NACD is excited to announce the beginning of it’s request for proposals (RFP) for historically underserved farmer-to-farmer outreach and on-the-ground projects that mitigate hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. Projects are expected to include water quality, habitat restoration, and sustainable forest management initiatives. NACD expects to award up to $2.7 million in grants that range from $75,000 to $250,000 each.

The objectives of this grant program are to:

• Work directly with Native American and/or historically underserved producers on novel or innovative techniques, methods, or approaches that reduce non-point source pollution and increase the sustainability and resiliency of their operations;
• Leverage community-based partnerships to increase knowledge sharing and collaboration;
• Collect and analyze data to demonstrate the results of funded projects; and
• Disseminate results to the community to inform future conservation practices and expand adoption of the most cost-effective and sustainable approaches.

Projects must be located in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, and portions of Florida, Georgia, New Mexico, and CO that are in the Gulf of Mexico watershed. (As seen in purple on the map.)

Conservation districts, their respective state associations or state agencies, Resource Conservation & Development Councils, Indian Tribal Governments, and intertribal consortia are all eligible to receive this funding. Those who are interested in learning more can check out NACD’s website, sign up to receive updates, and complete a pre-application. Pre-applications will be accepted through April 21, 2023, 11:59 p.m. ET. It is anticipated that final applications will be due on June 9, 2023, with selections late summer 2023.

NACD will also be hosting two webinars on this funding opportunity on March 7 and March 21. Registration is required for both webinars.

Read the full announcement here. Please contact NACD’s Grants Specialist, Chloe Hundelt, with any questions.

NACD RELEASES 2023 FARM BILL RECCOMENDATIONS

NACD has recently released policy recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill. Over the last year, NACD’s Farm Bill Task Force has convened more than a dozen times to review USDA conservation programs and consider policies to strengthen support for voluntary, locally led conservation efforts. The recommendations were recently approved by NACD’s Board by Directors at NACD’s Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

“NACD will continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to develop an inclusive farm bill that provides strong support for conservation,” said NACD President Kim LaFleur. “The 2023 Farm Bill provides an exciting opportunity to strengthen federal conservation programs, bolster our local conservation delivery systems, and support our nation’s producers.”

NACD’s most important priority is for Congress to keep conservation investments provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in farm bill conservation programs. The 2023 Farm Bill provides Congress with an important opportunity to integrate IRA conservation funding into the conservation title to administer these investments over a longer period of time, make bipartisan decisions on the exact funding allocations within the title, and eliminate administrative and management redundancies. This request is critical to addressing the high unmet demand for NRCS conservation programs, which are currently only able to serve about one in every three eligible producers.

To support locally led conservation efforts, the recommendations also push back against one-size-fits-all policies, the addition of national carve-outs within programs, and limitations on conservation practices. NACD also calls on Congress to provide strong support for historically underserved producers, tribes, and the development of our nation’s conservation workforce.

“As Chair of NACD’s Farm Bill Task Force, I am proud of the work we’ve done over the past year to review conservation programs, consider input from our members and other stakeholders, and develop policy positions that support sustainable, productive working lands'' said NACD’s Immediate Past President Michael Crowder. “I look forward to advocating for an effective, locally led approach to conservation as Congress develops the 2023 Farm Bill."

View the 2023 Farm Bill Recommendations on NACD's website and read the full announcement here.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AG, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY SEEKS STAKEHOLDER INPUT

On February 22, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry announced that they are accepting comments on 2018 Farm Bill programs and input on upcoming Farm Bill discussions. This is a valuable opportunity to advocate for conservation priorities in D.C. and we encourage members to participate!

You can submit comments via the Committee’s website here or email them directly to FarmBill2023@ag.senate.gov. They will be accepting feedback until March 17.

NACD has published our 2023 Farm Bill recommendations, which can be found here. If you submit comments, please let us know!

SC DISTRICTS RECIEVE AWARD FOR ANNUAL REPORT

South Carolina’s conservation districts were recently recognized by the South Carolina State Library and awarded a Notable State Documents Award for their 2021 South Carolina Conservation Districts Annual Report. The Annual Report showcases the accomplishments of South Carolina’s 46 conservation districts, the South Carolina Association of Conservation Districts (SCACD), and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources – Conservation Districts (SCDNR-CD) as together they implement conservation, and engage in outreach and education across the state. The Annual Report was chosen by a panel of judges consisting of librarians and state employees from a pool of submissions made throughout 2021. The awards will be presented to the winning agencies and authors in a ceremony at the South Carolina State Library on March 15, 2023 to honor Freedom of Information Day.

Congratulations to the Palmetto State for this recognition and award! South Carolina plans to continue to produce this report annually to help tell and document the story of conservation in South Carolina.

CONSERVATION DISTRICT FORESTER SPOTLIGHT:

ROB WALKER

In this Conservation District Forester Spotlight, meet Rob Walker, conservation forester for Boulder Valley and Longmont Conservation Districts (BLVCD) in north central Colorado. BVLCD serves communities in Colorado’s Northern Front Range, which spans across heavily wooded and heavily populated areas. There’s increasing local interest in forest health and wildfire preparedness after the region experienced a series of catastrophic wildfires. Many forests are dense and stressed, making them more prone to severe wildfire, insect infestations, and other negative impacts for wildlife.

Robert shares about the importance of building relationships with landowners and the rewards of completing forest restoration projects.

Question: If you traced your interest back to its roots, what triggered your passion for forestry?

Answer: I’ve always been a bit of a nature-lover, but what really sparked my passion for ecology and forest dynamics was my BIO102 class where we barely touched the surface of tree physiology. After that, I took a deep-dive into botany and ecological restoration.

Q: What’s most rewarding about being a conservation district (CD) forester?

A: It’s always great to see forest restoration work getting done on the ground. The last tree to be cut in a ponderosa forest restoration project is the culmination of a lot of work, the most important of which is the relationship building with the landowner.

Check out NACD's website to read the full interview. For more forestry specific news, sign up for NACD's Forestry Notes newsletter.