Today, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) launched the NCF Fall Campaign, inviting conservation leaders to support the foundation's mission in delivering locally-led conservation solutions and developing the next generation of conservation leaders.

The future of conservation requires skilled leaders who can understand and manage the complex challenges we face as land stewards and conservationists. We have both an obligation and opportunity to enable the next generation to be informed leaders who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage our natural resources with the future in mind.

Help NCF meet its goal of $75,000 by the end of 2019! Join us to see the impacts possible and the opportunities that await. We cannot do it alone, and your support will make it possible.

As the NCF Fall Campaign progresses, you will receive updates on the foundation's two most successful and growing programs, the NCF-Envirothon and the  Next Generation Leadership Institute, which are both an investment in the future leaders of the conservation movement, starting with youth and expanding to focus on conservation district officials.

These are the individuals who will carry on your conservation passion for tomorrow, and we welcome you to invest in them today and be part of a successful story for our nation.

To learn more about the foundation's work, and its programs; and to make a donation, please visit NCF's Fall Campaign webpage .

NACD JOINS NASF ANNUAL MEETING IN NORTH CAROLINA

Last week, NACD Forestry Specialist  Mike Beacom  and NACD Southeast Region Representative  Candice Abinanti  (pictured above) joined the  National Association of State Foresters  (NASF) for its Annual Meeting in Asheville, N.C.

The meeting hosted a large portion of the nation's state foresters, as well as a number of agency partners and forest industry representatives. Meeting attendees toured the Cradle of Forestry in America , the country's first forestry school, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

NACD and NASF both serve on the national Joint Forestry Team, and the two organizations work cooperatively to strengthen state forestry agency and local conservation district relationships across the country. Two focus areas are to get conservation districts and state associations more involved in supporting state  Forest Action Plans  and to help USDA successfully roll out its new  Shared Stewardship strategy .

To learn more about NACD's Forestry program, visit NACD's website .

EXECUTIVES GATHER IN CALIFORNIA FOR

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Last week, 17 executive directors of state conservation district associations met in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., for the 2019 NACD Executive Directors’ Conference hosted by the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts .

Representing all seven of NACD’s regions, the executive directors who were at the meeting ranged in tenure from six months on the job to almost nine years. Many of the executives had not previously met their colleagues from other states, and the full two-day agenda was instrumental in establishing in-person connections and providing a forum to discuss issues relevant to the conservation partnerships across the country.

The conference began with a presentation from each executive on a program or project from his or her state; some examples included large media campaigns that help bring attention to conservation districts, novel strategies to combat invasive feral swine, and methods for engaging underserved populations.

As the conference continued, the executives highlighted different approaches for balancing budgets and generating revenue for the state associations, as well as their conservation districts. Additionally, the attendees discussed the long-term sustainability of the conservation partnership in each state, including the role of NACD's technical assistance grants in building district capacity across the nation.

Participants also discussed ways to stay in touch with each other and opportunities for sharing information throughout the year, such as using virtual formats to share information with member districts, the general public, policymakers and others. Several presentations provided further opportunities to build partnerships across state boundaries, while others identified ways the executive directors can better work together in the future.

The meeting ended with a tour of several ongoing projects from the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (RCD). The executives learned about restoration projects at Johnson Meadow (the first property purchased by Tahoe RCD), as well as two programs focused on maintaining the clarity of Lake Tahoe: the Meyers Watercraft Inspection Station, which prevents the introduction of invasive species; and a site where the RCD manages stormwater runoff into the lake. 

Jay Hardwick, his wife Mary (pictured right), and their two sons Mead and Marshall (pictured below from left to right) manage Somerset Plantation, and the 8,100 acres of cotton, corn, grain sorghum, soybeans and wheat it produces in Tensas Parish, La.

Sixty-five percent of the plantation is in agricultural production, while 35 percent is in managed timber, wetlands, forested buffers, bayous and lakes. Jay Hardwick didn’t grow up on a farm, but in the early 1980s, he started his farming career on his father-in-law’s operation.

Having no agricultural background, the Hardwicks don’t feel any special ties to conventional farming. Rather, they feel they have the freedom to try new things without the pressure to conform to practices of the generations before them. This freedom has allowed them to experiment with different soil health practices.

The Hardwicks’ mission for Somerset Plantation is to achieve a viable, profitable farm enterprise that strives for the ethical stewardship of all habitat and agricultural needs by increasing soil quality and improving soil health to help drive the landscape biosphere. To achieve their mission, the family farm incorporates a variety of soil health practices such as cover crops; crop rotation; minimal tillage; residue maintenance; grade stabilization structures; surface water and irrigation tailwater recovery retention ponds and grass field borders; as well as maintained and planted forested riparian areas for wildlife.

Precision technologies are also incorporated into the Hardwicks’ operation to help minimize their environmental footprint. Mead and Marshall set up Real Time Kinematic (RTK) technology on their operation, which provides consistent control paths every year for all their equipment. Additionally, they purchased a 16-row precision planter, which has greatly improved their seeding rates. The Hardwicks’ crops achieve excellent stands, and the family has noticed their plant population increase on fields with healthier soils.

To learn more about the Hardwicks and their soil health journey, be sure to read their Soil Health Champion profile and watch this Field to Market video highlighting Jay Hardwick as the 2018 Farmer of the Year.

If you or someone you know would like to become a Soil Health Champion, please contact NACD North Central Region Representative Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org or 317-946-4463.

OCTOBER U&C WEBINAR FOCUSES ON WATER QUALITY OUTREACH

The next NACD Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation webinar scheduled for 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 17, 2019, will focus on water quality outreach campaigns.

 

The Greenville County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in South Carolina will discuss the ways in which it utilizes partnerships and collaboration to create quality engagement. The district is part of the Reedy River Water Quality Group , a collaboration of government, nonprofit and environmental agencies that work together using a Clean Water Act 5(r) plan and creative messaging to engage citizens.

With past campaigns such as, “Do it on Your Lawn,” “Go Au Naturale” and “Get Down and Dirty,” the group has been able to effectively encourage community members to help keep the river clean. Additionally, the district implemented familiar family games with a conservation twist such as "Stormwater PLINKO" and "Defend Your Drain" to engage citizens of all ages in water quality protection behavior.

 

These popular webinars, held on the third Thursday of each month, are sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation in partnership with the NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group. There is no cost to participate, but space is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To register, click  here . If you have difficulty, please contact NACD Senior Advisor Debra Bogar  at deb-bogar@nacdnet.org.

NACD Launches Discussion Board

Today, NACD launched a new feature of the Members Only page: NACD Forums, a member-based community and bulletin board that will give NACD members the opportunity to participate in an open discussion on topics of their choice.

Whether you are an executive director, Soil Health Champion or on the Board of Directors, the discussion board will provide a space for you to ask questions, chat with fellow members and more! Check it out here.

We Need Your Vote:

Fall 2019 The Resource Cover Selection

NACD is hard at work collecting content for the next edition of The Resource , set to be released in November.

There's just one problem - we need your help picking a cover image !

Above is just one of the photos you can vote for, all of which were submitted to NACD's Photo Contest.

Interested in submitting photos for our 2019 contest? Visit our website to learn more. Submissions close Dec. 1.

NACD Government Affairs Update

On Friday, Sept. 27, President Trump signed a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded at fiscal year 2019 levels through Thursday, Nov. 21.

This bill prevents a government shutdown, and it gives almost two additional months for work to be done toward appropriations bills for the duration of fiscal year 2020.

For more information on actions by each chamber of Congress to date, please visit NACD’s Government Affairs blog. 

Apply Today:

NCF-Envirothon Seeking Education Specialist

The National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon is seeking an education specialist who will help ensure a successful educational experience for high school students across the U.S., Canada, China and a growing list of countries through the Envirothon program.

The education specialist will be responsible for supporting the Envirothon program by coordinating educational content and overseeing educational and testing protocol for the annual competition.

Interested in applying or know someone who would make a great candidate? Send your resume, cover letter and two writing samples to hr@nacdnet.org with the subject line, "Envirothon Education Specialist" by Friday, Oct. 11.

To read the full job description and apply, please visit NACD's Careers webpage.

NACD Welcomes Lifetime Friend

Kenny Lovelace

NACD would like to welcome Kenny Lovelace as a Lifetime Friend of NACD! 

Lovelace has served a variety of positions within the conservation community from Marion County SWCD board member and Missouri Association of SWCD president to NACD board member and region chair.

Most recently, Lovelace was appointed to the Missouri Soil and Water District Commission.

Friends of NACD are individuals who are committed to the conservation of America’s natural resources. Show your appreciation for our nation’s 3,000 conservation districts by becoming a Friend of NACD. Learn more on NACD's website.

Last Chance to Order: NACD's Promotional

Cap Package

This week is your last chance to take advantage of NACD's Promotional Hat Package offer! Promote your district and recognize your employees with our pre-washed 100 percent cotton twill and mesh back cap. The offer ends this Sunday, Oct. 6 .

The package includes 12 caps of your choice of colors and styles with your conservation district’s logo professionally embroidered on the front. This special offer includes a discount on the headwear, free logo set-up and free shipping costs. 

The  Promotional Hat Package  must be ordered in multiples of 12. To order, visit  NACD's Marketplace .

To create your custom district logo, please contact NACD Stewardship and Education Coordinator  Diana Blackwood .

PACD Launches

New Program Website

The Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts' (PACD) Building for Tomorrow program, which provides leadership development training and resources to Pennsylvania's conservation districts, recently announced the launch of its newly designed website .

The new site includes a brighter and more modern design, an event portal and calendar, a blog for sharing program events and updates, and much more.

If you have any questions or would like to submit feedback on the new website, please contact PACD Leadership Development Coordinator Matt Miller at mmiller@pacd.org.

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