NACD is excited to announce that the
2019 Annual Report
is officially here, which you can access online by clicking on the cover above.
It's been quite a year for the national association, and as we take this time to reflect, we're pleased to bring you a rich summary of all that we've accomplished this past year. From hosting a series of listening sessions across the country in order to gain insights from our members (page 60), to expanding our Stewardship and Education programs by developing the first-of-its-kind Pollinator Field Day Guide (page 58), NACD has been busy implementing programs and strengthening partnerships.
In this past year's annual report, learn how conservation districts across the nation are delivering locally-led conservation in their communities. On page 13, learn how the
Amador Resource Conservation District
used an NACD Technical Assistance grant to expand from a single part-time district manager to add two full-time natural resource specialists. On page 30, find out how the
Morrison Soil and Water Conservation District has partnered with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and Camp Ripley Training Center to leverage $44.5 million in outside funding to secure nearly 30,000 acres in permanent conservation easements to date.
A print copy of the 2019 Annual Report will be mailed to all conservation districts, state and territory associations, Friends of NACD and members of NACD's Board of Directors in the coming weeks. To download a copy of this edition, please click the cloud icon in the lower right-hand corner.
Visit NACD's publications
to browse past editions, and please let us know if you have any questions or comments about the 2019 Annual Report.
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VIRTUAL ADVOCACY DAY TO REPLACE SPRING FLY-IN
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NACD's 2020 Spring Fly-In has been cancelled, due to concerns with COVID-19 (coronavirus) and limitations placed on people visiting Capitol Hill.
However, rather than in-person meetings, we encourage state and conservation districts to instead conduct a virtual advocacy day
next Wednesday, March 25.
Congress is still operating and considering policies that affect conservation. It is just as important as ever for your Members of Congress to know what locally-led conservation needs so you can continue protecting our nation’s natural resources.
Many Congressional offices are moving to video or Skype conference calls during this time rather than in-person meetings, and we would encourage you to set one up if the capabilities exist. Additionally, setting up a conference call or sending an email to your Members would also help communicate the same messages that would have been delivered in person.
Conservation districts face many challenges, from staffing shortfalls at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to funding shortfalls within farm bill programs, and we don’t want to lose this opportunity to send your message to Washington, D.C. These alternative meetings will help accomplish this goal.
NACD has information included on our
Fly-In webpage
that explains the issues we were planning on focusing on during the Fly-In, and you can use these one pagers and letters during your virtual meetings. If you do not already have a contact within a Congressional office, information on how to set up a meeting is also included on that webpage. Although our goal is to have those who were planning on being in Washington, D.C. set up these replacement meetings, we certainly encourage all states, territories and conservation districts, even those who weren’t planning on attending, to set up new meetings and participate in this virtual advocacy day.
If you have any questions, please contact NACD Director of Government Affairs
Coleman Garrison
at
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2020 PACIFIC AND SOUTHWEST REGION MEETING TO BE
HELD IN HAWAII
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The Pacific and Southwest regions share a joint region meeting every year, with the meeting location rotating biannually through the two regions. For the first time in ten years, the meeting will be held in Hawaii.
The
Hawaii Association of Conservation Districts and the
Maui Soil and Water Conservation District have already organized a well-planned event, to be held at the Royal Lahaina Resort on the island of Maui from Sept.15-17.
Attendees can travel on Sept. 15, and arrive just in time for the welcome social that evening. On Sept. 16, partners from across the islands will present on programs, projects and activities related to the shared resource concerns between the two regions, with a specific focus on water quality and quantity. On Sept. 17, a conservation tour will help attendees understand some of the pressing issues in Maui related to saltwater intrusion and loss of land due to sea level rise.
Registration and additional lodging and travel information are now available
on NACD's website, and attendees are encouraged to book flights and register early. The room block will be available for additional days before and after the meeting for those wishing to spend more time on Maui.
Please contact your NACD Pacific Region Representative
Ariel Rivers and Southwest Region Representative
Jeff Burwell
with any questions.
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RCD EFFORTS HELPING FORESTS TO
RECOVER, RESTOCK
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California’s
Mariposa County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is joining forces with county, state and federal agencies to implement fuels reduction, reforestation and biomass utilization projects.
The RCD has combined two grants–totaling more than $3 million–to put toward that effort, which will impact nearly 3,000 acres of forestland, in some cases with multiple treatments. One grant for more than $2 million came in August from CAL Fire’s California Climate Investments Forest Health grant program, while the other for $1.3 million was secured from the Wildlife Conservation Board’s Forest Conservation program.
“Everyone’s already working as hard as they can, to the maximum budget they have, and it’s not enough,”
RCD Program Manager Melinda Barrett said. “By joining our efforts, we improve the timing, coordination and effectiveness of everything we’re all doing.”
“With these grants, we’re in effect doubling the amount we’re able to put toward the project,”
she said
. “Without this kind of coordination and collaboration on a large landscape effort, we’re really not going to be able to address the health of the forest and prevent these huge wildfires that have been happening.”
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D.C. Office Closed
Until March 27
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NACD’s Washington, D.C. office will be closed with staff teleworking until Friday, March 27 in order to take proactive steps to address concerns over the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
NACD wants to ensure the continuity of normal business operations, and you can reach NACD staff during regular business hours as usual via email or by calling the main line: (202) 547-NACD. In the meantime, we will continue to update our members on any changes during this time.
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First Day of Spring Begins This Friday
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The first day of Spring begins this Thursday, March 20!
From everyone at NACD, we wish you all a happy Spring and a prosperous planting season!
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OACD Cancels
NLRJ Contest
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Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) concerns, the
Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) is cancelling Conservation Day at the Capitol, scheduled for Apr. 15, and the National Land and Range Judging (NLRJ) Contest, scheduled for May 5-7, 2020.
If you were a registrant or a sponsor of the NLRJ contest, you will receive a full refund in the next few weeks. For conservation day, OACD will send materials to those who call or email their legislators instead.
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USDA Seeks Proposals for On-Farm Trials
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The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting proposals through May 11 for On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials (On-Farm Trials), now in its second year.
On-Farm Trials, part of the agency’s Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) program, help support the adoption and evaluation of innovative conservation approaches on agricultural land.
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Apply Today:
2020 Conservation Planning Boot Camp
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The deadline to apply for the May session of Conservation Planning Boot Camp (CPBC) is one week away!
CPBC is a three-week intensive training course for district and tribal conservation district employees working to become a certified planner. During the session, course participants work side-by-side with new Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff on developing and implementing conservation plans.
Prerequisites include a USDA Linc Pass, Level 2 E-Authorization and USDA AgLearn courses, which you can view online for the full course listing.
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Apply Now:
District Jobs Available
in Wyoming
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The
Weston County Natural Resource District
in Newcastle, Wyo.,
is currently seeking a full-time district coordinator
to manage all the day-to-day district activities. This position will also work on natural resource program development, public relations and all related conservation programs.
Additionally, the
Campbell County Conservation District
is seeking a watershed coordinator to work closely with state and federal agencies and private landowners to collect chemical and biological data that will aid in the management and understanding of water quality within Campbell County.
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National Agriculture Week Begins March 22
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Celebrate the farmers and producers who help feed our nation by recognizing National Agriculture Week, beginning this Sunday, March 22.
National Ag Day will be celebrated on March 24, 2020. A variety of background material and other information and resources about National Ag Day are available to view on
www.agday.org. You can find a social media toolkit, infographics, press release templates and more.
While an event may not be possible due to current COVID-19 concerns, you can still promote the importance of Ag Week online and through your social media channels. Learn more
online.
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Promote your conservation district or state association's tree sale, annual meeting, webinar, field day or more on NACD's
Calendar of Events
!
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