here.

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