Last week, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler appointed NACD President-elect Michael Crowder to EPA's Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities Advisory Committee (FRRCC).

Established in 2008, the FRRCC provides independent policy advice, information and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities.

“One of my priorities for EPA has been to restore trust for our agency among agricultural stakeholders and rural communities,” Wheeler said . “This committee will provide valuable input on how EPA’s decisions impact rural America, and I look forward to receiving the committee’s recommendations.”

Crowder was appointed to the FRRCC, along with 33 other members, who represent a variety of relevant sectors from across the U.S., including agricultural stakeholders and allied industries; academia; state, local and tribal government; and nongovernmental organizations.

The committee had no current members at the time of solicitation; therefore, these 33 nominees will constitute a brand new committee and will each serve two or three year terms, which began on June 15, 2020. The new members of the FRRCC hail from 24 states and one territory in all ten U.S. EPA Regions, with six of the members working in multiple states or at a national capacity. The committee expects to meet approximately twice a year beginning in late summer of 2020.

To learn more, visit the EPA's website .

NCF NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK

The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is seeking input from the public on its existing programs and work through its 2020 NCF Survey . Help NCF continue to deliver conservation solutions, as it supports future conservation leaders!

This survey should take around 10 minutes to complete. Please fill out the survey by July 10, 2020. Upon completion of the survey, you will be entered for a chance to win a Yeti coffee cup from NACD's Marketplace.

We value your input and opinions, and we plan to use your responses to improve the work of the board and the NCF-Envirothon and the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) programs. To take the survey, click the button below. 

NACD TA GRANT

HELPS DISTRICT DEVELOP WATERSHED

Photo Caption: The Warrior Run Watershed Team at the Warrior Run Breakfast: Janette Lesher, Axel Acevedo, Ashley Lenig, Pam Richardson, Brandon Ball, Ryan Cherwinski, Chanel Shambach and Graham Rhone.

In 2018, the Warrior Run Watershed, located in the northern part of Northumberland County in Pennsylvania, was selected to be part of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This USDA-NRCS program provides funding to accelerate voluntary, on-farm conservation efforts, as well as monitor and assess water quality. Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD) has been working closely with NRCS to develop the Watershed Plan needed to move them from the ‘Readiness Phase’ of the program to the ‘Implementation Phase.'

“As our team began working on a Watershed Plan, we discovered there was a large sector of producers with whom we have not worked. We knew that if we wanted to work with them, we needed to get to know them,” said Judy Becker, NCCD District Manager.

With the help of Ryan Cherwinski , an agriculture conservation technician brought on with a 2018 NACD Technical Assistance Grant , the district was able to do just that. Cherwinski spent a lot of time reaching out to landowners and stakeholders in the watershed, making vital connections and establishing producer ‘buy-in.'

Through that process, Becker says Cherwinski made contact with a landowner who encouraged him to put together an event to get more landowners on board. Subsequently, Cherwinski worked with the district and NRCS to host an ice cream social on August 22, 2019.

At the ice cream event, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection did an electroshocking demonstration on the stream, teaching producers about stream health and best management practices. Chantel Shambach, NCCD Water Specialist, did a macro-invertebrate kick and helped children identify what they found in the stream.

“It was just a really nice evening,” Becker said.

With about 50 people in attendance, the ice cream social was deemed a success, leading to a breakfast event in January 2020 to continue discussions about the NWQI. At this event, kids were able to play with groundwater and stream simulators. A landowner spoke to the group about his positive interaction with the district, sharing stories about the streambank stabilization project the district helped him complete. His talk encouraged others to work with the district, both through the NWQI and other programs.

“We feel strongly that people want to hear from people like them,” Becker said. “I think it’s so much more helpful when you’re hearing from someone that is a fellow farmer.”

While Cherwinski is no longer with the district, his work played a major role in helping them establish their Watershed Plan. The district is hoping to move into the ‘Implementation Phase’ of the NWQI soon, which will give them access to funds for projects in the watershed.

To learn more about NACD’s Technical Assistance grants or to read other TA success stories, visit the NACD Technical Assistance Grants webpage .

Submit Your Ideas:

NACD 2021 Annual Meeting Theme

NACD's 75th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La., is scheduled to take place Feb. 6-10, 2021.

Help us come up with a theme to celebrate 75 years of NACD! As we honor our past, reflect on our legacy, and plan for the future, we hope to have a meeting theme that embodies it all. To submit your theme idea, please fill out the form here . The winning submission will earn you a complimentary full registration to the 2021 Annual Meeting.

NACD Submits Comments on Climate Crisis Response

On Friday, June 19,  NACD President Tim Palmer sent comments to the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis per their request for stakeholder input on ways agriculture and rural Americans are responding to extreme weather events, as well as ways Congress could address these challenges at the federal level.

In the comments, NACD emphasized the strength of locally-led voluntary conservation and the need for additional capacity and technical assistance.

Deadline Approaches:

Last Call for

Districts Conserving Coasts Posts

This month, conservation districts are supporting National Ocean Month with social media posts highlighting how #DistrictsConserveCoasts. Thanks to all districts that have shared their coastal conservation activities!

It’s not too late to share how your district is engaged in coastal conservation. Post to Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #DistrictsConserveCoasts by June 28 for a chance to be entered into a raffle to win a pair of Yeti mugs. The winning district will be shared in next week’s eResource.

NWS Seeks Feedback

on Advisory

System Changes

The National Weather Service (NWS) is seeking public feedback on a proposal to make major changes to its Watch, Warning and Advisory system, which has been determined by social science research to be confusing to the public.

NWS is proposing to move to a simpler, two-tier system to better communicate when people need to prepare for a possible weather event and when they need to take action.

This handout summarizes the proposed changes. The public survey is available here and will remain open until Friday, Aug. 21, 2020. To learn more about the project, visit NWS's website .

Call for NACD

U&C Conservation Webinar Proposals

The NACD Urban and Community Resource Policy Group (RPG) invites member districts and partners to submit proposals for the FY2021 Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation Webinars.

Topic suggestions are wide-ranging, including but not limited to, stormwater management and low impact development; green infrastructure and urban forestry; urban agriculture and small acreage; soil health; community outreach and engagement; and technology.

Submit your presentation proposal(s) by sending a brief paragraph describing the program/project you would like to showcase to NACD Senior Advisor Deb Bogar at

deb-bogar@nacdnet.org by Aug. 1, 2020.

The U&C RPG has offered these monthly Urban and Community Conservation webinars since September 2012. You can view a full list of the past webinars on NACD's website.

Apply Today:

WACD Seeking

Executive Director

The  Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) is seeking an executive director (ED) to be based in Cheyenne, Wyo.

The ED will report directly to the board of directors and be responsible for financial management, program coordination, grant writing, and legislative and policy activities of WACD.

To apply, submit a resume, three references and a writing sample to Bobbie Frank by July 6.

To learn more and apply, visit NACD's Job Board .

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