This blog post is part of a six-part series highlighting technical assistance (TA) grant recipient participation at NACD’s 77th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA. This post’s author Kyle Lemoine of Southern Rhode Island Conservation District in RI, attended the meeting with a TA stipend.

A common quip at the National Association of Conservation Districts 77^th Annual Meeting was that it may have been a good, or a really bad idea to host the conference in the heart of New Orleans during the Mardi Gras season. After returning to my home in Rhode Island and reminiscing over the week, I can only agree that it was a sound idea. After dodging an immeasurable number of festive beads on the way to the hotel, the conference began and continued in earnest, albeit with a more welcoming reserve than the fervent parades outside.

Being a part of this event helped me gain a larger understanding for the work that NACD (and other fellow conservation districts) do on a national scale. While it was stimulating to hear the live music playing almost nightly in the French Quarter, it was even more enlightening to listen to the various talks and presentations given by NACD members and conservation partners throughout the week. I can truly say I left the annual meeting not only with a greater appreciation for the New Orleans beignet, but also for being part of an association that seems to stand by their mission: promoting locally led conservation for our natural resources.