Recent Articles

By Candice Abinanti, NACD Director of Communications in collaboration with the NACD Natural Resources Committee  Land conversion and the loss of working lands to residential subdivisions, solar arrays, data centers, and other development are concerns NACD hears from conservation districts across the country. The American Farmland Trust’s report, Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future, states that “From 2001–2016, our nation lost or compromised 2,000 acres of farmland and ranchland… Continue reading →

By Nicole Poitra, NACD Northern Plains Region Representative At the foot of Montana’s Crazy Mountains in Big Timber, Dan and Tami Sanders are transforming their leased 500-acre ranch along the Yellowstone River into a working model of regenerative agriculture. Guided by the wisdom of local ranchers and supported by modern soil-health practices, they’re blending tradition… Continue reading →

by the Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District Lake County, Minnesota, bordered by Lake Superior, the Superior National Forest, and the Boundary Waters, is a landscape where forests dominate and clean water is abundant. With less than a quarter of the county in private ownership, each private acre plays a crucial role in maintaining… Continue reading →

By Wesley Gibson, NACD South Central Region Representative and  Molly Wozniak, Genesee CD Invasive Species Coordinator  For the past year and a half, the Genesee Conservation District’s invasive species program—the Genesee Lapeer Livingston and Shiawassee Counties Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (GiLLS CISMA)—has been working to get a handle on the red swamp crayfish showing up in… Continue reading →

Did you know that one of NACD’s core functions is to advocate for policies that support conservation districts and our partners at the national level? NACD maintains a policy book to inform all the legislative work NACD staff and board members carry out. Leadership uses the policy book to develop issue papers; committees and subcommittees… Continue reading →

By Nicole Poitra, NACD Northern Plains Region Representative Across Montana, foresters, conservation districts, and local leaders are coming together to spark an important conversation about the future of the state’s forests. At the center of that discussion are two longtime foresters, Jim Simpson and Gordy Sanders, who launched the effort called “Which Montana Do You… Continue reading →

By Ellie Stuckrath, NACD Communications Coordinator, and Allie Hostler, KTRCD District Coordinator When the Klamath Trinity Resource Conservation District (KTRCD) formed in 2007, economic development, food security, and tribal sovereignty were just as integral to their mission as natural resources conservation.    Food Hub   For KTRCD, fostering tribal food sovereignty meant creating and maintaining sustainable markets for farmers. Thus, the… Continue reading →

How one RCD forester is scaling from single landowners to landscape-level action. by the Sonoma Resource Conservation District Jason Wells never thought he’d return to Sonoma County, California, as no forestry positions existed. But after the 2017 Tubbs Fire tore through Santa Rosa, destroying over 5,000 homes, everything changed. Not only is Jason back where… Continue reading →

Did you know that NACD creates a variety of educational resources available to all districts? Did you know that most of them are completely free to use?   Chances are you’ve encountered some of these resources, as they are one of the most popular services we offer. However, you may not be aware of everything we create for you!  NACD’s education program is… Continue reading →

By Wesley X Torres Pérez, Eastern Soil and Water Conservation District Conservation Biologist The Plain Pigeon and the Puerto Rican Rock Frog are two endangered species now receiving protection thanks to a conservation initiative involving farmers and private landowners. In a pioneering environmental conservation effort, farmers and private landowners in eastern Puerto Rico are partnering… Continue reading →