This week, NACD kicks off its 65th Annual Stewardship Week, celebrating the theme " Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators? "

While community events and gatherings have been canceled, conservation districts across the country are still celebrating by holding virtual outreach events in order to raise awareness on the importance of pollinators.

Check out some of the work conservation districts are doing across the country for Stewardship Week:

Additionally, NACD recently added two demo activity videos on its YouTube channel, providing descriptions of two outdoor activities from NACD's Pollinator Field Day Curriculum Guide. To download the guide, visit NACD's Conservation Education Hub.

You can help promote the importance of pollinators by visiting our Stewardship Week webpage and downloading our educational resources, promotional materials, activity guides, webinars and more. Let us know how you're virtually celebrating Stewardship Week by emailing stewardship@nacdnet.org.

NACD SUMMER MEETING CANCELED

Today, NACD has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Summer Meeting, scheduled for July 18-21, 2020 in Bismarck, N.D., in light of ongoing concerns with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

At this time, NACD would like to thank the hard work of the North Dakota Association of Soil Conservation Districts in helping plan the meeting. Additionally, NACD has discussed tentative plans to hold a virtual summer board meeting. More information, including a meeting date, will be provided in the near future. In the meantime, please let us know if you have any questions.

2019 NCF ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE

NACD is excited to announce that the National Conservation Foundation's (NCF) 2019 Annual Report is officially here, which you can access online by clicking on the cover above.

NACD's sister organization has been quite busy, and we're excited to share all the work it has accomplished this past year. From a successful NCF-Envirothon (page 21) to the launch of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) program (page 11), NCF is proud to continue its mission in developing the next generation of conservation leaders and supporting conservation work across the country through its programs and partnerships.

In this past year's annual report, meet the members of the inaugural cohort of the NGLI program (page 15), the first-of-its-kind endeavor to equip conservation district leaders with the tools to become national leaders through personal, civic and organizational leadership development. From a fifth-generation farmer in Missouri to a military veteran in Oklahoma, these seven participants went through a competitive national application progress to begin their year-long journey of strengthening their conservation leadership.

On page 23, you'll learn about the successful 2019 NCF-Envirothon, which took place in Raleigh, North Carolina with more than 250 high school students competing as part of 53 five-member teams from the U.S., Canada and China. Read about this year's winning team and a first-hand account from a 2019 participant (page 36).

You will also read some words of appreciation for NCF-Envirothon Public Relations/Outreach Coordinator Debbie Waycott (page 26) who recently retired after 25 years of dedicated service to the program, and meet the newest team member Stephanie Tolar, who serves as the NCF-Envirothon education specialist.

To download a copy of this edition, please click the cloud icon in the lower right-hand corner or visit the NCF webpage. Please let us know if you have any questions or comments about this past year's report.

GET READY FOR

GIVING TUESDAY

In response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19 (coronavirus), Giving Tuesday is launching a global day of unity to take place next Tuesday, May 5, 2020 .

Looking for more ways to support NACD and conservation districts? Consider a donation to the  Friends of NACD Program . This program enables individuals to support the nation’s nearly 3,000 conservation districts through cash donations to NACD. Funds from the Friends of NACD program support individual conservation districts through the Friends of NACD Grant Program. In February 2020, the first four Friends of NACD District Grants were awarded at NACD’s 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev.

NACD’s sister organization, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) exists to build conservation leaders of tomorrow through meaningful programming. NCF conducts two annual programs to help fulfill its mission: the NCF-Envirothon, a high school environmental and natural resources program and competition; and the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI), a new program to cultivate the next generation of locally-led conservation leaders. Support NCF’s programs and learn more on the Investing in Tomorrow webpage .

Please support NACD and NCF so that we can continue helping deliver conservation across the nation. We also hope you take advantage of this global generosity movement and spread the word on the work your conservation district does in benefiting your community and helping protect your region's natural resources.

 

Let us know if your district plans to participate in next week's Giving Tuesday. Be sure to post on social media or share with us what your plans are, and we'll circulate your message on our own channels. To learn more about Giving Tuesday and how your organization can participate, please visit the website .

Pacific and Southwest Joint Region

Meeting Canceled

NACD's Pacific and Southwest Joint Region Meeting, scheduled for Sept. 15-17 in Lahaina, Hawaii, has been canceled due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns. NACD would like to thank the Maui Soil and Water Conservation District and Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts for their efforts in planning the meeting and their support moving forward.

Please contact NACD Pacific Region Representative  Ariel Rivers and Southwest Region Representative Jeff Burwell  for any questions. You can find the latest updates and information on the  region webpages .

KACD 76th Annual Meeting Canceled

The Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts ' (KACD) 76th Annual Meeting, scheduled for July 5-7, has been canceled due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns.

Please contact KACD Executive Director Crystal Renfro for any questions.

Register Now:

NASCA Webinar

On  Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA) will be hosting a webinar highlighting strategies that field offices and agencies have used in light of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Entitled "Ideas for COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond," this webinar will allow participants to share ideas, techniques and strategies for conservation work during this time and beyond.

To register for the free webinar, please click here.

Check it Out:

CTIC OpTIS Video

The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), in partnership with Applied GeoSolutions and The Nature Conservancy, recently launched a promotional video highlighting the Operational Tillage Information System (OpTIS), an automated system developed to map tillage, residue cover, winter crop and soil health practices using remote sensing data.

This promotional video highlights OpTIS and how it can provide valuable data to policy makers, farm advisors and scientists in helping direct resources and funding to benefit farmers as they adopt soil health practices on their land. To learn more about OpTIS and watch the video, visit CTIC's website.

Has Your District Information Changed?

NACD is updating its conservation district directory. Please take a moment this week to check online and make sure that your district contact information is up-to-date and let us know by sending your district or state directories to membership@nacdnet.org or by filling out this online form.

Submit Your P2 2020 Farmer Rancher Award

The Pollinator Partnership (P2) and NACD are still seeking submissions for its 2020 U.S. Farmer Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award.

The U.S. Farmer Rancher Pollinator Conservation Award recognizes the unique contributions that members of the agricultural community make to pollinators where they are needed most: supporting our food supply.

To learn more and submit a nomination form, please visit  P2's website . Nominations are due  Friday, July 10 .

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