Partners and Affiliates
Putting conservation on the ground is a substantial undertaking that would be impossible without a strong network of partners, collaborators and sponsors. Conservation districts work with partners as a regular part of everyday business at the local, state and national levels. Their key partners in the planning and application of conservation measures are their customers—land owners, operators and other resource decision makers.
NACD’s key partners and affiliates represent a diversity of groups and individuals who have an unparalleled passion for conservation and an expertise in addressing natural resource concerns. They include:
National Conservation Planning Partnership
The National Association of Conservation Districts works closely with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the National Conservation District Employees Association (NCDEA), the National Association of State Conservation Agencies (NASCA) and the National Association of RC&D Councils (NARC&Ds) to provide national conservation leadership and help realize the common vision: “A productive nation in harmony with a quality environment.”
The National Conservation Planning Partnership is committed to:
- Fostering state and local partnerships among the partners’ respective members;
- Listening and responding to customers’ local resource conservation needs;
- Advocating a holistic, ecosystem-wide approach to conservation;
- Maintaining and enhancing grassroots conservation delivery systems;
- Building alliances with a wide variety of agencies and organizations; and
- Fostering economically viable environmental policies.
To learn more about NCPP, click here to read through the 2017 resource guide, pictured at right. To download the publication, click here. Visit NCPP’s website here.
National Conservation Foundation
The mission of the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) is to identify and advance strategic programs and partnerships to deliver conservation solutions through locally-led conservation and to develop the next generation of conservation leaders.
The foundation does this by providing conservation districts and other conservation organizations funding for research, educational programs, and public outreach. In fulfilling its mission, NCF has two programs that work to develop the next generation of conservation leaders: the NCF-Envirothon competition, a high school environmental and natural resources program and competition, and the Next Generation Leadership Institute, a new program to cultivate the next generation of locally-led conservation leaders.
To learn more about NCF, visit the NCF website.
Association of Conservation Executive Directors
NACD Auxiliary
The NACD Auxiliary supports NACD by promoting the association’s education and stewardship programs, playing a significant role in organizing the annual meeting, and conducting outreach on NACD’s behalf.
In particular, the NACD Auxiliary sponsors the prize money for the National Poster Contest and Photo Contest each year and works to establish and strengthen the auxiliaries of state conservation district associations. To learn more about the NACD Auxiliary and how to get involved, contact NACD Stewardship and Education Coordinator Rachel Edwards.
NACD Presidents Association
The Presidents Association is comprised of current and former NACD, state and territory association presidents. For information about the Presidents Association, contact NACD Senior Advisor Rich Duesterhaus. Click here to indicate your interest areas in the Presidents Association as a member.
Billy Wilson
Past President
Dr. Ernest Girouard
President
Dr. Carol Knight
First Vice President
Karl Jensen
Second Vice President
Allen P. Roth
Secretary
Debbie Moreland
Treasurer
Michael Larson
Southwest Region (UT)
Donovan Taves
South Central Region (AR)
Chris Hughes
Southeast Region (NC)
Trevor Williams
Northern Plains Region (SD)
Sam Casella
Northeast Region (NY)
Roger Wenning
North Central Region (IN)
Brenda Iokepa-Moses
Pacific Region (HI)
Steven Meeks
Historian (VA)
Dr. Irvil Kear
Historian (PA)
Barbara Perlman-Whyman
At-Large Representative
NCF-Envirothon
Since 2014, the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) has been the organization responsible for the planning and execution of Envirothon – North America’s largest high school environmental education competition.
For more information about Envirothon click here or visit the official Envirothon website.
Conservation Technology Information Center
The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) is a national, public-private partnership that envisions agriculture using environmentally beneficial and economically viable natural resource systems.
Visit the CTIC website for more information.
National Outstanding Young Farmers Program
The National Outstanding Young Farmer Program is America’s oldest farmer recognition initiative.
Conservation districts can partner with NOYF by nominating outstanding young conservation farmers for the honor. A quarter of NOYF’s recognition criteria for honorees is conservation-based, making districts the natural choice for heading up nominations.
This one-pager describes the nomination and judging criteria and explains NOYF awards.
Click here to print out the two-page nomination form.
U.S. Department of the Interior
For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Interior website.
United States Department of Agriculture
For more information, visit the United States Department of Agriculture website.
Crop Science Society of America
For more information, visit the Crop Science Society of America website.
International Certified Crop Advisers
For more information, visit the International Certified Crop Advisers website.
Soil Science Society of America
For more information, visit the Soil Science Society of America website.
Sand County Foundation
In 1967, Sand County Foundation created a successful partnership among a group of private landowners to protect the land surrounding the famous “Shack” property of Aldo Leopold, America’s foremost conservation thinker. This pioneering cooperative venture led landowners to commit to voluntary conservation while raising awareness of Leopold’s land ethic, which inspires thousands of other owners of working land.
Their mission is to mission is to inspire and enable a growing number of private landowners to ethically manage natural resources in their care so that future generations have clean and abundant water, healthy soil to support agriculture and forestry, plentiful habitat for wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Learn more on their website.
National Agriculture in
the Classroom
The National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization (NAITCO) and its member programs in most of the 50 states including the District of Columbia implement Agriculture in the Classroom programming by providing educational resources and other state-operated programs that use agricultural concepts to teach reading, writing, math, science, social studies and other subject areas.
The mission of Agriculture in the Classroom is to “increase agricultural literacy through K-12 education. By encouraging teachers to embed agriculture into their classroom, AITC cultivates an understanding and appreciation of the food and fiber system that we all rely on every day.
Access the full curriculum on their website.