In 2022, the Clark County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in southern Indiana was awarded a Friends of NACD District Grant. With this grant, the conservation district, in cooperation with Clarksville Parks and Recreation and the Floyd County Native Habitat Restoration Team (NHRT), have worked to increase awareness of invasive species, and the benefits of native species, within Clark and Floyd counties. They have established five native plant gardens at a local disc golf course and hosted two workshops on the benefits of native plants and invasive species removal.

“With many of our staff unaware of what disc golf was, or that such an activity existed in our community, it would have been unlikely that we would have targeted the disc golf group through our normal outreach efforts,” said Melanie Davis, administrative coordinator for the Clark County SWCD. “We are excited that we made contact with them and discovered their commitment to protecting the environment.”

Read more about this project in this blog post.

The Friends of NACD District Grants Program is now accepting grant proposals! Eight grants, up to $2,500 each, are available for conservation districts to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations. The deadline to submit a proposal is November 29, 2022. Learn more and apply on NACD’s website.

Please consider becoming a Friend of NACD to help provide grant opportunities like this to conservation districts around the country!

CONSERVATION DISTRICTS IN WASHINGTON COLLABORATE IN THE SHORE FRIENDLY SOUTH SOUND INITIATIVE

More than 25 percent of the Puget Sound shoreline is “hardened” with concrete bulkheads, rock seawalls, or wooden pilings. The purpose of a “hardened” shoreline structure is to protect the land and properties from the damage of erosion. However, in the case of the Puget Sound these structures are largely unneeded. Levels of erosion in the Sound are moderate to low and can be managed without these structures. Movement of sediment is also vital to the maintenance of a healthy coastal ecosystem, shifting rocks and sand from beach to beach, or from bluff to beach, filling in where it is needed. Shoreline “hardening” prevents this natural process and has degraded the coastal habitat of the Puget Sound. Additionally, many of these structures were built decades ago, before ecosystem and shoreline management were well understood. Now, many bulkheads and pilings are reaching their design life, causing further damage to the land and coastal ecosystem. After structural failures, landslides, or learning more about the ecosystem of the sound, landowners find themselves seeking information and assistance with next steps for coastline management on their properties.

With funding through the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Estuary Program (NEP), Shore Friendly South Sound fits in perfectly to fulfill this community need. The initiative is a collaboration across conservation districts that connects waterfront homeowners with resources and professional guidance in Pierce, Thurston, and Mason counties. Specialists at each conservation district work closely with homeowners to improve marine shoreline stewardship, avoid new armor, remove existing armor, and use soft shore alternatives where needed. This collaborative effort benefits the communities, wildlife, nearshore ecosystems, and coastal processes of South Puget Sound.

“We are able to provide best available science and resources so they can see a different way forward, working with rather than against our natural systems, to the benefit of their property and the health of the Puget Sound,” said Mary Krauszer, Pierce Conservation District Shorelines Program Manager.

Read more about the project on NACD's blog.

NACD ATTENDS TEXAS' 82ND MEETING OF SWCD DIRECTORS

On October 24-26, 2022 Texas held its 82th Annual Meeting of Conservation District (SWCD) Directors in Galveston, Texas. Mayor, Dr. Craig Brown opened the meeting and welcomed over 550 attendees to Moody Gardens. This meeting provides district directors, employees, and other conservation partners the annual opportunity to examine issues relevant to the conservation of the State’s natural resources. Speakers from the local, state, and national levels addressed attendees concerning a wide variety of agricultural and conservation topics. During the meeting Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) Executive Director Rex Isom and Board Member Barry Mahler honored conservation awards winners, such as the state winner of Texas FFA Soil and Water Stewardship Speech, outstanding conservation teacher, and conservation district of the year. Attendees also heard a stirring speech from keynote speaker Cleo Franklin.

During the Tuesday evening banquet special recognition was given to a TSSWCB employee who has served Texas’ conservation districts for over 50 years, Don Brandenberger. Brandenberger has made a true impact on TSSWCB as well as our friends of conservation across Texas. Bill Gray was also honored as the 2022 Association of Texas SWCD (ATSWCD) President’s Award winner and Kent Batman was elected to serve as ATSWCD President. NACD South Central Region Representative Wesley Gibson presented on the accomplishments in Texas as well as NACD’s advocacy priorities in DC. Gibson showcased successes and opportunities through programs such as the Technical Assistance Grants, Urban and Community as well as identified educational resources available to districts. Gibson also reviewed NACD's leadership opportunities available for conservation districts and board members.

The agenda included concurrent sessions on policy initiatives, new strategies for local working group meetings, and considerations for land managers about carbon markets across the state. To learn more, visit the websites for TSSWCD, ATSWCD, and NACD's South Central region.

Before retiring from the U.S. Air Force, in 2015, Phil Campbell and his family bought 40 acres in Luther, OK where they planned to establish the farm they always dreamed of owning – Campbell Farms. From the very start, Campbell wanted to do it right, and with the encouragement of his brother, he contacted the Oklahoma County Conservation District for assistance. In partnership and cooperation with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the conservation district was able to provide Campbell with some technical as well as financial assistance.

Campbell wanted to establish a small, yet productive cow-calf operation, so he needed to know things like how many heads of cattle his grass could support without any additional inputs and what were some of the areas of improvement he should prioritize. As a participant in the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), he was able to install a water well and a pond to manage his surface water. As his land sloped towards a creek, the installation of the retention pond helped capture that water before it made its way into the creek.

Through rotational grazing his cattle, Campbell is increasing his soil organic matter and forage production in his pastures. He has also diversified his operation to include an orchard of 45 fruit trees and a flock of 100 Rhode Island Red chickens for their egg production.

Because of his great experience working with his local conservation district and the NRCS office, Campbell became a director on his district board and within six months, he was appointed by the governor to become the Area II Commissioner of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. His passion for conservation, his desire to learn, and his infectious enthusiasm has carried Campbell into additional roles in conservation. Campbell serves as a Conservation and Agriculture Reach Everyone (CARE) Ambassador, working to increase participation of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in the USDA programs.

Campbell also participated in the National Conservation Foundation’s (NCF) Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) Cohort Program in 2020, its inaugural year. Through this program, Campbell’s goal was to gain additional knowledge of conservation issues and supporting partnerships and share that in his community and throughout the state of Oklahoma.

Upon retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Campbell wasn’t just satisfied with establishing life on his farm. Campbell looks for ways to help others get the assistance they need to make their life in agriculture a reality as well. His unwavering desire to assist producers has led to his current position as the Area II Director for the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD). In this video from the NRCS Helping Farmers Help Farmers program/series, Campbell and his mentee Phillip Mitchell, a veteran from Seminole, OK share their story.

And to read more about Campbell and his soil health journey, please visit the NACD website for his Soil Health Champion Profile. If you or someone you know would like to become a Soil Health Champion, please contact Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org.