National Association of Conservation Districts

2010 Interim CEO Address

NACD 2010 Annual Meeting • January 31 - February 3, 2010 • Orlando, FL

Brad Ross, NACD Interim Chief Executive Officer
2010 Interim CEO Address
February 1, 2010

Thank you, President Steve, Officers, Board members and conservation district members across this great nation … thank you, thank you, thank you … for the tremendous opportunity you have given me during the past 9 months to experience leadership in the nation’s Capitol and with the greatest conservation organization on earth!  I also want to thank you all for your tremendous support as we have walked through this transition together.  It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve you all during this important period. 

As I have commuted almost weekly from my home in Ohio to the NACD office in DC, my family has asked me—why?  Some mornings on my return flights, I was asking myself the same question.  But the honest answer is … because I love this organization, the people, and all of the good things that you stand for and accomplish.  

You have all seen the emphasis the media, our government, major corporations and other non-profit organizations have placed on the need to “Go Green”.  Well, our conservation districts have been going green for over 60 years—putting sustainable conservation practices on the land that have improved water quantity & quality, increased food production,  saved energy, and more.  As you all have gone about your business playing Captain Conservation,  quietly putting conservation practices on the landscape, you have improved the quality of life within your communities, increased the value of the land, provided & improved wildlife habitat, produced quality food and timber, and kept our waterways clean.  The Governor of South Dakota recently talked about the recent draught their state experienced as potentially being worse than the Dust Bowl,  but due to the conservation practices that farmers and ranchers had installed over the years, they fared pretty well.  That says a lot about the importance of your work.

Farmers and ranchers will be called on even more in the future to produce not only food and fiber, but also energy.  With the increasing number of people occupying the landscape, more food will be produced on less land.  Add the need to grow energy as well, and it doesn’t take long to realize that we will be relying on more & new technology to be able to produce these essential commodities and maintain the sustainability of our land and water resources.  Your conservation districts will be called on to assist landowners with conservation practices and I encourage you to be creative, look for new ways to help producers and other land users to meet the growing needs of producing food, fiber and fuel and quality of life while maintaining the sustainability of the resource base.  Even with new technology to help increase productivity, our resources will come under a lot of pressure.  Our work will become more and more important as there will be increased demand from the public for regulations to protect the environment.  By continuing to provide timely, proven conservation technical assistance that helps land users voluntarily protect our precious natural resources, we can minimize the need for strict and costly regulations.  Captain Conservation is going to have to do a few more push-ups and lift more weights to get into shape for the heavy conservation lifting that will be needed in the future.

At the same time, our conservation districts in urban areas have seen some of the greatest growth potential in recent years due to your adaptability and willingness to change to meet the needs of your ever-changing communities.  From assisting local governments with land-use planning, to helping with stormwater management, to assisting with siting and planning local community gardens and trees, the list goes on of ways you have assisted your landowners, tenants and city planners.  Locally elected officials recognize that conservation districts can address all natural resource issues, including protecting water quality, greening up landscapes and bringing communities together in developed and developing areas.  That recognition has led to greater confidence in your abilities as the local conservation experts and has helped increased funding locally.

NACD is the most effective and efficient private lands conservation organization in the U.S. and through you, our members, we are poised to provide the kind of support needed to meet society’s needs.  Your vision and leadership will be critical in the coming years to help local, state and national leaders meet the world’s needs.  NACD needs you and your peers back home to be actively engaged if we are going to be successful in the future. 

In just a few weeks, your NACD leadership will begin a strategic planning process and will need your participation over the next 6-9 months to set the stage for the work of this organization.  You all must make time to participate and provide input into this important plan.  Ultimately, it will determine what this organization focuses its attention on during the next 5-10 years.

Again, I want to thank you all for the support you have given me during the past year.  I am excited about the selection of our new CEO, Jeff Eisenberg.  His energy, enthusiasm, and above all—his passion for conservation districts and the great work you do is very welcomed by all of us.  As you get to know Jeff in the coming weeks and months, I know you will find him to be a great fit for our organization and the ways that we strive to serve all of you, our members.  Thank you and I hope you all have a wonderful and engaging time here in Orlando at your national conference. And in the words of the great Past President John Redding: “Bless your Hearts!”