Last week, NACD held its 2025 Summer Conservation Forum and Tours in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hosted in partnership with Wisconsin Land + Water, this summer’s meeting gathered conservation leaders from across the country for learning, with a spotlight on natural resources conservation in Wisconsin. Participants were welcomed by Governor Tony Evers and Mayor Cavalier Johnson.

“Wisconsin is a leader in farmer-driven conservation and water quality initiatives,” said NACD President Gary Blair. “The state shines with strong local and state collaboration and provides us with great examples of partnerships to grow the future of voluntary, locally led conservation.”

Remarks from Mike Strigel, the Assistant Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, emphasized how central agriculture is to Wisconsin and pride in the state’s conservation heritage. Several breakout sessions explored conservation delivery in Wisconsin through programs like Wisconsin’s Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program, partnerships to build more resilient landscapes, and a unique structure that fosters a strong connection between local efforts and state-level conservation goals.

During the meeting, attendees heard from the USDA-NRCS Chief Aubrey J.D. Bettencourt, about strengthening service to our nation’s agricultural producers. “This is an opportunity to reimagine NRCS, and we’re flipping the business model for what we need to be for the next 90 years," said Bettencourt. “Join us in imagining that future and creating it for ourselves.”

The meeting also provided attendees with the opportunity to see conservation in action in the City of Milwaukee as well as in Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth Counties with tours to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, Case Eagle and Pritchard Parks in Racine County, and Starry Nights Farm where the topics of soil and water health, habitat restoration, stormwater management, and regenerative agriculture were explored.

Throughout the meeting, attendees heard from conservation leaders from Wisconsin and across the country who shared their experiences addressing natural resource challenges and getting conservation on the ground through collaboration. Read more details in this NACD press release or in last week's special edition of eResource. See photos from the event in our Flickr album.

MASSACHUSETTS TEAM

WINS 2025 NCF-ENVIROTHON

On July 25, the Massachusetts Envirothon team, from Lexington High School, Lexington, MA, was named the champion of the 2025 National Conservation Foundation-Envirothon, an international environmental and natural resources academic competition for high school students. This year, students focused on “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change,” which invited students to explore forest ecosystems, climate impacts, and sustainable management through hands-on learning and team collaboration.

Throughout the week-long competition, students demonstrated their knowledge of soils and land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife management, and the current issue through written tests and prepared oral presentations. This year’s competition brought together 51 teams of high school students from across the U.S., Canada, and China. 

“It’s an honor to congratulate the winning team of the 36th annual NCF-Envirothon,” said NCF Executive Director Jeremy Peters. “These students didn’t just compete—they led. Their passion for sustainability and science inspires hope for the future and reminds us that the next wave of environmental innovators is already making its mark.”

Read more in NCF's latest press release and see a full list of award winners here.

SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR A BREAKOUT SESSION AT NACD'S 2026 ANNUAL MEETING

NACD is now accepting breakout session proposals for the upcoming 2026 Annual Meeting to be held in San Antonio, Texas, on February 14-19, 2026.

Breakout sessions spotlight the work of conservation districts and partners across the country. New to this year, we are also accepting proposals for training sessions to help conservation district board members and staff build their skillsets. Sessions typically run between 30 and 90 minutes long and often showcase several speakers. Session proposals are now being accepted!

This year, NACD is seeking proposals that fit into one of four themes:

• Build and Expand Your Skillsets – Professional development and technical training
• District Management: Embracing Change – Examples of districts overcoming challenges, adding new projects or technical capabilities, responding to change, and developing strategies for resilience
• Conservation Innovation – Use of innovative approaches and technologies
• Partnerships for Impact – Partnerships and innovative ways districts are growing capacity

If selected, speakers are responsible for their registration, lodging, and travel expenses.

NACD's breakout sessions are some of the most popular activities among meeting attendees and provide a platform for districts to share their initiatives with one another. Spread the word about this opportunity and consider submitting a session proposal by September 26, 2025!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your proposal before submitting, please reach out to NACD’s Director of Membership Engagement, Dr. Ariel Rivers, at ariel-rivers@nacdnet.org.

WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON? GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE

The House went into recess last week while the Senate was in session until this weekend. The Senate advanced a package of appropriations bills late Friday night, including to fund USDA. The bill text can be found here. The Senate bill provides $27.1 billion in discretionary funding and meets funding from last year for Conservation Operations at $895 million to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, $52 million for Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations, and decreases funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture. 

With Congress headed home for the August recess, now is the time to reach out to your lawmakers and invite them for a tour or find an opportunity to meet with them. They will return to session on September 2.   

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

On August 1, Brian Nesvik was confirmed as the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Director Nesvik most recently served as Wyoming Game and Fish Director for 29 years, retiring in 2024. NACD looks forward to working with Dir. Nesvik to continue its ongoing partnership with USFWS.

On August 4, the Department of the Interior announced $102.9 million in North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) funding has been approved by the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission, providing the USFWS and its partners better ability to conserve, restore, or enhance 548,242 acres of critical wetlands and associated habitat for migratory birds. For more information on the NAWCA grants program, please visit their website. Please note that the next deadline for grant applications is February 26, 2026. 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

On August 1, the EPA announced a virtual public hearing to be held on August 19 and 20, and August 21 if necessary, to discuss the proposed “Reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards” signed on July 29, 2025. EPA is proposing to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding (that human-caused climate change endangers human health and safety) and repeal all greenhouse gas emission standards for all vehicles and engines. The 2009 Endangerment Finding has been the primary resource for developing air emissions standards and the basis for pollution control efforts. To attend these hearings, please contact Elizabeth Miller, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Assessment and Standards Division (ASD), by phone at (734) 214-4703 or email at EPA-MobileSource-Hearings@epa.gov by August 12. 

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

NACD recently submitted comments in response to USDA and the Department of Interior's modifications to their NEPA implementation regulations. Please see our memo from July 14 for a more in-depth explanation of these changes. NACD has been focused on encouraging local coordination and collaboration across the agencies. 

Action Items – NACD’s advocacy is so much stronger when we have personal stories from the field. Please help NACD provide the most effective comments by responding to this action item.

Comment Due – COB August 26  

USDA has requested feedback on the Department’s reorganization plan, as outlined in the Secretary’s recent memorandum. Please reach out to NACD Government Affairs Associate, Connor Simons, at connor-simons@nacdnet.org with any questions and especially with any information from your on-the-ground experience. 

MONROE COUNTY SWCD CONNECTS FORESTS, WATER, AND COMMUNITY

The Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District (MCSWCD) serves a landscape that stretches from the Lake Ontario shoreline south through the Genesee River Basin. Based in Rochester, New York, MCSWCD works across urban and rural settings, partnering with landowners and producers, municipalities, and community partners to implement conservation practices that protect soil and improve water quality. In 2024, forestry continued to play an integral role across their programs, from floodplain restoration to invasive species response.

A focal point of last year’s stream work was a complex stabilization project on Black Creek in the Village of Churchville. Years of erosion and land loss prompted MCSWCD to coordinate a multi-partner effort to protect 1,075 feet of streambank, install a floodplain bench, and plant 180 native trees and shrubs along the shoreline.

Those efforts were complemented by additional riparian buffers installed in East Rochester, Henrietta, and Chili. MCSWCD targeted sites where mowing to the streambank had left soil exposed and eroding. Native plantings were used to rebuild buffers, reduce stormwater impacts, and begin restoring streamside habitat. Project planning emphasized appropriate buffer widths, planting density, and long-term maintenance.

Forestry also featured prominently in the district’s education programming. At events in schools, libraries, and outdoor festivals, staff introduced students and families to stream ecology, tree planting, and land-use impacts. In Honeoye and Irondequoit Creeks, students sampled macroinvertebrates and evaluated stream health, while interactive watershed models helped illustrate how local actions affect water quality downstream.

Through this work, MCSWCD offers a valuable example of how forestry can be integrated into broader watershed strategies. From stabilizing streambanks to replanting canopy and engaging the next generation, their efforts highlight how locally led conservation can respond to complex resource challenges. 

Read more about MCSWCD's forestry efforts on NACD's blog. See more stories like this in our monthly Forestry Notes newsletter.