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November 8, 2011
New Legislative Director Joins NACD Staff
NACD is proud to welcome our new Legislative Director, Laura Wood. Laura comes to
NACD from Russell & Barron, a government relations and public affairs firm focused on
agriculture, and she currently teaches Introduction to American Politics and Government
as an adjunct faculty member at George Washington University.
Her prior experience includes work before law school in the Kansas Legislature and U.S.
House of Representatives, as well as for the Senate Judiciary Committee while completing
her J.D. at The George Washington University Law School. Laura is a member of the
Kansas Bar, and received her B.S. from Kansas State University, where she enjoyed
working on renewable energy issues for the Environmental Defense Fund.
Laura grew up on a family farm near Trousdale, Kansas, and she served as Governor of
Kansas Girls State, sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. With deep roots in farming,
she values the importance of locally-led conservation practices that efficiently use resources
and technology to advance sustainable food and fiber security in the United States.
She can be reached at Laura-wood@nacdnet.org.
NACD Winter Internship Deadline Extended
NACD is looking for an intern to work a 15-week winter internship from January-April 2012
at NACD’s main office in Washington, D.C. The intern will work with the Legislative Affairs
and Communications staff to advance the association’s legislative agenda. He/she will
learn the legislative process and gain valuable hands-on experience.
The intern will gain a working knowledge of Congress, federal natural resource and
environmental agencies, and an understanding of the roles conservation districts and state
conservation agencies play in the development of natural resource, agricultural and
environmental policies. The selected intern will also be assisting and attending NACD’s
2012 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas!
NACD interns are typically college juniors or seniors who are interested in the environment
and/or agriculture. Interns are expected to work full time, but special arrangements may be
made if classes need to be taken locally to receive college credit. A performance-based
stipend is awarded at the conclusion of the internship. The intern is expected to find their
own housing, but staff can provide assistance and advice with the process.
To download the intern application, click here.
Applications, resumes and cover letters are due by Friday, November 18. Please send all
application materials to Danielle Dills at Danielle-dills@nacdnet.org.
Las Vegas Wetlands Volunteer Opportunity at 2012 Annual Meeting
Join the Conservation District of Southern Nevada (CDSN) for an exciting opportunity to
get a firsthand look at the Wetlands of Las Vegas! This special volunteer event, in celebration
of World Wetlands Day, will take place in Las Vegas, Feb. 2, immediately following the
NACD Annual Meeting. Several activities are planned throughout the day, including a cleanup
event at the Pabco Road Weir site.
If you are interested in participating, contact Jennifer Clifford at jclifford@cdsn.org.
Transportation will be provided between the Cosmopolitan Hotel and the Las Vegas
Wetlands.
This year’s World Wetlands Day theme is "Wetlands and Tourism." Wetlands tourism can
benefit people and wildlife both locally and nationally. Throughout the world, approximately
35 percent of wetland sites record some form of tourism. The Las Vegas event is being
organized by the Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee, of which CDSN is a member.
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NACD Facebook Photo Contest: Districts Responding to Severe Weather
Do you have a great photo of your district responding to severe weather? You could be
featured in the winter edition of The Resource!
This fall, NACD will host a photo contest on our Facebook page.
We’re seeking photos of districts working on conservation practices that prevent and/or
respond to severe weather events, such as drought, wildfires or flooding. For inspiration
and examples, see the Fall 2010 feature story, “When a Disaster Strikes, Districts Step Up."
Submit all entries to intern@nacdnet.org by December 2. Districts may submit up to
three original photos each. Please include a short caption, your district name, and your
contact info along with each photo. Results will be tallied via a Facebook poll in December.
Stay tuned for details on when and how to vote.
Winning photo(s) will appear in the Winter 2011 issue of The Resource, and runners-up
will be featured in a slide show at NACD’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.
House Ag Committee Hearing Reviews Chesapeake Bay TMDL Implementation
Recently, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Penn.), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's
Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry, held a public hearing to review
Phase II of the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL) Watershed Implementation
Plans and their impact on rural communities.
The Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches across more than 64,000 square miles,
encompassing parts of six states: Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
West Virginia and the entire District of Columbia.
States are now in the second phase of a three-part process to limit discharge into the Bay.
The Chesapeake's land-to-water ratio (14:1) is the largest of any coastal water body in the
world. This is why our actions on the land have such a significant influence on the health
of the Bay.
Hearing attendees included Chairpersons Thompson and Holden, and members of the
Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy and Forestry. Serving as witnesses were: Shawn
M. Garvin, Region 3 Administrator EPA (Philadelphia, Penn.), Michael Krancer, Secretary EPA
(Harrisburg, Penn.), Michael Brubaker, Chairman Chesapeake Bay Commission (Annapolis MD),
Carl Shaffer, President Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (Camp Hill, Penn.), and Turner Perrow,
Member Lynchburg City Council (Lynchburg, Va.).
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