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, Katie Nicholas of Dane County Land & Water Resources Department in WI, attended the meeting with a TA stipend.

Attending the 2023 NACD Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana was a very rewarding experience. I was honored to have the opportunity to represent Dane County Land and Water Resources Department on a national level. This meeting further inspired my already strong passion for land and water conservation. The most memorable parts of the conference for me were the general sessions and networking with other conservationists from Wisconsin and beyond.

Speakers during the general sessions provided powerful messages. The message that has resonated with me the most was NACD CEO Jeremy Peters’ message that “Climate change is our generation’s dust bowl.” His message emphasizes the importance of the conservation work being performed and the need to expand efforts now before it’s too late. We are at a time where we need to have more conservation work implemented and ensure everyone has a seat at the so no producer is left behind.

I enjoyed learning about some innovative projects being implemented in other states and territories. I look forward to taking what I’ve learned to improve programming and project implementation in my local area and collaborating with colleagues I met during the meeting. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to attend and hope to have the opportunity to participate in the future. Thank you, NACD!