NACD'S 75TH
ANNUAL MEETING THEME ANNOUNCED
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The agenda for NACD's 75th Annual Meeting, scheduled to be held in person from Feb. 6-10, 2021 in New Orleans, La., is now available to view on NACD's Annual Meeting webpage.
Next year's meeting will celebrate NACD's 75th Anniversary, focusing on the national association's legacy and where the conservation movement is headed. To honor this special year, NACD's 75th Annual Meeting theme is "NACD 75th Anniversary: A Diamond out of the Dust," and will explore not only the legacy of NACD, but the legacy of conservation districts and the way conservation districts are rising to meet challenges both today and in the future.
While we are on track to host next year's annual meeting in person, we are continuing to monitor local, state and federal guidelines related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Our top priority is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all participants, and we will continue to share information as it becomes available.
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NACD SEEKS SUBMISSIONS FOR 2020 POSTER AND PHOTO CONTEST |
The annual poster contest is open to students K-12 and celebrates the 2020 Stewardship theme “Where Would We BEE Without Pollinators?”
The photo contest is open to all amateur photographers who reside in the U.S. or its territories. Contestants are allowed to enter up to five photos in each of the four categories: conservation practices, close-up conservation, conservation in action and agriculture and conservation across America.
Submissions for both contests are due Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020. To learn more and submit your entry, visit NACD's website. |
CONNECTICUT RIVER COASTAL CD, CONN. |
In 2016, NACD, in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), awarded funding to the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District (CD) to help them lead a successful collaboration among many people and groups within Middletown's agricultural community. The grant enabled the CD to form the basis of a long-term effort in building community engagement in farming/backyard gardening and making fresh local produce more accessible to those at-risk of food insecurity.
Partners included Long Lane Farm, a cooperative student-run vegetable farm at Wesleyan University; Forest City Farms, an organic vegetable farm on city land; Middletown Regional Agriculture Science and Technology Center, a high school program; North End Action Team, an organization that has two community gardens and runs a farmers market; the Family Resource Center, which serves at-risk families and runs school gardening programs; the Middletown Food Corps program, which connects kids to real farm-fresh food and promotes health through food/nutrition education, gardening and cooking activities; a nutrition consultant who works on early childhood health issues; and the City Department of Planning, Conservation and Development, which leases land to farmers, and supports agriculture through its Commission on Conservation and Agriculture. Working with this diverse group of partners was energizing and rewarding and resulted in many productive, positive connections.
Accomplishments included developing conservation plans for several farms, which make them eligible for USDA-NRCS and CT Farmland Restoration Program funding. The plans laid the groundwork for implementation of practices, including conservation cover to improve pollinator habitat; crop rotation for soil health; cover crops to prevent erosion; seasonal high tunnels to extend the growing season; mulching to conserve moisture, prevent compaction, reduce runoff and control weeds; and nutrient management to ensure optimum levels and prevent nutrient run-off.
The CD also planned and held a variety of well-received community outreach activities, including the Meet the Experts Gardening Q&A; the "Put Local on Your Plate" program, a three-part cooking series with demonstrations led by local chefs focused on using seasonal produce; and spring and fall family-friendly educational farm days with soil health, composting and beekeeping displays, planting activities, farm and environmental-themed crafts, tastings of foods prepared from farm produce, live music, a farm stand and farm tours.
For example, an extensive farm tour (pictured above) led by Forest City Farms Manager Gabe Russo at the Fall Harvest Day provided an excellent introduction to his farming operation. The tour highlighted efforts to enhance the farmland for agriculture, such as building the soil fertility, clearing invasive plants and creating pollinator plantings and beekeeping at the farm. Russo also discussed ways to expand and diversify crops and develop educational facilities, as well as offer programs to engage local families and children on the farm.
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D.C. Office Closed
Until October 9
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NACD’s Washington, D.C. office will remain closed with staff teleworking until Friday, Oct. 9 in light of the ongoing 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. We will continue to update our members on any changes during this time.
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This Friday, Sept. 11, NACD recognizes the 19th anniversary of the tragic events that took place on September 11, 2001. On this day, we honor and remember the lives of the victims and first-responders lost at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. |
EPA Announces Availability of Funding for Farmer-led, Farm-focused Projects
in the Gulf
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Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Gulf of Mexico Division announced the availability of grant funding to improve water quality, habitat, resilience and environmental education through the demonstration of innovative practices on working lands. The project is designed to support farmer-led or farm-focused organizations in the Gulf of Mexico watershed within the continental United States.
The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $10 million. Eligible applicants include state agencies, federally recognized tribes and tribal consortia, any agency or instrumentality of local governments, nonprofit organizations, interstate agencies and colleges and universities.
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Deadline Approaches
for Christi Heintz Memorial Scholarship Award Applications
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Applications for the Christi Heintz Memorial Scholarship Award are due next Tuesday, Sept. 15.
This award, funded by Project Apis m. (PAm), honors the organization's dedication in supporting beekeepers and growers by providing a $20,000 scholarship to one masters student whose research is aligned with PAm's mission in solving honey bee health challenges.
The award is named after PAm's founding leader Christi Heintz, who passed away on May 11, 2020. Applicants are encouraged to read her memorial here.
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Register Now:
2020 REPI
Webinar Series
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Sign up for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program's 2020 Webinar Series today!
Held monthly, these webinars showcase best practices and lessons learned from REPI partnerships nationwide that support military missions and accelerate the pace of conservation. All webinars begin at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. The next webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 9, will focus on effective community engagement with community members and stakeholders, such as county commissioners, local farm bureau leaders and state technical committee members.
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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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