Recent Articles

By Desiree Van Dyke, NACD Southwest Region Representative Hans Hunt has spent much of his first several months as NRCS Assistant Chief for the Western Region traveling throughout the West, meeting with producers, field offices, and conservation leaders.  “The most important part of it is being out on the road and meeting with people,” said… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications This month marks the 80th anniversary of NACD. The association was formed on July 25, 1946, and this year we’ve been exploring the theme, “Deep Roots, Bold Horizons.” We’re celebrating the history of conservation districts, partners, and the association while moving confidently forward. Since the early days, a… Continue reading →

By Beth Mason, NACD North Central Region Representative, and Ellie Stuckrath, NACD Communications Specialist This week, the NACD Board of Directors members from the North Central Region convened during NACD's Summer Conservation Forum & Tours to approve a cooperative work plan with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).  The effort builds on the memorandum… Continue reading →

By Natalie Stewart, Communications & Public Relations Specialist, Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee, and Courtney Curenton-Baker, NACD Director of Membership Recognizing that the future of conservation depends on strong local leadership, the Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (SWCC) launched the Emerging Leaders in Conservation (ELC) Initiative in January of 2025 to prepare the next… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications Rich Duesterhaus, NACD’s Senior Advisor, was seven years old when NACD was formed in 1946. Working on his family’s farms in Illinois and Missouri, he aspired to be a farmer. A summer internship with the Soil Conservation Service, now NRCS, changed that. Rich began to see a career… Continue reading →

By Desiree Van Dyke, NACD Southwest Region Representative  No two days look exactly the same for NACD Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jeremy Peters.  "A day in the life of Jeremy takes me in any number of directions, but never without a focus on my priorities: my family and my work family and making sure that… Continue reading →

Driving through Cuyahoga County, Ohio, one can easily spot a network of stormwater infrastructure that spans the landscape.  The most recognized feature is the dry detention basin, often a grass depression in the landscape that temporarily holds water and slowly releases it. Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) staff saw the potential to elevate the ecology… Continue reading →

By Annica McGuirk, NACD Forestry Program Manager NACD recently participated in the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities' Markets Matter Convening in Madison, Wisconsin. The meeting brought together leaders from across forestry, conservation, government, industry, and investment sectors to examine a growing challenge facing forests and communities alike: how do we create durable markets and… Continue reading →

From May 5 to 7, 2026, the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), in partnership with the USDA National Agroforestry Center and the California Agroforestry Network, hosted the San Diego Agroforestry Workshop for Natural Resources Professionals in Encinitas, California. The training brought together resource conservation district staff, conservation professionals, technical service providers, nonprofit staff, producers,… Continue reading →

It is important to be able to translate the technical assistance work your district carries out into stories that connect with your constituents and beyond. You probably already do this through your website, newsletters, and social media. Below are some tips and resources to help you tell impactful, personal stories that will connect with your… Continue reading →