DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR CONSERVATION CAREERS WORKSHOP APPLICATIONS
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In its second year, the workshop will again take place during NACD's Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev., from
Feb. 7-9, 2020. This unique opportunity for undergraduate college students is an NACD program, sponsored by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); the United States Forest Service (USFS); and the National Conservation Partnership.
The workshop will provide an immersive experience for up to 15 highly qualified undergraduate college students and will showcase career paths in conservation, agriculture and natural resources management. Attendees will learn about career options within the National Conservation Partnership, meet conservation professionals, and make valuable contacts.
Any undergraduate college student in a conservation, agriculture or natural resource management related major is eligible and encouraged to apply. Travel costs to and from the workshop, as well as lodging and meals while attending, will be covered by NACD and the Workshop program. Student applicants will be selected based on educational, extracurricular and work experience, overall GPA and written responses to two short form essay questions.
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COALITION NAMES WISCONSIN TECHNICIAN WINNER OF
CCA CONSERVATIONIST OF
THE YEAR AWARD
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On Friday,
Nick Allen Guilette
of Casco, Wis., was named as the inaugural recipient of the Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) Conservationist of the Year Award for his conservation work with AgSource Laboratories.
The CCA Conservationist of the Year Award annually recognizes a certified crop adviser who exhibits dedication to exceptional conservation delivery and customer service and has shown to be a leader in their industry.
The award is supported by a conservation and agribusiness partnership between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Agricultural Retailers Association, the American Society of Agronomy, CropLife America, Crop Science Society of America, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Soil Science Society of America, Syngenta and The Fertilizer Institute.
“Mr. Guilette has contributed substantially to the exchange of conservation ideas within the agriculture industry,”
said NRCS Chief Matt Lohr.
“He is truly a leader in conservation.”
The 2019 award was presented by Chief Lohr to Guilette in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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DID YOU KNOW MOAS ARE CRITICAL TO CONSERVATION WORK?
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The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plays an integral part in actualizing conservation projects across the country. Soil and water conservation districts and tribal entities have a special relationship with NRCS due to shared priorities of sound resource conservation and management. Stemming from this intertwined interest, NRCS works closely with districts on agreed responsibilities and roles in conservation, on top of the support provided through funding. The agreements that outline these relationships are done through a Memorandum of Agreement.
Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) are formal agreements between two or more parties, typically NRCS and conservation districts or tribal advisory councils, as well as other national and state-level conservation agencies. These agreements are not legally or financially binding and are not intended to facilitate resource sharing or the transference of funds. The role and purpose of MOAs is to outline the structure of cooperation and the relationship between the included parties. In order to facilitate resource sharing, or in the case of project or office funding, NRCS must use different formal agreements. MOAs are critical to the maintenance of the close relationship between local tribes and conservation districts and NRCS because they clarify guidelines for expectations and responsibilities of each party in order to create and sustain working cooperation.
NRCS is currently working to update and renew all MOAs with conservation districts with a goal to complete by Dec. 31, 2019.
For more information, please
contact your NRCS State Conservationist
.
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CONSERVATION LEADERS GATHER FOR MACD ANNUAL MEETING
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Last week, the Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) held its 2019 Annual Meeting and Convention in Kalispell, Mont. Over 200 district supervisors, employees and partners gathered to discuss the resource priorities of the state and the locally-led solutions that are proving successful.
Several representatives from NACD attended the meeting, including Montana Board Member
Steve Hedstrom
, Montana Board Alternate
Dean Rogge
and Northern Plains Region Representative
Sunni Heikes-Knapton
.
The meeting featured presentations on social marketing strategies, restoration, wildfire management and education programs, as well as the opportunity for attendees to take some local tours. A final banquet honored
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation's (
DNRC)
Laurie Zeller
for her 40 years of work with the state's conservation districts.
Pictured above from left to right:
Jim Simpson, Dean Rogge, Sunni Heikes-Knapton
and
Steve Hedstrom
.
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FRIENDS OF NACD
DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAM
RFP NOW AVAILABLE
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NACD is now accepting applications for its Friends of NACD District Grant Program, which provides individuals who donate to the
Friends of NACD Program an opportunity to support conservation districts nationwide.
As of fiscal year 2020, donations through Friends of NACD will support four grants, up to $2,500 each, to be awarded at NACD's 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev. Conservation districts are encouraged to think creatively in how they can use the funds to conduct new activities or test novel approaches to their operations.
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NACD ATTENDS SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE SUMMIT
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Last week, NACD staff attended the annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Indianapolis, Ind. With nearly 650 attendees, the summit allowed various sectors of production agriculture to meet and discuss opportunities to advance a coordinated and comprehensive approach to improve agricultural stability.
During the two-day event,
NACD CEO Jeremy Peters
, NACD Director of Development
Laura Demmel
, NACD Projects and Partnerships Coordinator
Meg Leader
a
nd the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts (AISWCD)
President
Steve Stierwalt
spoke to representatives from current and future partners about how NACD and the work of conservation districts c
an be an integral part of any project focusing on improving agricultural sustainability.
On Tuesday afternoon, Leader and Stierwalt served on a panel focused on how to find trusted advisers that influence farmer decision making. Leader described how conservation districts are a natural place for a proposed project to find local support leading to successful engagement and Stierwalt described how Illinois' Saving Tomorrow's Agriculture Resources (STAR) evaluation system provides an opportunity to engage with farmers.
Prior to the summit, Peters, Demmel and Leader also attended the Field to Market Plenary and General Assembly and the Field to Market Sustainability Leadership Awards Ceremony and Reception. During the Plenary, the NACD staff participated in standing committee discussions and Peters led the Civil Society Sector meeting.
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DECEMBER U&C WEBINAR FOCUSES ON
WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS
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The next NACD Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation webinar is scheduled for
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Eastern
on
Dec. 19, 2019
. Entitled, "
A Successful Community Wildfire Preparedness Program from Washington State
," this webinar will feature two Washington State conservation districts who successfully developed unique community wildfire preparedness programs.
When it comes to supporting communities in wildfire preparedness initiatives, the key to success is in the development of effective partnership models that are tailored on a local level. This webinar will feature the
Whidbey Island Conservation District
—located
on Whidbey Island in western Washington
—
and the
Cascadia Conservation District
—located in
Wenatchee in central Washington
—
and their partners at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Wildfire Division, who have worked together with local fire districts and landowner communities to develop and implement uniquely tailored wildfire resilience programs in their regions.
This webinar will help you gain tips and ideas for how you can collaborate effectively and efficiently with private landowners and agency partners to design and implement long-lasting and regionally-adapted wildfire resilience strategies to promote conservation and preparedness.
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.
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NACD Offices Closed
for Thanksgiving
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NACD’s offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 28, in celebration of Thanksgiving Day. NACD is grateful for the role conservation districts play in supporting landowners and helping to deliver locally-led conservation. We could not have Thanksgiving or food on our tables without the hard work of America’s farmers, producers and ranchers. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!
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NACD Welcomes
NCF-Envirothon Education Specialist
Stephanie Tolar
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On Thursday, Nov. 21,
Stephanie Tolar
joined NACD as the association's National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon Education Specialist.
Tolar has a master’s degree in biology from Duke University, where she specialized in science education and ecology; a B.S. in environmental sciences and a B.A. in Italian language, as well as a minor in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Previously, Tolar served as the off-site and adult education program coordinator at the Piedmont Wildlife Center in Durham, N.C., and as a nature instructor for the city of Raleigh.
Tolar has a deep personal connection with the NCF-Envirothon program, competing in both middle and high school at the area, state and international levels. Envirothon inspired her to pursue a career in environmental sciences, and Tolar is excited to have the opportunity to facilitate meaningful experiences for a new generation of young conservationists.
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2020 Spring Fly-In
Date Announced
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The 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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NACD Government Affairs Update
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Last week, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) hours before government funding was set to expire. This CR extends funding at current levels until Dec. 20, 2019, preventing a government shutdown.
Additionally, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is
still accepting public comments
to the 2018 Farm Bill's changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) until
Monday, Jan. 13, 2020.
For a refresher of the changes included to CSP in the farm bill, visit
NACD's blog
.
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Last Call for NACD's Poster and Photo Contest Submissions
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The annual poster contest is open to students from kindergarten through 12th grade and celebrates the 2019 Stewardship theme “
Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper. ”
The photo contest is open to all amateur photographers who reside in the U.S. or its territories. Contestants are allowed to enter up to five photos in each of the four categories: conservation practices, close-up conservation, conservation in action, and agriculture and conservation across America.
Submissions for both contests are due
Dec. 1, 2019. To learn more and submit your entry, visit
NACD's website.
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Arkansas Names Winning Team
for NCF-Envirothon Competition
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Congratulations to the
Haas Hall Academy team (pictured above) from Fayetteville, Ark., for winning the Arkansas Envirothon competition, held Nov. 18.
The winning students will now go on to represent their school and state at the international
NCF-Envirothon
competition in Lincoln, Neb., from
July 26-Aug. 1, 2020
.
Stay tuned to eResource for more team announcements, and please submit any Envirothon news and photos to NCF-Envirothon Program Manager
Jennifer Brooks
at
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Reminder:
Next Tuesday is
Giving Tuesday
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In this season of giving, be sure to donate to the National Conservation Foundation's (NCF)
Fall Campaign, "Investing in Tomorrow"
next Tuesday in celebration of Giving Tuesday. Click the button below to donate!
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NACD Attends
PCF Conference
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The two-day conference welcomed approximately 500 attendees representing all areas of urban forestry and community green space.
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Now Available on NACD's Marketplace: New Caps Selections
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Get started on your holiday shopping this coming Black Friday with NACD's Marketplace!
NACD is offering a holiday sales discount for several hats and other merchandise. In addition, two new caps have been added to the Marketplace, which would both make great gifts this holiday season.
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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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