Five ways conservation districts can assist CFP 02/26/2019
From the application process to providing ongoing technical assistance, conservation districts have several opportunities to participate in the Community Forest Program at different levels. “I can see opportunities during the application process and beyond,” U.S. Forest Service National Program Specialist Margee Haines said. “These forests are a permanent resource for the community and actively managed… Continue reading →
District finds ways to assist CFP in Washington 02/26/2019
A 2008 wildfire that began with a lightning strike on Mt. Adams and moved toward nearby rural communities sparked a movement to find innovative ways to address fire risk and protect forest health in the Mt. Adams area of southern Washington. Those conversations grew into the Mt. Adams Community Forest, which benefited from the Community… Continue reading →
Community Forest Program 02/26/2019
Communities and private landowners across the country are embracing the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program), a program designed to manage private property for public access and the good of the community. The Community Forest Program complements conservation districts’ efforts to conserve and promote healthy environments, whether it… Continue reading →
Forestry Notes Q&A: NIFA National Program Leader Eric Norland 02/26/2019
Forestry Notes Q&A Eric Norland, National Program Leader National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Division of Environmental Systems Dr. Norland provides national leadership for forest resource management, forest sustainability and agroforestry research and extension programs; the Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA) Program, which provides funding to 73 land-grant institutions for Extension forest and rangeland… Continue reading →
Big Thompson Conservation District is improving Colorado’s forests 02/26/2019
Colorado’s Big Thompson Conservation District is using a technical assistance grant from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to grow its Healthy Forest Initiative program with new staff and new projects. Designed to add capacity at the local level to provide more assistance to landowners, the grant… Continue reading →
Oregon District Utilizes Technical Assistance Funds to Improve Customer Service 02/25/2019
While many conservation districts are using NACD technical assistance (TA) grant funding to grow capacity in the field, Oregon’s Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is utilizing TA funding to help with office program work. In April, Tiffany Schademan was hired as a full-time program support specialist to assist the SWCD and U.S.… Continue reading →
Grant County Conservation District able to reach more landowners through grant 02/25/2019
Washington’s Grant County Conservation District is using a technical assistance grant to get more boots on the ground and help the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) climb out of a backlog of program applications. The district received a technical assistance grant in March 2018 from the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and NRCS, designed… Continue reading →
Henderson County SWCD Restores 1,000 Feet of Stream in North Carolina 02/21/2019
By Henderson County SWCD Over time, streams are often straightened to simplify the landscape to make way for roads, farming or houses. Straightening a stream negatively affects the biodiversity and water quality by increasing the vulnerability of the stream to flooding and erosion. Straightened streams run faster, often becoming deeper and more narrow. Habitats for… Continue reading →
San Antonio’s Mission Reach urban ecosystem restoration provides many benefits 02/12/2019
By NACD Southeast Region Representative Candice Abinanti Strolling along San Antonio, Texas,’ Historic Downtown River Walk, it can be easy to overlook the infrastructure that keeps the water in the San Antonio River level. After all, San Antonio has a history with flooding. During the 73rd NACD Annual Meeting, the Association of Texas Soil and Water… Continue reading →
2018 Farm Bill Breakdown: Urban Conservation 01/28/2019
Urban agriculture is a small but growing sector of the agriculture industry. Urban producers face both challenges familiar to any farmer, like accessing land and credit, as well as challenges unique to the urban setting – like soil contamination. The 2018 Farm Bill included several provisions designed to increase urban agricultural production and tackle challenges… Continue reading →