Recent Articles

By Lea Mayer On Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing on agriculture’s ability to positively impact and mitigate the effects of climate change. Entitled, "Solving the Climate Crisis: Opportunities in Agriculture," the hearing introduced key components in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) that would help reduce greenhouse gas… Continue reading →

One New York farmer’s erosion concerns has prompted the Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to use a $244,130 grant to install riparian buffers on the property and conduct streambank protection and wetland mitigation downstream. The farm sustained erosion damage following heavy rains last year and contacted the SWCD for assistance. After walking the… Continue reading →

The Northern Rhode Island Conservation District (NRICD) has developed a partnership with the city-owned Providence Water Supply Board and the State of Rhode Island that will utilize $2.9 million from a U.S. Forest Service grant to continue improving water quality in the Scituate Reservoir Watershed by providing easements to landowners who are managing their forests.… Continue reading →

By Candice Abinanti Last week, over 100 district employees from throughout the southeast gathered in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., for the 2019 Southeast Conservation District Employees Association's (SECDEA) Annual Conference. Presided over by SECDEA President Hope Daley from Mississippi, the two-day conference provided the opportunity for conservation district employees to gather, share ideas, and hear updates… Continue reading →

Erin Hines is just one of hundreds of thousands of students whose life has been forever positively impacted through the National Conservation Foundation (NCF)-Envirothon. Like the thousands of high school students who compete each year, Hines understands the vast impacts of the international natural resource competition. These individuals gain an understanding of the complexities of balancing quality of life with conservation… Continue reading →

Jad Daley is the President and CEO of American Forests, the nation’s oldest forest conservation organization founded in 1875. Daley has a long record of leadership in the forest community, including co-founding the Forest-Climate Working Group, which he continues to co-chair, and leading the 22-state Eastern Forest Partnership. Daley has also played a lead role… Continue reading →

By Katrina Vaitkus As Halloween approaches, so does the end of Bat Week, the annual, international celebration designed to raise awareness about the need for bat conservation. Bats are more than just nocturnal animals that make for spooky stories and decorations. In fact, bats are crucial to ecosystems around the world. Bats have a few… Continue reading →

Seven years ago, when the LaGrange County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) held a meeting with local landowners to discuss water quality issues in Indiana’s Little Elkhart River watershed, those in attendance had little to say. Many were Amish. Old Order Amish landowner Monroe Raber stepped forward. “I told the guy if he needed… Continue reading →

At the core of every inspirational story is one consistent thing: Inspired people. Sure, there are always similar factors like challenges, motivations and outcomes, but people are the main ingredient when it comes to inspiration. People drive achievement and accomplishment, because they take a challenge and transform it to a success. They navigate relationships, address conflict, unite… Continue reading →

In September, the Washington State University (WSU) Extension, Oregon State University (OSU), the Pacific Northwest Agroforestry Working Group, and the USDA National Agroforestry Center hosted a workshop for natural resource professionals in Spokane, Wash., that focused on agroforestry in the region. Participants were primarily staff from conservation districts, but also included private consultants, state agency… Continue reading →