NACD’s Virtual Advocacy Week is only a month away, and we are busy preparing for an exciting week. Issue papers should be available by next week’s edition of eResource.

NACD’s Government Affairs team will be hosting a Zoom briefing at 2:00 p.m. Eastern on March 16 for members and partners participating in the Virtual Advocacy Week. This briefing will be a substitute for the breakfast briefing we normally host in Washington, D.C., where we will review the issue papers and answer any questions that people who are participating in the following week’s meetings may have.

Although traveling to Washington, D.C. will not be possible this spring due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19 (coronavirus) and limitations placed on people visiting Capitol Hill, it is still incredibly important that your members of Congress know what the needs of locally-led conservation are so that conservation districts can receive adequate support to continue protecting our nation’s natural resources.

As your state or territory works to schedule meetings, be sure to visit our “Tips and Tricks” document on NACD’s Advocacy Week webpage. Please contact NACD Director of Government Affairs Coleman Garrison at coleman-garrison@nacdnet.org if you have any questions about NACD’s Virtual Advocacy Week, the Zoom briefing or if you or need additional information. Stay tuned to future eResource editions for updates and more information on this year's Virtual Advocacy Week.

We're excited to announce that the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) has launched a new website! Be sure to check out the revamped site featuring NCF's new logo and mission statement.

NCF's new website houses information and resources on all of the foundation's programs, including the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI) and the NCF-Envirothon. You can also access the latest NCF news and learn more about how you can get involved.

You can visit the website here. For any questions, please contact NACD Communications Coordinator Katrina Stacey.

This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week! This nationwide event is celebrated annually to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose and what people can do to prevent their spread.

From Feb. 22-26, we encourage conservation districts to share their efforts in combatting invasive species in their region. For example, check out the latest episode of the Western Governors’ Association (WGA)'s Out West podcast highlighting the importance of invasive species data for conservation districts.

In the episode, Bill Whitacre (pictured above, right), senior policy advisor at WGA, spoke with NACD South Central Region Representative Keith Owen, where they discussed how invasive species impact the work of conservation districts and why it is important to share invasive species data. Check out the podcast here.

To learn more and gain access to free webinars, press and social media kits and other resources, visit the National Invasive Species Awareness Week's official website.

NACD is currently seeking an executive assistant/office coordinator. This position will be responsible for providing administrative support to the NACD CEO, officers,

and executive board.

This position is currently a telework position, due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Learn more about the position here. Please email a resume and two writing samples to hr@nacdnet.org by March 5, 2021, to receive priority for interviews.

We look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack in the coming years. Read our letter in support of Vilsack here.

On Thursday, Feb. 25 at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, the House Agriculture Committee will hold its first hearing of the new 117th Congress titled “Climate Change and the U.S. Agriculture and Forestry Sectors.”

This hearing will be broadcast online and can be accessed by visiting this webpage, where you can also find all official materials for the hearing.

For more information, visit FSA's website.

Last week, NACD Forestry Specialist Mike Beacom was among the presenters for the first installment of a webinar series being organized by the Source Water Collaborative.

NACD is one of 29 national members of the Source Water Collaborative. Last week's webinar introduced more than 100 attendees to the Joint Forestry Team and the role each of its four members play in supporting forest stewardship and efforts to impact source water. To learn more about the Source Water Collaborative or the webinar series, visit the official website.

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