The National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) held its National Conference in Houston, Texas on March 31- April 2. NACD Stewardship and Education Coordinator Rachel Edwards and South Central Region Representative Wesley Gibson attended the conference to advocate on behalf of the National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon and NACD. Edwards and Gibson informed attendees about NACD’s 67th Annual Soil Stewardship Week along with the curriculum and resources available on the NACD marketplace. Edwards gave a presentation explaining the opportunities available to their students through NACD and NCF-Envirothon.
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Keynote topics included COVID-19 Vaccines: Science Verses Anti-Science by Peter Hotez and Faiyaz A. Bhojani, and the importance of inclusivity in STEM education by Raven Baxter. Other topics such as using science inquiry to facilitate learning for multilingual students and developing scientific literacy in the classroom were also discussed.
Attendees learned how to create an environment that encourages students to share everyday life experiences and observations of the world around them. Encouraging discussion, explanation, and prediction of natural phenomenon facilitates learning that integrates science and literacy skill development.
To learn more about NSTA, visit their website.
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HEALTHY SOIL, HEALTHY LIFE! STEWARSHIP WEEK IS SOON
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NACD’s 67th Annual Stewardship Week will be celebrated from April 24 - May 1. This year's theme is "Healthy Soil, Healthy Life."
Stewardship Week gives conservation districts the opportunity to educate the next generation on the significance of conservation, and we need your help to promote it!
Please send us the events your district or state associations are planning or attending to celebrate Stewardship Week.
You can access free educational materials, as well as activity sheets, flyers, coloring pages and more through our Marketplace on our website. There, you’ll also find Stewardship Week materials, including templates for a press release, proclamation, and a public service announcement.
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UNDERWOOD CD SEES SUCCESS WITH URBAN AG CONSERVATION PROJECT
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Underwood Conservation District’s project, “Growing Sustainable Agriculture in the Columbia Gorge,” was an ambitious, multi-part project focused on capacity-building funded through the joint NRCS-NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) initiative in 2020.
Aspects of this work included farm-planner training for district staff, educational workshops and a series of “Crop Talks,” development of a backyard conservation program called “Yard By Yard,” initial work to plan a local small-farm incubator, and the development of a new farm tool library.
Partners were essential to this work, including a regional nonprofit farm support agency called Gorge Grown and the local Mountain View Grange #98. Additionally, Underwood CD gained inspiration from an NACD monthly urban and community webinar, in which Oklahoma County Conservation District presented on their Yard By Yard backyard conservation program. Oklahoma County CD shared the templates they use in their program, and Underwood CD was able to adapt these to the Washington context.
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Long term partnerships with other funders were also critical for this project, as the Washington State Conservation Commission and Washington Department of Ecology provided some of the matching funds.
As this program was multi-faceted, the district faced some challenges implementing new programs while adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the activities of this project evolved, we were able to refocus on certain facets and adopt others. For example, we held fewer in-person workshops, but developed a more energetic development of a long-term farm tool lending library. The success of balancing these activities will be evident a year or two from now, after Underwood CD has sustainably grown these programs and the district capacity to support them.
Underwood CD’s next steps are to use the capacity-building that NACD’s grant enabled to launch its farm tool library through the next growing season, then learn and refine that program to move forward with a future demonstration and farm incubator site. In 2022, the district will conduct a spring revival of Yard By Yard. With the newly forged relationships from the past year, the district will host another season of Crop Talks, and ideally host the hands-on skills builder courses for small farms which were postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic.
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Save The Date: NACD Summer Meeting
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Registration for the NACD Summer Meeting will be available soon!
This year’s meeting will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from July 16-19! Hosted in partnership with the Puerto Rico Association of Soil Conservation Districts, the Summer Meeting is packed with opportunities for participants to network, hear from a variety of conservation speakers, and to explore the island through various group tours.
Keep an eye out for the official registration announcement in the coming days. In the meantime, you can take a sneak peek at the agenda, reserve your hotel room, and browse the group tour options here.
We look forward to seeing you in tropical Puerto Rico in July!
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District Manager Wins Kansas Conservation Education Award
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The Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE) has awarded Dana Schmelzle the 2022 Award for Excellence in Conservation and Environmental Education. Schmelzle is the District Manager for the Nemaha County Conservation District located in Seneca, Kansas.
Every year, Schmelzle brings together students, adults, and volunteers for environmental education. She holds conservation educational field days for elementary students, organizes conservation workshops for adults, and serves as the vice chair of the Kansas Association of Conservation District’s Education and Youth subcommittee, charged with organizing and hosting the Kansas Envirothon.
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Register Now for U&C Webinar
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For many conservation districts, managing local water quality and quantity can provide a wealth of opportunities to promote new conservation practices. Join NACD's next Urban and Community (U&C) Conservation webinar on Thursday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m. ET to learn about managing runoff at home and beyond.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day, or other events on NACD's Calendar of Events!
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