Recent Articles

By Mary Scott On June 4, President Trump signed a Presidential Executive Order (EO), titled “Accelerating the Nation’s Economic Recovery from the COVID-19 Emergency by Expediting Infrastructure Investments and Other Activities.” The EO streamlines infrastructure investments by instructing agencies, including executive departments, to use “emergency authorities” for swift implementation of projects. According to the EO,… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus In Marathon County, Wisconsin, the use of managed grazing practices is a critical piece of the conservation puzzle. The Marathon County Conservation Planning and Zoning (CPZ) Department plays a crucial role in teaching farmers about these sustainable practices and helping them develop and implement their own plans. 2018 and 2019 NACD Technical… Continue reading →

The Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is collaborating with other agencies to install interpretive fire signs along Bear Creek Greenway riparian corridor, where 100-plus acres were burned in Oregon’s 2018 Peninger Fire. The signs will provide detailed information about the fire, wildland ecology, native and invasive species, pollinators, riparian habitat, fire safety, the… Continue reading →

The Butte County Resource Conservation District (RCD) has partnered with American Forest Foundation (AFF) to replant nonindustrial, small privately-owned timberland areas within the Camp Fire burn scar in California. Although the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic shortened the number of volunteer outings for the project, the conservation district was able to get a volunteer planting in during… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus In 2018, the Warrior Run Watershed, located in the northern part of Northumberland County in Pennsylvania, was selected to be part of the National Water Quality Initiative (NWQI). This USDA-NRCS program provides funding to accelerate voluntary, on-farm conservation efforts, as well as monitor and assess water quality. Northumberland County Conservation District (NCCD)… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus Through NACD Technical Assistance (TA) Grants, the Washington County Soil Conservation District in Tennessee has been able to boost its technical assistance programs to landowners, improve its office functions, and continue work on its outreach programs. When the district received its first grant in 2018, they brought on Rebecca Carr as the… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus Since 1972, the Middle Niobrara Natural Resources District (MNNRD) has been devoted to helping solve natural resource issues in their area. Many of those issues revolve around erosion and water quality in the Long Pine Creek Watershed. This watershed, which is found in north central Nebraska, encompasses approximately 332,000 acres, many of… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus Thanks to an NACD Technical Assistance (TA) Grant, the Sonoma Resource Conservation District (RCD) in California has their first ever professional forester. The district had wanted to bring someone on for a while, but they didn’t have the funds until 2018, when they were awarded their first TA grant. The grant allowed… Continue reading →

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently awarded more than $200 million to groups through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), including at least nine conservation districts. The Berks County Conservation District (BCCD) in Pennsylvania will match its $2.23 million RCPP funding with about $2.3 million in partner contributions to implement agricultural best management practices… Continue reading →

The Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is sharing the world of conservation and urban agriculture with at-risk students in Ohio through a $44,000 NACD Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) grant. Initially, the grant was secured with the plans to conduct monthly hands-on educational visits to seven Head Start classes this spring, as well as… Continue reading →