NACD 2023 ANNUAL MEETING THEME: LOCAL RESILIENCY, NATIONAL COMMUNITY

December 6, 2022

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The NACD 77th Annual Meeting is just around the corner, and for 2023 the meeting will focus on a theme of "Local Resiliency, National Community." Through networking opportunities, guest speakers, interactive sessions, and thought provoking panels, we will explore how conservation is built by local resiliency and locally-led initiatives, and strengthened through national community with partnerships and collaboration. Nowhere does this ring true more than in New Orleans, LA, where the meeting will take place from February 11-15, 2023.


NACD's Annual Meeting is the biggest event of the year and brings hundreds of conservation leaders from across the nation together. This year, we will have more breakout sessions than ever with thirty-two options of sessions to attend! These sessions will be lead by conservation district employees, local and national conservation partner organizations, university scholars, NACD staff and leadership, and more! This plethora of presenters encompasses the theme of national community while sharing their local resiliency. Learn more about the available sessions here.


The Annual Meeting agenda is newly available to explore. It includes a full NACD board meeting and is packed with opportunities for attendees to network and hear from a variety of conservation speakers. You can also download the event app to create your own personal schedule!


Registration for NACD's 2023 Annual Meeting is ongoing, with a discounted early bird rate through December 23, 2022. The 2023 Meeting will take place from February 11-15 at the New Orleans Marriott. The group hotel room rate at the New Orleans Marriot is $236 per night plus tax. To reserve your room, click here. The deadline to reserve rooms is Friday, January 20, 2023. More details, including hotel and tour information, can be found here.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER HERE!

NACD PROVIDES COMMENTS TO EPA ON GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND

On Monday, December 5, NACD responded to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) request for public comment to shape the development and implementation of the recently authorized Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will play an important role in reducing harmful emissions by providing competitive funding for financial and technical assistance to enable zero-emission technologies and projects to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, including in low-income and disadvantaged communities. 


"NACD supports and advances EPA’s environmental justice goals through the locally led conservation process," said NACD President Michael Crowder in the letter. "We acknowledge that there is no “one size fits all” approach to climate change mitigation and conservation. It is our belief that the landowners and operators, who know their lands best, are also best suited to make decisions relating to the responsible management and conservation of natural resources on the lands within their communities."


Read the full comments submitted here.

NCF-ENVIROTHON OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR 2023

DIVERSITY GRANT PROGRAM

The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the NCF-Envirothon are pleased to announce that the application period for the 2023 cycle of Diversity Enhancement and Underserved Audience Grant (Diversity Grant) Program awards is now open. Sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and NCF, the Diversity Grant Program Awards provide mini-grants to U.S. state and Canadian provincial Envirothon programs with the goals of increasing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of local state and provincial Envirothon programs; improving access to hands-on, outdoor natural resource education opportunities; encouraging education exploration; and educating young adults on the importance of conservation. 


This cycle, applications for awards of up to $4,000 are being accepted for Diversity Grant projects. Qualifying projects seek to provide traditionally underserved students with exposure to the Envirothon program with a focus on the five areas of study: aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife, and current environmental issues.


Examples of past Diversity Grant projects include: 

  • Participation Projects that provide travel and registration cost assistance to teams who have been unable to participate in the past due to a lack of funding;
  • Outreach and Engagement Projects that initiate a training and/or outreach program for historically underserved students currently lacking access to outdoor education or Envirothon;
  • Cultural Inclusion Projects that incorporate underrepresented cultures into Envirothon educational programs and/or competitions, or provide translation of education materials into languages other than English;
  • Accessibility Projects that seek to adapt training and testing materials for hearing, visually, or mobility impaired students;
  • and more. 


Conservation districts, including tribal conservation districts, may participate by partnering with their local state Envirothon program to apply for Diversity Grant funding. Projects may concentrate on a particular school, school system, conservation district, or have a state-wide focus. All state Envirothon programs who are current on their membership dues are eligible to apply.  


Those interested in applying may view the complete request for proposals on the NCF-Envirothon Diversity Grant webpage, and apply through the online application form by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 3, 2023. Awards will be announced in early March 2023. 


For application questions or to discuss potential Diversity Grant project ideas, please contact Jennifer Brooks, NCF-Envirothon Program Manager, at jennifer-brooks@nacdnet.org or call 1-800-825-5547 x 2. 


Learn more about the NCF-Envirothon at www.envirothon.org or by following us social media @ncfenvirothon.  

IDAHO HOSTS 78TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN BURLEY

From November 15-17, around 130 conservation district board officials, partners, district employees and others gathered in Burley, ID for the Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts’ (IASCD) annual conference. The conference was kicked off Tuesday morning with meetings for IASCD directors, Idaho District Employees Association (IDEA) directors, and the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission (ISWCC). A district poster contest, ISWCC listening session, and IDEA workshop were held Tuesday afternoon, followed by a speech contest and environmental education program presentations that evening at the welcome banquet.


The following days were loaded with networking and learning opportunities via conservation science presentations, supervisor training, partnership updates, and group tour options. Along with reports from IASCD, ISWCC, and IDEA, participants gathered updates from Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Idaho State Conservationist, Curtis Elke and NACD’s Pacific Region Representative Caleb Griffin. Following Wednesday’s keynote speech on grower-led conservation partnerships from Dave Holton, CEO of Valley Wide Co-Op & Valley Agronomics, participants loaded busses to visit and tour their choice of an automated dairy, a sugar factory, or a rock-fill dam and historic homesite.

On the final day of the conference, participants learned more about range and pasture nutrient cycles via “The Science of Cows,” presented by Wendy Pratt, ISWCC Commissioner Division V. Sage grouse conservation accomplishments and strategies were shared with the group by Charlie Sanford, US Fish & Wildlife Service Biologist, and Idaho’s Lieutenant Governor-Elect Scott Bedke spoke on “Today’s Water Issues”. IDEA also held a luncheon and business meeting, where Karma Bragg was recognized for 30 years of district service by IDEA President Robbie Taylor.


The three-day conference ended with a district business meeting, a state association directors’ meeting, and an awards ceremony to recognize other individuals for conservation excellence throughout the state.


Learn more about the IASCD and future meetings on their website.

Tommy and Jessica Casados and their four children run C4 Farms, a cow-calf operation which is on leased land in Tierra Amarilla, NM, located in the North Central part of the state, within the Upper Chama Soil and Water Conservation District.


C4 Farms is a pasture-based beef operation where they raise their beef from birth to finish. When the Casados first established C4 Farms in 2012, it was on 15 acres of irrigated pasture where they grazed 25 cow/calf pairs from June to November, then selling the calves and cows. At that time, they barely made a profit, considering all the work they put into their operation. To get their business to be more productive and profitable, they had to figure out how to make the necessary changes and utilize the resources they had at hand. This led the Casados to change their operation to grass-fed beef and direct marketing to the public.


The Casados say soil health is the top priority of their operation. They manage their pastures for soil health through an intensive rotational grazing system which utilizes fencing, watering locations, and portable electric fencing. This practice concentrates the cattle in smaller pastures for shorter periods of time, allowing the pastures or paddocks a time of rest and recovery without over-grazing. Rotational grazing has helped the Casados keep the ground covered and a living root in the soil which helps keep the soil temperature cool, reduces erosion, and recharges ground water. Through rotational grazing of perennial grasses, the Casados are restoring the ecosystem health by capturing nutrients and carbon in the soil.

Additionally, they converted most of their irrigated acres from flood irrigation to sprinkler irrigation. This has allowed them to conserve water while being able to irrigate longer through the growing season. As a result, they’ve been able to keep a living root in the soil longer into the growing season. Because some of the land has been vacant for over 20 years, the Casados say it takes a while for the land to revert, but they are starting to see some stabilization in areas. Their operation is seeing some real positive results in production and profitability too.


Today, C4 Farms has expanded in irrigated acres of perennial pastures and acres of native rangeland. They retain more of their mother cows to grow, finish and direct market, and they now retain all the calves they produce.


For more information about Tommy and Jessica Casados and C4 Farms, you can read their Soil Health Champion profile at the NACD website, visit the C4 Farms website or follow C4 Farms on Facebook.


If you or someone you know would like to become an NACD Soil Health Champion, contact Beth Mason at beth-mason@nacdnet.org or visit the NACD website for more information.

Open Career Opportunities

with NACD

Natural Resource Policy Specialist: NACD is seeking a Natural Resource Policy Specialist that will be responsible for working with the Government Affairs team to develop NACD’s natural resource policy priorities and work with members, federal agencies, congressional offices, stakeholder groups, and coalitions to advance them. This role works with NACD committees and resource policy groups to develop and communicate policy positions, advance legislative priorities, prepare briefing materials, and educate members. This position is based out of NACD's headquarters office in Washington, D.C. Apply by Friday, December 9, for priority consideration.


Stewardship and Education Coordinator: NACD is seeking a Stewardship and Education Coordinator that will be responsible for the coordination of a national conservation education program and materials, as well as the NACD Online Marketplace. This role will work to develop a growing portfolio of conservation education resources and materials and assists in the support of NACD’s national conservation education objectives. This position can be remote or based out of the NACD’s headquarters office in Washington, D.C. Apply by Wednesday, December 14, for priority consideration.


Learn more about all open positions with NACD on our website.

2023 One Water Curriculum Guide Now Available

NACD's 2023 Curriculum Guide on One Water is now available on the Conservation Education Hub! This year, the guide is adaptable to any grade level. There may also be other Next Generation Science Standards which can correlate to these activities and the suggested Enrichment and Assessment Opportunities. Students will observe how gravity affects water as it runs downhill. Students will also discover the effects of pollutants in a watershed.

Support NCF's Fall Fundraiser

NACD's sister organization, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is asking for your support in the development of the next generation of conservation leaders. This fall they aim to raise $75,000 by the end of 2022! NCF programs and partnerships advance locally-led conservation and work to develop the next generation of conservation leaders. Their two flagship programs, the NCF-Envirothon and Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) help deliver those results. 


NCF needs your help to continue to expand its influential and crucial programming! Tackling conservation and natural resource management must begin with education and training of the next generation. 

Donate to NCF

Texas Partnership for Forests and Water Video

The Texas Partnership for Forests and Water is a statewide collaborative working to sustain and enhance healthy, productive forested watersheds across the state to provide reliable sources of drinking water and benefits to local economies. This initiative aims to increase understanding and communication between the forest and drinking water sectors and is part of a larger, regional collaborative called the Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water. Almost 40 percent of the surface drinking water supply in Texas originates from forests and woodlands, making the long-term stewardship of these landscapes imperative to current and future drinking water supplies.


Learn more about this project through this video!

Call for NACD Hall of Distinction Nominations

NACD is currently seeking nominations for its Hall of Distinction!

Through NACD’s Hall of Distinction, state and territory associations can recognize current and past conservation leaders for their extraordinary work to advance conservation at the national level.

States and territories may induct one person to the Hall of Distinction every year. Inductees are reviewed by the District Operations and Member Services Committee.

To make an induction, state and territory associations are asked to send NACD information via this online form by Dec. 11, 2022 for recognition at NACD’s 2023 Annual Meeting. Learn more about the Hall of Distinction, including eligibility criteria, here.

Donate to NACD's Pack-A-Book

The 2023 Annual Meeting will mark the 14th year for NACD’s community outreach program, “Pack-A-Book.” Through the generosity of annual meeting attendees, NACD has donated more than 1,300 books to elementary schools located within our annual meetings’ host cities.


This year’s Pack-A-Book donations will be received by the Capital Soil and Water Conservation District, who will share donations with schools around the New Orleans area.


Be a part of this project by packing one or more natural resource, environmental, or conservation-related books for your trip to New Orleans. Simply drop them off at Registration during the meeting or contact wesley-gibson@nacdnet.org for shipping instructions. A label with your name and conservation district affiliation will be placed in the inside cover of each book you donate.


For a wide selection of books with conservation themes, consult this list of suggested titles or visit Amazon or your favorite book retailer. If you have questions, contact stewardship@nacdnet.org.

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