Today is Giving Tuesday! In celebration of this opportunity to give to organizations making a difference, please consider donating to the National Conservation Foundation's (NCF)
Fall Campaign, "Investing in Tomorrow."
With your donation, you will be supporting the foundation and the tireless work of so many of its volunteers throughout our network of conservation districts and local NCF-Envirothon programs. We know that none of the work NCF supports would be accomplished without you. Take a look below at what NCF has accomplished in the last year!
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On this Giving Tuesday, we hope you consider supporting the work that NCF is doing to deliver locally-led conservation solutions and develop the next generation of conservation leaders through the
Next Generation Leadership Institute and the
NCF-Envirothon.
To learn more, visit
NCF's campaign page and c
lick the button below to donate. Thank you in advance for your support!
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NACD ANNUAL MEETING OFFERS TOUR OF
POPULAR LAS VEGAS ATTRACTIONS
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NACD's 74th Annual Meeting is less than three months away!
Hosted in partnership with the
Nevada Association of Conservation Districts
(NVACD), the 2020 Annual Meeting will be held in Las Vegas, Nev., from
Feb. 8-12, 2020,
at the Bally's Las Vegas Hotel and Casino.
In addition to engaging breakout sessions, speakers and workshops, this year's meeting will include several exciting tours, full of scenic spots and entertainment.
The Springs Preserve Tour, hosted in partnership with the National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA)
will take attendees to some of Las Vegas’ top tourist sites, including the Springs Preserve, Fremont Street and the Las Vegas Welcome Sign. At the Springs Preserve, attendees will visit the Origen Museum and the Nevada State museum.
The Origen Museum, the interpretive focal point for history at the Spring Preserve, features more than 75 permanent exhibits, an indoor theater and traveling exhibit space. The Nevada State Museum, housed in a 70,000 square-foot building, features a 13,000 square-foot exhibit gallery that allows visitors to stand face-to-face with Nevada’s State Fossil, the Ichthyosaur Shonisaurus popularis; step inside a stalactite cave; witness an atomic explosion and more. Lunch on your own will be available on site.
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FRIENDS OF NACD DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAM SEEKS
TO SUPPORT
LOCAL DISTRICTS
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Many individuals connected to the NACD community carry a passion for the work of the conservation districts across the country, and they show this passion through their donations to the
Friends of NACD
program.
Friends of NACD provides an opportunity for individuals to donate to the work NACD conducts in support of the districts. As of this fall, funds raised through the program will support four grants of $2,500 to member districts. Districts may view the complete request for proposals on the
Friends of NACD webpage
and
submit applications online
prior to the Jan. 15, 2020 deadline.
Both Friends of NACD and the new grant program are managed by NACD’s
District Operations and Member Services (DOMS) Committee
, which works to improve the connectivity between the local districts, state associations and national organization by providing resources that assist in the daily operations of a conservation district. The committee views this new grant program as an opportunity for districts to creatively build new capacities.
Kim LaFleur
, chairwoman of the DOMS Committee, led the efforts to restructure the Friends of NACD program and is a huge proponent for small district grants.
“There is no shortage of great ideas among district officials and staff,”
LaFleur said
. “One of the stumbling blocks, however, can be the funds to start a new initiative. The Friends of NACD District Grant program will provide seed money to enhance the mission not only of a local district, but NACD as well. It will give a unique opportunity for members of the conservation family and beyond to provide financial support to local districts in a new and creative way.”
To read the rest of this blog, visit
NACD's website
. If you have any questions, please contact NACD Pacific Region Representative
Ariel Rivers
at
ariel-rivers@nacdnet.org
or NACD Director of Membership
Kimberly Uldricks
at
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KACD CELEBRATES
75 YEARS AT 2019
ANNUAL CONVENTION
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Last week, conservation district leaders, staff and partners gathered in Wichita, Kan., for the
Kansas Association of Conservation Districts
' (KACD) 75th Annual Convention.
The three-day event featured opening addresses from Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Chief Matt Lohr
and
NACD President Tim Palmer
(pictured below), followed by breakout sessions on various topics, including native bees, establishing wildflowers, improving water quality and NRCS conservation programs.
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Congressman
Ron Estes
and NRCS State Conservationist
Karen Woodrich
addressed convention attendees, and NACD Northern Plains Region Representative
Sunni Heikes-Knapton
(pictured above) led the employee organization meeting.
Pictured in first photo, from left to right:
Heikes-Knapton, Dan Meyerhoff, NACD Northern Plains Executive Board Member
Bevin Law, Jerry Clasen, Allen Roth, Bill Simshauser, Ron Brown
and
President Palmer
.
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Mike Shuter (pictured below, center) is a third-generation farmer in Frankton, Ind., who runs
Shuter Sunset Farms, Inc. with his wife
Susan and their two sons
Brian (left) and
Patrick (right). His operation includes a rotation of corn, soybeans and wheat as well as incorporating beef cattle and hogs.
Shuter’s operation is more than 36 years no-till, with 16 years strip-tilling ahead of their corn crop, and nine years using cover crops. His use of cover crops has increased his water infiltration and reduced soil erosion. Because soil erosion was mitigated, not only does the topsoil and organic matter stay in place, but the nutrients stay on the field, reducing the need for additional fertilizer. Shuter has also decreased his chemical usage in burndown with his use of a roller crimper to terminate some of his cover crops.
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On the
Shuter Sunset Farms website, Shuter explains how they are using technology to more accurately monitor and manage the land. Through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, the Shuters are able to pinpoint exact locations within their parcels of land and take many soil samples to determine fertility characteristics in order to adjust their fertilizer needs and their seeding rates. This information is translated into maps to show the profiles of each field and the variances within each field. Through the use of such technology, Shuter is more efficient with his fertilizer usage and seed dollars, but he is also building soil health by monitoring the varying conditions across his fields and managing his operation based on real data.
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.
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NACD Seeks
Natural Resource
Policy Specialist
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NACD is seeking qualified candidates to serve as the national association's natural resource policy specialist for the Washington, D.C. headquarters.
This position is responsible for working with members of the government affairs team and acts as a liaison with Congress, federal natural resource agencies, stakeholder groups and coalitions with interests in natural resource management issues.
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Donate Items for NACD's Annual Meeting
Live Auction
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This year's auction proceeds will all go to the
National Conservation Foundation (NCF) to support NCF's work in advancing the next generation of conservation leaders.
To make a donation,
visit NACD's online donation form. The deadline for all auction items to be included in the 2020 Live Auction booklet is
Friday, Dec. 20, 2019. Auction items will be accepted on site throughout the day on
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020.
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NRCS Accepting
CSP Public Comments
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Last month, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released its first major program rule implementing the 2018 Farm Bill.
The interim rule implementing the 2018 Farm Bill’s various changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
will be open for public comment until
Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.
NACD encourages all conservation districts and their partners to review the interim rule and provide comments before the deadline to ensure their local voices continue to be prevalent in the implementation of CSP.
For a refresher of the changes included to CSP in the farm bill, visit
NACD's blog.
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LGLCI Releases Conservation Documentary
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Last week, the Louisiana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (LGLCI) released its latest grazing lands conservation documentary.
The documentary features
Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts
' (LACD) President and
Calcasieu Soil and Water Conservation District
Chairman David Daigle
, who
raises cattle and timber in the longleaf pine savanna of southwest Louisiana. In this video, Daigle shares his 37 years of conservation knowledge and how he manages his grazing lands. Daigle is also an
NACD Soil Health Champion
.
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Submit Your Proposal:
NACD's 2020 UAC
Grants Initiative
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Since 2016, NACD and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have partnered through the UAC Grant Program to enhance conservation districts’ technical assistance activities in developed or developing areas. In this round of funding, NACD and NRCS will award grants of up to $50,000 grants for approximately 18 districts. NACD is accepting project proposals through
Friday, Jan. 10, 2020
.
To learn more about the initiative, please visit
NACD's website, which includes the Request For Proposals (RFP) and Frequently Asked Questions documents, as well as a webinar, which reviews the RFP and answers several members' questions. Please contact NACD Senior Advisor
Deb Bogar
at
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The National Conservation Planning Partnership (NCPP) recently launched
a new website
, full of helpful resources and information on conservation planning.
NACD is a partner in NCPP, along with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA), the National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA) and the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils (NARC&DC).
Since its founding in 2015, the partnership has worked to advance conservation efforts on private lands through its support of landowners and managers.
Visit the site today at
www.ncpp.info or click the photo of the website above
.
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NACD Welcomes
Honorary Friend
Ariel Rivers
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NACD is excited to welcome its latest honorary Friend of NACD,
Ariel Rivers.
Rivers joined NACD as the Pacific Region Representative in January 2019 and is based on the west coast. Her favorite part of NACD is the people, where she enjoys working with both colleagues within the organization, district officials and staff, as well as partners.
Rivers' favorite insect is from the family Membracidae for their beautiful songs and "weird outfits." Welcome Ariel and thank you for all that you do!
Interested in becoming a Friend of NACD? Learn more on
NACD's website.
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Mark Your Calendar: 2020 Spring Fly-In Date
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The official date for NACD's 2020 Spring Fly-In has been confirmed for
Wednesday, March 25, 2020.
Every spring, NACD invites its members to join our staff in Washington, D.C., to promote the interests of conservation districts on Capitol Hill.
The event consists of a breakfast briefing and a Congressional reception to celebrate the work of our members on Capitol Hill.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day or more on NACD's
Calendar of Events
!
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