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Hosted in partnership with the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD), NACD's 2024 Annual Meeting will take place in San Diego, California from February 10-14, 2024. Join us for great networking opportunities, speakers, and tours exploring the theme "Operation Conservation!"
Online registration and hotel reservations close on Friday, January 19.
Don't miss out on the learning opportunities at this event! Explore the 2024 Annual Meeting agenda to discover available breakout sessions, meetings, and social events that will be happening throughout the week. Find everything you need to know on NACD's website.
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FINAL CALL TO SUPPORT
NCF'S 2023 CAMPAIGN
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Haven't had a chance to make a donation to the National Conservation Foundation's 2023 campaign yet? There's still time to show your support for conservation education. Help NCF reach their $20,000 goal with a last minute gift today!
NCF runs the national Envirothon program and Next Generation Leadership Institute - programs that are developing the future minds of conservation from high school to adulthood. Your support goes directly towards these programs.
You can make a difference with a tax-deductible financial donation to the campaign or by donating items to the upcoming Live Auction.
| ALL 2024 EDUCATION MATERIALS PRINTED AND DELIVERED IN NEW TOOLKIT | Get all the necessities for an outreach or classroom event shipped directly to you with NACD's 2024 Education Toolkit! This all-in-one toolkit comes with high-quality printed materials, ready to pass out activities for students, guides for district educators and teachers, and more. These boxes are the perfect tool to promote your district, the photo and poster contests, and forestry conservation education. Of course, everything included is themed to May The Forest Be With You Always! | |
This starter toolkit includes: an Education and Lesson Plans Guide, color-me-in activity mats and bookmarks, rack cards and posters for education contests, district thank you cards, student activity journals, stickers, and more!
Need more or less? Quantities of any of the included items are also available for individual purchase here.
All of these materials also continue to be available for free digital download on NACD's marketplace.
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WHAT'S UP IN WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS UPDATE
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Congress will return to session next week to focus on federal spending bills, foreign aid, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization, and the farm bill. Congress must reach an agreement to fund the government or pass an extension by January 19 to keep the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies from shutting down.
House and Senate leaders have already extended the 2018 Farm Bill until the end of 2024 but must now introduce and negotiate bills in an increasingly tight election year.
| MAINE DISTRICTS EMPOWER LANDOWNERS WITH CERTIFICATION | |
Building upon the foundation of innovative conservation practices, Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Waldo County SWCD in Maine introduced a Conservation Landscape Certification Program designed to empower landowners in being the best land stewards possible. This initiative aligns with the broader efforts of conservation districts in promoting best management practices and fostering sustainable landscapes. The certification program is designed to assist landowners and producers in cultivating wildlife habitats, practicing soil and water conservation, controlling invasive species, planting for ecosystem support, and implementing organic practices.
Certificates tailored for small residential properties, schools, forests, and farms cater to the diverse needs of landowners. The program recognizes the specific challenges faced by small woodland owners and offers insights into ecological forest management and environmentally sound harvest practices. Similarly, small farmers benefit from steps to farm ecologically, supporting wildlife, native plants, beneficial insects, and soil and water conservation.
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A key feature of the program is the Conservation Land Certification Woodland Owner Checklist, which provides specific criteria and, thereby, clear direction for forest landowners, many of whom report a lack of understanding or are unsure of where to start in their land management journey. The program is voluntary and self-guided. Landowners may also request a site visit by district staff. This places the landowner in the driver seat as they determine the appropriate pace and focus of their management goals.
“Knowledge is power. There is nothing better than empowering landowners with more specific knowledge of their property. Educated and engaged landowners are better stewards of their land”, said Rebecca Jacobs, Knox-Lincoln SWCD Program Manager.
The Conservation Landscape Certification program is appropriate for adaptation by other conservation districts and the founders of the program have made a full toolkit of resources and materials available for use, which can be found here. In Maine, more districts are bringing the land certification program on board as an offering within their own communities. The Conservation Landscape Toolkit and Conservation Landscape Woodland Owner Checklist are ready-made tools for districts seeking new ways to engage landowners or for those interested in expanding their programmatic offerings.
For more information on this program and the host of other great work being led by the Knox-Lincoln SWCD, visit www.knox-lincoln.org. Read the full story about this project on NACD's blog.
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NACD Welcomes Northeast Region Representative | |
NACD is excited to announce Nika Colley as the Northeast Region Representative.
Colley comes to NACD from the North American Food Systems Network (NAFSN), where she was webinar producer and program assistant. Prior to her service at NAFSN, Colley served as a team member of the Rochester Climate Education and Community Engagement Plan, Cornell Cooperative Extension in Monroe County, New York, and the Rockland Conservation and Service Corps, where she worked with the Rockland Soil and Water Conservation District.
Colley is a graduate of Cornell University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science with dual majors in Environmental & Sustainability and Animal Science.
Colley is based in Tappan, New York and can be reached at nika-colley@nacdnet.org.
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Economics of Soil Health Systems
Farmer Focus:
Rupert Burrows
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NACD, the Soil Health Institute, and NRCS recently released economic findings from 30 farmers who adopted soil health management systems. Each week, we will be highlighting one farm from this study.
The Rupert Burrows farm in the Lower Pee Dee Watershed of South Carolina increased profitability by decreasing costs of production for corn and soybean with a SHMS of no-till production and cover crops.
Check out a video, producer narrative, and fact sheet about this farm, and all other farms in the study, here.
| USDA & DOE Host Listening Sessions | |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are hosting a series of listening sessions and invite perspectives on the benefits and challenges of the rapidly increasing levels of clean energy being sited on agricultural lands and in rural communities.
Government permitting and policy representatives at state, county, and local levels are invited to join on Jan. 12, 2024, at 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. ET. Register Here.
Agricultural producers are invited to join on Jan. 16, 2024, at 10 – 11:30 a.m. ET. Register Here.
Learn more about the sessions here.
| USDA Invites Urban Producers to Public Meeting | |
USDA is inviting urban producers, innovative producers, and other stakeholders to virtually attend a public meeting of the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production on January 31 from 2-3 p.m. ET.
The Committee’s 12 members advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices, as well as identify barriers to urban agriculture. This event will provide a transparent opportunity for the public to participate in the Committee meeting, which is a mechanism for input and guidance to USDA on urban agriculture and innovative production.
Register Here.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events!
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